Final Fantasy S Generation is a collection of arranged and original pieces of music from the Final Fantasy games released for the Sony Playstation systems (Pre-FFX that is). Yet, even more so than the first "Generation" collection, the overall theme and sound of this disc is of a more relaxed nature and very similar to the Final Fantasy Potion CDs.

Of the two Tokyopop-released collections, I prefer this one more. With pieces from the later piano and orchestrated albums, some of my favorite arrangements are featured here. I found that the dramatic quality of the post FFVI themes are far above those themes before it. Just listen to "Aeris' Theme," it's so full of passion and sadness, I can't help but be moved every time I listen it. And no matter what anyone tells me, "The Oath" is incredible; pieces like these could easily be mistaken as parts of a movie score. A nice inclusion is the Japanese version of "Melodies of Life." Shiratori's performance is much more tender and moving than her English version. As a whole, I really have no complaints about anything on this album.

As I stated in my review of the first collection, fans that have the original imported albums that these pieces are drawn from will only want this for collector's purposes. However, for everyone else, this is an excellent way to sample some of the best the series has to offer. So, make sure to check your local game specialty store for a copy, or if all else fails, Game Music Online carries it in stock.

Reviewed by: Lucy Rzeminski