Five years ago, crystals were a quirky fad associated with patchouli and crushed velvet. But now, fuelled by social media aesthetics and the seemingly unstoppable wellness juggernaut, they are big business.
From rose quartz for self-love to amethyst for tranquility, there’s a crystal to suit every mood. Give your home a mineral-inspired boost with these stylish decorating ideas.
Prelude (Themed Crystals) from Final Fantasy
Nobuo Uematsu’s Prelude, also known as the Crystal Theme is one of the most beloved pieces in Final Fantasy history. It’s the kind of theme that’s so familiar to fans that it’s a recognizable part of the franchise itself, appearing in every mainline title as well as many series spinoffs. It’s even playable from a jukebox in the Final Fantasy VII remake, giving it a special place in the hearts of many fans. This remix by Tee Lopes combines soft lo-fi stylings with the rolling arpeggios of the original, creating an ethereal reimagining of this classic.
The theme itself is a great example of thematic writing in video games. From a single arpeggio line in Final Fantasy IV to Realm Reborn’s grand orchestral metamorphosis, the theme has undergone 25+ variations over the course of 30 years. Each of these variations, whether subtle or drastic, are designed to convey something important about the story and setting the mood for the player.
In this case, the theme is meant to transport the player to Dream Zanarkand, a bustling city in Tidus’s world. The upbeat version of the theme, which is heard during the opening credits and mission cutscenes, gives the player a sense of the cosmopolitan atmosphere of this new setting. It’s a stark contrast to the symphonic sound of Spira, the previous setting from the game.
The acoustic nature of the theme has also helped it to survive the transition between Final Fantasy IV and VIII. At each point in the series, Uematsu has tweaked the sound of Prelude to reflect the changing tone of the game. He gave it a folk-like feel with flutes and simple musical inflections in IV, then expanded the sound to include regal instruments for VII. After that, the music of FF VIII and XV was handled by other composers including Yoko Shimomura (who composed around 80% of FF XV) and John R Graham for the CGI film Kingsglaive.
Crystals in Final Fantasy
Crystals have always played a central role in Final Fantasy. They can be a major element of the plot and provide some form of magic power to those who possess them. They are usually a symbol of both light and dark, and they have also been used to transport between different worlds and dimensions. Crystals have also been seen to bestow the powers of various job classes.
The concept of the four elemental crystals that sustain the world was introduced in Final Fantasy V. At the time of its release, these Crystals were being drained by the Four Fiends, which were actually aspects of a greater evil, Chaos. The protagonists of the game were tasked with defeating these fiends and recovering the Crystals, which would restore their power.
After regaining the powers of the Crystals, the Warriors of Light are ready to rejoin the world of Final Fantasy 5 with the parallel universe of Final Fantasy 7. The heroes must do this by finding Goldor’s homeworld and defeating the guardians of the four crystals of darkness.
These crystals, which are shaped like the ones from Final Fantasy II, can be collected throughout the game as well as in some battles against bosses. Each one is a representation of an element and possesses the ability to use the respective magic attacks for its color. In addition to this, the crystals also grant the warriors special abilities that are unique to them.
The Crystals appear in the mobile game Knights of the Crystals, which was released for GREE-enabled phones in Japan and Facebook internationally. The crystals in this game are used to summon a variety of monsters, and they can also be crafted into new items.
The crystals that appear in the Japanese version of the free-to-play game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius are called signet crystals. These crystals contain the condensed soul energy of defeated units, and they can be collected to fully revive a unit. In addition to this, they can also be collected to learn the skills of summoned creatures.