FFXV - Ardyn's Themes / Beckoned By Darkness | Reacting To Video Game Music! 

Ardyn I: "I'm an impatient traveller, ready to turn ship. A man of no consequence." Ardyn II: "For a moment I felt death's chill wind, such is the might of the gods. But then, I remembered I'm immortal." Ardyn III: "Those who died for you-do you ever wonder what went through their minds? Can you even recall their final words?" Ardyn IV: "Well then... Off with your head."

I never realised just how many itterations his theme goes through. But this was nice to hear them back to back, the music really does ooze threat.

Each iteration represents a different step in ardyns character reveals. Ardyn 1: he feigns friendship but you can tell he has an agenda of his own. Somethings not right. Ardyn 2: he's revealed his true nature. And he's out to get you now. Ardyn 3: he's toying with prompto. Not taking it very seriously but still asserting that he could murder you at any instant. But hes not super involved. So the theme is less intense. Ardyn 4: he's here to rip you a new one As for the dissonance. It's a way to convey how truly unhinged ardyn has become.

Ardyn is one of my favourite antagonists of all time. Theme 2 just hits so hard in game.

"something's afoot" is one of the best descriptions for Ardyn, yes :D Going from I to II, the sound became so much fuller and more to what I'm used of FF15 which I like a lot! As for the "foreboding feeling", I think III did it best for me. Those low piano notes were just great! And IV using the organs feels so typically JRPG xD

People can say whatever they want about FFXV but Ardyn ranks among the best FF villains. Period. And you can pick any language (I've played in two and listened to clips from another couple I speak) and the VA is brilliant in all of them.

I think my favorite part about Ardyn is his portrayal in the two halves of ff15. (for those unaware, it's split into two halves. The open world segment, and the on rails segment.) Through the entire open world part of the game, Ardyn is your ally. He appears a ton, as a slightly off traveler who aids you a number of times against his own faction. Then when you go to the on rails segments, his true personality emerges, and hes this unhinged borderline god, who's been alive for thousands of years, slowly eradicating all life, just because his older brother (your very distant ancestor), was a massive dickhead. But once you know the context, his actions in the first half of the game become so much more sinister. The entire time, from before the game even starts, to the final battle, you're doing everything he wants you to do. There is never a moment where he isn't in complete control.

It's very impressive that these are all done by different people. Yoko Shimomura's melodies, of course. Yoshitaka Suzuki did "ARDYN" and "Beckoned by Darkness" ("Ardyn III" in this video). Both Shimomura & Shota Nakama did "ARDYN II". Tadayoshi Makino did "ARDYN III" ("Ardyn IV" in this video).

Ardyn is most enjoyable villain to see for me. His flamboyant manner, easy-going, and friendly yet suspicious. He is type of villain who close to you while preparing all best ingredient to cook you at the final moment.

Ardyn as a person screams stranger danger the moment I first saw him. Thou he does have a nice car if remember right. It been a long while since I play 15.

I just love Ardyn's theme so much. This character is really interesting. You should definitely check out Magna Insomnia, which is basically using both Somnus and Ardyn leitmotif I love it

This man's life is a parody of a tragedy.

Ardyn I: interesting theme, clearly important, slightly sinister. Ardyn II: ok that got much darker. Ardyn III: ok we’re back to sort of a lighter sinister almost mischievous tone. Ardyn IV: I am going to _NUT_

Before your analysis. I haven't thought about this deep into Ardyn's themes. Now I'm imagining an arrangement giving Ardyn's backstory using different era's instrument to represent the time. I am thinking of: Beginning: Ardyn's theme in major and angelic with subtle triumphant vibe, compose with lyre, flute, harp, trumpet, piano, and violin accompanied with subtle vocal. Transition to a short motif in somnus. Vocal stop, follows by 3 tritone chords, each with the last and different combination of instruments. This signifies the bright promise future from ancient to now robbed away by somus. Middle: Begin the Ardyn's theme with gregorian chant, monophonic skipping with sustained notes in Ardyn's motif. Progress into Organum (chant with harmony... like halos theme), while adding in more notes. As each chorus progress, different instruments are transitioned in & out from ancient to contemporary to new age while increasing in embellishments. This signifies Ardyn's passage of time, from when he was unsure of himself, to his character solidified by time. End: Not sure... different combination of instruments? I am just imagining his theme from organ slowly transition to sci-fi-istic synthesizer & guitar. that'd be awesome!

I'm a year late on this one but wow. never seen anyone react to all four ardyn themes before. Super fun to see your reaction to these. This track is haunting and I think its the best antagonist theme in the entire FF series. Sephiroth has nothing on this monster of a guy

Thanks for your reaction and thank you for reacting to the entire video, I wasn't sure you would accept ^^ I'm waiting for your reaction to Magna Insomnia that I requested the same day ^^ I hope you'll still have Ardyn's theme in mind when you'll hear it ^^

Ardyn is my all time favourite Final Fantasy antagonist.

Ardyn is actually a final boss TWICE. The main game, and one of the DLCs, Episode Ignis.

My favorite thing about ardyns theme is how Sherlock Holmes esque it is

Ardyn 1 is very reminiscent of FFVII Temple of the Ancients to me. Just the kind of slow plodding sounds with the metered steps up and down in tone and the dissonant themes.

I was going to suggest Magna Insomnia as a followup to this Ardyn compilation, but it seems like you're already on that, so I'll just say -- if you want to hear Final Fantasy do Danny Elfman, you should look up FFXIV's Good King Moggle Mog XII. ;) If you're looking for something from Final Fantasy II, the Rebel Army theme is iconic, and the Pixel Remaster version of the Pandaemonium theme is epic. (FFII is an NES game, so doing a comparison between the original and the Pixel Remaster versions of the songs might be worthwhile.) And if you want to see FFXV's soundtrack do something completely different from everything you've heard so far, the vocal tracks are a great place to look -- namely, the Florence and the Machine cover of Stand by Me, Choosing Hope (which then gets drafted into the unnamed final boss theme of the Comrades expansion in a completely different language and genre!), and Prayer of the Oracle. Valse di Fantastica, the main theme, is also quite different from the tracks you've heard so far.

The first Ardyn's theme always made me think of a waltz.

I haven't heard the first version of his theme in years, not since that part of the game. Man, hindsight makes it so sinister.

It probably won’t make it into a vid but if you want a relaxing just vibing song you should listen to “Galdin Quay” from FF15 it’s super chill

You must to react the final battle OST with him and Noctis!! It´s INCREDIBLE

“unless this game is backwards and you play as the bad guy” no but also yes???

😁👍

I’m half tempted to track down my old presentation on these tracks and post it but god knows if I still have those anymore but regardless the tracks are outstanding with a lot packed into them and they are so fitting for good ol Ardyn

If you want some sick evil organ/final dungeon vibes, you should check out Ultimecia's Castle from Final Fantasy 8.. also known as "The Castle" song gives me shivers every time I hear it. :)

Funny you should mention snow and ice, (Spoilers of course:) as it would be more fitting for the last half/late into the game; the Empire in this game is essentially stuck in an icy hellhole due to killing the goddess of ice.. sort of. Since he is the chancellor of that empire it makes some amount of sense you will feel the ice.

Just chiming in to say that the uploader actually used incorrect track titles (because I'm pedantic about these things): "Ardyn IV" is actually "Ardyn III", and "Ardyn III" is "Beckoned by Darkness" (there is no Ardyn IV on the OSTs)

Ardyn is easily one of the best Final Fantasy antagonists... Which is so strange given how underdeveloped he is, since the game is incomplete. I think the performance combined with the fact that we never learn too much about him (besides from dlc) actually helps him.