Customer Reviews

Final Fantasy I & II Dawn of Souls

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

FF: Dawn of Souls is the ORIGINAL FFI and II crammed into one cartridge--only one--with improved graphics, sound and bonus levels and dungeons and a detailed bestiary. Imagine--taking two of the most important games to the RPG genre with you anywhere. I remember wishing I could do that when I was in elementary school!

Let me start off with graphics. Now, I've read a review or two commenting on the graphics for these games, noting that they're nothing special, if not downright disappointing. Let me say that I've played the original FF and these graphics are head and shoulders above that. Considering that it's a GBA, the sprites are bright and crisp, and as my wife likes to point out "cute," and there's also beautiful cutscenes at various points in the story. Then, consider the depth and scope of this game with all the added improvements, and this becomes quite the accomplishment. The music, also, is an upgrade, with orchestral MIDI sounds, as opposed to the 8-bit sound of the original. You can tell that a lot of time and effort went into remaking this classic.

But the real meat of this game is gameplay. The FFI lacks the deep storyline that most gamers are used to, but it's still a compelling, fun game. And it's FFII where the idea of story and character development comes into play, and it makes for an fun, nostalgic experience on the GBA. This game will take away hours of your life and, if you enjoy RPGs, it will be worth it.

The only negative for this game is difficulty level. FFI is easier and faster than the original (at least as far as I remember), with level increases coming along quite quickly, with stats rising at a very fast rate. Not a deal-breaker by any means, though. For first-time players to this game or this genrre, it's a welcome improvement, as it is a portable game, and having the long, drawn-out battles that I remember, would make it difficult to play on-the-go.

With that said, the inclusion of being able to save any time, any place, as opposed to needing a tent or an inn, is a welcome, necessary improvement for this GBA version.

Overall, I'm in love all over again. While the graphics aren't "Golden Sun," the gameplay is much the same, and I fully recommend this great game.

These versions of Final Fantasies 1 and 2 are by far the best of these two titles, and remedy the many shortcomings of the PS1 remakes on which they are based, namely the obnoxious level of difficulty. They also add new dungeons and items, where you fight bosses from other games in the series.

Despite these changes, the games retain the feel of the originals very well, particularly the first game. While the first one is not too in depth when it comes to story, it's very, very fun.

The second one, much less known in the U.S., is more unappealing to most players due to its highly innovative character building system, which is difficult to master. The roots of characters that can be molded in to anything, fighters, mages, etc., are found in Final Fantasy 2. The story is not too bad, and overall the game is enjoyable. Part 2 also introuces a huge number of recurring elements for the first time. Chocobos, Cid, Mysidia, Dragoons, Ultima, and many weapons, spells, and other elements are seen here for the first time.

This collection is a must have for anyone.

Last year saw the release of Final Fantasy Origins on PSOne. A compilation pack of the first two Final Fantasy titles, the second of which had been previously unavailable in America, Origins gave gamers the chance to play through the first two entries in the series with a new coat of paint. Featuring updated graphics, full motion video cutscenes, several optional gameplay tweaks and more, Origins carefully walked the fine line of pleasing both veterans and newcomers to the games. With Dawn of Souls, Square continues to refine the old classics.
As with Origins, the versions of Final Fantasy 1 & 2 present in Dawn of Souls are based off the Japan-only WonderSwan Color remakes. This time around, the scripts were re-written and numerous additions and tweaks to the games themselves were made. Most noteworthy of these changes is the ability to save anywhere outside of battle, an important feature in a handheld RPG.The focus of Final Fantasy 1 is less on the story and more on exploration and fighting. Those that have played prior versions will note that the GBA edition is more balanced in that it doesn't require players to stop and level up their characters to survive the next dungeon, resulting in a much more streamlined experience. The flipside is that the revamped FF1 ends up lacking the challenge of past iterations, a virtual cakewalk for those familiar with the game. The only real challenge is in the form of the four new dungeons. These randomly generated dungeons, which feature bosses from Final Fantasy 3-6, reward players with rare and powerful items once cleared. With each dungeon unlocked after the defeat of the respective Chaos, some may find themselves questioning if it's even worth the time and effort to reach the new content. Of course, it's this lack of difficulty that makes the title perfect for handheld gaming, as you can fight a few battles, save and then restart where you left off hours, days, weeks or even months later without worrying too much about having to start over. The other major change in FF1 comes in the form of spell use. Previously dependant upon a character's level, magic now utilizes the more popular MP system, helping to make the game more accessible to newcomers. Spells, much like weapons, must be purchased and require a user to be a specific level before they can be equipped.Notorious for its unique leveling system, Final Fantasy 2 has also undergone several alterations. While characters still gain strength as they use an ability, you'll no longer need to rely upon attacking members of your own party to increase their hit points as this aspect has been more carefully balanced. A brand new epilogue, entitled "Soul of Rebirth," has also been added.
Of the two games, Final Fantasy 2 is the more story-driven, with a greater emphasis on character development. The stories seem a little tired and cliched, though that's mostly due to their age and influence on the role-playing genre. Fighting is handled by a traditional turn-based battle system, with random encounters occurring every so often outside of towns.It's also worth noting that Dawn of Souls includes some of the most impressive music on the Game Boy Advance to date, ranking right up there with Castlevania: Circle of the Moon. With two games and a bestiary on the cartridge, it's a testament to Square's prowess that they were also able to accommodate such rich and detailed sound.Though they may lack the depth and complexity of the modern games they inspired, Final Fantasy 1 & 2 are still quite enjoyable, and definitely worth playing if you're a fan of RPGs.

This is old school RPG at its best. Two for the price of one! You can save anywhere, perfect for those fleeting moments where you need a gaming fix. I keep this in my gameboy sp in my pocket all day and any time I can just pop it open for a quickie 5 or 10 minute fix, and I can still make progress because the save system is so flexible. I play this game while watching my DVR episodes. It's great, i love the turn-based combat, and the fact that you don't have to be that skilled to play it. Sure, better games have come out since these, but they still have a lot of charm. Go for it!

Well, I started playing Final Fantasy after I finished Golden Sun and Golden Sun The Lost Age, so the game was at a disadvantage from the start. I was used to the superior graphics and music of Golden Sun. I was also confused about how to equip my characters (it's actually very easy) and the White Mage / Black Mage powers were different from the psynergy I was used to. After playing the game with the help of a walkthrough, however, I really ended up enjoying it. Since it is an older game than Golden Sun, it must have been quite a remarkable game when it first came out. Being two games in one, it is quite a bargain now (shop around, you can find it cheap).

I completed Final Fantasy I and am almost finished with II. The graphics and music to the sequel are definitely an improvement. The differences between the two games mainly concern the use of magic. In the first game, you buy magic of increasing power as you progress in the game. You can have several of the same power but at different levels (i.e. Cure, Cura, Curaja, or Thunder, Thundara, Thundaga). In Final Fantasy II, you buy, find, or win in battle certain tomes and build up their levels by using them. The higher the level, the more times you have to use the power to increase to the next level. Training is, therefore, more important in Final Fantasy II as you need to build up HP, MP, and Magic levels. You do not conserve Magic like in Final Fantasy I. Train in an area that gives you decent gils next to a town so you can heal up at an inn and go right back out and resume training. Also, all your characters can have any Tome. Powers are not reserved for just White Mages or Black Mages. Learning and asking about certain terms that you store is another difference. They help you interact with characters who guide you through the game but, with a walkthrough, those things are explained to you anyway. The storyline to II is a little hard to follow but, with the walkthrough, it doesn't matter if you understand it or not.

One thing I do not care for in Final Fantasy II is that your fourth character keeps changing. You'll build up your 4th man's (or woman's) fighting skills and HP and he leaves or is lost or killed. Then, when another character joins you, you have to train all over again. Hint: DO NOT de-equip Minwu, Ricard, or Josef (he'll just have defensive items because he fights better with his hands) if you plan on carrying over to the Soul of Rebirth game which is a bonus that unlocks after beating FFII. Anyway, if you are just starting out on role-playing games, this two-game cartridge is an excellent way to start. You can save at almost any place in the game (except during battles, of course) and can buy plenty of Hi-Potions, Ethers, and Phoenix Downs to keep you alive. The games are not nearly as long and involved as more recent rpgs and, with a walkthrough (I used an excellent guide by Dark Vortex for both games available on gamefaqs), you should have a month or two of fun! P.S.: There is an odd scene in FFII where the Empress seemingly tries to seduce your main character, Firion. Watch for it.

I'm happy to finally have been able to locate a copy of Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls. Getting to play these two games in the series is quite a joy just to see how the series has evolved through the years. In Final Fantasy I, you pick a team of four to set off on a journey to battle the forces of Chaos. Picking the right jobs are key in this game to beat Chaos' forces. In my opinion, the story was a little lean in the first game but it's a good game nonetheless. In Final Fantasy II, four orphans unite and fight to undo an evil empire. They key to making it through this game is to pick the right weapons and use them alot to do battle with as you don't level up through experience...the more you use your weapons & abilities- the stronger you get. I have to admit, it was fun to finally get to play FFII as it was previously unavailable in america on a handheld.

Thankfully, Square Enix improved the graphics and sound somewhat from the originals(although not a great deal). It would've been nice to see a little more animation used on the enemies but, then again, I guess we wouldn't have seen how far the game has come through the years.

If you like old-school roleplaying, you can't go wrong with Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls. You get alot of bang for your buck with this collection. Even moreso than the Phantasy Star Collection on the Gameboy Advance and that's one of my favorites.

Are you a hardcore Final Fantasy fan? Then grab a copy of Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls for a quick time travel to the 1980s! A remake of the two original classic fantasies, you'll find there is new crisp graphics as well as a new exclusive dungeon to explore filled with bosses from later Final Fantasies.
Both games contain monsters, magic swords, spells, wizards, warriors, knights, monks, thieves, mages, dungeons and plenty of butt-kicking boss monsters to beat! Final Fantasy I is a game where you choose four characters out of a selection of six to take with you on your journey and go out and save the world from an unimaginable evil force. Final Fantasy II features Firion and his step-brothers and step-sisters as they go on a journey to stop the evil Empire from ruling the world whilst looking for their lost step-brother, Leon. They are good games, each with their own 'Easy mode' exclusive to the modern versions, to slowly but surely guide ameteur players into the world of Final Fantasy. An excellent addition to any gameboy owner's collection!

Recently, alot of Old school games have been remade for the GBA, but to my personal dismay, almost all of them have returned unchanged. This Game however, has been beautifully restored with updated Graphics! Old-School fans BEWARE! Although the classic FF1 has been Restored, the FF2 That Old-School fans know & love is not present, WHY? Well, that requires a back-story, the game that was know as FF2 is actually FF4! Back in 1985 Japan, SQUARE made the game Final Fantasy for the Famicom system or as it is know in the US, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Although SQUARE believed that this would be their failing company's last title before they went bankrupt due to the sucsess of larger corporations such as CAPCOM. But to SQUARES surprise Final fantasy was a huge hit in Japan! Years & many sequils later, Nintendo of America decided to bring this popular game to the states, but by that time (1990) Five Final fantasy titles already existed in Japan. So instead of bringing all five titles to the US at once they only brought FF1 to the states, needless to say it was a huge sucsess! Nintendo wanted a sequil,but by that time they were all set to launch the Super Ninteno (SNES) so instead of bringing the old NES version of FF2,they decided to bring the latest Final Fantasy game FF4 for the SNES to the US. But if they called it FF4 this would confuse all of the gamers waiting for a sequil, so they called FF4 Final fantasy 2. So I warn all lovers of FF2 that FF1&2 dawn of souls does not contain the version that they're used to playing!

Good Points: Upgraded Graphics, Updated sound, New Baddies & Weapons, and All New Bonus Dungeons, and an all new FF title!

Bad Points: Although Final Fantasy 2 is good, it is not as entertaining as Final Fantasy 4.

Update: A remake of Final Fantasy 4, (Final Fantasy IV Advance) was released in US stores on 12/12/05 for the GBA & GBM!

Written by,
Shadowmage (the game maniac)

If you're a purist (which I'm not) you'll probably be irritated by how much easier the game is than the original (I'm referring to FF1 here, haven't played the second one yet). Here's a breakdown of the changes as far as I'm aware of them:

1.) Leveling up is much faster. Stats increase at a greater rate per level. Also, the maximum level has been raised from 50 to 99.

2.) You can save everywhere, at any time, not just at Inns or with the tent or whatever.

3.) The magic system has been altered so that instead of certain spells having a fixed number of uses, they have a casting cost that is deducted from your character's MP.

4.) There are a couple of new potions that make things a lot easier, namely Phoenix Down and Ether, the former reviving a dead character and the latter restoring MP. These make it pretty unnecessary to truck back to town frequently to go to the church or inn.

That said, it doesn't bother me that much, as I don't have the patience for old-school style RPGs. Remember what a nightmare Dragon Warrior was? Overall I like the changes, but I think they went a little too far. If they'd left out just one of the new "enhancements" I think enough of the challenge would still be there. 3.5 stars.

First of all, I have been a Final Fantasy fan for many, many years. I have played most of their incarnations from one system to the other, and have very little to say that's bad about the series. However, my first love (and still is my first) is Final Fantasy I, remembering the days when I played this classic on the NES. Besides having better graphics, the ease of play has increased over the difficulty, making the game that much more enjoyable for vets and entry-level beginners alike. Despite the lack of a background for your characters, the selection is moderate for an old RPG such as this (my favorite character is the Black Mage). I strongly suggest getting the strategy guide as well for this gem, because when you get to certain areas it's hard to ascertain where to go next. The villagers in a nearby town don't provide much in the way of clues. As far as Final Fantasy II goes, I haven't really started playing it yet, however, from trying it out I'm impressed with it. I did not play the Japanese version of this game, so this review is about Final Fantasy I. Since you get two great games for the price of one, I can't see where you would go wrong.

All in all, a great classic RPG that doesn't disappoint old-school fans, and gives beginning dungeon-delvers something to experience for the first time with enjoyment. Get this game.