Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls
The Final Fantasy series has a long history of being some of the most impressive games. However, before the big budget cutscenes and the multiple number of gaming discs needed just to store the games, Final Fantasy was a simple turn-based RPG for the NES. Though Final Fantasy II had never been released in North American, both of the games included on this cartridge were remade for Sony’s Playstation, slapped onto a single game disc, and released as Final Fantasy Origins. Is Dawn of Souls a better deal than the previously released Final Fantasy Origins? Continue reading to find out!

Graphics:

The graphics used in Dawn of Souls are reminiscent of those within the SNES incarnations of the Final Fantasy series. Though they are a bit more advanced, there isn’t really much difference to be noticed. However, to make the game a little more in-depth, Square-Enix added a few cutscenes to the game. But, as with the graphics, the cutscenes don’t really show anything that hasn’t already been done. Despite the fact that the graphics aren’t groundbreaking, Dawn of Souls still looks gorgeous and the style/art design of the title helps it go a long way.

Sound and Music:

Back when it first came out, Final Fantasy was known for having an immense musical score on such a small and weak little console. This was due in part to its composer, Nobuo Uematsu. The music is still the same old midi compiled music of the NES days, but that doesn’t change the fact that the music is still as good as ever. The real flaw in the sound and music is the fact that there truly aren’t many songs in the games. A majority of the music you’ll hear are variations of other songs in the game. As for the sound effects, there isn’t anything wrong with them, but there isn’t anything special about them either.

Storyline:

The Final Fantasy series has primarily been known for its deep and intriguing storylines. Despite the fact that the NES had limitations on what you could develop into something in-depth, FFI and FFII both manage to tell stories that are interesting. Though they aren’t filled with the major depth and dialogue that fill the newer Final Fantasy titles, the storylines are well thought out. In fact, the first Final Fantasy is probably one of the first games to ever feature a plot twist in the story. While not the best, FFI and FFII feature nicely done storylines that are sure to satisfy any simple RPG fan.

Gameplay:

Dawn of Souls goes back to the simplest roots of the role-playing genre. In the days of the NES, role-playing games were a genre that only fans Dungeons & Dragons played. Simply put, Final Fantasy I & II are set up like a video game version of D&D. Both are turn based games in which you and your enemies take turns attacking each other. You can choose from a simple list of attack, magic, item, and run. I don’t think any of them need much explaining, so I’ll delve a bit deeper into the actual game. You’ll progress through each game by moving from town to town, helping people along the way by fighting off enemies and retrieving random crap. As you move from town to town, you’ll fight many battles, and occasionally you’ll encounter some sort of boss. In Final Fantasy I, you’ll gain experience points after every battle. Once you’ve accumulated enough experience, you’ll go up a level and all of your attributes will be raised. As for Final Fantasy II, it uses an unintelligent and complex system of “take more damage, level up faster” that I don’t like, nor do I feel like going into. In terms of role-playing games, Dawn of Souls is probably the simplest you can get.

Controls:

Speaking of simple, there’s hardly anything to say about the controls. You’ll navigate through menus using the control pad, with the A and B button being used to talk to people, select commands, cancel commands, etc. The menus are simple and easy to use, so there shouldn’t be any trouble in selecting your commands. However, if you do happen to select the wrong attack, you are given the option to cancel it and choose another. In short, the control scheme works without any flaws.

Replayability:

There’s definitely a lot of gameplay packed onto this little GBA cartridge. Each game will take at least 20 hours to complete, and that’s just the main quests! In addition to the main quests, there are hours upon hours of extra things to complete. Made just for this copy of the game, Square-Enix added four secret dungeons into FFI called the “Soul of Chaos.” Not only does each of these dungeons feature four hidden bosses from other FF games, but they also lead to a variety of hidden items, including the Ultima Weapon. As for FFII, Square-Enix also added something entirely new, known as the “Soul of Rebirth.” This allows you to play an entirely second quest using a different set of characters from the game. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone found themselves playing this game for nearly 100 hours just to complete everything.

Overall, I’d definitely say Dawn of Souls is better than Final Fantasy Origins. Not only does it include an assortment of new things to do, but it’s also on a portable system. If any of your current Nintendo DS owners are sick of waiting for a good game to come out, why not go pick up a few GBA games, this one included.
Graphics: 8.0/10
Sound and Music: 8.5/10
Storyline: 9.0/10
Gameplay: 8.5/10
Controls: 10/10
Replayability: 9.5/10
8.5
Out of 10