Final Fantasy 1&2, Dawn of Souls (GBA) Review
Tue Dec 21, 2004 11:33 pm
Notes: This is MY review, please dont take it without premission if you have a site. Also, I posted this review in another forum. But the review and screenshots are both mine. 
Thanks for reading!
SideNote: If you're wondering what the Martin Version is, its basically a short version if you dont want to read a full one.
Its called a martin review cause on the forum I posted on there is a member named Martin and he usually posts reviews like: THIS GAME IS AWSOME!!! Or This game bites!
My rating for the game: 7/10
Martin Version:
This game is okay for a remake of such an oldie, so yeah...
Full Version:
As we all know, this game was remade from the original Final Fantasy 1&2 for the NES. I've played a couple of remakes before, I'd say this one isnt as good as it can be...
Lets start off with the graphics, I'd have to say its not reaching GBA standards in Sprite and Monster Graphics. Because GBA has a teensy screen, the monster graphics dont look good as they are complex. I'd like the graphics simple and nicely shaded, but noooo, they had to try to make the moster graphics more complex. Now its hidious, you can bearly make out the monsters as they have black lines all over the place. They tried to pull a "Golden Sun" graphics and failed miserably. The sprites are, well, square! I mean, this isnt the NES! This is GBA! You're not limited to 20x20 or whatever your limitation in NES is! The tile graphics are fair though..
For the sound, it isnt the best sound, but it is fairly catchy. As with most FF games, there are the exellent music, and the crappy ones. *cough*crystaltheme*cough* Some people find that tune enchanting but I find it dull. =\ My favorite SO FAR is the world map.
I'm sorry to say, as the same with most Final Fantasy games, it really gets boring later on. The game just goes on FOREVER! I mean, once you finish the first one, oh wait! Theres the second one. I mean COME ON! You're already bored from slaving for hours training your little edgy sprites. The battles just get more and more automatic, and then, you'd have to do it ALL again! Seriously, this game needs a breath of fresh air. They did put in a beastry, (I'll explain later on) so it makes fighting battles a tiny bit less dull. Cause you gotta collect them all!
The first game has a pretty weak story line, but it builds up. But I think the second one starts the game beautifully! It actually keeps that pace of good plot, unlike FF2, where you can just tell that they "free styled" after Cecil became a Paladin. It is almost as good as the plot in FF5! (My favorite SNES FF by far). If theres one thing Final Fantasy is known for, its it's story line.
The battle system for this game is nothing original, nothing we havent seen before. Its a turn based style with MP and HP. Perhaps thats it's downfall. The battle system isnt something original like the one in Chrono Trigger, Kingdom of Hearts, Star Ocean OR Tales of Phantasia. Just boring, old, turn based.
Bonus marks:
2 bonus for the beastry, which just keeps the stats/records of the monsters you've fought in your save file. Sorta like how you can collect coins in some Dragon Warrior games, exept you cant trade.
Graphics: 7/10 Not as good as it should've been, but I suppose its not THAT bad...
Sound: 8/10 It has its bad moments...
Gameplay: 5/10 Typical FF boredom...
Plot: 9/10 Typical FF novel like storyline.
Battle System: 6/10 Nothing original, nothing horrible.
+2 for Beastry.
Total: 7/10
Screenies:
Questions? Comments? Dis-agreements? Complements?
Thanks for reading!
SideNote: If you're wondering what the Martin Version is, its basically a short version if you dont want to read a full one.
Its called a martin review cause on the forum I posted on there is a member named Martin and he usually posts reviews like: THIS GAME IS AWSOME!!! Or This game bites!
My rating for the game: 7/10
Martin Version:
This game is okay for a remake of such an oldie, so yeah...
Full Version:
As we all know, this game was remade from the original Final Fantasy 1&2 for the NES. I've played a couple of remakes before, I'd say this one isnt as good as it can be...
Lets start off with the graphics, I'd have to say its not reaching GBA standards in Sprite and Monster Graphics. Because GBA has a teensy screen, the monster graphics dont look good as they are complex. I'd like the graphics simple and nicely shaded, but noooo, they had to try to make the moster graphics more complex. Now its hidious, you can bearly make out the monsters as they have black lines all over the place. They tried to pull a "Golden Sun" graphics and failed miserably. The sprites are, well, square! I mean, this isnt the NES! This is GBA! You're not limited to 20x20 or whatever your limitation in NES is! The tile graphics are fair though..
For the sound, it isnt the best sound, but it is fairly catchy. As with most FF games, there are the exellent music, and the crappy ones. *cough*crystaltheme*cough* Some people find that tune enchanting but I find it dull. =\ My favorite SO FAR is the world map.
I'm sorry to say, as the same with most Final Fantasy games, it really gets boring later on. The game just goes on FOREVER! I mean, once you finish the first one, oh wait! Theres the second one. I mean COME ON! You're already bored from slaving for hours training your little edgy sprites. The battles just get more and more automatic, and then, you'd have to do it ALL again! Seriously, this game needs a breath of fresh air. They did put in a beastry, (I'll explain later on) so it makes fighting battles a tiny bit less dull. Cause you gotta collect them all!
The first game has a pretty weak story line, but it builds up. But I think the second one starts the game beautifully! It actually keeps that pace of good plot, unlike FF2, where you can just tell that they "free styled" after Cecil became a Paladin. It is almost as good as the plot in FF5! (My favorite SNES FF by far). If theres one thing Final Fantasy is known for, its it's story line.
The battle system for this game is nothing original, nothing we havent seen before. Its a turn based style with MP and HP. Perhaps thats it's downfall. The battle system isnt something original like the one in Chrono Trigger, Kingdom of Hearts, Star Ocean OR Tales of Phantasia. Just boring, old, turn based.
Bonus marks:
2 bonus for the beastry, which just keeps the stats/records of the monsters you've fought in your save file. Sorta like how you can collect coins in some Dragon Warrior games, exept you cant trade.
Graphics: 7/10 Not as good as it should've been, but I suppose its not THAT bad...
Sound: 8/10 It has its bad moments...
Gameplay: 5/10 Typical FF boredom...
Plot: 9/10 Typical FF novel like storyline.
Battle System: 6/10 Nothing original, nothing horrible.
+2 for Beastry.
Total: 7/10
Screenies:
Questions? Comments? Dis-agreements? Complements?
Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:01 am
I just started playing the game but what has been said for the most part is true. The only thing I disagree about is the battle system. Well, it's not as much as a disagreement as it is a correction. Since this is the remake of the first game, it shouldn't be expected that they'd change the battle system drastically to accommodate later games. Of course it's not original or new, it's the first two Final Fantasies! It'd only be right to keep the battle system more like the original game rather than ruin it by making it something that it never was (though I do realize all of the changes that HAVE been made, they don't have as much potential to ruin the game as does a new battle system) Overall, the review is just about equal to what I would have given it.
Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:17 am
Kugetsu wrote:I just started playing the game but what has been said for the most part is true. The only thing I disagree about is the battle system. Well, it's not as much as a disagreement as it is a correction. Since this is the remake of the first game, it shouldn't be expected that they'd change the battle system drastically to accommodate later games. Of course it's not original or new, it's the first two Final Fantasies! It'd only be right to keep the battle system more like the original game rather than ruin it by making it something that it never was (though I do realize all of the changes that HAVE been made, they don't have as much potential to ruin the game as does a new battle system) Overall, the review is just about equal to what I would have given it.
You know, you have a very very good point! Still, I'd wish they add a feature like spell mastery or something.
Anywho, thanks for your comment.
Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:38 am
watericesage wrote:You know, you have a very very good point! Still, I'd wish they add a feature like spell mastery or something.
Anywho, thanks for your comment.
Yeah, I don't really care for the spell system either. Spell mastery would have made the game more innovative.
Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:12 pm
Well, I don't know what you're really talking about concerning spells, but I really like the changes made to them. In my NES copy of FF1, my mages were borderline useless as I had to save my spells for when I needed them, and the power used for the lower level spells was just wasted space later on. In the GBA version, my mages were really usefull, although their spell usage has kinda dwindled now that I have the Judgement and Rune staff (a few of them actually). Flare and Healara whenever I want, woot!
I agree for most of the review, but the monster graphics were made to look similar to the NES graphics, which I though was a nice touch. So if you're gonna blame anyone for that, blame the original artists, not the people who remade it. Also, am I the only person who thinks the ending of FF1 makes no sense whatsoever? If he was that powerfull back then, why is he so weak years later, and just what was the point of his whole scheme anyhow?
I agree for most of the review, but the monster graphics were made to look similar to the NES graphics, which I though was a nice touch. So if you're gonna blame anyone for that, blame the original artists, not the people who remade it. Also, am I the only person who thinks the ending of FF1 makes no sense whatsoever? If he was that powerfull back then, why is he so weak years later, and just what was the point of his whole scheme anyhow?
re
Fri Dec 24, 2004 4:39 am
oh i actually got the game today, haven't started on it. thanks for the review.