Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls

Released in 2004 for Game Boy Advance, Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls is a compilation remake of the series' first two titles, developed and published by Square Enix. Building upon earlier PlayStation and WonderSwan Color remakes, this version introduces significant new content and gameplay refinements for portable play.

Key Improvements

The most substantial change replaces the original eight-tier magic system with a modern MP-based system. Final Fantasy I features rebalanced character classes and streamlined combat that eliminates wasted attacks on defeated enemies. Final Fantasy II's controversial stat progression system received major refinements, allowing faster character growth while preventing the stat decreases that plagued the original version.

New Content

Final Fantasy I adds four optional Soul of Chaos dungeons (Earthgift Shrine, Hellfire Chasm, Lifespring Grotto, and Whisperwind Cove) featuring semi-randomized layouts ranging from five to forty floors. These endgame challenges include boss battles imported from Final Fantasy III through VI, rewarding players with powerful new equipment including ultimate weapons. Final Fantasy II introduces Soul of Rebirth, a complete post-game epilogue starring four characters who died during the main story: Minwu, Josef, Ricard, and newcomer Scott. This campaign explores the afterlife as these heroes confront a resurrected Emperor, featuring unique dungeons and ultimate equipment for each character.

Additional Features

Both games include comprehensive Bestiaries tracking monster statistics and weaknesses. Completing both titles unlocks a Music Player with full soundtracks. Graphics received substantial GBA-optimized upgrades, while audio was completely remixed.

Reception

Dawn of Souls received mixed-to-positive reviews. Critics praised the graphics and new content, particularly Soul of Rebirth's narrative approach, but noted Final Fantasy I became significantly easier than the original. Final Fantasy II's refinements were better received for reducing frustration without eliminating challenge entirely.