A fantastic remake of the classic games that first introduced us to the addiction we call Final Fantasy
I never did find that patience. After three attempts to beat that game, I was never able to get beyond the fiend of Fire. Then, late last year, a friend told me that it was re-released and modernized. That night, I hopped online, bought a copy, and had it over-nighted to my house. Get the chinaman on the xylophone because it was (once again) on.
When i popped it in to my DS, I was pretty sure that I knew what to expect. I'd already seen so much of the cheesy dialogue and nonsensical quests. What I didn't expect was that I would instantly become immersed in this game.
A lot of game reviewers did not like how easy this remake had become. It was not frustratingly difficult like the original, but it still presented enough challenge that we had to strategize. Its like the original Final Fantasy...but you don't have to spend 20+ hours just leveling up before entering a dungeon.
Also, the graphics were given a sharp upgrade. They jumped from 8-bit shinnanigans to 16-bit beauty in Dawn of Souls. This allowed the game to be more colorful, and therefore interesting.
On top of all this, I found myself becoming bored toward the end of the game. The difficulty was somewhat lacking since I had leveled up too much. That's where another bonus came into play. Newly added dungeons. After you defeat one of the elemental fiends, a new dungeon opens and you can fight powerful monsters and extremely difficult bosses from various other Final Fantasy titles. Now we're talking fun. After transversing the dark forest, the endless dessert, and several more levels of this dungeon, I was feeling pretty confident. Then I entered combat with Enchidna. And I got owned. I needed that. A firm kick to my ego. I was humbled and it was about time.
As for the Final Fantasy II portion of this title, I like the graphics, the story seems interesting, but the character leveling is where this game suffers. I would have given Dawn of Souls a 9.5 or 10.0, but Final Fantasy II seems to me like added luggage. I'll still give it another try, but it'll be awhile.
If you're a fan of the classic RPG's; If you loved playing as Cecil the dark night and Kain Dragoon; if you were a Final Fantasy fan before anybody had heard the name Cloud Strife, then this title is for you. Respect your elders.