The remake features 32-bit graphics (as opposed to the 16-bit of the original); many of the locations and characters have been re-designed. The anime-style cutscenes from the original have turned into full-motion animated movies. Some scenes were added and/or prolonged.

While the main storyline remains the same in the remade version, changes were made to some of the quests, dialogue, and motivations of some of the characters. A few characters that play a role in the plot development were added. Some of these changes affect the gameplay as well: for example, a certain character accompanies the party during a major quest in the remake, while in the original that character remained at home.

Gameplay system also underwent significant changes. The most notable difference is the elimination of random battles; in the remake, enemies are visibly walking on the screen and can be avoided. Also, enemies no longer appear on the world map. The magic system of the game was altered to resemble the one from the original's sequel. New items have been introduced, and the properties of some others changed. The protagonist Alex's side-kick Nall has now an active role in the battles: he would revive fallen characters, restoring them to 1 HP.