User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 294 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 34 out of 294
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  1. Jeff
    Sep 26, 2007
    4
    Really a pathetic game. It's repetitive, cliched (exploding barrels got old about 5 years ago), and poorly controlled. What's really sad about this game is that it has a great story and fantastic graphics and music. A poor Devil May Cry clone at best.
  2. Aug 24, 2013
    2
    Perhaps the single worst example of cutscence and gameplay segregation in history. Vincent in cutscenes can jump six stories and take down an attack helicopter without needing to reload. Vincent in game plinks away at footsoldiers and needs keycards to bypass a tall fence. Playing through it, you'll encounter more boring cliches than you can shake a stick at: waves and waves of enemies,Perhaps the single worst example of cutscence and gameplay segregation in history. Vincent in cutscenes can jump six stories and take down an attack helicopter without needing to reload. Vincent in game plinks away at footsoldiers and needs keycards to bypass a tall fence. Playing through it, you'll encounter more boring cliches than you can shake a stick at: waves and waves of enemies, shamelessly-recycled boss fights, exploding barrels, moronic AI, forced turret sections, forced stealth sections, the works. It's slow, boring, and not worth your time.
    How about that story, then? Well, it's hardly better. It's heavily connected to the plot of Final Fantasy VII, but at the same time, it has very little to do with it. Hojo's alive now, there's a whole bunch of stuff about Deepground and the Tsvets that was never even implied in the original, and while most of the cast shows up at some point, they're generally just there for fanservice. The ones who get focus, primarily, are Vincent, Yuffie, Cait Sith, and Cid. Cid is generally okay, but Yuffie and Cait Sith were terrible in the first game, and have only gotten more annoying with time. Vincent himself... well, you know how people claim to hate Cloud because 'all he does is mope,' but it's not true because the guy actually did go through some pretty meaty development in the original game? Vincent really does do nothing but mope. He has no goals, no agency, no likes or dislikes, most of his dialogue is ellipses. At times, he has flickers of a romance, but he approaches it with the same monotone dullardry that he approaches everything else. He's basically a brick that shoots things. You could replace him with a gun turret on wheels and keep most of the plot intact. Well, you'd lose the bits where he turns into hilarious-looking monsters, but that's not a bug, it's a feature.
    About the nicest thing I can say about this game is that the FMV cutscenes look very good, and the soundtrack is quite nice. Watch them on YouTube if that piques your interest. If you must own every single appearance by the FFVII characters and have Vincent Valentine tattooed on your chest, then I'd say you might be able to enjoy yourself. Otherwise... no.
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  3. JosephM.
    Aug 22, 2006
    4
    this game is a lot like devil may cry so if u like devil may cry u should like this but for all final fantasy fans it really isn't all that good.
  4. Aug 29, 2019
    0
    Have you ever sat and wondered, "Hey, you know that game Hatred? I'd love a Japanese anime version of that!"? That's what this game is, edgy protagonist, gun play, half-baked action; all set in the worst post-SNES FInal Fantasy storyline. It'll probably be a hit with the kids in your high school anime club.
  5. May 25, 2020
    4
    Good character design and music but let down by everything else. combat is repetitive, clunky and at times feels broken. dialogue in the game is abysmal, stale, disjointed, confusing and with a story that makes no sense. this game having Final Fantasy VII in the title is an insult.
  6. Jan 4, 2015
    3
    It has good graphics. I have nothing else good to say about this flaming turd of a game. I would like to not apologize to all the flaming turds for needing to use them in comparison to this "game". This is what happens when you take a really cool character and then let a bunch of retards make a Devil May Cry style game with him. Square should have issued a formal apology and promised toIt has good graphics. I have nothing else good to say about this flaming turd of a game. I would like to not apologize to all the flaming turds for needing to use them in comparison to this "game". This is what happens when you take a really cool character and then let a bunch of retards make a Devil May Cry style game with him. Square should have issued a formal apology and promised to hire Platinum to remake it and do it right. Expand
  7. Feb 28, 2021
    4
    Possiedo questo gioco, l'ho finito e non mi ricordo quasi nulla di cosa succede nella storia, immagino sia una cosa negativa.
  8. Mar 3, 2022
    3
    The first game in the ill-conceived "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII" is a well below average third-person shooter with a brief campaign, pointless story, and a completely forgettable cast of characters.

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2006
15
#15 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2006
Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 51
  2. Negative: 10 out of 51
  1. 65
    For those not as blinded by fandom, this game proves to be just a ploy for money and a demonstration of slow degradation of the Final Fantasy series.
  2. Mediocre at best gameplay coupled with graphical bliss and a lengthy story guarantee huge sales, but you’d be much better off waiting a month and getting FF XII as this is no RPG and it’s no picnic. [JPN Import]
  3. It's a unique take on the FPS, RPG and action genres, but at the same time Dirge of Cerberus doesn’t execute either of these genres extremely well. If you’re willing to be patient with the game’s controls Dirge of Cerberus offers a new experience and more background on the Final Fantasy VII universe. [JPN Import]