Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

 PlayStation 2
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 294 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 195 out of 294
  2. Mixed: 65 out of 294
  3. Negative: 34 out of 294
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  1. LopsterPopster
    Sep 26, 2012
    8
    I feel like I'm biased since Vincent has always been my favorite Final Fantasy character, but this game was very fun. I've never been too into the Final Fantasy universe, and I think I love this game so much because it doesn't play like normal Final Fantasy does. There's no turn-based fighting, it's all just run in there and kill everything. The storyline was complicated and hard to followI feel like I'm biased since Vincent has always been my favorite Final Fantasy character, but this game was very fun. I've never been too into the Final Fantasy universe, and I think I love this game so much because it doesn't play like normal Final Fantasy does. There's no turn-based fighting, it's all just run in there and kill everything. The storyline was complicated and hard to follow (I've always felt Square Enix games have overly-convoluted plots) but the graphics are gorgeous and the soundtrack is great. My biggest complaint with the game is the difficulty level. Even on expert mode, it's still a very easy game and always feels a little too short for me. But, other than that, it's a very good and fun game.… Expand
  2. Rox22
    Sep 11, 2013
    5
    An OK spin-off title that is altogether completely forgettable. If it wasn't for the FF 7 affiliation I doubt this game would have seen any sales.

    At it's core it is a generic third person action shooter. The combat is bland, the gameplay is bland, the story is uninteresting. Overall: It isn't a bad game as it technically delivers a functioning game. But it is so unbelievably bland    An OK spin-off title that is altogether completely forgettable. If it wasn't for the FF 7 affiliation I doubt this game would have seen any sales.

    At it's core it is a generic third person action shooter. The combat is bland, the gameplay is bland, the story is uninteresting.

    Overall:
    It isn't a bad game as it technically delivers a functioning game. But it is so unbelievably bland I get sleepy just thinking about it. But, at the very least, Vincent is still cool and it's always a pleasure to see him on screen.    … Expand
  3. 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.
  4. AlienSpaceBats
    Nov 2, 2013
    5
    A chore, for the most part. excessive FMV (which is welcome, thanks to the uneven gameplay) Repetitive, dark and gloomy levels populated by a very small pool of annoying enemy types with some very nasty AI scripting many simply spam knockdown attacks at the player (get up, knock down ad infinitum). Controls are poor but serviceable but the main problem is the camera and auto lock-onA chore, for the most part. excessive FMV (which is welcome, thanks to the uneven gameplay) Repetitive, dark and gloomy levels populated by a very small pool of annoying enemy types with some very nasty AI scripting many simply spam knockdown attacks at the player (get up, knock down ad infinitum). Controls are poor but serviceable but the main problem is the camera and auto lock-on system, which the player needs to fight as well as enemies. Only of interest to the FFVII fanatic, Dirge of Cerberus is both an unnecessary extension of Vincent's backstory from FFVII and a wrecking ball that ruins some core characters of that game (Hojo is reduced to a two-dimensional cackling lunatic), and the less said about the new characters the better. Though it is nice to see the gang again, with exception to Yuffie, Reeve (Cait Sith) and Cid, their screen time is very small, the FMV is the game's greatest asset, and is of equal quality to the animation in Advent Children. In fact there are so many cutscenes and pointlessly easy sections Square Enix probably should have just made an OVA instead. Satisfying conclusion, though, but not a keeper.… Expand
  5. Seryin
    Mar 29, 2013
    5
    Gameplay and features are mediocre. However, if you were a huge FF7 fan, this game expands greatly on the FF7 universe. It takes place after the events of the movie. The story picks up almost painfully slow, but once the twist hits, you will find yourself flung back into an extremely in depth conspiracy with an excellent story. It is unfortunate that this amazing story of the FF7 world wasGameplay and features are mediocre. However, if you were a huge FF7 fan, this game expands greatly on the FF7 universe. It takes place after the events of the movie. The story picks up almost painfully slow, but once the twist hits, you will find yourself flung back into an extremely in depth conspiracy with an excellent story. It is unfortunate that this amazing story of the FF7 world was delivered in a game that fails to deliver. This game receives a bad score from me for the actual gameplay, however if you liked FF7 and if you liked Vincent, you may want to try to experience this story before the gamplay becomes to outdated and unbearable.… Expand
  6. ERB
    Jul 30, 2013
    8
    This game is one of the best Final Fantasy Games I have ever played.
  7. cjmoore
    May 11, 2014
    8
    I know what you're all thinking: "What was Square Enix on when they decided to turn Final Fantasy 7 into a shooter?" Well I can't say for certain; but with that idea turning out to be as awesome as this, I want some.
    Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII is a very unique game among Squenix's other titles, in that despite having Final Fantasy in the title, the thing plays next to nothing    I know what you're all thinking: "What was Square Enix on when they decided to turn Final Fantasy 7 into a shooter?" Well I can't say for certain; but with that idea turning out to be as awesome as this, I want some.
    Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII is a very unique game among Squenix's other titles, in that despite having Final Fantasy in the title, the thing plays next to nothing like a FF game. Why is that? Because it's a third-person-shooter. Yes, you read that right.
    So right off the bat, you'll be able to tell that this is going to be a terrible FF game; but does it work as a simple shooter game? The answer, surprisingly, is yes. The gameplay is very smooth, it controls pretty dang well, you get a variety of guns that you can upgrade to increase damage, and it really does feel satisfying to play.
    That is to say that doesn't mean that FF7 fans can't enjoy it too, as the game still has a few FF mechanics fans will be familiar with. For instance, one can also fire different types of magic at enemies instead of bullets, picking up potions and ether regains your lost health and mako points, and a special 'limit breaker' item that turns you into a large beast, refills your health bar, and fires limitless magical homing-projectiles. Presentation-wise, it still has that Square Enix feel to it. That being said, there are still a few issues that I feel should be addressed with the positives. First of all: The traditional Square Enix cinematics; they're all there, and they are gorgeous. They look absolutely incredible, as can be expected from this company. Even the cutscenes with the in-game character models are pretty well done, never once do the characters look unalive or completely devoid of emotion (well, one is, but that's the point of her character). However, you're probably gonna want to get used to those cutscenes as there are a LOT of them. They really do come in abundance, and there will be times when you just want to move on to the next stage. Not to mention the really annoying part of the cutscenes where every single time the scene cuts to a different location, you have to go through a load-time. They only last 3-5 seconds, but there are a LOT of them.
    Luckily for this game, the story is pretty good; it's not as great as the original FF7, but it still has plenty of emotion and strong narrative in it. The story focuses on the game's protagonist, Vincent Valentine; who many FF7 fans will remember as the cool-looking dark, broody guy with the long red cape, golden claw-gauntlet and triple-barreled gun. The plot revolves around Vincent learning the truth about his past, of the chaotic power stored within him, and how he must tame and use it to save the world when an evil organization arises to awaken an all-powerful being to purge the planet of all life. Several other popular characters make a return in this game, namely the over-confident and perky Yuffie Kisaragi, the wacky cat-puppet Cait Sith, and the loud-mouthed cigar-chompin' Cid Highwind, who aide Vincent on his adventure. Cloud, Tifa and Barret are there too, but they really don't show up that much; but honestly, I was okay with that because Cloud's story has already been told. This is Vincent's story, it's his time to shine and his turn to be the hero. And lord almighty does he make a badass hero!
    Back on subject, another staple of FF games are the beautiful locales, which are sadly absent in this game. Lovely sunny fields, bright neon theme parks and pretty crystal caves, all gone in favor of dark canyons, warehouses and sewers. Typical generic FPS locations. So yeah, that's kind of a downer. Another thing worth noting is that the stages are all pretty linear. Personally I don't mind this as linearity in games never really bothered me, but this is Final Fantasy, a series well-known for its open-world environments; so I can perfectly understand why that would turn a lot of people off. The length of the game isn't very spectacular; it's undeniably short for a FF game. Now that I think about it, it was pretty short for a shooter as well. The music ranges from really awesome to just okay; and the difficulty is hardly impressive. For the most part, DoC: FF7 is very easy. I only remember dying once on average difficulty, during the second-to-last boss. You're probably going to find more satisfying challenge on the harder setting.
    But other than that, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII is still worth a try. The gameplay is fun, the story is told well, and the final stage is just so damn epic. If you compare it to the original FF7, you're not going to have much fun. But if you treat it like its own thing, want a continuation of the FF7 storyline, or are just in the mood for a fun little shooter, I highly recommend picking this up if you can find it, you may be pleasantly surprised.    … Expand
  8. DeeZNuTzDestiny
    May 29, 2015
    10
    It wasn't anything groundbreaking, and was lackluster when compared to miracles like FFVII which it descended from, but overall it has nice immersion, a story that's better than many other games, and it was very accommodating for new players. The EX mission were great challenges and good for advanced players. Of course it could've been better, but overall it was the only game I playedIt wasn't anything groundbreaking, and was lackluster when compared to miracles like FFVII which it descended from, but overall it has nice immersion, a story that's better than many other games, and it was very accommodating for new players. The EX mission were great challenges and good for advanced players. Of course it could've been better, but overall it was the only game I played for several months because I had lots of fun with it!… Expand
  9. Satrasa
    Nov 14, 2020
    10
    A must have one of the best Final Fantasy games ever made. SO TRUE!!! This game is reallygood!!!
  10. Sumguy
    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.    … Expand
  11. Rayman225
    Mar 23, 2013
    10
    This game is an realy brilliant game.
    This game is about Vincent Valentine and that's why it's look's soo different as FF game.
    I hope Square-Enix will release the HD version of Dirge of Cerberus for ps3, Xbox360,WiiU and PC.
  12. xmrmeow
    Apr 5, 2019
    10
    While this game is nothing like a normal Final Fantasy game, it definitely delivers a unique and fun experience. With the 3 main guns you have at your disposal, the game is very replayable as I find it's best to pick one and upgrade only that throughout the game. The cutscenes are skippable and the game is not too long if you've beaten it before, so that combined with the significantlyWhile this game is nothing like a normal Final Fantasy game, it definitely delivers a unique and fun experience. With the 3 main guns you have at your disposal, the game is very replayable as I find it's best to pick one and upgrade only that throughout the game. The cutscenes are skippable and the game is not too long if you've beaten it before, so that combined with the significantly different gameplay you get with the different guns extended the gameplay quite a bit. I also loved the story and seeing more of the side characters in FF7 like Vincent, Yuffie, and Cait Sith getting fleshed out more in this game.… Expand
  13. 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.
  14. [Anonymous]
    Aug 28, 2006
    10
    the graphics and the story are amazing.i also liked very much the soundtracks, Redemtion and Longing, very much.
  15. thedarkorb
    Sep 22, 2010
    8
    Dirge Of Cerberus is a great game if you approach it with an open mind. It looks great and, once you get used to it, it's a lot of fun to play. If your a fan of FF VII and are in need of some fan service or are a fan of console shooters you should check this out. If your not that fond of the FF VII universe or really can't stand console shooters you might want to pass it up for a real RPGDirge Of Cerberus is a great game if you approach it with an open mind. It looks great and, once you get used to it, it's a lot of fun to play. If your a fan of FF VII and are in need of some fan service or are a fan of console shooters you should check this out. If your not that fond of the FF VII universe or really can't stand console shooters you might want to pass it up for a real RPG or a real shooter. While the main story is very short it is also rather good and if your wanting more to do after the bonus missions are enough to keep you going for a while after. Just don't expect to be playing it for weeks or months like most games that have Final Fantasy in the title.… Expand
  16. kaim_07
    Jan 27, 2011
    6
    Un producto dirigido casi exclusivamente para los amantes del juego original y del universo/personaje en que se basa.
    Técnicamente raya a un buen nivel, pero jugablemente se dedica a pasearnos por lineales escenarios, hasta ver la escena de turno; que por otra parte, es lo que te mantiene pegado la mayor parte del tiempo.
  17. Watermelon789
    Aug 20, 2011
    6
    Simply forget about the painful gameplay, and focus on the story, overall is just a repetitive, bland, disappointing part of the FFVII series. This is a most play for fans of the series, seriously in terms of story , but those factors. Beauty(graphics) comes with pain(everything).
  18. shootingstars99
    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.
  19. MarkJ.
    Oct 10, 2006
    10
    A must have one of the best Final Fantasy games ever made.
  20. itsmecloudstrife...
    Aug 23, 2006
    10
    me i like the game its not about the endless shooting and its not about the contorls if thats what u are angry about then u truly dont know FF7 its all about story and the story so far is great all i know is that they should up the grapics a lil bit that or relase this game for the ps3 when it comes out cause thats all we have to look for cause i read some where that the FF7 remake was ame i like the game its not about the endless shooting and its not about the contorls if thats what u are angry about then u truly dont know FF7 its all about story and the story so far is great all i know is that they should up the grapics a lil bit that or relase this game for the ps3 when it comes out cause thats all we have to look for cause i read some where that the FF7 remake was a lie and they showed us they COULD make it but they dont think they will but any ways great game id get it but wait for the prices to go down its a bit costly… Expand
  21. Arshad_S
    Sep 16, 2010
    6
    Ooh sumthing different this time! HA! Dirge is better with a keyboard and mouse IMO. I didnt like this game that much jus clearing it for the sake of a FF fan. However this game isnt grand at all. Sure the cg gets everyone excited but at sum point i find myself in circles. If this is ur 1st ff game the hard bosses will chase u away from sqaure! Shelke! lol. Impossible to get perfectsOoh sumthing different this time! HA! Dirge is better with a keyboard and mouse IMO. I didnt like this game that much jus clearing it for the sake of a FF fan. However this game isnt grand at all. Sure the cg gets everyone excited but at sum point i find myself in circles. If this is ur 1st ff game the hard bosses will chase u away from sqaure! Shelke! lol. Impossible to get perfects here. Nice story . Cant belive what a high user score this game got. Id probably give this a 58… Expand
  22. Caestus
    Mar 11, 2013
    5
    SE nowadays struggles to make good RPGs, let alone good action games. The game has horrible controls and a ridiculous story.
  23. MrSabatelau
    Oct 17, 2019
    5
    This game is interesting, the gameplay is not the best, but it's fun to play, the game makes me like Vincent Valentine, he's one of the strongest characters I've ever played.
  24. SeanC.
    Aug 20, 2006
    9
    It seems that the industry did not like this game much at all. The main reason i play final fantasy games is for a great cinematic experiance, and by no doubt dirge of cerebrus delivers on this aspect. The gun play feels out dated and is way too easy, but at the end of the day the story just makes this game worth while.
  25. AlexM.
    Aug 29, 2006
    9
    Besides this game being like a total shooting gallery the story is easy to get into. My main problem is that you get stuck with Yuffie and Cait Sith while cloud is probably out doing somthing awesome. This game leaves Vincent Valentine for you to play appealing to many fans.
  26. DanielG.
    Jan 1, 2007
    6
    As far as I can see this was just a very brave experiment, this would've been much better if it kept the original FFVII style of play. A few huge problems knock it down though; aside from Vincent (played by Steve Blum) the voice acting is terrible, especially Cait Sith (man am I glad I have the japanese version of FFVII: AC). As a musician and a composer I have to slate Masashi As far as I can see this was just a very brave experiment, this would've been much better if it kept the original FFVII style of play. A few huge problems knock it down though; aside from Vincent (played by Steve Blum) the voice acting is terrible, especially Cait Sith (man am I glad I have the japanese version of FFVII: AC). As a musician and a composer I have to slate Masashi Hamauzu, I mean why the hell did they get rid of Nobuo Uematsu in the first place? The soundtrack is very blocky and boring and some of it even sounds like Uematsu's work re-hashed. The FMVs are absolutely fantastic, however those kinds of animation graphics are becoming easy to create these days so they aren't anything special. The in-game graphics however are a far cry from the FMVs, they're pretty dull, blocky and boring, not to mention the amount of blocky edges, they definitely should've developed this on the FFXII engine since that looks so much better. The gameplay appears as though Square Enix couldn't be bothered and to be honest i was used to this company giving 100% on their games, even FFIX didn't totally suck. In short I would recommend DoC to people wanting a complete FF collection and FF nerds like myself, Vincent Valentine fans may be sorely disappointed with this game though. Casual gamers may enjoy this but it's not one for the hardcore gamers like myself. A decent attempt but it would've been so much better in an RPG system.… Expand
  27. Ben
    Feb 6, 2007
    6
    I'd only recommend this game to the FF fan who wants to complete the FF7 story, as the game plays completely differently to any FF game they may be used to. If the idea of playing as Vincent Valentine is the reason you picked up this game, then unfortunately it will disapoint, and I think this is the games biggest problem. It's an inconsistency highlighted by the games own I'd only recommend this game to the FF fan who wants to complete the FF7 story, as the game plays completely differently to any FF game they may be used to. If the idea of playing as Vincent Valentine is the reason you picked up this game, then unfortunately it will disapoint, and I think this is the games biggest problem. It's an inconsistency highlighted by the games own cutscenes; as with Advent Children, Vincent leaps around the environments, spanning massive gaps and dispatching enemy vehicles in a few shots. Cut to the game, and suddenly our hero seems to have lost all previous abilities and finds himself almost permanently glued to the ground level. A double jump is the most he can manage and even though he clearly peaks higher than most obstacles, invisible walls block progress, forcing players down a linear route through the levels. Also, in combat against the same vehicles featured in the videos, a few shots are far from enough to finish them off. Why the designers didn't make a control system and environments that played off the abilities of the main character I honestly don't know, but the final insult came during a brief switch of character during one of the later levels. Whilst playing this other character, the kind of restrictions on movement that Vincent suffers from seem to be removed almost entirely, causing much confusion and frustration when resuming the lead characters role. More inconsistencies came - annoyingly - in some of the level locations, some of which seem to contradict elements of the original game. I accept that they have to be enhanced and enlarged from the original layouts seen in the first game, but some levels take place in areas that shouldn't really exist, and stages that revist areas from the first game share little resembelence with the originals. At the end of the day, the game is a below average shooter that looks like it's trying to play like the original Devil May Cry, falling short, but not so much that it's unplayable. As a fan of Finaly Fantasy 7 I was able to tolerate all this for the almost brilliant story and beautiful cutscenes which give a satisfying conclusion to one of the games most interesting characters in the game universe. Going on style and story alone the game satisfies in truckloads. You simply have to endure some repetitive and badly thought out gameplay to reach these sections.… Expand
  28. AkeemG.
    Sep 5, 2008
    9
    Dirge of Cerberus is the only good game that Sqare Enix has ever made and it is the only game from Square Enix that truly deserves to be called FINAL FANTASY.The sound effects and the music could have been a little bit more better but the story was nice and the gameplay is a lot of fun. I also love to see the trailer that plays at the title screen when you let the controller idle for a Dirge of Cerberus is the only good game that Sqare Enix has ever made and it is the only game from Square Enix that truly deserves to be called FINAL FANTASY.The sound effects and the music could have been a little bit more better but the story was nice and the gameplay is a lot of fun. I also love to see the trailer that plays at the title screen when you let the controller idle for a while.I usually don't care about the graphics but I'll throw a bone out there and say that the CG movie scenes were realistic.… Expand
  29. KevinM.
    Oct 25, 2006
    6
    Its good, but not really. if there were more character usage, i.e- Cloud. It would be better. Very nice split scenes though.
  30. RandyM.
    Aug 24, 2006
    5
    Man, what happened here? I was so hyped up for this game and looking forward to play it before the release of Final Fantasy XII. But after playing this game for a little while, it dawned on me that this game just isn't good. It's a sloppy shooter, but the graphics and story are good at least. I suggest renting it.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 51
  3. Negative: 10 out of 51
  1. Deeko
    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.
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  2. GameBrink
    76
    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]
    Read full review
  3. Siliconera
    80
    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]
    Read full review
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