A Fantasy That Doesn't Measure Up in Reality
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Though millions around the globe have played the Final Fantasy role-playing games (Square-Enix is working on Final Fantasy XIII for PlayStation 3), Final Fantasy VII holds a special place in many gamers' hearts. The recent straight-to-DVD computer-generated movie "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children" was a success. Unfortunately, fans of this game franchise will find nothing but disappointment with the first Final Fantasy VII action shooter, Dirge of Cerberus.
Aside from some nice computer-generated imagery on par with "Advent Children," there's not much that fans will get out of this. For starters, it takes PlayStation 2 shooters back to the launch of the system rather than serving as a swan song before PS3. The graphics are dated and bland. The colorful worlds that normally accompany any Final Fantasy game are replaced by uninspired visuals and repetitive environments.
The gameplay isn't much better. The third-person-perspective game allows you to switch to a first-person mode at times for shooting, but the view doesn't improve the game's repetitive and boring mechanics. The experience is limited to a nonstop barrage of dumb soldiers and dogs with an occasional flying creature and Mech tossed in. It's basic run-and-gun gameplay with the ability to upgrade your weapons and magic spells over time. After about 10 hours of mindless shooting, with plenty of extended intervals during which players are forced to sit through long cut scenes that advance the story, there is some reward. After you beat the game, about 50 new missions are unlocked, adding new battles and time-based challenges to the mix. Of course, the graphics and gameplay are still substandard, but it does encourage true fans to stick around to the end.
-- John Gaudiosi
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Teen; PlayStation 2 ($50) Square-Enix
