Vincent's story needed to be told: A fun and well-made Action RPG/ Shooter is how Square chose to tell it.
Creating sequels, and adding to exisiting Final Fantasy worlds is something Square Enix didn''t start doing until just a few years ago. Final Fantasy X-2 added to the story of Final Fantasy X, and as great a game as it was, it received mixed reactions from gamers. Fortunately, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children was widely accepted as a masterpeice, and the idea for Dirge of Cerberus likely spread from it's successs. While X-2 was a game, Advent Children told a story in a way Square has attempted (and failed) at only once before: a feature film. Although Advent Children did a great job adding to Final Fantasy VII, in a movie form, making another movie, this time based on Vincent, would likely seem a bit redundant. Thus, Dirge of Cerberus was made as an action RPG/ shooter, and it often takes it's storytelling methods from Advent Children in the best ways possible.
Though many would pigeon-hole Dirge of Cerberus as a shooter, many neglect to realize that it's more of an Action RPG than it is a shooter. With gameplay arguably more fun and even complex than Kingdom Hearts, Dirge of Cerberus is an excellent Action RPG that tells a great story. It is only loosely a shooter, as that is typically the medium to which you'll be defeating most of the enemies. If it didn't share the generic control scheme of shooters, not a person would even consider it as such. However, the controls suit it well, so there would be no point in creating something different when most gamers are used to the double analog and trigger controls. If anything, the label of a shooter is just to make it easier to swallow for non-RPG fans, although it is those non-RPG fans who tend to give the game poor ratings for having "poor controls". And it's the Final Fantasy purists, who take one look at the game and consider it a poorly made game need to realize that the Final Fantasy World can exist outside menu screens and active time bars. Admitedly, Dirge of Cerberus is a diffcult game to appreciate, as the large numbers of flamers would suggest, but disregard them, as you would be missing out on a new and exciting type of game otherwise. Dirge of Cerberus would have you mow down thousands of enemies by the time you reach the conclusion. It's not nearly as tedious as you would be lead to believe, as there is always something going on that keeps the action moving. Vincent has a number of moves at his disposal. He can cast magic, use melee attacks, and even can transform into the Gallian Beast. The shooting, alone, may get a little tedious, but especially on Extra Hard mode, you'll be forced to deploy every tactic you have to survive. Probably the most technical aspect of the game is the weapon customization. There are only three types of guns available to you, a handgun, a rifle, and a machine gun. There are three customiztion slots as well, and you can build your weaons and add parts. Bulding an ultimate weapon is harder than it seems, as no matter the peices you use, there's always a flaw. For example, the power booster will make your gun stronger, but it will weigh it down. A small barrel will lower the weight and increase the rate of fire, but it can't match to the range and the power of a long barrel. Needless to say, after a lot of tweaking, you'll find three guns to fit your playing style. Though you don't have a lot of weapons, the customization more than makes up for it. In fact, this reviewer prefers it to having an entire arsenal of weapons.
The online mode, was removed from the English version, which is a shame, as it was a very fun addition in the Japanese version. The American version, in turn, gets a barage of bonus missions. These are good if you're still in need of some more action, but they're not connected to the rest of the game, aside from the fact that it's BYOG. (Bring your own guns) In other words, any upgraded guns you aqcuire during the story mode can be used here. This is a neat addition, but it's nothing amazing. The real bonus the American version gets is the ability to double jump, and jump while shooting. This adds an extreme amount of depth to the gameplay, and opens up loads of new combos and moves you can pull off. However, since the double jump was a last minute addition to the American version, there are loads of crates and other platforms that you can't get on top of. This is a little weird, and it even comes off as a bit lazy on the game-maker's part, but you never really need to climb anywhere, so it's not really missed. To capture the mood of Advent Children, the prerendered cutscenes are done to reflect the realistic animation style. The in-game graphics aren't bad, but it's nothing special.
The story is very well written, and voice acted. Though I won't spoil anything, the new threat Vincent faces ties in with his past, which was touched in Final Fantasy VII, but wasn't dwelled on all too much. The new characters are a mixed bag. Some are well made, and others are a bit on the cheesy side, such as Rosso or Azul. Thankfully, those two don't play a real role other than being powerful baddies who serve as boss battles. The real gem in the new characters would have to be Shelke. Her transformation from data-collecting android to sentimental human being may be predictable, but it's still well done. The rest of the gang from Final Fantasy 7 is here, and they're as good as ever, although only Vincent, Yuffie, Cid, and Reeve play any sort of a real role. Cloud, Tifa, and Barret appear as well, but only to appease fans who want to see more of them. Though to be fair, what else do you expect Cloud to be doing if the world needs saving?
Some will be scared off by the concept, others by the genre, others by the Final Fantasy name, and even still some that can't get over the fact that it's not a traditional Final Fantasy. If you're one of those, you'll be missing out on a noteworthy chapter of the Final Fantasy series. If you can deal with those things, or better yet, appreciate the game and the new and fun direction it takes, pick up Dirge of Cerberus. It's a part of Final Fantasy VII you shouldn't miss.