Dirge Of Cerberus – Final Fantasy VII – PS2 – Preview 2

E3 2006
First Look Preview

Vincent has
been somewhat enigmatic. There is the beast form he sometimes assumes, but aside
from that, and his propensity to use a gun, not a lot is known about it.

That is
about to change.

Dirge of
Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII is a shooter-style game that delves into the
background of Vincent, fleshing out the story and allowing players to get to
know his background and the story of his beast form.

The game
takes place three years after the events of FFVII. An army of seemingly
unstoppable soldiers appear, destroying the peace that lays over the land with
ruthless abandon. Vincent Valentine finds that members of the elite force are
pursuing him and to survive he must take action against them, eventually
becoming the one hope the world has.

Featuring
between 15-20 hours of gameplay, the game sports a mix of melee and ranged attacks,
though as players progress, the melee elements do less damage and become more
oriented to getting distance from the targets so they can be finished off with
the guns. The game has a level/experience point system and at the end of each
level players are graded, with the grades translating into weapon upgrades or
levels for Vincent. Other items can be found adventuring through the world,
enabling players to customize their weapons. There are three settings on guns,
which can be switched out using the R2 button.


Vincent can,
of course, achieve beast form, using a skill called the limit breaker. The game
also has some arcade-like elements.

Visually the
game is very good, with solid lighting effects and textures, terrific animations
and spell effects. Because the game is, basically, a shooter, players can target
specific body parts for greater damage, and play out the first- and third-person
perspective. While the game is technically an offshoot of FFVII, the graphics
have been completely redone.

Those who
disdain using the PlayStation 2 controller can also play this game with a USB
keyboard and PS2 mouse.

With great
graphics and solid shooter action, this game will likely have a solid appeal to
FPS fans who also straddle the fence and occasionally masquerade as FF fans.


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