Milking the Cash Cow for all her worth: Final Fantasy 7: Dirge of Cerberus

Wherever you as far as your opinion of Final Fantasy 7, there's no denying the popularity of the series, as well as what it did for JRPGs in the west. I'll go on record for saying that I am a huge fan of the game, and fondly remember the first time I rushed home with it as a rental, simply letting it sit at the title screen for awhile to hear the lovely, next-gen rendition of the traditional Final Fantasy theme. Indeed, I have many, many fond memories of the game.

I'm certain that Square (prior to their merger with Enix) has fond memories of all the cash the game brought in as well, which undoubtedly caused them to release a host of spin offs, both in game and media form. Some of these were quite a bit of fun: Crisis Core, for example, while a straightforward game, remains one of my favorite PSP titles. The Before Crisis OVA was a nice homage to the series, and Advent Children Complete made a lot more sense than its original version.

Then of course, there is the spinoff that threatens to prey on the fond memories of your youth by attaching itself to your favorite series with promises of a unique, yet fun experiences. It then, however, proceeds to violate them in the worst imaginable way.

Enter Dirge of Cerberus.

..Alright, I'm being really dramatic here, I know.

Dirge of Cerberus is the first (and as many fans hope, last) foray into the shooter genre.  While a graphical masterpiece like any other Final Fantasy game, it sadly relies more heavily on nostalgia to draw in and maintain the player's attention, rather than the smooth, intuitive controls that make other games in this genre successful.  While some fans may find this game a nice stroll down memory lane and a welcome expansion to the FF7 mythos, those hoping for a solid action-gaming experience with the Final Fantasy stamp on it will likely walk away frustrated.

Unless you've been living under a rock in the gaming community, then you've undoubtedly heard the unfavorable responses Dirge of Cerberus received.  Similarly, you're also probably wondering why in the world would I subject myself -willingly- to playing through this game.

Well, that's sort of a funny story. . .

Bujingai: There's a reason this game has "Forsaken" in the title.

I've dubbed my first week of gaming in this new year "Disappointment Week 2011". I've surprisingly managed to finish 3 games (admittedly, they were either at or past the halfway mark), and all of them were let downs in one or more departments. Bujingai, while not the first of the titles that marked DW2011, is nevertheless the most timely post, considering David's post on Devil May Cry 3 (a game also on my backlog).

David's post covered one of the greatest action titles on the PS2. While my colleague was still reveling in the glow of Dante's excellent adventures, I was playing a game much like Devil May Cry, which similarly involved trekking through 3D environments slaying a variety of demons and other monstrosities.

You see, Bujingai is a lot like Devil May Cry: Except for the fact that it's much more shinier and fancier with the sword play. Oh, there's also the part where there's less variety in enemies, stages, and weaponry. There's also the part where it's a lot shorter, considerably less challenging, contains considerably less depth, possesses a plot that makes DMC2 look like a work of classic literature and. . .

Ok, aside from the fact that it's a 3D action game with sword fighting, it's really nothing like Devil May Cry.

On top of that, it also has Gackt.

This man has no place near the design of a game. EVER.

And no, the above is not the game's saving grace. It's far from it.

Read on for some background on the game, the (laughable) story, my experiences and observation on the gameplay, and my overall consensus of the game.