The Final Fantasy 7 Game Nobody Remembers Deserves Another Chance

Off the back of Final Fantasy 7‘s immense popularity, Square Enix released a series of media related to the original game, which they refer to as the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7. This series includes movies like Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children, as well as other games. Some of these games were well received, with Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 even getting remastered to go along with the FF7 remake trilogy. Original characters from the game even made their way into FF7 Remake and FF7 Rebirth, making it a key part of FF7 canon.

However, not every part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7 collection is as highly regarded or as well-remembered as Crisis Core. Some of its titles were met with mixed reception and have generally faded into obscurity. This is a real shame, because at least one of the less appreciated titles on the list would be perfect for a remaster or reimagining.

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 was the first shooting game in the franchise. It is a third-person shooter starring FF7 optional party member, Vincent Valentine. Although it didn’t get the greatest reception at the time, I think the game deserves a second chance, and possibly even a new shot at life.

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 Had A Lot Of Wasted Potential

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 is by no means a perfect game. I think the intensity of its combat could’ve been stepped up a bit, but the bones of the game are mostly pretty good. You switch between third-person shooting and physical combat while making your way through a mission, and you can use Vincent’s Limit Break to turn into one of his monstrous forms which increases your physical strength and allows you to shoot magic instead of bullets.

On paper, Dirge of Cerberus is a great pitch. It’s essentially a Devil May Cry game, with a slightly larger emphasis on gunplay, starring one of the coolest characters from FF7. The major issues with the game are much less in concept than it is in execution.

The first major problem with Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 is its shooting mechanic. Instead of requiring pinpoint accuracy, the game gives you a large green reticle that you need to hover over enemies. Once enemies or destructible terrain are in the circle, Vincent automatically targets them. While this does make targeting enemies easier, and sells Vincent as an expert marksman, it robs some of the satisfaction of pulling off your own impressive shots, and becomes somewhat monotonous over time.

Now, it’s easy to write off a shooting game with bad shooting mechanics as a failed experiment. However, I think there is a enough worth saving in Dirge of Cerberus that the game, or at least something like it, deserves a second chance.

Vincent Valentine Is A Distinct Third-Person Shooter Protagonist

Although some games certainly try to mix up the formula, many contemporary third-person shooters stick to the reliable cover-based system. You enter a space with a bunch of environmental assets that are obviously placed to set up a battle arena, and then you go from cover to cover, taking out the enemies. You’ll see this formula in games like Uncharted, the GTA series, and Max Payne 3.

Games that disrupt this tried-and-true formula, therefore, feel like fresh departures. A good example is the Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine series, which puts you in control of a heavily armored, genetically modified super soldier that can run straight into a horde of enemies. If done correctly, this is also the realm in which a reworked version of Dirge of Cerberus could exist.

Vincent Valentine is superhumanly strong and has special abilities that similarly allow him to take out enemies without the need to crouch behind cover. Add in his extra mobility, as represented in the original game by his dodge, and you have the perfect protagonist for a unique and fast-paced third-person shooter. And it isn’t just Vincent himself that would make the game worth playing, but the setting is equally perfect.

The World Of Final Fantasy Is Perfect For A Shooting Game

One of the biggest issues third-person shooters set in the real world have in keeping things interesting is their lack of enemy variety. When all your enemies are just people, the main way to mix things up is by giving them different types of guns. However, setting a shooting game within the Final Fantasy universe opens up the possible enemies by a lot.

Final Fantasy 7 has a wide range of different enemy types. You can have Shinra soldiers for more traditional third-person shooting levels, but you can also mix it up with massive machines like Sweepers or monsters like dragons and gargoyles. The enemy variety wouldn’t just break up the monotony, but also provide players with many unique challenges to overcome.

The setting is also perfect for the environments the game could be set in. While the original Dirge of Cerberus didn’t take full advantage of the world, Square Enix now has a wide range of assets from Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Rebirth, and its upcoming third installment to play around with. Square could easily go the Link’s Crossbow Training route, and rework some of their existing assets into arenas for a Dirge of Cerberus revival.

More Final Fantasy Spinoffs Could Create Some Fun And Unique Titles

I’m not sure if I would really recommend going back and playing the original Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7. It can be a somewhat frustrating experience, not just because of some of its dated mechanics, but also because of its wasted potential. The idea of an action shooter set in the Final Fantasy universe that utilizes some RPG elements is a really great idea that just wasn’t executed well. However, I do think Square Enix should consider bringing the game, or something like it, back.

In general, it’s exciting to see games like Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 that represent such a major departure from the original series that it was based on. Even if Square Enix never makes another Final Fantasy 7 shooting game, I would still love to see them, and any game company, taking creative chances like this with their major franchises.

Systems

Released

January 31, 1997

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes

Developer(s)

Square Enix

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

Cross-Platform Play

ps, pc

Cross Save

Players who have already started their adventure on iOS or Android can take advantage of cross-save capabilities

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes