FFVII - Dirge of Cerberus... meh [Archive]

BitVyper

08-16-2006, 11:18 PM

So I rented it today, and so far I'm pretty unimpressed. There's nothing really wrong with the gameplay, but there's nothing particularly good about it either. Essentially, it's about as generic as generic gets. Vincent can't really do anything cool (except in cutscenes, where he seems to actually have some of his power back), and using different guns doesn't really seem to alter the gameplay much. You shoot a little bit faster with one, do a little bit more damage with another, but nothing that really makes you want to use different guns for different situations. Frankly, I've just been sticking with the basic gun so far. Your hand to hand abilities are a little cooler.

The controls are pretty easy to master. Switching between hand to hand and shooting modes is seamless enough that you can be smacking someone down one second, and shooting something the next, so that's good.

You can jump, but that ability is utterly useless. There's no platform element, nothing to jump over or between, and it has no combat application that I can see except occasionally shooting over something. So far, the only thing I've found that I can jump over or on to are little waist high boxes littered throughout the game, but said boxes aren't really in any helpful positions. It's too bad, because I think this game could have benefitted from a platform element. At the very least, it would have been cool to be jumping between rooftops.

Vincent seems to have been largely castrated, which I expected, but not quite to this extent. I mean, he's barely stronger than the mooks, and aside from limit break (which I've done all of once so far) has no abilities that really distinguish him from anyone else. Frankly, I expected Vincent to be a little more.... supernatural. I was hoping I'd at least get to dodge some bullets or something, but he doesn't even get superspeed.

So far, music seems more or less non-existant, and the graphics are nice, but nothing special. Again, there just isn't anything to draw me in.

Plot seems okay so far, but not even good enough that I can get into my "just slog through to the next cutscene" mode. Voice acting is okay in some places, and sub-par in others, and so far, there's no particularly compelling dialogue.

Basically, the game isn't bad, but thoroughly uninteresting. On the positive side, the setting at least, is better maintained than it was in FFVII.

Solid Snake

08-17-2006, 12:12 AM

BitVyper

08-17-2006, 12:25 AM

I do have one major complaint about the gameplay: It suffers from what I like to call WtHiSMS, or "Who the Hell is Shooting Me Syndrome." In many of the levels, the guys shooting at you are half a mile away, and difficult to pick out against the background. You can use a scope, but that means you're scanning and getting shot a lot while you look for them. It's kind of annoying and leads to me randomly moving my sights around, hoping I'll see them turn red.

+1 Name

08-18-2006, 12:09 PM

Honestly, the most disappointing thing about FFVII: DoC? The best character in the series isn't in the fucking game.

Seriously. Why the hell would you make an FFVII game and not include Red XIII? That's like making a Seinfeld episode without Kosmo Cramer. Or, making a Family Guy episode without Stewie Griffin. I mean, what's the point?
Red XIII IS in one scene.
I thought this game kicked massive amounts of ass. I'm currently replaying it on ex hard mode and its awesome. The big cut scenes are the quality of advent children, the regular graphics are the best in Final Fantasy so far, the story is good, the gameplay is great, Vincent is badass (although the limit breaks are pretty useless and you only get one, excluding Chaos.), but Normal mode is REALLY easy. Overall, I give it 9/10.

BitVyper

08-18-2006, 02:11 PM

Finished the game today, and my feelings are pretty much the same as when I'd started. There just isn't enough meat to the gameplay for it to be interesting. So far, the extra missions offer nothing particularly exciting either. My biggest complaint remains that the cool stuff only happens in cutscenes

Also: Every time that little girl opened her mouth, I honestly put my tv on mute. You could say my opinion of the voice acting has fallen somewhat since I started.

On the upside, I did get one or two chances to actually use my jump throughout the game. However, it remained pretty much entirely aesthetic.

Spoiler: Having Hojo come back was cool, at least. I kind of liked the whole "ghosts of the past" thing they had going on. /spoiler

Edit: Speaking of Chaos; it irritates me that playing him was exactly the same as playing Vincent except with bigger damage. That just tells me that Square just couldn't put in the extra effort to make a cool final battle.

the regular graphics are the best in Final Fantasy so far

Hardly. FFX looked much better. And I hate FFX with all my heart and soul.

Mirai Gen

08-18-2006, 02:44 PM

I am honestly sadistic, so it fills me with glee that Square couldn't make a Vampire May Stare clone to save their lives.

BitVyper

08-18-2006, 03:14 PM

If anything, it's a clone of Parasite Eve. I had high hopes for this game, because in the past, Square would make some really awesome stuff when they went outside the pure RPG genre. However I forget, this isn't the past, and RPG or not, it still has the FF logo slapped on.

Lockeownzj00

08-19-2006, 12:41 AM

Was anybody really surprised? Before I might have considered it, but now I'm not even sure if I'll look in this games direction. Why, Square? Why? I love you so...

Archbio

08-19-2006, 01:20 AM

it's a clone of Parasite Eve

A horrific concept if there ever was one.

BitVyper

08-19-2006, 01:34 AM

Was anybody really surprised? Before I might have considered it, but now I'm not even sure if I'll look in this games direction. Why, Square? Why? I love you so...

Well, like I said, it used to be that when Square went outside their usual genre, they made something cool and unique. That was back in the Einhander days though.

Watch the rabid fanboys defend it with their lives on gamefaqs though. Oh, and here's a little spoiler to save you from hurting your brain later:

spoiler The closest thing Vincent has to a romantic interest is physically a nine year old girl. It's ambiguous, but that doesn't make it any less creepy. /spoiler

Mirai Gen

08-19-2006, 03:56 AM

Well, like I said, it used to be that when Square went outside their usual genre, they made something cool and unique. That was back in the Einhander days though.
That was also back in the Eirgheiz days, so not 100%.

BlackMageFF1

08-19-2006, 04:12 AM

Guns in a Final Fantasy game? When did this happen? Boy, have I missed a lot...

Regulus Tera

08-19-2006, 01:04 PM

Since I'm not planning to waste 10 hours of my life to a plot that will probably make me feel as disappointed as AC, could anyone spoil it for me? As, what the heck is all the fuss about Hojo being back, Lucrecia, and that creepy girl? Is the story any worth the lame gameplay?

BitVyper

08-19-2006, 03:56 PM

No problem. Massive spoilers ahead:

Back in the day, Shinra had this underground facility that was training another army of elites. It was called "Deepground." The highest ranking members were known as the "Tsviets" (yes, one of them wears red and is Russian). It was so secret that only the president and Scarlet knew about it. Rufus was never told about its existence. Deepground is kidnapping hundreds of people and dropping them into the waste outside of an underground mako reactor to create lifestream completely pure of Jenova's influence. They are trying to create a being called "Omega," who will basically kill everyone, rip out the planet's lifestream, and take it on some sort of cosmic journey. No one knows why their leader wants to do this, he just does. You find out later in the game that Hojo actually took over their leader's consciousness.

Anyway, it turns out that Vincent's father was actually a sort of mentor to Lucrecia. He found this underground grotto where he believed "Chaos" would be born. Chaos' purpose is unclear. Sometimes he's called Omega's squire, and sometimes he's called a counterbalance to Omega. Anyway, Hojo did his experiments on Vincent, which failed, but then Lucrecia used his artificially strengthened body to become a host for Chaos. Vincent has something called the "protomateria" in him, which lets him control it.

Anyway, without getting too much into it (as I don't feel like explaining the reasons for every character's angst), Hojo becomes Omega. Vincent (as Chaos) kills him, and appears to die, but shows up again later. /spoiler

It's basically a rehash of the FFVII plot with Vincent and Hojo at the center instead of Cloud and Sephiroth. Oh, and EVERYONE has angst. Except Yuffie. She just gets relegated to comic relief.

Daimo Mac, The Blue Light of Hope

08-19-2006, 07:28 PM

I had hopes. I saw trailers and thought...ooh pretty lights. Now after reading all the comments, I can come to the coinclusion that they have taken my favorite characters, hacked him into a garbage game and ruined what is left of the FF7 story. Just a message to Squeenix. Stop Flogging the FF& horse. It is dead.

Fifthfiend

08-19-2006, 07:56 PM

Oh, and EVERYONE has angst.

Because this is something new in the FF7 world?

On the positive side, the setting at least, is better maintained than it was in FFVII.

What? Lots of technologically advanced dystopic fantasias have snowboarding resorts and idyllic little bird-farms.

Flarecobra

08-19-2006, 09:15 PM

Looked at it, might rent it if I'm bored.

Though at least it's not like they took Cloud and made it a rehash of Dynasty Warriors......though it looks close enough.

dojindog

08-19-2006, 10:07 PM

Yuffie has always been comic relief I don't care what anyone says.

Oh, and EVERYONE has angst.

I don't see how you could consider Barret angsty I mean come on he's super agreeable if anything. Cait Sith isn't angsty either in fact he's practically a freakin' Leprechaun. Cid doesn't seem all that angsty either.

Edit: switched a couple of things around and added quote

BitVyper

08-19-2006, 10:36 PM

Barret has like, two lines. Not even complete sentences. In any case, when I said that everyone is angsty I sort of assumed most people reading the thread would get the hyperbole. To be entirely literal: There's a lot of angst in this game.

Though at least it's not like they took Cloud and made it a rehash of Dynasty Warriors

That actually sounds kind of cool, though I can think of a dozen other characters that it would be cooler with.

Fifthfiend

08-19-2006, 10:58 PM

Barret has like, two lines. Not even complete sentences. In any case, when I said that everyone is angsty I sort of assumed most people reading the thread would get the hyperbole. To be entirely literal: There's a lot of angst in this game.

I'm not saying it hasn't got a lot of angst, I'm just saying, how could you play a game based in the FF7 world, and not expect whole steaming enormous heaps of angst?

I mean good lord, look at Advent Children, that thing had so much angst that Sephiroth was probably the one guy in there with the least angst.

Mesden

08-19-2006, 11:03 PM

I mean good lord, look at Advent Children, that thing had so much angst that Sephiroth was probably the one guy in there with the least angst.

Sephy was the giddy schoolgirl in that game.

Just so bright and perky that his plans of genocide lifted your spirits.

Oh, and how did you not expect more angst than what Fifth was getting at, when the main character is Goddamn Vincent?

He's like an Emo Vampire with a Gun.

A really effiminate emo vampire with a gun.

Not that I'm assaulting emo vampires...with guns...that happen to be effiminate.

Just saying's all.

BitVyper

08-19-2006, 11:23 PM

I'm not saying it hasn't got a lot of angst, I'm just saying, how could you play a game based in the FF7 world, and not expect whole steaming enormous heaps of angst?

Oh, of course. I wasn't responding to you. I was talking to the person who listed characters that weren't angsty.

dojindog

08-20-2006, 12:00 AM

I was talking to the person who listed characters that weren't angsty.

Yeah that'd be me

I just beat the game 2 or 3 minutes ago.

Yeah the music was kinda bad up there until the end when Gackt started doing his stuff.

It was definetly came across as Squeenix's first attempt at a third-person shooter.

The graphics were better than Final Fantasy 7's

If I came at it expecting another FF7 then yeah I'd be dissapointed (and pretty stupid considering it would take some pretty hardcore work to beat FF7). I still think it's a solid game worthy of being set up beside FF7 and Advent Children, but probably there somewhere about 10 inches away from the others. It's something I wish I had rented instead of bought.

I really think that only Vincent and the new characters were angsty.

Mondt

08-20-2006, 12:10 AM

A really effiminate emo vampire with a gun.Really, really effeminite. (http://www.ani-walls.net/gallery/albums/userpics/normal_vincent.jpg)

Melfice

08-20-2006, 04:31 AM

The graphics were better than Final Fantasy 7's

Okay, never played this game, but in this day and age, everything on the PS2 should look better than FF7.

Except for the situation if they go for that kind of look.

Mirai Gen

08-20-2006, 06:42 AM

Except for the situation if they go for that kind of look.
After Advent Children, they officially have no motherfucking reason.

+1 Name

08-20-2006, 10:58 AM

...except that that was a multimillion dollar movie and graphics on game machines have more limits then movies. This uses a graphic engine similiar to FFX-2.

Mirai Gen

08-20-2006, 02:46 PM

...except that that was a multimillion dollar movie and graphics on game machines have more limits then movies. This uses a graphic engine similiar to FFX-2.
I'm just saying that after the absolute success of FF7:AC they have no reason to try and go for the 'classic' feel.

+1 Name

08-20-2006, 04:02 PM

Ah, sorry. I thought you were talking about the graphics. I'll go sit in the corner now.

Regulus Tera

08-20-2006, 05:04 PM

You should then be more than happy. Why? Because Crisis Core (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisis_Core:_Final_Fantasy_VII), Crisis Core (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisis_Core:_Final_Fantasy_VII#Images) looks awesome. (http://www.crisis-core.net/) You cannot get more androginous characters than Sephy, Zack, Cloud and Gackt together. It's a fangirl's dream come true.

By the way, saw the secret ending, it's more than obvious that they are shooting for a goddamn sequel. Those bastards.

MetalPsycho

08-22-2006, 08:19 PM

I loved this game! Woo!

Mind you, it's not as good as the FFs I've playd in the past, but I love the attempt to step into the live action world.

The gameplay I find fun. I do. Not inovative. Not original. Fun. Fun as heck, love it. I love the different guns, I love the materia (Though I don't care for the crappishly low MP amount), I love all the characters (Vincent now kicks so much ass), and they didn't bring Sephiroth back.

Not taht I hate Sephy or anything. On teh contrary. This just isn't his place.

All in all, I love this game and give it an 8/10. And no, I'm not a fangirl...too much anyway.

My complaints? The Invisible Wall. I hate you IW. I will have my revenge!

Also the fact that we saw no other Turks in there anywhere. ;___; Oh, and the lack of Red XIII.

Voice acting was good. I like it. Only the little girl hurts me, but she was suppose to hurt you with her monomouth tone.

Also, the new Galiant Beast/Chaos designs are BIIIIITCHIN! :D

Yea, ok, I'm done. I enjoyed this game and think it was worth the cash. I just need to collect all those memory caps now. o___o

ApathyMan

08-25-2006, 07:58 PM

Apparently, Square thought to pack every single line of dialogue with meaningless melodrama. Also apparent is the fact that the writers thought that an alternative to writing sincere emotion was to not finish the characters' sentences. Pick any cutscene and you'll likely get a character standing alone in neverending darkness speaking an incomplete thought.

Everything about this game is amateurish... the invisible walls, the horribly trite gameplay (KILL THE ENEMYS TO FIND THE KEYCARD TO OPEN THE ARBITRARY FORCE FIELD!), and the atrociously lazy level design - there is NO excuse for them to have used invisable walls. I just wish that this company would quit making these crappy cash-in diversions and make more good, quality, somewhat meaningful cash-ins.

Shame on you SquareEnix.

Fifthfiend

08-25-2006, 08:05 PM

Apparently, Square thought to pack every single line of dialogue with meaningless melodrama.

Again - Final Fantasy VII.

I can't imagine what you thought you were getting into, here.

Ah, sorry. I thought you were talking about the graphics. I'll go sit in the corner now.

Would that be the dark corner?

BitVyper

08-25-2006, 09:49 PM

Pick any cutscene and you'll likely get a character standing alone in neverending darkness speaking an incomplete thought.

That little girl was particularly bad with the incomplete sentences. And these were bad even considering the source material. There were entire monologues that went something like "I.... it...... is..... yes........ I........ guns....... Azul....." If you were really lucky, there might be a verb.

Again - Final Fantasy VII.

I'm not too fond of FFVII *hates it* but at least it had SOME good drama in it. I've always loved the scene with Seto, personally. Dirge of Cerberus only had drama of the annoying variety.

+1 Name

08-25-2006, 10:08 PM

I've always loved the scene with Seto, personally.
There is not a person in FF7 named Seto.

BitVyper

08-25-2006, 10:08 PM

Red XIII's dad.

+1 Name

08-25-2006, 10:15 PM

Oh yeah. I was still technically right, since he is not a PERSON.

BitVyper

08-25-2006, 10:24 PM

Technically, none of them are persons, being fictional and all. I don't really care. Red XIII had more character than anyone else in that game.

+1 Name

08-25-2006, 10:25 PM

Why's that?

Mondt

08-25-2006, 10:50 PM

He had the most backstory. I think. Cloud, well, he's the main character. With reverse-amnesia or something, so who cares. Barret, a large guy iwth a gun-arm, has a child. Tifa - into Cloud - is necessary, you know, for a love interest and all. Cait Sith - stupid. Aeris - Well, you know. Yuffie - comic relief, as stated before. Red XIII - He's the last of his kind, his dad died in a war or something, and other stuff. Not to mention he's a serious character, not comic relief like Yuffie, who at least has a little backstory.

That's the way I see it.

I may or may not have missed a character or two.

Edit: Oh, right, I forgot Vincent, the one who this thread is about. Well, Like Mes said, effeminate vampire with a gun. Angst made manifest.

Solid Snake

08-26-2006, 12:12 AM

Hell yes, I KNEW I wasn't the only Red XIII fanboy in the hizzy.

Honest to God, I think Squaresoft's developers are specifically not giving Red XIII major roles in the new batch of FFVII spinoff products just because they know he's the only character with integrity. And why mess up the only great character from a videogame by making him a major component in a bunch of crap? It's almost as if my opinion of Red XIII as a character, which was already damn near atmospheric before these new FFVII products, has increased as Nanaki continually finds ways to avoid this new stuff like the plague.

MetalPsycho

08-26-2006, 07:20 AM

Red was one of my three main team in FF7. He's awsome on many levels. Why Square does him so little justic is a mystery.

Red XIII's game?

Final Fantasy 7-I'm Gona Shove a Cosmic Nuke Up Yo Ass!

...Ok, that was terrible, but you get the idea.

Regulus Tera

08-26-2006, 07:52 AM

Easy to answer: The S-E designer are a bunch of lazy bastards that don't want to animate Nanaki's fur. It had to be so awesomely done, because, you know? Nanaki deserves that.

The Wandering God

08-29-2006, 09:29 AM

a clone of Parasite Eve A horrific concept if there ever was one.
BLASPHEMER!

Oh, and I'd just like to point out...

Told ya so! (http://forum.nuklearpower.com/showpost.php?p=393522&postcount=12)

The Wandering God

BitVyper

08-31-2006, 01:54 AM

Nah, you're just the messenger. Famitsu told us so.

...wait... messenger.... *shoots you*

Nikose Tyris

08-31-2006, 03:01 AM

The only thing I really notice here is:

Gackt. Gackt doing a voice. Gackt.

I listen to his music. I have his songs.

Gackt. What exactly IS he to the game? I saw his name mentioned several times, and saw him named as a voice for 'genesis' in Neko-tera-san's link.

Fighter=Genius

09-21-2006, 05:14 PM

I know I'm late to the party but I rented and beat DoC and found it pretty repetitive and I found myself skipping over all the dialouge on the 2nd play thru. Mediocor but I've seen worse.

Bremeb

09-21-2006, 09:10 PM

I only had 3 problems with the game:

A)Shortness
B)Apperently the one who made this and Advent Children hates Red XIII
C)I didn't find out until I started an ex-hard file that you can upgrade weapons (alright, that's not their fault)

Random Ninja

10-09-2006, 12:39 AM

Ok, I've only just rented the game last night, and only got a chance to start playing now.

I'm somewhat less then impressed. Two things stand out so far in this game. Cheesey voice acting and Vincent's uncontrollable need to swhoosh his cape.

mauve

10-09-2006, 03:59 PM

Hehehehe... The cape-swooshing cracks me up. It's as though Square thought Vincent could possibly be just a liiiittle bit more overdramatic than he already was.

Basically the first half of the game went as follows:

1) Vincent mopes.
2) Vincent mutters the name "Lucrecia!!".
3) Flashback involving Lucrecia and possibly Hojo.
4) Vincent mopes some more.
5) Vincent is pulled from his moping to save some lost child.
6) Save kid, swoosh cape, dissappear dramatically.
7) Insert some emo-ish stuff about Deepground here.
8) More moping.
9) Yuffy does stuff and generally is annoying.
10) Mope, swoosh cape, repeat.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk

10-09-2006, 05:05 PM

Well I'm still playing through FFVII myself (yes still, hey I only started a few weeks ago and I'm just dipping in and out here and there), so I was wondering if I should get DoC after I've finished it. Judging by everyone's opinions on it though I don't think I'll bother. I have yet to come across Vincent and already I'm not sure if I like the sound of him.

And if there's no Red XIII I will like it less. Red is without a doubt my favourite character so far.

Sumiyoshi

10-09-2006, 06:03 PM

And if there's no Red XIII I will like it less. Red is without a doubt my favourite character so far.

Let's just say that in terms of appearances, the poor lion/dog/supersentient creature gets shafted even MORE than he did in AC.

I mean, at least the other characters get freaking TOKEN APPEARANCES at the very last boss, when everyone's cheering for Vincent; Red XIII's been quite literally relegated to 'family pet who just sot of sits there a little bit'. Damn lazy programmer/animators.

BitVyper

10-09-2006, 06:36 PM

I have yet to come across Vincent and already I'm not sure if I like the sound of him.

He's actually one of the only characters I like. DoC ruined him though.

You can get Vincent in Nibelheim at the Shinra mansion. If you've been playing for a few weeks, I imagine you've already passed him.

LeperMan!

10-09-2006, 08:29 PM

As I understand it, Red XIII won't be featured in any new stuff simply because his story has closure. (The fact that he's unholy to animate may have some bearing on that too) Unlike Cloud and Vincent, whose stories were ended in Advent Children and DoC respectively.

I mean look at the end of FFVII/beginning of Advent Children set some years in the future. It shows Red XIII and his cubs overlooking a Midgar covered in vegetation. Meaning, of course, that the planet healed and all is well.