By Kevin Koeninger
Devoted fans of Final Fantasy will find themselves either pleasantly surprised or a tad bit confused if they pick up a copy of the newest installment of the immensely popular series, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. The game, which is being marketed as an combination of a first-person shooter and third-person action title, is a rather abrupt departure from the series’ usual RPG (role playing game) based action.
Taking control of Vincent Valentine is a lesser known character found in the original Final Fantasy VII (2001). Players will equip themselves with a vast array of weapons in order to defeat the onslaught of enemies controlling his home planet. Long-time fans will certainly be interested in finding out more about the character, who played such a minor role in the original game. Throughout, several RPG elements are easy to spot, but it is a completely different type of Final Fantasy experience.
While it lacks the depth and ingenuity of other true first-person shooters found on the PS2 (Play Station 2), Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII is a worthy follow-up to its predecessor. Any gamer looking for a unique experience combining first and third-person action with subtle hints of an RPG should certainly check it out.
