Compilation of Final Fantasy VII | Dirge of Cerberus | FAQ

Last updated: September 30, 2006

1. What is Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII?
         Dirge of Cerberus (from here on referred to as DC) is a PlayStation 2 game that takes place three years after Final Fantasy VII (or one year after Advent Children). It is the third part of Square-Enix's multimedia "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII".
   


2. When will DC be available?
         As of this writing, the Japanese release date was January 26, 2006. The release date for North America was August 15, 2006, a week earlier than the initial date of August 22. The game will be released in PAL territories during November 2006.
   


3. So what's this game about? Which characters are in it?
         Vincent Valentine is the main character, fighting against a group known as the Deepground Soldiers, a top secret project started by the late President Shinra. Throughout the course of the game, we learn more about the Deepground Soldiers and why they're after Vincent in particular. Several other characters—both old and new—are present in DC; you can find a list of them on the DC Characters page. In addition, a number of monsters from the original FFVII (including Guard Hounds, Sahagins, Levrikons, and Sweepers) can be fought.
   


4. Where does the game take place?
         Some locations that are present in the game include Kalm, Edge, Nibelheim, and Midgar. Some new areas, such as the WRO Headquarters, are featured as well.
   


5. What type of game is DC?
         The game has been defined by its creators as a "gun action RPG"; it shares many aspects of the action RPG, third-person shooter, and first-person shooter genres. Early on in the game's production, the gaming press gave DC the nickname "Vincent May Cry", after Capcom's successful Devil May Cry, a game which does share some similarities to DC.
         Besides Vincent, Cait Sith is the other notable playable character, with his own separate missions. The Japanese version of DC also features an online multiplayer component, through Square Enix's PlayOnline service; in this mode, players take on the roles of Deepground Soldiers. Unfortunately, this online mode will be shutting down for good on September 29, 2006.
   


6. How is the North American release of the game different from the Japanese version?
         Aside from the usual translation-related changes, several major and cosmetic alterations will be made to DC for its English-language release. The most significant change will be the conversion of the online missions to a set of forty unlockable "extra hard" single-player missions; this is being done due to the poor performance (in North America) of PlayOnline.
         Other changes include a faster running pace for Vincent (more specifically, 1.2 times faster), less of a slowdown when in aiming mode, new double-jump and dash moves, the ability to perform shooting attacks and melee combos in midair, and limit break implementation via special items as opposed to MP. In addtion, the "easy" difficulty mode has been eliminated, and special features (such as artwork and character models) are unlockable by playing the "extra hard" mode.
   


7. Who's this "Gackt" guy who appears in DC?
         Gackt is a Japanese pop musician who has numerous fans in Japan and all over the world. In addition to appearing in DC as a new character clad in red and black, he has also recorded "Redemption", the game's theme song.
   


8. Some of the reviews for DC are terrible! Is the game really that bad?
         While it is not nearly as good as the original FFVII, DC stands on its own as a fairly competant action game. The Citadel's own review of DC may be found here.