Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 released for the PS2 20 years ago today, if you can believe it.
Despite being a sequel to a highly-regarded role-playing game, this action-focused title is often considered one of the weakest entries in the Final Fantasy series.
We’re marking the anniversary of Dirge of Cerberus because it’s a really interesting example of Square Enix’s long-standing fascination with Final Fantasy 7 – a fascination that some believe is happening again today.
It was common for Japanese game companies to try new things with their popular franchises during the PlayStation 2 era, and many of these attempts didn’t quite hit the mark. Dirge of Cerberus is a prime example of this.
I loved getting to play as Vincent Valentine again! The game picks up after Final Fantasy 7, and it’s awesome seeing him take on this new threat, Deepground. They’re a really intense group trying to destroy the planet all over again, after everything Cloud and the others did to save it. It was a cool story!
As a long-time fan, this game really felt like classic Square Enix from the Kingdom Hearts days – and honestly, that meant some wonderfully over-the-top characters and a story that didn’t shy away from being dramatic! It was a bit silly at times, but in a way that I totally loved.
While it shares characters with the Kingdom Hearts series, Dirge of Cerberus struggled most with its gameplay. It featured clunky, slow-responding shooting, RPG elements that didn’t quite work, and a frustrating camera system.
You might feel a little nostalgic and think Dirge of Cerberus wasn’t so bad, and that’s understandable – but we’re not the only ones who think so.
Critics didn’t like the game when it came out in 2006, and currently, it’s one of the lowest-rated games on our list of the Best Final Fantasy Games, which is determined by what our users think.
It’s considered a pretty poor game, ranking at 5.6 out of 10. Only the poorly made Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles remaster for PS4 and the disappointing Dissidia Final Fantasy NT are rated lower.
We actually learned about this anniversary from Square Enix themselves, as they’re the ones celebrating it.
Many people responding are hoping for a remastered or remade version of the game, and considering the success of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, it’s not out of the question. However, Dirge of Cerberus would need major changes to make a remake or remaster worthwhile.
So, what’s your take? After all this time, does Dirge of Cerberus really deserve the criticism it gets? Be honest in the comments!
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2026-01-26 23:07