Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

"The time has come to cleanse this world."

Final Fantasy VII (1997) is one of those rare games that needs no introduction. Forgive the cliche, but unless you've been living under a rock or you're a Millennial there isn't a gamer out there who doesn't know Final Fantasy VII. Not only was Final Fantasy VII instrumental in creating one of gaming's most profitable periods, but even today a whopping 18 years after its release it's still one of the most popular titles in gaming and the most successful Final Fantasy that Square-Enix (Squaresoft at the time) ever released. So it came as no surprise that in 2002, Square-Enix launched the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII project which spawned a number of spin-offs from Final Fantasy VII. Think of this as FFVII's expanded universe which included a CG movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, an anime, two cell phone games, a PSP game, and a PS2 sequel.

They will fight one last time.

Taking place three years after the events of Final Fantasy VII and one year after the events of Advent Children, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII centers on Vincent Valentine, AVALANCHE member and former Turk. The world has survived the meteor incident and the Second Coming of Sephiroth. The people have undertaken the hard work of rebuilding their lives and the even larger task of rebuilding a world brought to ruin. The citizens of Kalm are having a festival to celebrate the three anniversary of the meteor incident or more specifically the miracle that saved the world from destruction. Rather than join the celebration, Vincent broods in isolation. Tortured by the demons in his past and his own inability to move on, Vincent's psyche has become his personal hell. Suddenly, a wave of violence sweeps through Kalm as mysterious soldiers descend on the small town and massacre its people by the dozens. However, these soldiers also kidnap a select few townsfolk for purposes that can only be nefarious. Calling themselves Deepground, this army is lead by a group of elite superhumans called The Tsviets and the enigmatic Weiss The Immaculate. Vincent swoops into action, his questions punctuated by a hail of gunfire. Will Vincent's battle against Deepground save the world or will he drag it into an even darker hell?

A lengthy summary to be sure, but to be expected of any game based on an RPG. When dealing with any Final Fantasy it's not just a question of whether or not the story is good, but a question of how well it's presented in a genre of this kind. Final Fantasy is an RPG, but Dirge of Cerberus is a third-person shooter which are considerably shorter, so the game's length is a major factor in story-telling. To his credit, Hiroki Chiba does a good job in condensing Final Fantasy VII's complex narrative, and expanding on Vincent Valentine's past. Chiba has introduced some interesting new characters in the form of the Tsviets, and surprisingly enough he's given them adequate characterization as well, but as much as I appreciated the story and characters as a Final Fantasy fan, they are not without their flaws. We learn more about Vincent Valentine's past, but much of what was explored here was already summarized in Final Fantasy VII. In DOC we get a larger picture of Vincent's past with Shinra, the origins of his hatred towards professor Hojo, and the love he had for Lucretia, but we don't learn anything we didn't already know apart from the how and why of the Protomateria that is in Vincent's possession which is essentially the super macguffin that Deepground are trying to get their hands on.

 

Those Tron lines...

As a fan of the franchise I enjoyed learning more about Shinra Incorporated's dirty little secrets - particularly the Deepground soldiers and I liked the Tsviets as villains, but when you get down to it i.e. speaking objectively and not as a fan, they aren't entirely unique. The Tsviets have some very cool designs, but they're basically bad Metal Gear villains. The Tsviets are essentially the Beauty and Beast Corps. of Dirge of Cerberus. Each has their own character trait (bloodlust, apathy, pride, etcetera) you've seen before with a tragic past which you've seen before. Hiroki Chiba is a competent writer to be sure, but it's clear that the game's length hindered his ability to flesh out the Tsviets and differentiate them from the villainous stables you see in many other games. That's not to say it's all bad though. Shelke the Transparent is a member of the Tsviets who gets a lot of character development and while it seems rushed - given that the game takes place over a few days - Shelke was a round, dynamic character who changed considerably over the course of the game.

Composer Masashi Hamauzu who has 19 years of industry experience brings his A game to Dirge of Cerberus. There are some very good tracks in this game which bring a different feel to each of the game's scenes and bluntly speaking will probably be the thing you remember most from the game. Japanese music icon GACKT also provides two songs for the game "Longing" and "Redemption" the game's ending theme, and as a huge GACKT fan parts of this game were mark out moments for me.

 

The art style delivers though.

Dirge of Ceberus won't win any beauty contests. While the PS2 was never a huge graphical powerhouse it did run some impressive games - this isn't one of them. Some of the environments in this game scream PS era with the framerate to match. Although the art direction is quite good with the Tsviets sporting some cool costumes. The environments, while not very detailed do resemble Final Fantasy VII at least aesthetically and it felt as though I was in Midgar all over again which was a big plus. Pretty much the only area where Dirge of Cerberus stumbles is in the actual "game" aspect. Dirge of Cerberus is a third-person shooter, but not a very good one. While the type of genre does make sense given Vincent Valentines weapon of choice, the gameplay is bare-bones and what's here barely holds together. There's very little strategy involved in the combat as it boils down to dodge the enemies' attacks and shoot them. The A.I. is virtually non-existent as enemies will rarely flank you and will often run directly into your gunfire. While they will sometimes hide behind cover, most won't. Groups of enemies will also stand by explosive barrels which make them easy pickings. The game doesn't get particularly difficult as you advance in the story apart from the game sending larger hoards after you. Vincent has a melee attack which isn't very effective, and in the time it takes him to kill an enemy with said attack the player could have shot him and moved on. Vincent can upgrade his signature weapon Cerberus with a scope, materia (magic), and he can change the barrel to increase damage or firing rate. Vincent also acquires a rifle and a machine gun, but I got through most of the game using the default weapon - thus making the upgrades and additional guns completely unnecessary. The boss battles don't require much strategy apart from dodge and shoot, but if you have enough items you can remove dodging from the equation altogether.

Dirge of Cerberus isn't a bad game, but it's just so by-the-numbers it doesn't do anything to elevate the genre. If you're a hardcore Final Fantasy VII fan, a GACKT fan, or both like I am then you'll probably get a kick out of this game. However, if you've never had a really strong connection to the world of Final Fantasy VII, I can't imagine why you'd ever play this. There are even some Final Fantasy VII fans out there who loathe this game. Personally, I felt it was an enjoyable experience despite its many shortcomings.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete (2009)

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete

Two years after the events of Final Fantasy VII, the inhabits of Gaia are slowly beginning to rebuild their lives. The world seems peaceful but the appearance of a disease called Geostigma is infecting the people, many of whom are children. Afflicted with the fatal disease himself, Cloud has cut himself off from the rest of the team. Working as a courier, he is merely counting the days until he dies. Even going through what he believes will be his final days, he finds that there is little escape from the battlefield.  The coming of Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo signal the beginning of the Reunion and the return of Sephiroth himself.  Faced with three new enemies and the eventual return of his most powerful foe, Cloud must take sword in hand one last time.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete provides a much different experience from the games in the FFVII Compilation as it places an audience which would normally be participants in this story, as something of an observer. It's quite a change of pace from the games because we have no control over the events that are taking place but it's still effective nonetheless for several reasons. First and foremost, unlike in the games the characters are given a voice in Advent Children which really adds to their autonomy. The viewer never has to wonder how an event is affecting a character nor is there any ambiguity with regards to their emotions, motivations, or intentions. Secondly, we're provided with the unique opportunity to see how these characters operate when they have autonomy which makes them feel more lifelike and also gives each scene a more organic feel.

Yazoo, Kadaj, and Loz - Les Efants Terribles

From computer modelling to motion capture to voice work, a lot of effort went into making these characters seem as human as possible and it shows. The way the characters move, interact with one another, and simple motions from answering a phone to holding another persons hand are all realistic but to the film's credit, never crosses over into the area of the uncanny valley. The characters are all well-designed, realistically proportioned, and the environments have a spectacular level of detail not seen anywhere else in a film of this kind.

The voice acting is a mixed bag and perhaps the only area where Advent Children stumbles, but this largely depends on if you're watching it subbed or dubbed. I imported the Japanese version before the American version was released and I admit that at the time I was worried about the Japanese voice acting, but after watching the film I was thoroughly impressed. This is due to two factors: the Japanese seiyu actually took the time to learn about their characters and the game as they were unfamiliar with the source material, they also tried to express the nature of the characters' relationships through their performance rather than read words from a script. The time and attention the seiyu put into their performances shows.

Redefining the girl next door.

Tifa was voiced by Ayumi Ito who did a phenomenal job showing the emotional diversity of this fan favorite female. Tifa has a very large and nurturing side and cares deeply for those closest to her, and a sizable amount of pain has grown within her due to Cloud’s departure from her life. She tries to keep up a brave face despite everything that is happening around her and she more than succeeds. Tifa has this quiet strength about her but she is by no means subdued. Ayumi Ito not only brought out these traits in Tifa but she also provided the character with an emotional context, a weight to all of her actions that really made me appreciate the character even more than I already did.

Oh yes. Things are about to get real.

Takahiro Sakurai did an excellent job conveying Cloud’s moods and personality. Sakurai brought an interesting take on Cloud by portraying him as a character whose weaknesses are every bit a part of him as his strengths. The highs and lows of Cloud's life and the emotional context of those events shaped Cloud into the character he is, a character who has found himself alone and unhappy despite saving the world. Of course we learn that Cloud has a very good reason for his slump. Cloud has dealt with neglect, PTSD, and he's still carrying the weight of Aeris' death. Sakurai really shows his understanding of Cloud's character because despite everything he is going through, he doesn't open up to his friends or even complain about the fact that he's dying. He's a private character who expresses his emotions in a very subtle way and we see this time and again throughout the film.

Correction. THIS is the abyss starting back at you.

Shotaro Morikubo was simply amazing as Kadaj.  He had that whole tortured, confused, destructive youth thing going on and had this unique ability to go from one emotional extreme to the other in one line of dialogue. Interesting to note that Kadaj's lines were written and performed before the character was finished, and was largely based off Morikubo's own appearance and the image of the character he conveyed through his dialogue.

The nightmare returns.

Toshiyuki Morikawa  almost steals the show as Sephiroth. His take on the character is equally as cold and calculated as Sephiroth is himself. Morikawa's performance gives the sense that there is something unsettling about Sephiroth's perpetual control of any given situation. On top of that, he has the perfect cadence for a character who has so much depth yet remains enigmatic.

Even with little or no knowledge of the game, the Japanese cast put in a lot of hard work and effort for the fans, themselves, and the characters and they shined beautifully. On the contrary, the English voice actors did a horrendously half-assed job.  It was clear that most of, if not the entire cast had absolutely no knowledge of Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VII, or its characters. Not only did the cast not have a handle of the characters' personalities, but they even went so far as to distort them. Rachel Leigh Cook as Tifa and Dakota Fanning as Marlene were among the myriad of casting debacles. Cook's performance doesn't make Tifa sound the least bit patient or understanding of Cloud's situation and it is so devoid of emotional weight that when Tifa interacts with Cloud they seem more like acquaintances than childhood friends who have loved each other for a very long time. Fanning portrays Marlene as a "type" - i.e. the bratty child character who sort of just tags along, rather than the young girl whose heart is something that holds everyone together.

The Turks - Stylin and Profilin. WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

There are a few bright spots in the English voice acting.  Reno and Rude were actually voiced better here than in the Japanese version. In the Japanese version, Reno sounded a bit too comical and Rude was a bit too rigid. The English voice actors did a better job in this respect, but what else would you expect from Crispin Freeman (Rude) and Quinton Flynn (Reno). Rude sounded tough but flexible and Reno was a bit more laid-back than hot headed. Steven Jay Blum lent his voice to Vincent, as a result Vincent’s voice is a bit too deep but it will grow on you. Though these are a few bright spots, I prefer the Japanese as it was more effective as a whole.

Soldier. Hero. Dad.

Advent Children's characterization is fairly rich given its format and this is in part because of its focus on Cloud. Normally when a film focuses on a single character it can often hinder character development as a whole but this isn't the case here because as the story centers on Cloud, we learn a lot about the other characters through their interaction with him. We see the exploration of Tifa's compassionate nature partially through the lens of the family she and Cloud have built since Final Fantasy VII. This also gives us a different view of Cloud who despite his messed up childhood and even worse teenage years, has grown into a mostly well-adjusted adult who is not only capable of providing for Marlene in Barrett's absence, but also taking care of the emotional needs of Denzel, a child who but recently experienced trauma in his own right.

Rufus Shinra wishes to make up for his past mistakes and believes Cloud to be influential in doing that, and even the Turks have begun to look out for Cloud's best interests from time-to-time. We also get snippets of Cloud and Vincent's relationship as the two have a bond built on privacy and understanding. Cloud and Vincent have had similar pasts and both of them often deal with their emotions in the least healthy manner i.e. burying it within themselves. However, there is an empathetic bond here as Vincent and Cloud know themselves well enough to know each other, and not pry into each others affairs when that kind of attention is neither wanted nor welcome.

The two meet one final time.

Despite being a sci-fi fantasy movie based on a game, Advent Children briefly explores several issues including trauma, environmental degradation, and using children as a means to an end. Kadaj's gang for example is planning to sacrifice children to bring about the Reunion. From lying to children, kidnapping them, and poisoning them, and using them as human shields, Kadaj and his gang clearly have little regard for their well-being. This is also where Cloud serves as something similar to an inverse of Kadaj. In addition to having opened something of an orphanage, Cloud places the well-being of the children before his own and even sets off to save them while knowing he wouldn't stand a chance against Kadaj's group. Advent Children reminds us that our children are important because the future depends on them.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is one of the finest cinematic spectacles I've ever seen and it is easily the best CG film ever made. The settings are extremely detailed and Square-Enix did not cut a single corner. The environments and the characters look so real, it's easy to forget that you’re watching a movie. The action scenes are refreshingly over the top, the soundtrack is solid, and while the original movie was already a testament to Japanese CG films, the additions that were made to this "complete" version made it even better. I highly recommend this film even if you've already seen the original Advent Children.