Ever since people got their first look at what Final Fantasy VII would look like on next gen Playstation 3, people have been clammoring for Final Fantasy VII to be re-released.
Ever since people got ahold of Final Fantasy VII : Advent Children for the PSP & DVD, and realized that THIS should have been the first theatrical release from Square Soft way back when (mostly because their Hawaii HQ would still be open today if it was), people have been clammoring for Final Fantasy VII (I think).
Now post E3 2006 we now know that there WILL be a Final Fantasy VII coming out on the PS…2.
Here is your first look at Dirge of Cerebrus : Final Fantasy VII.

Let’s set the stage of E3 2006.
Square Enix had camped out at a prime piece of land at the convention to show off their latest wares. But while they were yet willing to commit to even a taste of Final Fantasy XIII (though they did have a bunch of Final Fantasy XI & XII stuff to treat you to, PS by now you know Final Fantasy XII should be out by Halloween… because apparently the only one who deserves a treat is the game store owners since you‘ll be forking over $50

or so for the game and get a game… and maybe a fistful of chocolate for your money), and they seem possessed by the need to display high end (I.e. probably high priced) figures and odds and ends, one of the batch of bright shining star of their booth seems to have been this new flavor of Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerebrus. Oh, and look for the long in waiting Final Fantasy III for the Nintendo DS (the first time we’ve seen a Final Fantasy game for the DS which hopefully rules).

But back to Dirge of Cerebrus.
At this point little is known about the game, but let’s take a look at what we do know about it (which, sadly, is very very little).

Remember Vincent Valentine from Final Fantasy VII? That mysterious character who was practically last to join the cast (along with fan fave Yuffie who also was at the tail end of signing onto the line up of characters as you played the game).

However the first poison that might ruin the anticipation for gamers is the fact that this game is being touted as a “character-driven action shooter”… wait, wasn’t the early Wild Arms games shooters?
Really though? A quote “character-driven action shooter” though? Oh… that doesn’t

sound fun.

One of the so-called “selling points” of Dirge, though, is the customization option. You are supposed to be able to customize your firearms, “dispense” strategic melee attacks, and use a “limit break” technique to transform into a powerful beast with special skills… yeah, I remember that Vincent had that ability from the original game, that at least wasn’t changed.

As for the story? Three years after Final Fantasy VII (which means this is one year after Advent Children because isn’t that supposed to take place two years after FFVII?) and the events of Meteorfall, a mysterious group known as “Deepground” (who were buried alive during the chaos of what the events during FFVII) emerge from their “prison” and begin raiding the city of Midgar, ultimately proving to be a major class threat to the whole planet.

Vincent Valentine (no relation to Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop) is cast as the hero of this game, and thus is somehow connected to the “Deepground” organization and their attacks against the aboveground world. Thus, because of his connection to the organization and their attacks, it looks like he may be the only one (well he as in you) who can save this quote “shattered society” unquote.
Expect darkness top fall, and his gun

to deal out a “dreadful dirge” against those who would bring darkness forth. Now whether or not Vincent can dispel the darkness of fan’s hearts who may be disappointed by this offshoot of the FFVII franchise, however, remains to be seen.

The game does promise “familiar friends”, which I guess is a off-handed way of remarking that the gang of FFVII are coming back, it doesn’t say WHICH “familiar friends” are making a comeback though I guess if we’re talking ranged attack “Friends” for a shooter we’re talking Barrett (if I remember his name right) and Yuffie (if you can count throwing weapons for ranged weapons in a shooter) for starters. Who is in this game past Vincent, however, remains to be seen.

The rest is promises promises promises.
Promise of an “amazing” story (promise me at least a story worth raving over, we’ll decide whether or not it’s amazing once we sink our teeths into it at our PS2).
“Secrets” are “revealed” in this game, and “mysteries” are “explained”… whatever that means.
All I know is that this game may or may not be your next FF fix until Final Fantasy XII hits, so stay tuned as we wait for more on this (and hopefully a demo version in the near future).