Rate top gamesDirge of Cerberus have certain fame about being a bad game because is a TPS, I don't mind that kind of comments a lot but just after a few minutes of playing it was easy to see why is not good.
Is not that this game is terrible bad, it is playable (somehow) and it has a few pretty good moments from a fan-service or story point of view but, it feels unpolished on every way, from the combat to the story, every thing has some serviceable but interesting ideas that lack too much in its execution, its like this game is trying to hard to be a mix between, DMC, MGS and RE4 but more on that later.
Starting with the combat system, your main attacks are ranged, you can choose between a fairly simple and customizable set of weapons, the main problem with it is that the targeting system doesn't work, your targets move too randomly and fast while your reticule isn't that precise and stiff, the game starts with an auto-aim stat, which I turned off for most of the game aside from a couple of boss battles were they moved ridiculously fast and it wasn't challenging but annoying, so I strongly recommend that you maintain the auto-aim turned on, the hassle is not worth it. You can also attack with melee attacks and transform with consumable items into a powered version of Vincent ala DMC, this as the targeting system feels underdeveloped, your hit-boxes are pretty reduced and you can only hit your enemies while they're in front on you and a lot of more nuisances. Lastly at the end of every stage, your killing points and several other stuff can transform into experience points to level up your stats or into money, I recommend that you don't bother with the EXP and go full money to upgrade your equipment, since your stats grows too slow.
Being an action game one would expect that this will have a nice balance between story and gameplay, focusing more on the later to keep things moving forward, the problem is that there are a lot of chunks where the game decides to throw exposition and 10-15 minutes long uninteresting cutscenes, this hurts a lot the experience that is not good to begin with.
As far as the story goes and maybe the reason a lot of people is playing this game, it's for the most part boring, it has certain throwbacks and nods to the original, it has some things that I really liked specially towards the end which I don't spoil, the cast is OK, the villains has some charm and they seem too inspired in MGS for their own good they're quirky and its motivations feel like Dead Cell or Cobra Unit but barebones and generic, Vincent wasn't one of my favorites in FF VII and he still isn't, there are some cameos but the game focuses more in a couple of characters of the original, which adds some lore, although the worst part is the voice acting, like almost every JRPG it is too cartoony and goofy and breaks a lot the original intention.
Overall I don't think this game is unplayable but it is certainly a fans-only, since it depends a lot of previous knowledge of the lore and builds on it, don't recommend it even for fans, since is boring and soul-less, but if you want to expand your FF VII lore if only a little, maybe you can try it.
Starting with the combat system, your main attacks are ranged, you can choose between a fairly simple and customizable set of weapons, the main problem with it is that the targeting system doesn't work, your targets move too randomly and fast while your reticule isn't that precise and stiff, the game starts with an auto-aim stat, which I turned off for most of the game aside from a couple of boss battles were they moved ridiculously fast and it wasn't challenging but annoying, so I strongly recommend that you maintain the auto-aim turned on, the hassle is not worth it. You can also attack with melee attacks and transform with consumable items into a powered version of Vincent ala DMC, this as the targeting system feels underdeveloped, your hit-boxes are pretty reduced and you can only hit your enemies while they're in front on you and a lot of more nuisances. Lastly at the end of every stage, your killing points and several other stuff can transform into experience points to level up your stats or into money, I recommend that you don't bother with the EXP and go full money to upgrade your equipment, since your stats grows too slow.
Being an action game one would expect that this will have a nice balance between story and gameplay, focusing more on the later to keep things moving forward, the problem is that there are a lot of chunks where the game decides to throw exposition and 10-15 minutes long uninteresting cutscenes, this hurts a lot the experience that is not good to begin with.
As far as the story goes and maybe the reason a lot of people is playing this game, it's for the most part boring, it has certain throwbacks and nods to the original, it has some things that I really liked specially towards the end which I don't spoil, the cast is OK, the villains has some charm and they seem too inspired in MGS for their own good they're quirky and its motivations feel like Dead Cell or Cobra Unit but barebones and generic, Vincent wasn't one of my favorites in FF VII and he still isn't, there are some cameos but the game focuses more in a couple of characters of the original, which adds some lore, although the worst part is the voice acting, like almost every JRPG it is too cartoony and goofy and breaks a lot the original intention.
Overall I don't think this game is unplayable but it is certainly a fans-only, since it depends a lot of previous knowledge of the lore and builds on it, don't recommend it even for fans, since is boring and soul-less, but if you want to expand your FF VII lore if only a little, maybe you can try it.
«Waste of time»
«Boooring»
«Ugly as my life»
«Game over at last!»