<s>
is	O
a	O
2006	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
third-person	O
shooter	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Square	O
Enix	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Compilation	B-Application
of	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
metaseries	O
,	O
a	O
multimedia	O
collection	O
set	O
within	O
the	O
universe	O
of	O
the	O
popular	O
1997	O
video	O
game	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
story	O
,	O
Vincent	O
is	O
targeted	O
by	O
Deepground	O
,	O
a	O
mysterious	O
organization	O
that	O
plans	O
to	O
awaken	O
a	O
creature	O
known	O
as	O
Omega	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	B-Application
Planet	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
first	O
shooter	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
series	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
staff	O
had	O
various	O
problems	O
during	O
development	O
,	O
and	O
producer	O
Yoshinori	O
Kitase	O
found	O
the	O
experience	O
challenging	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
was	O
released	O
outside	O
Japan	O
,	O
several	O
aspects	O
of	O
the	O
gameplay	O
were	O
modified	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
more	O
appealing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
third-person	O
shooter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Battles	O
occur	O
in	O
real-time	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
HUD	O
displaying	O
information	O
such	O
as	O
Vincent	O
's	O
hit	O
points	O
and	O
magic	B-Application
points	I-Application
,	O
the	O
currently	O
selected	O
item	O
and	O
quantity	O
thereof	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
cross-hair	O
to	O
aid	O
in	O
targeting	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
action	O
is	O
viewed	O
from	O
an	O
over-the-shoulder	O
perspective	O
similar	O
to	O
Resident	B-Application
Evil	I-Application
4	I-Application
,	O
although	O
players	O
can	O
switch	O
to	O
a	O
first-person	O
perspective	O
if	O
they	O
wish	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
,	O
where	O
a	O
character	O
could	O
equip	O
three	O
types	O
of	O
equipment	O
(	O
weapon	O
,	O
armor	O
,	O
and	O
accessory	O
)	O
,	O
Vincent	O
's	O
equipment	O
consists	O
solely	O
of	O
his	O
weapon	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
contribute	O
to	O
his	O
armor	O
rating	O
and	O
enhance	O
his	O
stats	O
through	O
customization	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Accessories	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
attached	O
to	O
the	O
weapons	O
,	O
include	O
a	O
sniper	O
scope	O
,	O
charms	O
that	O
can	O
increase	O
Vincent	O
's	O
defense	O
and	O
decrease	O
the	O
weight	O
of	O
the	O
gun	O
(	O
among	O
other	O
things	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
materia	O
,	O
which	O
enables	O
magic	O
shots	O
with	O
special	O
properties	O
that	O
use	O
up	O
Vincent	O
's	O
magic	B-Application
points	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vincent	O
's	O
Limit	O
Breaks	O
return	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
forms	O
are	O
available	O
in	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
centers	O
on	O
Vincent	O
Valentine	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
the	O
main	O
playable	O
character	O
,	O
although	O
Cait	O
Sith	O
is	O
also	O
playable	O
for	O
a	O
single	O
level	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
main	O
antagonists	O
are	O
the	O
members	O
of	O
an	O
organization	O
named	O
Deepground	O
,	O
who	O
are	O
planning	O
to	O
use	O
a	O
creature	O
known	O
as	O
Omega	O
to	O
destroy	O
all	O
life	O
on	O
the	B-Application
Planet	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
online	B-Application
mode	I-Application
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
only	O
available	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
,	O
also	O
introduces	O
a	O
group	O
called	O
the	O
Restrictors	O
,	O
the	O
former	O
leaders	O
of	O
Deepground	O
before	O
Weiss	O
took	O
over	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Restrictors	O
 '	O
leader	O
had	O
implanted	O
microchips	O
into	O
the	O
brainstems	O
of	O
all	O
Deepground	B-Application
soldiers	I-Application
so	O
as	O
to	O
ensure	O
they	O
never	O
turn	O
against	O
the	O
group	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
begins	O
during	O
the	O
climax	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Vincent	O
and	O
Yuffie	O
Kisaragi	O
help	O
to	O
evacuate	O
Midgar	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
about	O
to	O
be	O
destroyed	O
by	O
Sephiroth	O
's	O
Meteor	O
spell	B-Application
,	O
Vincent	O
finds	O
the	O
body	O
of	O
Professor	O
Hojo	O
slumped	O
at	O
the	O
controls	O
of	O
the	O
Sister	O
Ray	O
cannon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vincent	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
help	O
of	O
his	O
former	O
comrade	O
,	O
Reeve	O
Tuesti	O
of	O
the	O
World	B-Application
Regenesis	I-Application
Organization	I-Application
(	O
WRO	O
)	O
,	O
an	O
organization	O
dedicated	O
to	O
helping	O
the	B-Application
planet	I-Application
recover	O
from	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
,	O
fights	O
the	O
soldiers	O
and	O
forces	O
them	O
to	O
retreat	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
before	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
citizens	O
of	O
the	O
town	O
have	O
been	O
captured	O
,	O
and	O
many	O
more	O
killed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shelke	O
's	O
sister	O
,	O
Shalua	O
Rui	O
,	O
a	O
high-ranking	O
scientist	O
in	O
the	O
WRO	O
,	O
soon	O
discovers	O
that	O
Omega	O
is	O
a	O
WEAPON	O
,	O
which	O
activates	O
when	O
the	B-Application
Planet	I-Application
senses	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
in	O
mortal	O
danger	O
(	O
like	O
the	O
WEAPONs	O
it	O
activated	O
in	O
the	O
original	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Omega	O
's	O
function	O
is	O
to	O
absorb	O
the	O
Lifestream	O
from	O
the	B-Application
Planet	I-Application
and	O
then	O
move	O
to	O
another	O
planet	B-Application
,	O
leaving	O
the	O
inhabitants	O
behind	O
to	O
die	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Deepground	O
plans	O
to	O
slaughter	O
a	O
huge	O
number	O
of	O
people	O
at	O
once	O
so	O
as	O
to	O
'	O
trick	O
 '	O
the	B-Application
planet	I-Application
into	O
activating	O
Omega	O
prematurely	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Reeve	O
's	O
team	O
battles	O
the	O
Deepground	B-Application
soldiers	I-Application
and	O
attempt	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
Mako	O
reactors	O
which	O
serve	O
as	O
a	O
means	O
to	O
revive	O
Omega	O
,	O
Vincent	O
heads	O
to	O
Deepground	O
's	O
centre	O
of	O
operations	O
to	O
confront	O
Weiss	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Omega	O
sprouts	O
wings	O
and	O
tries	O
to	O
ascend	O
from	O
the	B-Application
planet	I-Application
,	O
but	O
Vincent	O
manages	O
to	O
destroy	O
it	O
,	O
disappearing	O
in	O
the	O
process	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
states	O
that	O
both	O
Chaos	O
and	O
Omega	O
have	O
returned	O
to	O
the	B-Application
Planet	I-Application
,	O
and	O
he	O
thanks	O
Lucrecia	O
for	O
being	O
the	O
reason	O
he	O
survived	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Crisis	B-Application
Core	I-Application
Ultimania	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
explains	O
that	O
"	O
G	O
"	O
(	O
Genesis	O
)	O
has	O
returned	O
from	O
his	O
three-year	O
slumber	O
to	O
protect	O
the	B-Application
Planet	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
:	O
Advent	O
Children	O
began	O
development	O
,	O
the	O
Square	O
Enix	O
staff	O
agreed	O
that	O
one	O
title	O
from	O
Compilation	B-Application
of	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
was	O
not	O
enough	O
to	O
cover	O
the	O
entire	O
world	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
Before	B-Application
Crisis	I-Application
,	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
and	O
Crisis	B-Application
Core	I-Application
were	O
conceived	O
so	O
as	O
to	O
embrace	O
more	O
aspects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
no	O
official	O
word	O
from	O
Square	O
on	O
the	O
genre	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
many	O
publications	O
and	O
gamers	O
speculated	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
an	O
action	B-Application
game	I-Application
similar	O
to	O
the	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
said	O
that	O
role-playing	O
elements	O
were	O
added	O
as	O
the	O
design	O
work	O
on	O
pure	O
action	B-Application
games	I-Application
was	O
less	O
appealing	O
to	O
developers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vincent	O
was	O
chosen	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
protagonist	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
scope	O
for	O
expanding	O
his	O
backstory	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
left	O
very	O
vague	O
in	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
the	O
solidification	O
of	O
the	O
Compilation	B-Application
of	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
,	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
originally	O
considered	O
using	O
other	O
gunfighter	O
characters	O
from	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
series	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VIIs	I-Application
Barret	O
Wallace	O
,	O
VIIIs	O
Irvine	O
Kinneas	O
or	O
X-2s	O
Yuna	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
after	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Before	B-Application
Crisis	I-Application
and	O
Advent	O
Children	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
the	O
expansion	O
of	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
mythos	O
,	O
they	O
settled	O
on	O
Vincent	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
character	O
designer	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
Tetsuya	O
Nomura	O
,	O
had	O
also	O
worked	O
on	O
both	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
and	O
Advent	O
Children	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hideki	O
Imaizumi	O
,	O
the	O
producer	O
of	O
Crisis	B-Application
Core	I-Application
,	O
liked	O
the	O
mysterious	O
role	O
of	O
G	O
so	O
much	O
,	O
he	O
decided	O
to	O
expand	O
his	O
character	O
in	O
that	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
was	O
first	O
announced	O
in	O
September	O
2004	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
scheduled	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
North	O
American	O
and	O
European	O
releases	O
of	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
received	O
a	O
major	O
overhaul	O
as	O
the	O
developers	O
were	O
not	O
completely	O
satisfied	O
with	O
the	O
final	O
Japanese	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
wanted	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
game	O
more	O
single-player	O
oriented	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
such	O
,	O
they	O
removed	O
Online	O
Multiplayer	O
support	O
,	O
primarily	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
popularity	O
of	O
PlayOnline	O
outside	O
Japan	O
,	O
and	O
lack	O
of	O
PS2	B-Device
HDD	I-Device
support	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
CD	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
:	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
Original	O
Soundtrack	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
February	O
15	O
,	O
2006	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
limited	O
edition	O
of	O
the	O
soundtrack	O
includes	O
a	O
"	O
Cerberus	O
Complete	O
Case	O
"	O
deluxe	O
box	O
designed	O
to	O
hold	O
the	O
soundtrack	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
:	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
PS2	B-Device
game	O
and	O
the	O
limited	O
edition	O
of	O
Gackt	O
's	O
single	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
"	O
Redemption	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
supplemental	O
soundtrack	O
was	O
released	O
through	O
the	O
Japanese	O
iTunes	B-Operating_System
service	O
and	O
the	O
Square-Enix	O
Music	O
Download	O
page	O
on	O
August	O
22	O
,	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Titled	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
:	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
Multiplayer	O
Mode	O
Original	O
Sound	O
Collections	O
,	O
this	O
album	O
consists	O
of	O
27	O
tracks	O
,	O
including	O
several	O
songs	O
from	O
the	O
single	O
player	O
game	O
which	O
were	O
not	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
official	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
music	O
composed	O
for	O
the	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
new	O
songs	O
composed	O
by	O
Ryo	B-Application
Yamazaki	I-Application
for	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
:	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
shipped	O
392,000	O
units	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2006	O
,	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
was	O
in	O
Sony	O
's	O
Gold	O
category	O
of	O
top-selling	O
video	O
games	O
(	O
the	O
Gold	O
category	O
includes	O
games	O
which	O
have	O
sold	O
anything	O
from	O
500,000	O
units	O
to	O
1	O
million	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
received	O
similarly	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
does	O
have	O
a	O
few	O
interesting	O
and	O
even	O
entertaining	O
moments	O
,	O
but	O
will	O
ultimately	O
leave	O
action	B-Application
game	I-Application
fans	O
and	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
fans	O
feeling	O
unfulfilled	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
stating	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
not	O
"	O
the	O
best	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
universe	O
"	O
,	O
IGN	O
called	O
it	O
"	O
a	O
decent	O
game	O
with	O
a	O
strong	O
story	O
and	O
occasionally-engaging	O
rifle	O
blasting	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewer	O
from	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
Shane	O
Bettenhausen	O
opined	O
that	O
he	O
found	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
titles	O
in	O
the	O
Compilation	B-Application
of	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
to	O
be	O
unappealing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
found	O
that	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
was	O
a	O
"	O
risky	O
gamble	O
"	O
by	O
Square	O
Enix	O
,	O
as	O
their	O
first	O
shooter	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
criticized	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
characters	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
were	O
either	O
optional	O
in	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
or	O
had	O
only	O
small	O
roles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
praised	O
the	O
changes	O
Square	O
had	O
made	O
to	O
the	O
Western	O
versions	O
but	O
found	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
be	O
very	O
similar	O
to	O
Devil	B-Application
May	I-Application
Cry	I-Application
,	O
and	O
felt	O
that	O
it	O
did	O
n't	O
make	O
good	O
enough	O
use	O
of	O
Vincent	O
's	O
abilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lost	O
Episode	O
involves	O
a	O
'	O
missing	O
 '	O
chapter	O
of	O
Dirge	B-Application
of	I-Application
Cerberus	I-Application
taking	O
place	O
between	O
two	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
storyline	O
will	O
be	O
recreated	O
in	O
the	O
mobile	O
game	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
:	I-Application
Ever	I-Application
Crisis	I-Application
.	O
</s>
