Customer Reviews

Panzer Dragoon

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have very fond memories of Panzer Dragoon. It was the first game I bought for my SEGA Saturn back in May 1995, meaning it was my first taste of 32 bits. It was such a different time then, because the Sony Playstation hadn't been released yet, and the 16 bit systems were still reigning supreme. A real Clash of the Titans, Nintendo's SNES vs. SEGA's Genesis. It was hard to declare a clear winner back then, so the idea of SEGA dominating the 32 bit era didn't seem so absurd. I remember seeing a few tiny pics of Panzer Dragoon screens in magazine previews, and that was enough to get me interested, even though I couldn't really see what was going on. When I finally played it, I was completely blown away. Team Andromeda (the developer) did an amazing job of creating a unique fantasy world. Well, sort of unique; it was heavily inspired by the manga/anime Nausica'. As for the game itself, it's a 3D on-rails shooter. It followed in the footsteps of Space Harrier, and Star Fox. The bulk of the simple gameplay was controling a crosshairs and locking onto targets with guided lasers. One feature that was new at the time was the 360' view control. Enemies could attack from any direction, so you had to be quick with those L and R shoulder buttons. Another thing that set Panzer Dragoon apart from other shooters was the presentation. It opened with a beautiful cinema, setting the stage for a war and showing just how you come to possess a flying dragon as your steed. It had its own ficticous language, increasing the player immersion. It was a true masterpiece. About a year later, the sequel was released, Panzer Dragoon Zwei II. (Redundant, I know, but that ~is~ the official title) It stayed true to the original, but threw in some new elements and improvements as well. Unfortunately, by the time the third game in the series (Panzer Dragoon Saga) was completed in 1997, the Saturn was already all but dead in the US. The Sony Playstation, which was initially met with a great amount of suspicion and distaste from the gaming community, had become the most successful game console in history and absolutely crushed its competition. Panzer Dragoon Saga came very close to not being released in the US at all, but in the end SEGA saw fit to produce a severely limited run of 6000 copies. It was extremely hard to find a copy. Those who did find it were treated to one of the most enjoyable and unique RPGs ever made. After PDS was released, members Team Andromeda declared that the Panzer Dragoon trilogy was complete, and they disbanded. They went on to work on other projects. One of them was Omega Boost, a 3D shooter for the Playstation that plays almost identically to Panzer Dragoon. [EDIT: Since writing this review I've been told that no one from Team Andromeda worked on Omega Boost] And now, a Playstation 2 game called Rez is on the near horizon. Supposedly there are no less than seven former TA members on the Rez staff, and would you believe it, it too looks to play much like the Panzer Dragoon shooters. Finally, oddly enough, a fourth Panzer Dragoon is on the way to the Xbox. I would have loved another RPG in the series, but apparently this too will be another shooter. Oh well, good enough.

I didn't expect to ramble on this long. If there is anyone out reading this who owns a Saturn but doesn't own the games in the PD series, do yourself a big favor, and get them. All of them. They're well worth it. But get this one first.

this game is awsome but be warned this game isn't easy i've had it for 6 months and have as yet to get past level 5, i recomed you by Panzer Dragoon Twei if your lack gaming skills and are just looking for a game to relax with. but don't be put off this game is brillient as all in this saga.
I' have yet to see better graphics on any game!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Panzer Dragoon was one of the best, if not the bestest rail shooters till this day. I still play it on my original Saturn. The graphics might be outdated for todays gen systems, but the gameplay is still at its best. The music score on these games were epic, all of the boss battles and encouters were memorable. If you can get this game, I would. It is a gem indeed. Panzer Dragoon Zewi was the prequel I believe, but came out after the original. That game is a gem also. And I think everyone knows how good of an RPG Panzer Dragoon Saga was, so no need to give the breakdown on that. If I had any negatives on Panzer Dragoon (and Panzer Dragoon Zewi) was only the few hours of gameplay. But till this day, it feels the fun never left, it actually feels like I played the game for the first time every time.

This is a great flying shooter. It was a benchmark game not only for the Saturn but for video games period. You will not regret
the purchase.

Even though the game is 14 years old the gameplay and graphics hold up surprisingly well. It's a fine example that good gameplay and art direction will make a game last through the ages.

Panzer Dragoon is a great rail shooting game. It is easy to play and has a lot of cinematic qualities. I highly recommend it.

This is one of the best games I have ever played in my entire life. It starts out with this evil dark dragon who is causing a lot of destruction. Then when a guy who is riding a blue armored dragon gets shot by a laser he tells this other guy to not let the dark dragon reach the base. So then the adventure begins. Trust me, this game is not easy. The music is good, and the graphics are fine. Best of all, I just like the dragon =)