Panzer Dragoon debuted on
the Sega Saturn back in 1995. A year later, a sequel, Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei,
was released. Two years after that, the extremely hard to find RPG, Panzer
Dragoon Saga, was available. Some hail these titles as some of the very best
the Saturn had to offer, and they were without a doubt amazing games for their
time. Now Smilebit has taken the time to craft a new title: Panzer Dragoon Orta.
This time, we’re using an Xbox controller. How does it stack up?
The game is what may best be
referred to as an "on-rails shooter". Basically, the dragon you ride through
the game follows a set path. Occasionally there are forks in the road, and you
can move around the screen, but you can never really stray from this path. You
have a gun with two ways to shoot; taps of the firing button will release an
array of weaker shots, while holding in the button and moving over targets
allows for more powerful homing missiles. Also, by tapping the L and R
triggers, you can pan the camera (and firing reticule) to the side or behind the
dragon, allowing you to shoot from all angles.
A number of things have been
added to expand upon this basic formula. You’re now able to control your
dragon’s speed, to a degree. By pressing the button to speed up, your dragon
flies forward, whether it be for escaping collisions, getting in front of
enemies, or to move into integral positions to hit an enemy’s weak point. The
same thing can be said about the button to slow down. Both come in handy quite
often and are a welcome addition. In order to keep you from using them
constantly, a sort of a stamina meter has been added. Whenever you change your
speed, a nice chunk of stamina is extracted. Of course, the stamina does
return, but at a slow pace. Strategy is essential.
The other big addition is
the inclusion of different dragon forms. By tapping the Y button, your dragon
shifts through various forms, each better suited for certain things. The
initial Base wing is the most well-rounded, offering both lock-on and rapid-fire
shots, a fair stamina bar, and nice maneuverability. The Heavy wing is rather
hard to maneuver and can be easily hit in small corridors, but it features a
lock-on weapon more powerful than that of the Base. Another downside is the
total lack of a stamina bar for this wing. The final form, the Glide wing, is
light, the easiest to control and has the largest stamina bar of all three
forms. It’s only form of attack is a rapid fire shot that works very well
against large groups of weak enemies, but quite badly against powerful ones.
It’s up to you to decide which to use, and when.
The leveling up system also
returns, which was introduced in PD II: Zwei. The more you use each dragon,
more experience is added to it. When enough is collected, that form actually
changes, making it more powerful and change its looks. Also returning from Zwei
is the Berserk power. As you fight, the Berserk meter is filled up. Once it
is, you can release a very powerful attack. Depending on which form you are
using at the time, the attack will vary. One might be a powerful, concentrated
beam, while another could be a weaker attack that hits all of the enemies
around. Whatever happens, it is useful.
And you’ll need all the help
you can get. This game is pretty tough, even on the easiest difficulty
setting. And some may complain that the game is too short, that it can be
beaten in a few hours and hardly changes. However, I think the game benefits
from its length; it encourages lots of trips through again. As soon as I
finished the game my first time through, I immediately started it up again.
It’s so much fun to perfect your technique and go through certain scenes. The
game definitely has a movie-like feel, which is awesome.
If you’re still worried
about replay value, I advise you not to be. There is a feature called Pandora’s
Box, which is full of unlockables. There’s a whole encyclopedia of terms, lots
of illustrations, mini-games and scenarios, and more. Plus, the original Panzer
Dragoon is available in all its glory once certain criteria are met. There’s so
much stuff in Pandora’s Box – it will take you many hours to unlock everything.
A simple glance at this
game’s box art will give you the impression that this title is very artistic.
And boy, is it ever. It is clear that Smilebit, who have also created Jet Set
Radio Future and GunValkyrie, have mastered their already awesome graphical
skills. Since the game follows a set path, camera angles are sometimes very
cinematic. Everything is modeled down to the tiniest detail, mapped with the
highest quality textures, animated with life-like smoothness, and finished off
with trippy visual effects. The game really gives you a sense of being there,
which is incredible.
The sound is also very well
done. The music always fits the game perfectly, whether it is at a calm, happy
spot or a frantic, chaotic boss fight. The sound effects are no slouch either,
accurately representing what everything would sound like. A neat element is the
voices. They are all in an alien language that sounds, well, like it is a real
language spoken by real people. Very impressive.
There is no reason not to
pass up Panzer Dragoon Orta. The game packs fun gameplay that is simple and
elegant with complexity and a need for strategy. It’s an absolute blast to
play, and the presentation is amazing. This is, quite simply, a must-have
title.
Gameplay: 10
Wow! You’ve never played a
shooting game like this before. You’re presented an exhilarating experience
that will keep you glued to the controller. The game expands on the basic
premise of controlling the dragon to a degree and shooting by adding three
unique dragon forms and the ability to speed up or slow down your dragon. The
game is fun and simple, yet complex and strategic. Incredible.
Graphics: 10
This is one amazing looking
game, rising to the ranks of Team Ninja’s graphical work. Everything is
meticulously modeled, textured, and animated. Camera angles couldn’t be better
and really give the game a movie-like feel while remaining more than playable.
This is one of those very rare cases where you really feel like you are in a
movie. It is immersive and atmospheric to no end.
Sound: 9.0
PDO’s sound is incredible as
well. The music throughout the game is excellent and fits the game perfectly,
becoming frantic or calm when it ought to be. The ending music is wonderful.
Voicework, while not spoken in English, is very impressive and more than
realistic. Sound effects are no slouch either, thankfully. Beautiful.
Difficulty: Hard
If you attempt to jump into
the game at the
Normal difficulty
setting, prepare to die a lot. This game is hard. Even the Easy mode won’t be
beaten in a cinch. However, the fact that each stage is so much fun to play and
offer multiple paths make repeating levels a good thing, rather than a chore.
Concept: 9.0
There is only so much that
can be done with this type of game, and Sega has added enough to the Panzer
formula while keeping the basics intact that the game feels incredibly fresh,
yet confident.
Multiplayer: N/A
It’s obvious that PDO was
designed as a single player experience. That’s not to say you won’t be
challenging your buddy to beat your score, of course, but there aren’t actually
any multiplayer modes in PDO. Honestly, the game doesn’t suffer because of
this.
Overall: 9.5
Anyone who owns an Xbox will
not do wrong by picking this title up. This immersive game is like taking part
in a movie, with sweeping camera angles, incredible graphics and sound, and
cutscenes that take you right into gameplay. And while some might say the game
is short, you are going to want to play it over and over and over. Add to that
the slew of unlockables in this game, and you have one amazing title that will
keep you busy for a long time.
