Panzer Dragoon

"A boy, a dragon, a world to save, and yet this still amnages to be a somewhat original and DARN fun game"

I swear, I read some of these reviews about this game and I wonder why people bother playing some games! This game shows Saturn owners that its okay to have a saturn, cuz while the N64 got Starfox, and the new systems (PS2, XBOX, Gamecube) have whatever piece of eye-candy WE have the funnest on the rails shoot em up EVER!

Graphics-8
At the time these grpahics were phenomenal, and personally I still love em but they are grainy now. Despite the grain, the Beautiful and stylish imagary shines through even today and one can only marvel at the depth and imagination of these visuals. THe first level where the water distorts the reflection of the columns beneath is just stunning. THe worms that chase you in the second level are just too sweet and what can I say about the freakishly cool bosses!!! No graphics have gotten better, technically but where is all the originality? Where is the panache? I'll tell ya, it's all here!! Find me a game that sucks you into it's world more than this and you must be showing me another Panzer game! Only Panzer Dragoon Zwei beats out this game.

Sound-10
WOOAH baby what a soundtrack!I spent the better portion of 3 days trying to find the soundtrack to this game. Much better than most stuff you here in a movie soundtrack. I am not one of those J-pop loving fanboys, this is just good booming symphonic stuff!!! This is why the saturn has that expensive yahmaha chip in it, to drive the PSX owners into fits of jealosy! Great score and sound effects.

Gameplay-9
The on the rails stuff is done very well but the ability to shoot around your dragon is jsut phenomenal. The first time your dragoon circles an enemy gun turret and you pivot around to blast it you will be hooked!The lock on system is done well but the berzerker mode is what really puts it on the map. Once you beat the game I suggest going through it again but using some of the codes. Aw, who am I kidding, I will find ANY excuse to play this baby again!

This game rocks. Buy this and then buy Zwei and relish that no system has really done it with more style and grace than this system!

BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT!!!

With Panzer Dragoon Orta coming out on the XBOX I can only hope that it is HALF as fun as this. I doubt it though considering how little joy the XBOX actually gives me. I will take fun over visuals any day!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/04/02, Updated 07/04/02