Panzer Dragoon II Zwei

"The Saturns shining franchise"

Sega introduced a 360 degree shooter entitled “Panzer Dragoon”. Gamers that were fortunate and had the Saturn at the time took immediate attention this gem. They follow up the original ,Panzer Dragoon . It all begins as you see an opening movie. Portraying a character that you never learn his name. He is there with a baby Khourieat, or a dragoon in simple terms. After you seize him your adventure begins into the vast world of Zwei; or not so vast

The game play mechanics have always been unique to the Panzer series due to the 360 degree battling system. You can press the shoulder buttons to turn around anyway you which to plot an attack upon an enemy. If they don’t plot one on you first. Using the 360 degree movement and your homing missiles in which you have infinite of ; you can take on the whole universe. Most enemies are so small you might as well throw away the idea of using regular attack to hit them. In fact most enemies can be killed with just one homing missile, and that‘s like a double bladed sword. What the leaves you with none of, other than no enemies, is no fun factor. Panzer has fun factor when placed on high difficulties for most of the game you can just simply button mash through. That usually takes away your drive to want to beat the game.

What does add to the drive is that fact that the levels are done good. Most bosses weave in and out of the environment that you’re in at the time. Besides the bosses that use the environment to their advantage; you got enemies that do too. When going threw a long dark tunnel don’t get surprised when many enemies come out of no where and began their relentless assault on you. Before you simply and effortlessly destroy them all with the push of a button. Some enemies will come out from the water, deep canyons, ground, even the bottom of an airship to extract revenge on you.

Most of the enemies will look good while attempting to beat your ass. The monsters all look different per level you’re on at the time. Each level is also clichéd a tad to extreme. If you’re in jungle terrain, you’ll see an abundance of trees, wild plants, fruits, and other such plants that are stereotyped to a jungle. Same goes with the rest of the game. This all looks superb though, but with its flaw: Slowdown. Too much slowdown to be exact. When you fire at enemies in large groups you get the slowdown. When you go berserk you get slowdown. You always seem to get a few spots of slowdown in each level; nothing can be perfect I suppose.

Controlling the dragoon is a zap and easy as hell. Maybe I should make myself sound more educated when trying to make the transition from graphics to control section; onward with the review FFM. You got about 5 buttons. The two shoulder buttons that control which way the Dragoon is looking at the time. The top three buttons that the bottom 3 that do the exact same thing. Top three induce berserk attack when pushed . Berserk attack is the ability for the Dragoon to go ape poo on the enemy and teach them pain. You’ll have a little bar that tells you when you can perform this attack. Be sides the classic berserk attack you have the regular attack. This is what you’ll be using most of the game as you fire quickly and effectively at the opposition in your way.

Opposition isn’t as cool without hearing them, and Zwei has a mind-blasting soundtrack. Some of the music is so well orchestrated that you’ll want to listen to the level over and over again. You can also just purposely kill yourself to listen to the track again too. Most of the music consists of all different variety of sounds and music, fast tempos and slow ones, weird mixes and plain beats.

What you have in the end is one hell of a game not to be missed by any gamer. If you don’t’ have a Saturn and want to get one, then check local pawn shops and online auction web-sites. Finding a Saturn game at best buy is impossible; they don’t sell them anymore.

Final Verdict
Game-play=10
Graphics=6
Control=9
Sound=10

Final=8

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/14/03, Updated 07/29/03