Panzer Dragoon Orta

"A Masterpiece of Graceful Fury"

Panzer Dragoon Orta is a masterpiece of grace and style. Its splendor matched only by its fury. It has no equal.
This truly is the greatest shooter ever and so much more...

Destiny begins with Orta enchained. We watch as everything she has ever known crumbles under the devastation unleashed by the Empire. Seconds separate her from the inevitable. Her demise is a certainty. There is no hope as the Empire's Dragonmares move upon her when suddenly... an ancient creature roars from the sky. Raging winged vengeance. Magnificent. It is unstoppable. It is her Savior.
It is the Dragon from the prophecy foretold…

Story: Panzer Dragoon Orta is the fourth chapter in the series that began on the Sega Saturn nearly eight years ago. Its progression is depicted as a world destroyed by war and overrun with fear. Fear of the ancient beasts, the biomechanical horrors that ravage without mercy.
And war, as man's insatiable quest for power, as always, threatens to destroy him. Who is Orta? Why did the dragon rescue her?
How is she connected to the ancient beasts?

Game play: Panzer Dragoon Orta is a rail shooter at its core but has enough flexibility to seem otherwise. Your dragon is always flying forward but you can look and fire in any direction using both your winged protector and an energy pistol. You also control the dragon's speed and its ability to morph into any of three different forms at any time while in flight. Each dragon form (Base, Heavy, Glide) has variable firing abilities, including the Berserker Rage, with distinct strengths and weaknesses. The Base form is equally balanced with the most lock-on target capabilities and medium speed. The Heavy form is slower and has fewer lock-on abilities but its firepower and Berserker Rage are much more devastating. Glide form is the most agile but lacks lock-on weapons. Using the correct form becomes a necessity as you face off against the might and wrath of the Empire. You can also launch your dragon into ramming attacks against any hostile and is particularly satisfying when finishing off a foe with such.

Unaware of your destiny you have become the hunted. Wave after wave of huge battle fleets and endless hordes of the most wicked of creatures seek to bring your destruction. Epic Boss battles are redefined in Panzer Dragoon Orta. They are fear inducing and imaginative and at first sight unbelievable. Prepare yourself as gigantic, multi-formed monstrosities with every type of weaponry and defense aim in your direction. This war will not be easy but with every victory your dragon’s skill will increase and become more powerful and deadly. As the mystery surrounding Orta unfolds you will become the hunter, striking fear, uncertainty, and despair into your foes.

Graphics: Panzer Dragoon Orta is beautiful in design and unparalleled in graphic brilliance. A surreal and bizarre world of torment and ruin is brought to life in glorious and perfect detail. There is so much variety from one level to the next as the war takes you over land and sea with battles reaching toward the Stratosphere. Weapon blasts and explosive special effects are spectacular. Snow, rain, fire, ice, wind, and every force of nature are brought to life by the Sega team known as Smilebit. Their previous games GunValkyrie and Jet Set Radio Future has honed their skills and given them the talent to develop a spectacular game using the XBOX’s superior hardware. Everything moves at a brilliant sixty frames per second in high rez detail and never a hiccup or slowdown. It simply is unequaled and could not be done on any other console.
For graceful fury there is no power greater than X.

Music/Sound: Hymns of rage and purpose lead you into battle as the sounds of conflict and war echo from every direction. Other melodies calm you with wonder and awe as you unravel the mysteries of the Panzer Universe. The Panzer Dragoon series has always had its own language and the story is presented with excellent voice acting and English sub-titles that captivates and draws you into its desolate world.

Extra's: The main quest of the game is rather short and can be finished it under six hours. However each level has alternate paths with different enemies and challenges. There is also a treasure chest called Pandora's Box which contains over 300 unlockables including side quests, alternate and sub-scenarios, movies, artwork, development sketches, even the full version of the original Panzer Dragoon game. All of these add dozens of hours of game play and provide a rich history of the Panzer Dragoon Universe.

Closing Comments: Panzer Dragoon Orta is, in my opinion, the greatest shooter ever made. Everything it attempts to accomplish succeeds brilliantly. The game play mechanics stay true to the series while adding new abilities and features that seem like they have been present all along. The story progression fulfills unanswered questions from the previous games and reveals new wonders.
Panzer Dragoon Orta is truly a masterpiece.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/18/03, Updated 01/18/03