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| Panzer Dragon | Saturn | ||
| Review by Joe Santulli | Sega | Shooter | |
| Graphics: 9 | Sound: 9 | Gameplay: 9 | Overall: 9 |
| One of the greatest problems faced by new systems are those
“first generation” blues, where the games that are released at system
launch time really don’t show off what that system can do. Remember
Genesis’ Altered Beast? Super Nintendo’s Super Mario World?
3DO’s Mad Dog McCree? How about 32X Cosmic Carnage?
They all show that the system can do more than its predecessor, but not
substantially so. The Saturn has leaped that hurdle. Panzer Dragoon
is a marvelous first-generation game. It looks and feels more like an
arcade game than any other system launch has stated it would be.
You’ve seen pictures of it, and those look awfully good, but boy - you
have to play it to really appreciate it. At its core, PD is a
simple shooter that plays very much like StarFox. You’re riding
on top of a dragon whose flight path is pre-determined. You can turn 360
degrees to fire all around you, but you can’t actually turn the dragon
around. The effects are outstanding, with several show-stoppers on each
level. Gigantic enemies float effortlessly across your screen without
slowdown or flicker, and a dramatic soundtrack enhances the surreal
atmosphere. Some gamers may complain that PD lacks power-ups and
energy restores, but as I said in my Tempest 2000 review several
issues ago, it’s the simple shooters that keep you coming back. If you
can’t finish the level, it’s not because you missed something. You
just aren’t good enough yet.
This should be your first purchase for the Saturn |
Last updated: Friday, November 14, 2003 10:00 PM