Panzer Dragoon

SEGA Talk Podcast #75: Panzer Dragoon Saga (1998)

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This time on SEGA Talk, we dive deep into the development history, characters and explore the world if the SEGA Saturn classic Panzer Dragoon Saga. Or as its known today, one of the most expensive games on the SEGA Saturn!

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Panzer Dragoon: Remake Out Now on PlayStation 4 and PC

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Forever Entertainment’s Panzer Dragoon: Remake is now available on the PlayStation 4! Released in 2019 to the Nintendo Switch, the game is now seeing a wider release on PS4 and PC (Steam currently has it for 10% off). Currently, the game is digital only on those platforms and is priced at $24.99. Fingers crossed we see a release from Limited Run Games.

A new, remade version of the Panzer Dragoon game – true to the original, with improved graphics and controls, that suit modern gaming standards!
On a far, lone planet, you encounter two dragons awaken from the ancient times. Armed with a deadly gun from the past, and the guidance of your armored blue dragon, you must fulfill your destiny and keep the Prototype Dragon from reaching the Tower or die trying.

Key Features
– Pilot through seven unbelievably realistic levels ranging from tropical blue ocean cities to intricate subterranean ruins.
– Fight the Prototype Dragon who appears together with evil giant dragonflies, frightening man-sized wasps, giant sandworms, and lethal flying battleships.
– Attack approaching from all sides enemies quickly and without mercy, with improved 360-degree controls and lock-on targeting.

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Panzer Dragoon: Remake update v.1.3 released

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Since the game’s surprise launch, Panzer Dragoon: Remake has been keeping aloft with various update to add new content and fix standing issues. The Saori Kobayashi soundtrack was even a post-launch addition! MegaPixel and Forever Entertainment have been proactive about addressing player feedback, culminating in today’s 1.3 update. This update has been teased for a while now, and surprise dropped for Nintendo Switch this morning. The update features several improvements to controls, as well as to the Shadow Menu (now Pandora’s Box), sound design, and adds a few new control features and a sixty frames per second mode.

I tested the update a bit, and it’s far more hit than miss than prior updates or the game’s release. The 60FPS mode runs and feels fantastic without sacrificing everything that made the game look so good in the first place. I did notice a rendering error at one point, but that was the only issue. The sound design is also MUCH improved over either previous iteration. The game now has what I would classify as just good sound design and mixing! Pandora’s Box is mostly unchanged, but there are a couple new welcome options. As well, the controls feel much tighter, though they do still keep it faithfully stiff in areas. The motion controls are a letdown, too stiff to do anything with, but the HD Rumble is pretty nice. It’s nice to see points from my original review addressed, and I have hope that if more updates come, they’ll only make the game better.

For full patch notes from the update, read below.

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Panzer Dragoon: Remake Review – A Wing in the Right Direction (Nintendo Switch)

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Review code provided by Forever Entertainment.

Remakes are a common sight in the modern age. I won’t spiel too long about their worth, or their reason for being, but I will put a fine point on one aspect of their existence: what they bring to the original game. A remake can do a lot of things, both good and bad, and the discussion for how faithful a remake should be is a relevant one in the face of games that barely do more than make new art and graphical assets being the most successful remakes on the market. A good remake, in my opinion, is one that injects life into an old idea while keeping sight of what made the idea special in the first place. Or, at the very least, doing something so radically different with the original idea it becomes special in its own right.

Enter Panzer Dragoon: Remake. The original was a seminal 1995 release that ushered the SEGA Saturn into American and European homes with aplomb, and delighted Japanese Saturn owners a year into its life. It was a simple game of arcade sensibility with RPG detail. It was a 3D tour-de-force when polygons were a rarity at home. An on-rails action shooter with a three hundred and sixty degree innovation and a world like nothing else at the time. It’s a prime candidate for a remake, old and unique enough that it could stand improvements without becoming part of the crowd. Does the remake we have now succeed, though? Well…

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Panzer Dragoon Limited Run Games pre-orders go live tomorrow, ‘Classic Edition’ includes SEGA Saturn tall case

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The brand new, Panzer Dragoon remake will get a physical version thanks to Limited Run Games which will have two versions, one being a regular version for $39.99 and the ‘Classic Edition’ which comes with a SEGA Saturn replica case for $59.99. While its cool to get these physical editions, its a bit sad that the ‘Classic Edition’ isn’t coming with more goodies outside of a replica case. Maybe Limited Run Games has spoiled me in the past but no artwork? Poster? Art Book?

According to Limited Run Games, both the regular and Classic Edition will be open pre-orders until April 24th, meaning you don’t have to prey that you can get a copy and gives you time to free up cash to order.

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Panzer Dragoon Remake now available on the Nintendo Switch

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A bit of an unexpected drop! As revealed in Nintendo’s latest Nintendo Direct Mini, Panzer Dragoon Remake is now available for the Nintendo Switch. The game is available in all regions for $24.99 and equivalent, so far only digitally on the Nintendo Switch eShop. A Steam release is also planned, but it’s still unknown when Panzer Dragoon Remake will release on Steam and possibly other system.

The game itself is a recreation of the original 1995 SEGA Saturn cult classic, as you take on the role of a rider flying an armored dragon through flooded temples and barren deserts. Your objective is to survive and defeat the evil Prototype Dragon and other monsters by using a combination of the rider’s gun and the dragon’s homing laser breath, similar to SEGA’s past arcade games like After Burner.

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Panzer Dragoon Music Composer, Saori Kobayashi, returns to compose a rearrange soundtrack for Panzer Dragoon: Remake

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Forever Entertainment’s Panzer Dragoon: Remake social media account made an recent announcement with a video message that the series composer, Saori Kobayashi, would be returning to compose an alternative re-arranged soundtrack for the remake with Alex Aniel as the Sound Producer and showcases a preview of the soundtrack.

Players would be able to switch the soundtrack in the game according to the producer of the Panzer Dragoon Remake on Twitter.

Panzar Dragoon: Remake is set for release this Winter 2020 for Nintendo Switch and Steam.

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SEGA announces Panzer Dragoon Voyage Record for VR technology

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While we’re waiting for the remakes of Panzer Dragoon and Panzer Dragoon Zwei, SEGA themselves has also announced another Panzer Dragoon game in the works. This one though is more of a tech demo for VR technology, called Panzer Dragoon Voyage Record (get it?). Developed by Wildman and published by SEGA, you will revisit the events of past Panzer Dragoon games, with the events of Panzer Dragoon, Panzer Dragoon Zwei, and Panzer Dragoon Saga being currently available. The VR elements will allow players to take on the role of the rider for the dragon, with a first person perspective and the VR controller to emulate the handgun.

No other information such as pricing, platforms, or release date have been announced at this time.

Source: [Cision / SEGA tweet]

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Exclusive: Panzer Dragoon Remake interview with Producer Benjamin Anseaume

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For over a year, we’ve been anticipating each bit of word, footage, and image of MegaPixel, Forever Entertainment, TA Publishing, and SEGA’s from the ground up remake of Panzer Dragoon. For those unfamiliar, Panzer Dragoon was an early SEGA Saturn title that gained acclaim for its unique setting, shake-ups in the rail shooter genre, and challenging gameplay. It spawned two more rail shooter sequels and a full role-playing game before being put to rest with the series finale, Panzer Dragoon Orta for the Xbox. For the nearly two decades since, fans have wanted to return to that science fiction fantasy world and see the series brought back with as much aplomb as possible.

Then, at the end of 2018, it was revealed that a little-known French-based publishing company and development house MegaPixel Studio were set to release remakes of Panzer Dragoon, and its sequel, Panzer Dragoon Zwei. Since then, we’ve seen art, we’ve seen gameplay, we’ve seen its due arrival on Switch and Steam, but we still had burning questions. To sate our (and especially my) own curiosity, I reached out to Benjamin Anseaume, producer on the remake project, to ask him several things. Learn about extra game content, the process of getting the game into the developer’s hands, and even get a glimpse at what the original creator of Panzer Dragoon, Yukio Futatsugi, thinks of the new project!

All this and more, after the jump!

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Panzer Dragoon Remake coming to PC via Steam

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For a while, it’s been confirmed that the remake for Panzer Dragoon would be coming to the Nintendo Switch. However, as confirmed by the official Panzer Dragoon Remake account, Panzer Dragon Remake is also coming to PC via Steam. Not much new information has been revealed, but the official Steam page does confirm the following PC requirements to run this game:

  • OS: Windows 10
  • Processor: Intel i5
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290 (equivalent or better)
  • DirectX: Version 10
  • Storage: 8 GB available space
  • Sound Card: Integrated

It also makes mention of a release date of “This Winter”, though with nothing specified.

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Panzer Dragoon Remake Nintendo Switch handheld gameplay from Gamescom.

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Several pieces of news have dropped for Panzer Dragoon over the last few hours including some footage of the first stage in the up and coming remake on the Nintendo Switch. Thanks to attendees at the event, we’ve also found out several things regarding the remake that fans of the series can look forward to.

  • Players will be able to switch between original soundtrack and the new songs made for the remake, which is being handled by someone within the Panzer Dragoon fan community.
  • A physical version of the game is planned and not exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, so PlayStation, Xbox and PC users, stay tuned!
  • Panzer Dragoon II Zwei is in production, although the focus is first in getting the first game out the door.
  • Release date has not been announced but will fall between October – March 2020 as they are currently searching for a publisher.

There’s a few more pieces of information related to the game that you can read about after the break.

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Panzer Dragoon Remake getting physical release, coming out before March 2020

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According to the Polish blog Strefain, Forever Entertainment was surprised at how positive a reaction the gameplay of the Panzer Dragoon Remake got at Nintendo’s E3 stage show. The article does mention some good tidbits of information including that the company wants to release a remake (seems they want to be a company known for remakes of classic IPs) every 12 to 18 months. The company has also confirmed that Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei is already in production.

One troubling note within the article is that the developer MegaPixel Studio has said to have a small budget and that they need to sell units from the production to start earning profits, but didn’t say how money units they needed to sell. They did confirm that Panzer Dragoon Remake is suppose to be shipped before March 2020, at least that is the plan. It seems some sites posted it was coming this winter because of a fake pre-order. We also found out that Panzer Dragoon Remake will be getting a physical release. As of right now its only on the Nintendo Switch, but the company didn’t say it was exclusive.

Outside of that it does say that Forever Entertainment is preparing a trailer with fan reactions.

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Panzer Dragoon remake coming to Nintendo Switch

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Nintendo’s E3 Direct gave Panzer Dragoon fans a first look at the upcoming remakes, something we covered back in December 2018. The first two games are being remade by Forever Entertainment, and while all platforms have not been revealed, we now know the game will be coming to Nintendo Switch this winter. More information as we hear it, and after the break you can read the original press release!

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Editorial: Why you should buy Panzer Dragoon Orta for your Xbox One

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The Xbox One is in an interesting place in the current games generation. Lacking the exceptional first party support and third party exclusives of the PlayStation 4, the Nintendo Switch, or even the long-passed Wii U, the Xbox One carves its niche out as a competent home media center and place to play your workhorse multi-platform games. Many players have noted however, that this is not a niche that needs filling. The PlayStation 4 provides your home media wants as strongly as the One, with attractive exclusive features and games besides, as well as a generous “get free games when you subscribe to our online multiplayer” scheme, something the One mirrors with its Games with Gold feature. But there is a niche the One fills that its contemporaries skip out entirely on: backwards compatibility. Today we talk about that, an amazing hidden gem from the original Xbox, and how awesome that game is.

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SEGA Talk Podcast #05: Panzer Dragoon (1995)

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We are back with another SEGA Talk podcast, on this episode we take to the skies as we discuss Team Andromeda’s SEGA Saturn classic Panzer Dragoon. Tune in and hear us talk about Panzer Dragoon pushing the rail shooting genre to 3D, its unique art style, full motion CGI and of course its legendary soundtrack. So sit back, hang out and let’s talk some Panzer Dragoon.

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If you want to give us feedback, suggest a topic for the next podcast or want to ask a question for us to answer on the next episode you can add them as a comment below or send theme directly to our email. Make sure you use subject line ‘SEGA Talk’ and as always, thanks for listening!

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