Panzer Dragoon Saga

[MadeManG74]

I figured this game warrants it's own thread rather than making another post in the 'Saturn game' one.

I just finished this game a few minutes ago, and I have to say it was absolutely spectacular. It's the kind of game that I didn't realise the majesty of until after completing it, but now that I have, wow.

Everything about this game just feels so special. The world that is created is so detailed and well-realised without bogging you down with too much exposition or reading to understand it all. The storyline seems to be a bit slow initially, but it just all comes together so well. The environements and sheer graphical wizardry is really imperssive, the huge internal section of the Tower in particular amazed me, to think that this game is running on a Sega Saturn is just mind-blowing.

Along with Skies of Arcadia, this game has one of the most unique and well implemented battle systems in any RPG I've played, it's a tremendous shame it wasn't used again. Couple that with the truly amazing enemy designs and it just made the combat outstanding.

I could sit here all day and talk about how good everything was, but I would be preaching to the converted. I paid $250 for this game, but I'm glad I did, it was worth all of that money.

And can I just say that finding out who the "Divine Visitor" is was just brilliant.

[fernandeath]

Yeah, unfortunatelly it was released in the end of the saturn's life.

Also, 1998 had Ocarina of Time to overshadow Panzer Dragoon Saga.

But the game is definitely worth its (high) price.

Btw, I enjoy reading the Gamespot's review of the game
http://www.gamespot.com/saturn/rpg/panz ... eview.html
Especially the part where they say
"Panzer Dragoon Saga has been called Sega's answer to Final Fantasy VII, but that is an unfair comparison. Panzer Saga, in its own way, is so much more than Squares' ultimate RPG."

12 years after, Final Fantasy VII got the recognizion it deserved, but Panzer Dragoon Saga did not.

[segaismysavior]

I saw a younger guy carrying a copy through airport security back in Oct... then I saw him again on the bus while riding to my connecting flight. I really wanted to jump him and snatch it...

I need to dig up my "backup copy" and try to play it again. Then again I never finished Skies of Arcadia this past summer.

[CrazyT]

Ahh, I was looking forward to your impression. I need to finish that game again. It's not really that long from what I remember. There is one ruin that gave me a headache but I thought it had one of the best soundtracks in the game.

I'm talking about the one near the final boss. Uru ruins if I remember correctly

The game has such an amazing OST.

Edit: Ah this is it. Such a nice track.

[youtube:1rymabwq]UngtxMQDKnI[/youtube:1rymabwq]

After going through that ruins for so long, you just can't help keeping it in your head

[MadeManG74]

^The game is pretty short by JRPG standards, but I actually like that sometimes. It doesn't overstay it's welcome and become tedious like Grandia 2 got to be towards the end. Even so it took me 12 hours to complete, and that was without finding everything and exploring everywhere, so it's not short.

As for the ruins, I think you are talking about the Tower before the last boss, which I actually didn't find nearly as frustrating as the underground Uru Ruins (the one where you use the hovercraft instead of the Dragon).

Although I must admit that the game got a bit stingy with save points in that last ruin!

[CrazyT]

Oh yeah, that one with the hovercraft. But that ruin happens a lot earlier right? Nah I didn't have a major problem with that apart from being a completionistwhore . I did get at least most of the items/secrets in the game and I remember in that ruin you had downward roads where you couldn't go back unless taking a big detour. I wasn't just looking for the right path, I kept going down to get a lot of items too. It sure is tiring, but what the heck.

The last one was a headache(the one before the final bosses), all those friggin elevators and not finding the right path had me stop playing for a month.

I do gotta say that the ending wasn't that spectaculair imo.

I borrowed my Saturn  to my bro's. But I remember so little of the game that i'd want to give it another shot after reading your impression. You sure did spend a lot of money on that game, I respect that alot.

[ImSmartUrDum]

One of my my un-named friends who is a concept artist for a small dev team that makes iPhone games and such recently said (after showing him the games):

"space harrier. I dont think Panzer is original auff in game play, visuals or sound to put us of from persuing the concept. nice refrence though, but damn that sound/music is not good lol''

can you believe that?

What a mad cunt lol

[MadeManG74]

You sure did spend a lot of money on that game, I respect that alot.

I'm generally pretty careful with money, but this was one time I was just like 'Ah fuck it' and splashed out a bit. In the long run though, $250 isn't all that much considering buying business shirts for work runs me $70 a pop and just filling the car with petrol is $50 for a tank... I find Panzer Dragoon Saga to be more fun than wearing four shirts at once! (nobody point out how little sense that analogy makes, I know)

Anyway, I didn't find the last ruin in the tower to be that much of a headache myself, as I was being pretty systematic with my exploration and progress. I think the first one was just so different to the rest of the game previous that it threw me off quite a bit.

One of my my un-named friends who is a concept artist for a small dev team that makes iPhone games and such recently said (after showing him the games):

"space harrier. I dont think Panzer is original auff in game play, visuals or sound to put us of from persuing the concept. nice refrence though, but damn that sound/music is not good lol''

can you believe that?

Haha, I can kinda see a similarity between it and Space Harrier, but that was pretty harsh.

[Emmett The Crab]

The last time I played through, I ran over every area until there were no monsters left, and tried to uncover 100% of the map.   I don't know if it's possible, even sticking the dragon's nose in corners and scraping along walls, I got something like 99.6% or something.