My Panzer Dragoon Orta review.

SkyFinch

SkyFinch

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My Panzer Dragoon Orta review.

If you see any mistakes with the grammar, please let me know.



Intro

When Sega shocked the videogame industry a couple years back by announcing they would go third party, diehard Sega fans, as well as the casual gamer, did not know what to expect. No one really knew what was to become of the many legendary franchises that Sega pioneered over the years, franchises that made Sega one of the most revered game companies in the industry. But almost immediately, games like Sonic, Virtua Fighter, Jet Set Radio, all found their way onto the one of three next generation consoles, most were fortunate enough to grace all three, like the Sega sports titles, but some stayed exclusive. It’s not clear why Sega kept a few titles exclusive early on, as most of their games could be faithfully ported over to each console. But now, well over a year since Xbox and GameCube entered the market dominated by the PS2, a year extended long enough for developers to make use of each consoles superiorities and strengths, it is clear why some games will remain exclusive. After a slight delay, the promised Panzer Dragoon series has once again proved that it will not be grounded. Instead, it is bounded only the limitations of the mind, which are the brilliant artists at Smilebit, and aided by the technical prowess of the Xbox. This merger of artistry and technology allows Panzer Dragon Orta the freedom to soar, undauntedly, without obscurities that both the PS2 and Gamecube possess. With Panzer Dragoon Orta, the gaming industry can finally put to rest the argument over which console is the most powerful, and which game company will remain timeless for the rest of their existence.

1995 saw the debut of Panzer Dragoon, the first of this epic series. The game was a pure 3D shooter, but separated itself with the inclusion of dragons, lock-on firing, and one of its most unique features, the ability to view the world you are soaring though at a full 360 degrees. The game blended a vastly unique style of art, with roots that extend beyond the mystery of ancient Egyptian-like hieroglyphs, and Aztec-like structures, with the extremely simplified game play mechanics that Sega is known for. With Panzer Dragoon’s initial flight, it was evident that Sega had another hit in their hands. It was praised as one of the nicest looking games for its time, and simply exposed the power that the Saturn was concealing deep within. Less than a year later, Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei was unleashed to the public. This prequel, retained everything that made the first game such an immediate success, and added features such as the evolution of your dragon, a berserk attack, splitting routes, and graphics that just should not have been imagined on the Saturn. Unfortunately, as everyone knows, the Saturn failed to captivate gamers, and quickly became obsolete. Not to let an established series die, Sega took every one by surprised and released a third Panzer Dragoon, only this time, it was and RPG. Although obviously not what people expected, especially if you were a fan of the shooting game genre, Panzer Dragoon Saga managed to accomplish what its predecessors had done earlier. Gamers and the gaming industry praised it. Turning what was originally a somewhat single-minded shooter, into one of the greatest RPGs ever created was some thing no one expected but easily embraced. Panzer Dragoon Saga, to this very day, demands and deserves a sequel. Of coarse, it will be up to Sega whether or not this will ever happen. After skipping the Dreamcast for reasons unknown, and after a slight dormant state, Sega decided to resurrect the Panzer Dragoon series. With the option of being able to produce the forth game on any one of the three consoles, Sega ultimately went with the Xbox, obviously for its technical strengths. It would have been easy for them (SmileBit) to build a game from the ground up on the other two consoles…a game that would probably sell more copies and would no doubt meet the objective that they were trying accomplish, but if they wanted to take the series well beyond any game on the market today, without sacrificing anything in the process, the Xbox was the way to go. A full year since Xbox’s launch, backed by Smilebit, a developer that base its game on purity, we are finally able to witness truly one of the most artistic and technically advanced games of all time…Panzer Dragoon Orta.
 
Plot


Not to resort back to Panzer Dragoon Saga’s roots, Panzer Dragoon Orta is based on the first two games of the series. It’s a 3D shooter that starts off right where Zwei left off. Aided and carried along by a surprisingly deep story line, Panzer Dragoon Orta begins with a beautifully composed CG intro, which has become a subtle trademark of the series. Right from the opening scene, you’ll be graced with a sense of chaos but all shrouded in mystery. Massive Dragonmares successfully send a town reeling under their wrath. But their destructive behavior was not influenced by their naturally hostile traits. Soon after they rip though a small town, a massive tower in the distance leaves them dwarfed. Without any hesitation, these heartless Dragonmares tear down the walls of the tower, revealing a young, and innocent white haired prisoner inside. Surrounded and still oblivious to what is occurring outside of her view, the young girl named Orta has no choice but to back away. As the glaring eyes of the Dragonmares quickly close in, a sudden glow shatters the night’s sky. Within moments, a blinding light, causing them to retreat, blasts each of the Dragonmares. After peeling her arms away from her face, the mystery that Orta had already been forced to endure was heightened by a menacing but at the same time, gentle giant resting in front of her. It was a massive winged-dragon, with a fearsome looking horn protruding from its head, and claws, which made the Dragonmares, looked tame. Although not knowing where it came from, or why it saved her, Orta accepts the dragon’s silent offer and allows it to take her on an epic journey. As the game progresses, the story will continue to unfold using real-time cut scenes, CG, and even narration. If you are willing to surrender your attention over to the cut scenes, you’ll be rewarded with a surprisingly in depth story line…one that will be further explained in the Pandora’s Box. (This will be explain later on)
 
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Game play 7.5/10


Game play wise, don’t expect anything ground breaking. PDO was created with simplicity in mind, but don’t let this fool you. There are enough elements in the game that will call upon more than just quick reflexes and a trigger-happy finger. New to the series is the ability to morph into one of three dragons, all possessing their own strengths and weakness. Your default dragon is the most agile of the three, giving you the best chance of maneuvering through tight corridors, and eluding enemy fire. It also has the best lock on targeting system, which will be beneficial when seeking an enemy’s weak point. Your second dragon is massive compared to the other two, instantly making it a much larger target. Unlike the others, you do not have the ability to speed up or slow down, which is why choosing this dragon only makes sense when a heavy offensive attack is required. Your lock on and basic firing is much more powerful, usually taking down enemies with about half as many direct hits. You third and final dragon might be the one you find yourself using the most. Your target is about three times the size of the other two dragons, allowing you to take out a broad range of missiles and enemy fire without losing position. You are also equipped with a rapid fire/ homing attack that leaves you free to maneuver though the levels. Its smaller size does not take a direct hit very well though, and will damage much more rapidly. All these dragons are assessable right away and are required for selected parts of each episode. For example, some enemies might be surround by heavy armor and the only way to penetrate them is to use your second dragon, but when they fire back, usually filling the screen with an assortment of projectiles, you have no choice but to morph into your third dragon and clear the sky, before engaging in another attack with the source. Somewhat borrowed from Zwei, the dragons in Orta eventually increase their offensive and defensive abilities the more you use them. Gene bases are released momentarily as you defeat enemies, and will slowly fill up a meter in your HUD. Collect enough and your dragon will go though a graphical transformation, which as mentioned, increases your offensive and defensive abilities for the dragon, you are currently using. Also taking from Panzer Dragoon and Zwei, Orta is the ability to view the surroundings in a full 360 degrees. This is extremely useful for when enemies attack you from behind, or for when you are stalking a boss as it sneaks its way past you. There are ten episodes in Orta. Some episodes contain splits in the route, which you have to decide on. They’re nowhere near as complex as Zwei or as frequent, but they are there to give the game a slightly less linear feel. Battle your way through these episodes, which span from a Valley type crossing, to a snow covered landscape, to the typical battle ship saturated sky, and you’ll end up facing the final boss. You must defeat these bosses, which range from a weird floating basket-like creature with oversized buds, which explode, to a breathtaking four-legged mechanical creature, that attacks from every side imaginable, to advance. These bosses are usually the highlight of each episode as they do not shy away from the camera, and dazzle the screen with overwhelming particle effects and explosions. As far as options are concerned, you have the standard, start new game, continue from a saved game, button assignment, tutorials - which will help you get better acquainted with the control scheme and play mechanisms of the game - and best of all, a Pandora’s Box. The Pandora’s Box is basically a gateway for all the new features and hidden bonuses that you unlock as you advance in the main game. Things like movies, illustrations, descriptions and information of the game’s plot and characters can be accessed here. There are also many sub plots, which are playable, but in all honestly, these should have been incorporated into the main game. For example, one for the missions allows you to play Mobo. (One of your an allies) Halfway through this mission, you are briefly greeted by Orta, before continuing to play in almost a partnered role. What would have been more beneficial to the main game is if you played normally as Orta, then have the Xbox store all her info into the hard drive, then in the next level, you get to play as Mobo but have the prerecorded Orta play along side you, sort of like the recorded feature in Blinx. Just wishful thinking I guess. By far the highlight of this option is the full version of Panzer Dragoon. That’s right, the full version in its entire 24 frame per second glory. It is painful to play through this game after experiencing Orta, with it’s massive pop-up, low frame rate and just about every graphical glitch known to man, but it’s necessarily in order to comprehend the progress of technology. No game would be complete without a few snags. Panzer Dragoon Orta has a few, but most of them can be overcome. One of the main complains will surely be the “shoot everything that moves” style of game play. If you are a fan of shooters, than this won’t be a problem, but to the casual gamer, PDO’s game play might seem a bit shallow, and for this reason alone, the Panzer Dragoon series is not for you. That’s all I can say. Most shooters, in fact, all shooters, base their game play on the simple premise of shooting down everything that moves. PDO doesn’t stray away from this, but offers unique solutions to keep it original, such as morphing dragons, and a panoramic view of the level. It might not be the most complex game on the market, but it wasn’t meant to be. Another thing that gamers will notice is the game’s difficulty. Be warned…this game is very difficult. There will often be times when two-dozen or so enemies are on the screen, all firing some kind of projectile at you. This wouldn’t be so bad if the game was slow-paced, but it’s not. You’ll lose your target quite often amongst the hordes of enemies. Also, having to hit the “Y’ button to cycle through your dragons can be tedious at times. It would have been better if you could assign an individual button for a particular dragon, so you don’t have to hit the “Y” twice, every time you want to switch back and forth. Lastly, the game’s plot…more so the way it presented. Most of the cut scenes are very slow paced, unlike the main intro movie. Some may find this stark contrast a major slowdown in the game’s frantic pace, other may find it well deserving after a long, action packed battle. Overall, Panzer Dragoon Orta does everything it was set out to do. The action is nearly non stop all the way though, the story is captivating and mysterious at the same time, while its play mechanics are so simple and straight forward, that even the casual gamer should have an easy time picking it up. Advance players will surely embrace the high difficulty level, and there is enough variety in the levels to make you want to advance and see everything this game has to offer. With a handful of new features, and enough mini games and secrets to be unlocked, Panzer Dragon Orta should provide most gamers hours of game play.
 
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Graphics 10/10

Graphically, there is no other game on the market that blends so much artistic integrity with technical dexterity. Orta uses the same unique style that was dawned from the first of the series, and then fully exposed in Zwei, which means almost every thing in the game that it contained in armor, is etched with some form of linear design. Levels such as the Valley, are filled with organic life forms, all animated seamlessly. Most of what the game is comprised of is massive floating battle ships, mechanical war crafts, which resemble tanks and trains and creatures that are more hard-edged than organic. It doesn’t matter which enemy you’ll face though, as all of them look stunning. Textures never appear blurred or repeated, even at close range. Models consist of a staggering amount of polygons. Your dragon alone looks to be made up with thousands of polygons. It’s wings beat seemingly under your control, and there is even shelf-shadowing, which means it’s tail and wings will cast a perfect shadow across it’s entire body. All of this at a mind blowing 60 frame per second, with little to no slowdown. After playing through the levels many times, it is still hard to believe that the frame rate does no buckle from the massive amount of on-screen objects, continues particle effects, screen filling explosions, and bosses that make movie creatures look tame. In fact, after completing the game, I only noticed two instances with a split second worth of slowdown. A few things that need to be mentioned, although you won’t have any trouble noticing them. First off, the Valley episode. The water that calmly flows beneath you could very well be the best water effects you’ll ever see. Next, from the same stage, are the waterfalls. As you fly by them, you’ll see enemies on the other side, realistically reflecting and refracting their image as they try to lock on to your position. This effect can be seen in Mario Sunshine but not to this extent. Finally, I have to mention the second last boss in this game. Never before have I witness such a technical masterpiece. The boss is an enormous robot-like structure, with multiple hands all attached to its main frame with cables. Everything just animates and so convincingly. Add to this, the particle effects, which rival a fireworks display, stomach turning camera work, and a daunting sky that fully animated, and you get one of the greatest boss battles of all time. Again, all of this at the bench mark frame rate in which all games should sustain. In conclusion, to all Xbox owners, this is the game you want to show your jaded PS2 and Gamecube owning friends. There is a reason why Sega choose the Xbox as the platform for PDO, and it’ll only take you about five seconds to see why. From the impossible number of onscreen enemies, to the most subtle wind effect that surrounds you though out the game, PDO is pure eye candy all the way though. If I could narrow everything down to a few words, it would be…Panzer Dragoon Orta, greatest graphics of all time.



Sound 7/10

The sound in PDO is on the same level as the graphics, but unfortunately it’s not as varied or noticeable. Sound effects are of the highest quality. Your dragon’s high-pitch shriek, as enemy fire hits it, is so painful to hear that you’ll do your best to elude attacks. The thunderous explosions from battleships will rip right though you speakers. But what keeps the sound from hovering at the same level as the graphics is the music. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very well orchestrated and compliments the game almost flawlessly, it’s just too repetitive. Also, by default, it is set too loud, drowning out a lot of the sound effects so you might want to adjust it slightly. Another thing that I found uninspiring is the voices in the game. The narration as well as the in game voices are all spoken in a made up language, I presume. It might not fit in with the game’s plot, but I would have preferred an English dubbing.



Overall 8.5/10

Overall, Panzer Dragoon Orta is well deserving of the Panzer Dragoon name. All the new features make it a true sequel and one that no loyal fan of the series should do without. Its graphical splendor will not only turn heads, it will keep them there until the end credits role by. The high difficulty setting will force you to strategize the way you play each level, so it’s not really a shooting gallery. And the Pandora Box will keep you busy unlocking all the secrets, not to mention that you’re getting the first full Panzer Dragoon as a bonus. PDO however, is not a game for everyone. If you are not into shooters, this is definitely a rental at best. For everyone else, especially gamers who can appreciate a company’s effort to create a masterpiece instead of selling out, Panzer Dragoon Orta is a must buy. Once again, Sega has shown us why they are the leader when it comes to making games with lasting appeal. This is truly an instant classic.




Edit, until the main site is back up, all my reviews can be viewed at my site.
 
About 2 hours, although the last few minutes where spent pulling my wank....um.....editing.
 
New pc later, I think I get tax money back this year....cause....sob, I had a job a year ago and they took a lot of tax money from me.


Oh, and I found about 10 mistakes in the review already. I'm editing it though.

Edit, check your PM Ice Knight.
 
So far, I've cleared the game twice, but on easy. On normal, I can't get past the mid boss of the second episode. ( They're giant worm-like creatures)

This is a game that gets better everytime you play it, so if you can afford it, buy it instead of renting.
 
you played through easy? that's why u gave it only an 8.5!!!!!!!! =P, in normal it really shines (I didn't play it in easy), I'm still at the last level though ...
 
I've beat the game on nornal, and played it on hard and am at the last boss, (although I still can't beat him after about 10 trys) Still give it an 8.5
 
7.5/10 for gameplay? I dunno I'd give it a 9/10 The graphics rock, but the game play is soo fricken smooth Every person I've had play the game at my place (abour 7) raves about the game play well after they've adjusted to the "wow" graphics factor.
I'm making those uninterested in the Xbox drool and ask me to lend them my Xbox or spend 4-5 hours on my couch playing while I twiddle my thumbs. I really think you shortchanged PDO w/ that 7.5/10 in gameplay. :(

-Vicman
 
For a rail based shooter, 7.5 for gameplay is excellent imo.

Here's why. The gameplay is based in simplicity. (As was the previous panzer dragoons.) Now, on easy, the game can be beaten very easily. But on normal and hard, the game's difficulty surges, which makes the game slightly unbalanced. There are other factors as well. You can only save once....if you die near the end of a level, you have to start all over. When things get choatic (which is often) it's easy to lose sight of your target. Routes aren't as distinct as Panzer Dragoon Zwei, so it's difficult to know when to turn....

I know, I should have put all of these in my review.
 
this is what I think about Panzer Dragoon orta

Summary: Panzer Dragoon Orta is a non-stop shooter with enogh excitement and bonus material to keep you going for quite some time. Add to that the stunning visuals, 5.1 Dolby Digital, and 480p HDTV and your set for an exciting treat for your gaming sences.

Gameplay: Most of us have played some sort of shooter or another, and what sets them apart is how interesting and different they are from one another. Well Panzer Dragoon Orta is about as interesting and different as they get. You are Orta, riding a dragon that has been thought to be long gone and could be the end of the Dragonmares. Your dragon has some pretty amazing trates, Guns, Homing Lasers, and a devistating Berserk attack. Your dragon also has the ability to morph from it's Base Wing form to Heavy Wing and Glide Wing, each with it's own special charecteristics and variation on the weapons. The key to this game is to learn well which type is best suited for the task at hand, in the beggining you'll sit with the version you feel most comfortable with and get agrivated at how hard it is to defeat some enemies, but as you learn to morph during battle it all becomes a very tacticle battle. Your dragon and each of it's "Morph's" can also level up as you progress by picking up "Gene Basis" these bases will go into a "DNA Counter" which when filled will level up your dragon, that is it will level up the dragon that picks it up, so again, learn to morph and keep all your versions strong. Of course the 360 degree fighting system is cool as hell. Being able to track enemies from vertually any position makes PDO a unique experience in the shooting genre. PDO consists of 10 levels in the story, which depending on your resolve, you may finish over a long weekend, but fear not Sega was nice enough to add some Sub Scenarios, Missions, and if you hadn't already heard, Unlocking the original Panzer Dragoon game. One other little extra is that some of the levels offer multiple routes to take, if your quick enough to notice. So as you complete levels you'll see which route you took and how many alternates there are. PDO is a game based on a point system, who can get the most points on the game garnishing the best grade (A,B,C,D,F) and also gives you a cute rankning to go with it, like "Gunner" if you just shoot the lights out. All these extras along with the "Flight Records" are stored in Pandoras Box, which i have to say is a nice looking interface, from there you can access just about anything. This leads me to the one thing i didn't like...the save system. The game is set up for one player to make it through the entire game, meening, if you stop on Episode 6 to let your little brother play and he stops and save on Episode 2 Easy mode, he will overwrithe your progress, this is idiotic, how hard would it have been to incorporate multiple saves via User?? Anyway, I can kinda look pass that because the game is addicting enough to where you may play through non-stop. Well worth the purchase, but if your new to the series you may want to do the weekend rental.

Visual: Were to start...PDO is one of the best looking games on the XBOX. 480p HDTV support obviouslly helps, but in general the Episodes are lavish and colorfull, particle effects, explosions are amazing. The morphing of your Dragon and the stylized Berserk attacks are also something to be seen. The best part of the entire aspect is that it's simply flawless when it comes to frame rate. With the speed of this game, that is a huge compliment. Not to mention when you have so much going on in the screen as you do at times there is no hickup what so ever, it's amazing. They also took the time to let the very slick cut scenes blend into the game from Episode to stunning Episode.

Sound: 5.1 Dolby Digital and 360 degree fighting system...you do the math. The sounds of PDO are just as impresive as the visuals. Well thought out, and well placed. Ambient sounds are abound and the in game soundtrack is pleasing without being annoying. You do have to suffer through subtitles because PDO is spoken in a foreign language througout, but most of the dialouge is during the cut sceens so fear not, you won't miss important info while trying to destroy your enemies.

Suggestions to Developer: Again, the save system so more of us can enjoy the game without repeating Episodes.
 
That's a good review, and damn long one too. I haven't played this game only because I've been too busy with Ghost Recon. And I have shenmue 2 that I haven't even played yet. I let my friend borrow it the day I got it.

Anyway, I'll try to rent this game and see if your review is on point with what I see.

cheers.
 
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