One thing that I find unfortunate about the influence of popular games like Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time is this belief that, while there was indeed 3D games before them, these were still the only ones that really mattered. I say that because Panzer Dragoon proved on a console that was as hard to develop on as the Sega Saturn, talented developers could still put out games which showed the value of 3D in a time where Super Mario 64 was still well over a year away. Even without the subtlety of an analog stick, Panzer Dragoon is a shining example of why the 3D revolution was one worth jumping on.
Contrary to what the title of the game may imply, you don’t actually control a dragon. Instead, you very explicitly control a man riding a dragon, and because of that you can feel the consequences of a creature like this. It reacts naturally to sudden movements with phenomenal animations. Seriously, I have no idea how they nailed the visual aspect of the dragon so well! The design and animation is elegant and beautiful but also gritty and down-to-earth. The game wants you to feel the majesty of the creature and the feeling of being whisked away into a grand alien world, while managing to feel grounded enough to where it doesn’t feel like a Disney whimsy adventure; the amazement is only heightened by the feeling that the game won’t pull its punches. And that adventure sure is amazing! I just can’t stress enough how beautiful everything in this game is. From the rippling water of the first stage that stretches as far as the eye can see with immersive reflections to the rough sands shortly after, the game never lets up on the sights and even more so the sounds. Nothing beats actually being there, in the experience of Panzer Dragoon.
The particularly exceptional part is how effortlessly the mechanics weave you through the adventure. All 3 main face buttons will shoot at enemies and lock on to them if you hold down the button. You should know what to expect. The main element that sets Panzer Dragoon apart is the aforementioned tangibility of the dragon and the dynamic way the player switches their view. X, Y, and Z will zoom the camera in and out, and the triggers will cause the player to enter a first-person mode and rotate in the corresponding direction. A lot of rail shooters since have had the player shoot in different directions via a scripted setpiece, but Panzer Dragoon is confident enough in its own level design to permit the greater degree of freedom. It creates a sense of one-ness with the player and the character, which is what I think is truly great about this game. It just isn’t something you can accomplish in 2D games and likely wouldn’t have happened if the game didn’t need to prove its worth over its forebears.
Contrary to what the title of the game may imply, you don’t actually control a dragon. Instead, you very explicitly control a man riding a dragon, and because of that you can feel the consequences of a creature like this. It reacts naturally to sudden movements with phenomenal animations. Seriously, I have no idea how they nailed the visual aspect of the dragon so well! The design and animation is elegant and beautiful but also gritty and down-to-earth. The game wants you to feel the majesty of the creature and the feeling of being whisked away into a grand alien world, while managing to feel grounded enough to where it doesn’t feel like a Disney whimsy adventure; the amazement is only heightened by the feeling that the game won’t pull its punches. And that adventure sure is amazing! I just can’t stress enough how beautiful everything in this game is. From the rippling water of the first stage that stretches as far as the eye can see with immersive reflections to the rough sands shortly after, the game never lets up on the sights and even more so the sounds. Nothing beats actually being there, in the experience of Panzer Dragoon.
The particularly exceptional part is how effortlessly the mechanics weave you through the adventure. All 3 main face buttons will shoot at enemies and lock on to them if you hold down the button. You should know what to expect. The main element that sets Panzer Dragoon apart is the aforementioned tangibility of the dragon and the dynamic way the player switches their view. X, Y, and Z will zoom the camera in and out, and the triggers will cause the player to enter a first-person mode and rotate in the corresponding direction. A lot of rail shooters since have had the player shoot in different directions via a scripted setpiece, but Panzer Dragoon is confident enough in its own level design to permit the greater degree of freedom. It creates a sense of one-ness with the player and the character, which is what I think is truly great about this game. It just isn’t something you can accomplish in 2D games and likely wouldn’t have happened if the game didn’t need to prove its worth over its forebears.