Something about the visual style of early 6th gen games is so hauntingly beautiful to me. The textures, lighting, models, fog are all very distinct to the time and feel almost alien. Panzer Dragoon Orta is the game that I had been picturing in my mind every time I thought about that aesthetic, but I just didn't know it yet. The atmosphere and vibes of this game are just off the charts, and I fell in love with this world despite only seeing a small chunk of it.
On a gameplay front Orta is also fantastic. The bones of a good, basic rail shooter are here of course - the shooting feels solid, attacks are telegraphed enough you can dodge them on your first time through a level, the encounter design feels fair. All that is great, but it's elevated by the different dragon forms and the 360° camera. Those elements added just enough complexity to keep me constantly engaged and thinking about what the optimal way through any encounter is in a way that most other rail shooters can't do.
On a gameplay front Orta is also fantastic. The bones of a good, basic rail shooter are here of course - the shooting feels solid, attacks are telegraphed enough you can dodge them on your first time through a level, the encounter design feels fair. All that is great, but it's elevated by the different dragon forms and the 360° camera. Those elements added just enough complexity to keep me constantly engaged and thinking about what the optimal way through any encounter is in a way that most other rail shooters can't do.