Panzer Dragoon Saga Rom Help

'Panzer Dragoon Saga' remains one of the greatest video games of all time. I scoured forums for a fix and, after again beating several bosses. Disc image and play it on a modded Saturn or a software Saturn emulator. A holiday miracle! Re-added CD-i, PCECD, Dreamcast, 3DO, NGCD ISOs. Replaced the GC set with NKit-scrubbed ISOs. Converted nearly all CD sets to CHD format. Replaced many of the older ROM sets with No-Intro. Updated the MAME set to.216. Recompressed nearly everything in 7z where possible.

Panzer Dragoon II Zwei^[a] is a 1996 rail shootervideo game for the Sega Saturn, published by Sega and developed by Sega's Team Andromeda studio. It is the second entry in the Panzer Dragoon series, and a prequel to the first game. The game follows Jean-Luc Lundi, who raises and later rides a dragon he names Lagi. The player moves an aiming reticle (representing the dragon's laser and Lundi's gun) and shoots enemies while the dragon flies or runs through 3D environments on predetermined tracks.

Zwei began development in early 1995 alongside Panzer Dragoon Saga (1998), with a staff of twenty people and little assistance from Sega. In response to player criticism, the team lowered the overall difficulty and expanded the story elements. The music, composed by Yayoi Wachi, would go on to influence the musical direction of later entries.

Panzer Dragoon II Zwei released to positive reviews from journalists, with many praising it as superior to the original Panzer Dragoon in its gameplay, graphics and narrative. A remake for the Nintendo Switch is currently in development, handled by Forever Entertainment under license from Sega.

Plot[edit]

Jean-Luc Lundi lives in a superstitious village where mutant coolias (a type of pack animal) are considered a bad omen and are killed. Valkyria chronicles 3 classes 2. When Lundi discovers a mutant coolia, he decides to keep it and names it Lagi. Lagi has a strange green glow in his throat and budding wings. After Lagi is full grown, Lundi takes the coolia out to try to get him to fly. While Lundi takes Lagi out, a huge ship called Shelcoof destroys Lundi's village. Lagi's green glow grows brighter, and Lagi fires arrows of light from his mouth, the trademark attack of dragons from the ancient age. Lundi chases Shelcoof on Lagi's back, but they are struck down by a mysterious dragon before they can board it.

After they recover, Lundi and Lagi follow Shelcoof's trail while fending off attacks from indigenous beasts and Imperial forces, who Lundi assumes are after Lagi. He later learns that they are in fact also in pursuit of Shelcoof with the intent to use it as a weapon against rebel forces. Lundi and Lagi catch up with Shelcoof and destroy its core, in which they discover that the dragon who struck them down before had been incubating. When it emerges, it has grown to enormous size and assumed enough power to be a menace to society. In a final battle, Lundi and Lagi destroy the large dragon.

Gameplay[edit]

As with other Panzer Dragoon games (apart from Panzer Dragoon Saga), Zwei is a rail shooter.^[1] As in the first game, enemies can be defeated with either the rider's gun or the dragon's lasers. There is also the berserk attack, which is a rain of lasers from the dragon which automatically attack all enemies on screen for several seconds, during which the dragon is invincible. To use the berserk attack, the player draws on the accumulated energy in the power meter, which is filled by killing enemies.^[2] A radar in the corner of the screen displays the location of nearby enemies.^[3][4][5] Zwei is considerably more in depth than Panzer Dragoon, with alternate routes to be taken and a dragon that evolves based on the player's performance.^[6]

Development[edit]

In 1995, following the release of Panzer Dragoon, developer Team Andromeda split into two teams; one team worked on a new role-playing game later titled Panzer Dragoon Saga, while the other developed Zwei as a standard rail shooter sequel.^[7][8] The two projects were meant to share team members, but due to the work overload this created, Saga was put on hold until Zwei was completed.^[8] In response to player criticisms, Team Andromeda worked on making the game less difficult and more story-intensive than the first Panzer Dragoon.^[9] Series creator Yukio Futatsugi originally oversaw both projects, but as his attention shifted onto Saga, Zwei became the responsibility of Katsuhiko Yamada. Due to their next planned game being an RPG, the team decided to reference RPG mechanics in Zwei with the branching paths and dragon evolution. Rather than a direct sequel to Panzer Dragoon, Futatsugi designed Zwei as a prequel, creating a thread which would run from Zwei through Panzer Dragoon and into Saga through the connection between rider and dragon.^[10] According to designer Kentaro Yoshida, the team went through multiple dragon designs, with the final designs being finalized by original designer Manabu Kusunoki. The dragons were inspired by different creatures and machines from classic science fiction. The programmers kept segmented wooden fish on their desks so they could reproduce lifelike movements for creatures in the game.^[5]

The team received no help from Sega's technical division on Panzer Dragoon II Zwei, and did not use any Sega-developed tools such as the Sega Graphics Library operating system; instead, Team Andromeda's programmers created all the development tools used to create the game.^[9] The team also refined the design elements created for the first game, pushing for a higher and more stable frame rate.^[5] A notable element was the water effects, which were created using a combination of parallax scrolling and layers, allowing a look impossible on the 3D-focused PlayStation without exceeding the hardware limits of the Saturn. The Pandora's Box mode was created by a single programmer and it was included later in development after getting the team's approval.^[10] Music composition was led by Yayoi Wachi. Additional tracks were composed by Tomonori Sawada, Junko Shiratsu and Teruhiko Nakagawa.^[11] In contrast to the purely orchestral and electronic score of the first game, Zwei added ethnic elements.^[7]Panzer Dragoon Saga composer Saori Kobayashi attributed Wachi's shift away from the first game's musical style with shaping her future compositions for the series.^[12]

Panzer Dragoon Zwei was released in March 1996 in Japan.^[13] Releases in North America and Europe followed the same year.^[4][14] It was shown off at the 1996 Electronic Entertainment Expo.^[15]

A PC version was planned for release on GameTap,^[16] but was not released.

Remake[edit]

A remake of Zwei was announced in 2018 alongside a remake of the original Panzer Dragoon, both exclusives for Nintendo Switch. Sega outsourced publishing rights to Forever Entertainment, who wished to preserve the atmosphere while updating the graphics and gameplay for a modern audience. No release date has been announced yet for the remake of Zwei.^[17]

Reception[edit]

Panzer Dragoon II Zwei received generally positive reviews. The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly applauded the game for its multiple routes, differing dragon transformations, and 'some of the best graphics ever seen on Sega's 32-bit powerhouse'. However, they criticized that the game's low difficulty leaves it with little longevity.^[19]GamePro asserted that Panzer Dragoon II Zwei 'blows away anything resembling a shooter on the PlayStation thus far, in both graphics and imagination.' The reviewer criticized that the game is much too easy, though he noted that the ability to choose from multiple paths increases the replay value in addition to making the gameplay more interesting. He also complimented the way the music reflects what is going on in the game.^[24]Entertainment Weekly deemed it much more refined than the already strong original Panzer Dragoon.^[21] A reviewer for Next Generation said that while the gameplay makes only minimal innovations to the restrictive on-rails format, the game keeps the player hooked though its gorgeous visuals and absorbing story. He summarized, 'In a surprising victory for art and plot direction, Panzer Dragoon II Zwei proves that visual sophistication and compelling storylines can sometimes overcome less than revolutionary gameplay.'^[20]

Rob Allsetter of Sega Saturn Magazine praised the impressive attention to detail in the graphics and the multiple routes. He concluded that it 'belongs up there with VF2 and Sega Rally as the standard-bearer for its genre.'^[23]Maximum's Daniel Jevons concurred with Scary Larry that the game 'positively laughs in the face of any competing PlayStation 3D shooters.' He pointed out that the much-maligned on-rails format is necessary to create the experience the game offers, noting as an example that it allowed the developers to synchronize the soundtrack with what is going on. He also praised the animation, 3D graphics, high frame rate, absence of pixelation even on the heavily detailed bosses, precise controls, lock-on attacks, and the ability to adjust the game's difficulty by choosing different routes.^[22]

Panzer Dragon Zwei was a runner-up for Electronic Gaming Monthly's Shooter Game of the Year (behind Alien Trilogy) and Best Graphics of the Year (behind Super Mario 64).^[25] The following year they ranked it number 90 on their '100 Best Games of All Time', citing its atmospheric levels and evolving dragon, as well as how, like the original, it represented a true 3-D evolution for the shooter genre through the player ability to rotate the perspective.^[26]

IGN staff writer Levi Buchanan ranked Panzer Dragoon II Zwei fifth in his list of the top 10 Sega Saturn games, saying 'The original Panzer Dragoon that flanked the Saturn at launch was nothing short of revelation. But this sequel improves on almost everything, offering better graphics, smoother animations, changing dragon forms, and branching routes.'^[27]

References[edit]

1. ^'The Return of Panzer Dragoon!'. Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. Emap International Limited (3): 114. January 1996.
2. ^'Panzer Dragoon Zwei: Sprechen Sie Harden Coren?'. Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. Emap International Limited (5): 102–114. April 1996.
3. ^'Panzer Dragoon 2'. Next Generation. No. 16. Imagine Media. April 1996. p. 73.
4. ^ ^abKalata, Kurt (April 2008). 'The History of Panzer Dragoon'. Gamasutra. UBM TechWeb. p. 4. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
5. ^ ^abcTorres, Ricardo (July 1, 2005). 'GameSpot Presents: The History of Panzer Dragoon'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 20, 2004. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
6. ^Guise, Tom (February 1996). 'Double Dragoon'. Sega Saturn Magazine. Emap International Limited (4): 30–37.
7. ^ ^ab『AZEL』アレンジアルバムは生で一発録りの曲も！ 『Resurrection: AZEL-パンツァードラグーンRPG- 20th Anniversary Arrangement』インタビュー. Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. March 9, 2018. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
8. ^ ^abAzel: Panzer Dragoon RPG Official Strategy Guide. Japan: SoftBank. 1998. ISBN978-4797305579.
9. ^ ^ab'Panzer Dragoon: The Maximum Inquisition!'. Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. Emap International Limited (6): 42–44. May 1996.
10. ^ ^abMielke, James (September 11, 2009). 'Panzer Dragoon Zwei: Interview with Yukio Futatsugi'. 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
11. ^Sega. 'Panzer Dragoon II Zwei Original Soundtrack booklet.' (in Japanese) PolyGram. April 25, 1996. POCX-1026. Retrieved on .
12. ^Greening, Chris (September 7, 2015). 'Saori Kobayashi Interview: Cultivating an Ethtronic Sound'. Video Game Music Online. Video Game Music Online. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
13. ^セガサターン専用CD-ROM（セガ発売）. Sega (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
14. ^'Checkpoint'. Computer and Video Games. EMAP (174): 66. June 1996.
15. ^Buchanan, Levi (May 19, 2009). 'Remembering E3 1996'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
16. ^Klepek, Patrick (13 April 2007). 'Panzer Dragoon and Sequel Coming to GameTap'. 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 2, 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
17. ^McWhertor, Michael (December 10, 2018). 'Panzer Dragoon remakes in development'. Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on December 13, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
18. ^'Panzer Dragoon II Zwei'. GameRankings. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
19. ^ ^ab'Panzer Dragoon II Review'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 82. Sendai Publishing. May 1996. p. 32.
20. ^ ^ab'Off the Scale'. Next Generation. No. 19. Imagine Media. July 1996. p. 81.
21. ^ ^abStrauss, Bob (June 14, 1996). 'Panzer Dragoon Zwei II'. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
22. ^ ^abJevons, Daniel (May 1996). 'Maximum Reviews: Panzer Dragoon Zwei'. Maximum: The Video Game Magazine. No. 6. Emap International Limited. pp. 124–5.
23. ^ ^abAllsetter, Rob (May 1996). 'Review: Panzer Dragoon 2'. Sega Saturn Magazine. No. 7. Emap International Limited. pp. 70–71.
24. ^Scary Larry (June 1996). 'ProReview: Panzer Dragoon Zwei II'. GamePro. No. 93. IDG. pp. 62–63.
25. ^'The Best of '96'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 92. Ziff Davis. March 1997. p. 90.
26. ^'100 Best Games of All Time'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 100. Ziff Davis. November 1997. p. 106. Note: Contrary to the title, the intro to the article explicitly states that the list covers console video games only, meaning PC games and arcade games were not eligible.
27. ^Buchanan, Levi (2008-07-29). 'Top 10 SEGA Saturn Games'. IGN. Retrieved 2013-04-03.

Notes[edit]

External links[edit]

Panzer Dragoon (Japanese: パンツァードラグーン, Hepburn: Pantsā Doragūn) is a series of video games by Sega, created first by its internal Team Andromeda and later, the Smilebit development team. Aside from the role-playing video gamePanzer Dragoon Saga, the games are of the rail shooter genre. All games follow the story of a lone hero or heroine fighting an evil empire in a post apocalyptic world, while riding a dragon.

The series' name originates from its original concept designers referring to it as 'armoured dragon', then feeling that this was too bland and deciding to transliterate it to German.^[1] The series' cutscenes feature its own language 'Panzerese', which is based on Ancient Greek, Latin and Russian. Words in these languages were a hobby of Yukio Futatsugi, one of the core designers of the first game.

Sega announced in December 2018 that Panzer Dragoon and Panzer Dragoon II are getting high definition remakes, and confirmed at E3 2019 that they would be released on the Nintendo Switch.^[2] The remake of the first Panzer Dragoon game was released worldwide in March 26, 2020, while the remake of Panzer Dragoon II does not have a release date as of October 2019.

Premise[edit]

The Panzer Dragoon series takes place on an unspecified post-apocalyptic planet where the people compete for land, resources, and the technology of the Ancients. The ‘Ancients’ is the generic name given to the people that once controlled a world-spanning, hyper-advanced civilization thousands of years before the start of the Panzer Dragoon series of games. The Ancients were able to create monsters either for war use or practical uses.

These creatures survived the downfall of the Ancients and are one of the main enemies in the series. A mysterious cataclysm, hinted at as a terrible war during the course of the series, would spell the downfall of this civilization and nearly destroy the world, leaving the survivors to eke out a bleak existence among the blasted remains in the ensuing millennia. Eventually, the Ancients and their works would gain a sort of 'godlike' respect, and a horrific regard, among some people as they passed into legend.

The remnants of these technologies are used in the development of much of humanity's own machinery, weaponry and vehicles, such as the unusual floating ships which are a staple of the series. A faction called The Empire have collected and used weapons from the Ancient Age to gain dominance of the continent.

Games[edit]

Panzer Dragoon (1995)[edit]

The first game in the series, Panzer Dragoon, was released on the Sega Saturn in 1995. It follows the story of Keil Fluge, a member of a hunter party who encounters a fight between two dragons, coloured black and blue. The rider of the blue dragon is mortally wounded in the battle and entrusts his mission, as well as his dragon, the Solo Wing, to Keil. Keil must stop the Dark Dragon reactivating an ancient ruin.

This chapter introduced the basic features of the traditional gameplay that the Panzer series would be known by, starting out as a rail shooter giving the player a choice of two main attacks: a lock-on laser weapon, and a rapid fire gun weapon, as well as the ability to swing the cameras around to shoot the enemies coming from all directions.

Panzer Dragoon was one of the few games available at the Sega Saturn's launch. The game was ported to Microsoft Windows only in Japan on March 14, 1997,^[3] and in 2006 adapted slightly for Sega's Japanese PlayStation 2 'AGES 2500' series. The game is getting a high definition remake for the Nintendo Switch, slated for release in winter 2020.^[4]

Panzer Dragoon R-zone (1995)[edit]

Panzer Dragoon R-zone is a Tiger R-Zone game for the short-lived system. It was one of the few launch titles licensed by Sega, being released just a few months after the original Panzer Dragoon.^[5] It was the first game in the series that was not developed by Team Andromeda. There is no plot, simply a nameless character on an armored dragon attempting to keep a dark dragon from reaching a tower while shooting and dodging robots.

Panzer Dragoon II Zwei (1996)[edit]

Panzer Dragoon II Zwei (also known as Panzer Dragoon II) was released for the Sega Saturn in 1996. This game is a prequel to Panzer Dragoon. It follows the story of Jean-Luc Lundi who discovered a mutant coolia, whom he names Lagi, who has a green glow at its throat, and is growing wings. Lundi refuses to kill Lagi, defying his villages custom that mutant coolias be killed. Together, Lundi and Lagi ride towards the horizon, chasing after a great airship called the Shelcoof, which is responsible for destroying Lundi's village while he was away.

This game introduced the berserk ability, where the player builds up a bar and then can unleash a powerful attack. It also introduced multiple routes through levels, and the dragon's capacity to change shape when the player performed well in a level.

The game was ported to Microsoft Windows only in Japan on March 14, 1997, and it will be getting a high definition remake for Nintendo Switch, however there's no release date as of October 2019.^[2]

Panzer Dragoon Mini (1996)[edit]

Panzer Dragoon Mini is a SegaGame Gear game released only in Japan, in 1996.^[6] Due to the technical limitations of the Game Gear, the camera cannot be controlled and instead rotates automatically; also, for the first and — so far — only time in the series' history, the dragon doesn't have a rider. The game is markedly different from others in the series due to lack of a story and the dragon's super deformed appearance. Most of the levels and enemies are modeled after those of Panzer Dragoon Zwei.

Panzer Dragoon Saga (1998)[edit]

Panzer Dragoon Saga (titled Azel: Panzer Dragoon RPG in Japan) is a role-playing video game released for Saturn in 1998.^[7] It is the only Panzer Dragoon game that is not a rail shooter, combining traditional role-playing elements such as random encounters with the 3D shooting elements of previous games. The player controls Edge, a young mercenary who battles the empire on a flying dragon and encounters a mysterious girl from a vanished civilization.^[8] Unlike the other Panzer Dragoon games, movement is not on rails and some areas are explored on foot. The battle system mixes real-time and turn-based elements,^[9] with the player circling enemies on the dragon to expose weak spots and escape dangerous positions.^[8]

Development of Panzer Dragoon Saga began around the same time as Panzer Dragoon II Zwei. According to director Yukio Futatsugi, the need to blend the series' shooting elements into an RPG with full 3D and voice acting - both unusual for RPGs at the time - made it the most difficult Panzer Dragoon game to develop. Two staff members died during its two-year development, which Futatsugi attributed to the stressful working conditions of the video game industry.^[9][9]

According to GameRankings, Panzer Dragoon Saga is the most critically acclaimed Saturn game, winning praise for its story, graphics, music, and unusual battle system.^[10] It has appeared in several 'greatest games of all time' lists.^[11][12][13] As Sega had shifted its focus to its next console, the Dreamcast, the game had a limited release outside Japan, attracting a cult following. It has not been rereleased and is now a rare collector's item. After its release, Sega disbanded Team Andromeda; Futatsugi left Sega and joined Konami,^[14] while other staff moved to Sega teams including Smilebit.^[9]

Panzer Dragoon Orta (2002)[edit]

Panzer Dragoon Orta is an Xbox game released in late 2002 in Japan and in early 2003 in America and Europe. It was developed by Smilebit which had been founded by former members of Team Andromeda.

Panzer Dragoon Orta follows the story of Orta, a teenage girl being held captive in a town. When the town is attacked by the Empire, Orta is rescued by a Dragon, and encounters a drone named Abadd. While tracking the drone, she discovers the truth behind her own origins, and helps to free the world from the tyranny of the Empire. This game introduced several updated features, such as the ability to morph the dragon at will, and maneuvering abilities from Panzer Dragoon Saga.

This game had large amounts of unlockable content to be gained after completing the main story. These include a group of sub-missions, one series of which is devoted to the backstory of Iva Demilcol. The 'Box Game' is a bonus mode first introduced in Zwei where the player can select different dragons, riders, and various cheats. The PC version of the first Panzer Dragoon is included in its entirety.

The game also possesses a vast in-game dictionary that updates as you progress, detailing the Panzer world, and full-motion video from the game itself is unlocked for casual viewing, as well as the intro and ending videos from Panzer Dragoon, Panzer Dragoon Zwei and Panzer Dragoon Saga.

Panzer Dragoon Remakes (2020)[edit]

Sega announced in December 2018 that Panzer Dragoon and Panzer Dragoon II Zwei are getting high definition remakes. At E3 2019 the publisher, Forever Entertainment S.A. presented the first game trailer on the Nintendo Direct show. The remake of the first Panzer Dragoon game was released on March 26, 2020 as a Nintendo Switch exclusive for a limited time. Versions for Stadia and Steam are set to be released later in 2020.^[4][15] The remake of the second Panzer Dragoon game has no release date yet.

Other media[edit]

Soundtrack CDs were released in Japan for all the games, with Panzer Dragoon Orta's being bundled with the game itself. Toykopop released the Panzer Dragoon Orta soundtrack in the USA. An anime adaptation of the first game was released, with the story being slightly altered to include a female heroine whom Keil ('Kyle' in the anime) is trying to save when she becomes bonded to the Black Dragon. The English version was released by ADV Films. An artbook from the second game, Die Welt Von Panzer Dragoon Zwei (The World of Panzer Dragoon Zwei) was also released.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed features a racetrack based on Panzer Dragoon. Additionally, the Worlds Unite crossover between the Sonic the Hedgehog and the Mega Man comic lines from Archie Comics features Panzer Dragoon characters and concepts.

References[edit]

1. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2016-12-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
2. ^ ^abBarder, Ollie. 'The First Two Panzer Dragoon Games Are Getting New Remakes'. Forbes. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
3. ^Panzer Dragoon PC version release data, IGN.
4. ^ ^abMinotti, Mike (March 26, 2020). 'Panzer Dragoon: Remake gets a surprise launch on Switch'. VentureBeat. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
5. ^Panzer Dragoon R-Zone release data, IGN. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
6. ^Panzer Dragoon Mini release data, GameFAQs. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
7. ^'Panzer Dragoon Saga Review Edge Online'. 2014-01-23. Archived from the original on January 23, 2014. Retrieved 2015-12-11.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
8. ^ ^ab'Panzer Dragoon Saga review'. Sega Saturn Magazine. April 1998.
9. ^ ^abcd'GameSpot Presents: The History of Panzer Dragoon - GameSpot'. 2005-06-01. Archived from the original on September 22, 2004. Retrieved 2015-12-11.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
10. ^'Panzer Dragoon Saga'. GameRankings. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
11. ^'Panzer Dragoon Saga Sega Saturn Retrospective from 1UP.com'. 1Up.com. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
12. ^'IGN Top 100 Games 2007'. IGN.com. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
13. ^Top 100 Games of All Time: No.22, G4.
14. ^'Flying through life: Meet the man behind Panzer Dragoon'. Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
15. ^'Panzer Dragoon: Remake on Steam'. store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2020-03-27.

External links[edit]

• Panzer Dragoon series at MobyGames
• Panzer Dragoon (OVA) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia