Panzer Dragoon Saga

[majik989s]

Hey all, I've had an increased interest in panzer dragoon saga over the past few months and I'm not sure if I should make the investment to finally play it. I've heard both good and mediocre things about it.

From those of you who have played through it or had some experience with it, what do you think about it?

[Heavy Viper]

Yo! Total Panzer-head here.

I'll get straight to it - PDSaga is bloody expensive. It's the kind of price that's difficult to justify objectively. The best way to tell if you should take the plunge is to ask yourself:

1) Do you like the Panzer Dragoon series?

2) Do you LOVE the Panzer Dragoon series? I mean, do you find yourself fascinated by how many little details are crammed into the games every time you play through it?

3) Do you like the idea of being able to experience this world from a different, more in-depth perspective than a rail shooter? Even through a (at the time...) very experimental and forward-thinking - albeit flawed - system based around world-building and jRPG mechanics?

If you can answer yes to all of those, I'd tell you to buy it.

It's clunky, it's certainly not the best looking game, and it has ideas bigger than it can really realize. But for me it is an opportunity to really dive in and take a closer look at a game world that's still probably my favorite to this day.

In short, very conditional yes.

[Immryr]

fwiw the japanese version is not expensive at all.

[Skykid]

My only criticism is that it runs out of steam in its final act and you kind of just want it over with, but that aside it's a unique, evocative, exceptionally different JRPG with an inspired combat system, intriguing plot and a wonderful, wonderful world.

I certainly would recommended it.

[evil_ash_xero]

It's a bit short.

[Jonathan Ingram]

A decent if mostly short and linear RPG with great art direction, good music score and an interesting battle system. Only make the investment if you're absolutely certain that you just have to have this game in your collection, otherwise don't reward the profiteers and download an ISO from someplace.

[majik989s]

Thanks for the responses guys. I really wish I could just rent it or borrow it. I'm interested in everything it has to offer but I typically don't play RPGs more than once.

[KennyMan666]

SSF is a good Saturn emulator. Plays PDS perfectly.

Definitely play it. It's really good.

[broken harbour]

For any really rare, expensive saturn game like that, I generally try an iso first to see if I like it, if I like it, I search for a deal. I'd recommend you do that in this case, note: I've never played PDS.

[Stormwatch]

Perhaps the best RPG ever, but I can't justify the crazy price. If you don't have a modded Saturn, try emulating it.

[BulletMagnet]

It's fun, unique, and technically impressive considering the hardware, but as has been said it's 1) Fairly short, despite spanning 4 discs, 2) Not too challenging, and 3) Stupidly expensive. I don't regret owning a copy myself (and I speak as someone who's not big enough on rail shooters to own any other series entry), but not everyone will have the same tolerance for the game's shortcomings, so it depends on how agreeable you are to spending that much cash on a worthwhile but somewhat fleeting experience.

[Jonathan Ingram]

Perhaps the best RPG ever

Not even on the Saturn.

[Skykid]

Perhaps the best RPG ever

Not even on the Saturn.

Yeah that's reaching a little.

[Stormwatch]

but as has been said it's 1) Fairly short, despite spanning 4 discs, 2) Not too challenging

And those are positive points! PDS is a very "lean" RPG, all meat (plot, exploration, fast combat) and no fat (grinding, pointless NPCs, fetch quests).

[BryanM]

Man, I do love me some pointless grinding and npcs, though..

[BulletMagnet]

And those are positive points! PDS is a very "lean" RPG, all meat (plot, exploration, fast combat) and no fat (grinding, pointless NPCs, fetch quests).

That's a fair point of view, though not everyone will be as eager to spend so much on a title with a relatively short running time and fairly breezy challenge; again, it depends on one's tastes and situation (financial and otherwise). If the game's Western release wasn't so pricey I'd recommend it to everyone (as you say, it's pretty to-the-point, so it's not like you're making a huge commitment), but when you're spending more than twice what it cost when it came out I feel one has to take that angle into account, heh.

[antares]

PD Saga is one of maybe 10 RPGs in my life that I played to the end, so I agree it's one of the best RPGs ever. Maybe it's perfect for people who aren't into these games in general

I really loved the story, the game mechanics, the setting and the combat system.

It was pretty straight forward but if I remember correctly at the end you get a game completion percentage and mine was around 70%. So apparently there are a few secrets to discover and it's not as linear as you would think.

[GaijinPunch]

i've always meant to play it to the end (again... did it once ages ago). While the Japanese version is dirt cheap, your Japanese is going to have to be very high level to enjoy it for a couple of reasons.

1) Most of the text doesn't wait for you to hit the button to continue... yikes.
2) There's tons of special vocabulary which will confuse the fuck out of you.

#2 is pretty standard across the series though.

As for the "investment". Why not buy it, play it, and sell it on? You will likely incur a minimal loss. And as stated, it's really good.

And for the love of God, nobody's mentioned the dope soundtrack yet!

[Stormwatch]

And for the love of God, nobody's mentioned the dope soundtrack yet!

Speaking of which, this is interesting: Saori Kobayashi composed a bunch of songs as candidates for the PDS theme song before choosing "Premonition of War". Only now, one of the other songs is getting a release: "Pirika", by Akane - a band that consists of Kobayashi and singer Yumiko Takahashi (Suikoden).

[Lordstar]

I really do hope sega revist this game. We know that they lost the code. So start again. Reboot it. the lore of PD is lovely and ripe for an RPG.

[GaijinPunch]

And for the love of God, nobody's mentioned the dope soundtrack yet!

Speaking of which, this is interesting: Saori Kobayashi composed a bunch of songs as candidates for the PDS theme song before choosing "Premonition of War". Only now, one of the other songs is getting a release: "Pirika", by Akane - a band that consists of Kobayashi and singer Yumiko Takahashi (Suikoden).

Interesting, although I can't say I dig it. :-/

Reboot it. the lore of PD is lovely and ripe for an RPG.

Considering it's "spiritual successor" on the X-Bone, I'm inclined to let it die.

[TransatlanticFoe]

I really do hope sega revist this game. We know that they lost the code. So start again. Reboot it. the lore of PD is lovely and ripe for an RPG.

Hell, just package it up in an emulator and re-release it!

[Specineff]

If I had the money and personnel, I'd de-make it in 16-bit style. It wouldn't be hard to get the battle system right, and there are no complicated sidequests or add-ons to "emulate". Perhaps only the morphing system.

[Skykid]

Time for a Panzer Quadriligy?

All four games polished up with some nice bonus materials and set of soundtracks. I'd buy it.

Edit: five games. Panzer Mini for Game Gear required also.

[EmperorIng]

Time for a Panzer Quadriligy?

All four games polished up with some nice bonus materials and set of soundtracks. I'd buy it.

Tetralogy.
Part of me would love a re-release of PDS to see all the tears of ebay-ers who see their for-sale copies dramatically devalue. but that's mean.

Panzer Dragoon 1 and 2 definitely would need some cleaning up. A guy can dream. I'd take the first two games remade in Orta's engine; that game still looks good.

Speaking of music, outside of the great orchestrated tracks in PD1, the final boss theme of PDZwei is my favorite track in the series. The game has its rough edges, but the final boss is a thing of beauty.

[Skykid]

^ Sorry that Alien box set ruined my brain.

I don't care about re-releases devaluing my stuff. I have all the Panzers and I say smarten them up and sell them to me again. Although it's valid to note re-releases rarely impact eBay's going rates. People will always pay nonsense figures for an original, regardless of whether it can be had on the Wii Virtual Store or as part of a new collection.

[Limbrooke]

As for the "investment". Why not buy it, play it, and sell it on? You will likely incur a minimal loss. And as stated, it's really good.

Nothing stopping one from selling it after playing through and decision against keeping it. I don't see how you won't get the money back if you're patient your initial purchase. Pretty good game. Which reminds me...

And for the love of God, nobody's mentioned the dope soundtrack yet!

...because the OST is megabucks too! Well, not on the level of the Super Mario RPG (beware the expensive forest mushrooms!) or the Donkey Kong Country Trilogy but still around $100. Also, Premonition of War.

[antares]

Speaking of polished up remakes we of course got the superb Sega Ages 2500 Vol. 27 on PS2 which featured both the original Saturn version of Panzer Dragoon as well as an arranged version with revamped graphics and other goodies.

[PAPER/ARTILLERY]

Speaking of polished up remakes we of course got the superb Sega Ages 2500 Vol. 27 on PS2 which featured both the original Saturn version of Panzer Dragoon as well as an arranged version with revamped graphics and other goodies.

Oooh I just got a PS2, gonna have to check that out.

[GaijinPunch]

...because the OST is megabucks too! Well, not on the level of the Super Mario RPG (beware the expensive forest mushrooms!) or the Donkey Kong Country Trilogy but still around $100. Also, Premonition of War.

There are a couple of versions... I don't think all are expensive, and the track difference is only a couple. Forgot which one I gots.