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"VANESSA WILLIAMS WAS RIGHT; THEY SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST"

You know that your game is in high demand when, despite most Saturn games (and the hardware itself) being available at clearance prices, your game manages to be in such demand you can sell it for $59.95 and still sell-out periodically (like the small store where I buy most of my games). As one of Sega's few handouts to the Saturn faithful, "Panzer Dragoon Saga" is an RPG/shooter that closes the chapter of the "Panzer Dragoon" series on the Saturn. Unlike the 1995 original and the much-improved 1996 sequel (subtitled "Zwei"), which were more like an on-rails "Starfox"-like shooters drenched in medieval atmosphere, this 1998 RPG uses the game mechanics of the first two games and employs them for (a) progress through the world map (over which you fly) and (b) a different style of dynamic turn-based fighting. Besides the obvious similarities in content, artisitc design, atmosphere, tight control, and dragon evolution, all three games also share the unfortunate trademark of being way too short; the first two "Panzer" shooters could be completed in under one hour, while this four-CD RPG can be finished in between 15-20 (depending on how hard you try to finish it and find all the secrets). But on the whole, this is a quality Saturn product that deserves the critical recognition and exposure only a Dreamcast extension could provide ("P.D.Saga" bombed at retail in Japan, selling a handful of thousands of copies... and the only reason the American version of the game is selling-out is the limited run of 6,000+ copies Sega burns every once in a while).

Part of the reason an RPG gets the blood flowing is an interesting storyline, with good guys to identify with and evil bad guys you wanna bring down. The storyline of "P.D.Saga" is both epic in scope and proportion, but also humorless and pretty dry; I'd say it is, of all RPG's I've ever played, the one that kept me the most interested until the end simply because of the consistency of the visual FMV storytelling cinemas (the main reason the game comes packed in four CD's). You're Edge, a young man working on an abandoned excavation where you come in contact with the statue of Azel, some sort of Godly woman; before you know it, the Craymen fleet attacks your crew, murders your mentor (cute and typical Disney touch) and leaves you for dead with a "Starship Troopers"-type insectoid. After you manage to survive all the initial perils, your thirst for revenge against those that took your captain's life away is assisted by a Dragon that happens to be where you land after a pretty deep fall from... you might as well find that out from the incredibly long (almost 10 minutes) FMV opening, which sets the stage for Team Andromeda's medieval RPG set in outer space (the gun Edge carries shoots some pretty crazy laser beams). So, with all of the above in mind and the hype behind the game finally dying down (remember the hysteria around the release time of this one?), does "Panzer Dragoon Saga" deliver the long-lasting goods? Or is it merely a case of supply not keeping up with unrelenting demand? And why is Stollar still at the helm of Sega of America? Questions, questions, questions!

GRAPHICS / VISUALS: B+
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About the same as the second "Panzeer Dragoon" shooter game ("Zwei"), with an incredibly detailed atmosphere that combines the medieval look and artistic design of classic console RPG's, with the magical Ian Livingstone-like element of fantasy and technology combining forces. The game moves at a steady 30 frames-per-second, rarely slows down, and has some of the best and most subtle use of transparencies and lighting effects the Saturn has come up with in software (although they might not be flashy-enough for some). When Edge flies the Dragon, the horizon appears to be popping-up at a certain distance, which isn't too visible because the game throws lots of details and locations for Edge to shoot with his gun in order to (a) find an item or (b) shoot an enemy during battle; all of this action keeps the player from noticing for too long the appearing horizon right in front of him/her. When dismounted, Edge will run around in a go-anywhere 3D environment that is reminiscent of Sony's "Spawn" game: Edge and his surroundings look blocky, boxy and move like polygon-warped stiffs; the artistic touch and the player's familiarity with certain segments of tha game (which were exported from the first two games, the same way "Mario Kart 64" borrowed several stages from the original "Super Mario 64") makes some of the games' graphical shortcomings a little more acceptable. Still, the game could have used a higher resolution than the medium one used on this game. As with most polygon-intensive Saturn games ("Sonic R", "House of the Dead", etc.), there is this disturbing clipping and flickering on the characters and structures surrounding you that is hard to ignore, especially in an RPG that demands hours of playtime and visual stimulation.

The enemies in the game are this incredible artistic combination of medieval mythology and outer-space creatures which just happen to be able to zap you with lasers, bolts, and other assorted weird bio-mechanical mumbo jumbo; wait until you get into a fight with the Nanyds, the Gigra, or the Absorbora (three enemies out of dozens). Sadly, if you aren't new to the series these enemies will mostly come as recycled elements from previous scenarios of the first two games, and that gives the new game a dated look and feel. The main problem is that the "Zwei" engine (which is the one "P.D.Saga" seems to be using) was cutting-edge and a visual masterpiece back in 1996, but in 1998 that same engine, although heavily tweaked and modified for the RPG genre, isn't in the same graphical higher-class of today's shooters ("Starfox 64", "Einhander") or RPG's ("Final Fantasy VII", "The Ganstream Saga"). If there ever was a game that needed more powerful hardware to fulfill the potential of the premise, this game and Sega's "Burning Rangers" are prime candidates (and Stollar indicated that the "Panzer Dragon" series might continue on Dreamcast). The letterboxed FMV cinemas are liberally spread throughout the game's four CD's, and they are of high-quality and compressed to an acceptable level of clarity for a Saturn game; the settings and character expressions (conveyed to American audiences via English subtitles at the bottom of the screen) move the storyline with a sense of confidence and bravado fans of the series will appreciate. Because of the need to create the game's environments on the fly, and the use of a go-anywhere 3D engine (although the linearity of the path you must take reeks of "Resident Evil"), "Panzer Dragoon Saga" is a more technically-impressive achievement than other games in the genre that relied on pre-rendered backgrounds and spells. Yes, it might not have the same history and resources, but the Sega Saturn now has two "Final Fantasy VII" killers in its RPG library (the unreleased-in-the-States "Grandia" is the other). At least the menu/option screens in "P.D.Saga" feature style and high-res characteristics that are absent from Square's game (yeah, we have the best option screen in an RPG, ever!), and feature a particular style of font and design that is wholy unique to the "Panzer Dragoon" series.

MUSIC / SOUND EFFECTS: B
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Impressive mix of tunes help set the mood for the epic level of storytelling the game aspires to achieve, with fanfarres and orchestral compositions sharing screen time with more traditional tunes that seem to use instruments of a hybrid medieval/technologically-savvy era; you'll hear an Ocarina tune every once in a while, or some sort of weird female choir that chants incoherent background lyrics... pretty cool stuff throughout all four CD's. Sound effects are decent, with the trademark sound of laser-lockings and beasts screaming (in an echo chamber?) when Edge's laser beams tears them a brand-new ass**** (ouch!). Besides the scream of the beasts and the assorted weaponery on display, there is only music heard when you fly and do battle in the world of "P.D.Saga"; Edge doesn't scream or say anything.

The only times Edge or anybody else speaks is during the FMV cinemas, in which the Japanese dialogue from the original version of the game is left intact and we must read what they are saying in subtitles (sound effects and music in these FMV segments are, needles to say, movie quality except for the occassional lip-synching goof). Many players don't mind that Sega took the subtitling shortcut with this game because it would have meant delays (on top of the many delays it took to localize the game in the first place) and the deplition of the company's thinning resources; as a fan of subtitled anime ("Sailor Moon", "Evangelion", "The Slayers"), I can appreciate the beauty of keeping original dialogue and reading the translation for atmosphere's sake. Still, it's a shame Sega couldn't keep the crew of good vocal actors it hired for "Burning Rangers" around for a couple of days and do some nice English hamming for the "P.D.Saga" game. Oh well, at least the translation is adult-in-nature (if the translated dialogue is accurate) with the slightly-muffled voices conveying emotions of anger, pain and determination quite well (unlike the tragedy that was the action/RPG "Mystical Ninja" for N64.. yuck!).

GAMEPLAY / FUN FACTOR: B
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As a gamer that doesn't consider himself an RPG fan, I found that "P.D.Saga" was a welcome relief from the tedious and monotonous routine of random fighting found in most RPG's. Sure, you're still gonna get into them random fights when you're just flying through the map (those HP and MP levels have to be built-up somehow, and the game that breaks this age-old system hasn't been developed yet), but they seem to be nicely paced and at a rate that isn't too tedious and frequent (the one glaring flaw in N64's new RPG for newbies "Quest 64", or the firt-gen "Beyond the Beyond" for PSX). It actually feels like you have covered plenty of terrain and moved ahead when a random fight takes place in "P.D.Saga", and once a level has been cleared of all enemies they will not just re-appear for the sake of re-appearing (try that on Microcabin's "Sword & Sorcery"). When Edge dismounts the Dragon and explores the land on foot, there are no fights or hostile encounters as he explores the surroundings, buys/sells items and interacts with the Dragon (which builds the beast's attachment to you and his skill levels) in 3D. This is to me a very big mistake, because it may advance the plot and prepare you for the aerial fights ahead but it takes away the tension of knowing there might be trouble ahead; these Edge dismounts amount to a rest stop on the highway to a final destination, and that ain't too exciting in my book.

The real innovation comes during the fights, which are no longer confined to the too-stupid-for-words mechanism of turn-based combat (I kick you, you kick me, we're all happily kicking each other's... dumb!). Although nowhere near the shooter frenzy of the first two shooter games, "P.D.Saga" still gives the player the freedom to move around the screen in order to (a) avoid incoming fire from the enemies and (b) calibrate your firepower to do the most damage on the enemy's potential Achiles' heels. The use of more than one life-bar (the Dragon has to have it) and the need to keep your weapons re-charged at key times adds strategy and an element of interactivity in the battles that is simply not present in games that are solidly formed on the old-style of RPG gameplay ("Wild Arms" comes to mind, as well as "Albert Odyssey"). Add to that an excellent use of the Saturn controller's layout of buttons for commands (you MUST go through the thick manual and familiarize yourself with the game mechanics as best you can), as well as support for the 3D analog control pad (more comfortable to hold during extended playtime than the standard controller), and you have as close to an interactive RPG as you can. It's the mix of old-school good-versus-evil storytelling and innovative swaping of two genres (RPG and shooter) that gives "P.D.Saga" its charm. There is even a "Dynamic Metamorphosis" feature that allows Edge to interact with the Dragon and for the beast to grow weak/strong, fast/slow, etc.; a bone thrown to the masses (in Japan at least) to accomodate the Tamagotchi fad of the moment, and testament that Team Andromeda is on par with Sega's other valuable group of internal developers.

The minuses: the linearity in which you advance from scenario to scenario is ridiculously unnecessary in a 32-bit system in which you fly... why fly when you can't go anywhere beyond where the developers want you to go? When a level/CD has been completed and all the secrets found, there isn't any incentive to go back and replay it again (by putting the CD again on the Saturn, you can just fly through the levels without fear of danger or harm), either on the same game and/or a different game from the very beginning. Add to that the briefness of the overall experience (about 15-20 hours, lots of which is consumed by memory-hungry FMV cinemas), and the notorious lack of replay-value found in most RPG's, and it all adds up to an enjoyable one-time deal with minor incentive to go back. Still...

OVERALL: B
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..as a collector's item this is a game worth buying simply because there isn't anything like the "Panzer Dragoon" games on the Saturn, or anywhere else. While Sega relied heavily on its arcade heritage ("Sega Rally", "Virtua Fighter 2", "House of the Dead") or the heritage of previous 16-bit best-sellers ("Sonic Blast", "Sonic R", "Shining the Holy Ark"), the "Panzer Dragoon" series is one of only two SATURN-EXCLUSIVE software franchises ("NiGHTS...Into Dreams" is the oher one) worth continuing with the Dreamcast because they were just too damn good on the 32-bit planet, which limited the potential of what the developers were attempting to do. Sadly there aren't too many other Saturn-exclusive franchises worth expecting on the Dreamcast, which is a testament of how badly Sega fumbled the ball with their battle against Sony: the "Bug!" series, "Scud: The Disposable Assasin", "Mr. Bones" (great soundtrack), "Three Dirty Dwarves", etc.

Get a copy of "Panzer Dragoon Saga" if you can, and get acquainted with the folks from Sega's Team Andromeda... you will hear lots of things from this folks as the Dreamcast comes closer to becoming an American console. Now, where are our localized Saturn versions of "Phantasy Star Collection" SOA?

NeXT!!!<