Unlike Panzer Dragoon Saga that had successfully pivoted into the role-playing genre before this, Panzer Dragoon Orta returns to its rail shooter roots. Simplicity is another thing that this game gets from its predecessors. It may be a universe that draws inspiration from some rather obvious sources, but it doesn’t stop the world of Panzer Dragoon from feeling unique. It also helps that the art style and world-building continues to be so classy. Orta’s battle against the evil Empire follows a fairly stock pattern, though the story beats are integrated well. The tale is told in-game and through the occasional cutscene, but the text-based narration comes across as very dry. The story here is admittedly hard to get into at first. Bonding quickly with her new mount, Orta rides into battle against an army of warships and draconic clones, just as a mysterious life form emerges with sinister motives of its own. But before I get equally far ahead of myself, here’s the plot:Īs a belligerent Empire armed with ancient technology seeks to expand its rule, a young girl named Orta is rescued from certain death by an armoured dragon. This is a very special experience that combines the brutal playability of old school shooters with presentation so pristine, it almost feels an entire generation ahead of its time. It’s no secret by now that Panzer Dragoon Orta is one of my favourite games ever. Whilst it’s a little sad that the Dreamcast couldn’t survive long enough to receive Panzer Dragoon Orta, there is a feeling that its supreme quality could only have been properly realised on Xbox.
Exclusives like Jet Set Radio Future and Gunvalkyrie had already found a home on Microsoft’s powerhouse, but in 2003, Sega’s Panzer Dragoon series would finally make its big return to EU markets. At this point I was firmly entrenched in the Xbox camp, as I awaited the releases that Sega had originally previewed for their Dreamcast. As I pointed out in my retrospective for Legacy of Kain: Defiance, 2003 was an odd year.
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