Dan Geeks Out: Video Game Review #440: Panzer Dragoon: Remake

Panzer Dragoon: Remake

PlayStation 4

Nostalgia Factor:

I've always been fond of the Panzer Dragoon series. It's never been my favorite series in the world, but overall I've enjoyed it. When I heard they were remaking the first game with today's graphics, my interest was immediately piqued. The original game was fun, sure, but you can't deny that the game looks a little rough by today's standards. It has potential, however, to be a freaking beautiful game if done correctly.

So, was it done correctly? Let's find out!

Story:

In my lifetime I've played through Panzer Dragoon, Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei, Panzer Dragoon Orta, and now this remake of the original game. I have all this experience with the series, and I still can't tell you a single thing about its story.

It never makes any sense to me. There's a cave, and a dragon, and the boy rides the dragon, and they see another dragon, and there's fighting, and then the action shifts to a new location, and there's fighting, and then a boss battle, and a location change, and more fighting... The characters speak in a weird, German sounding language. The game gets more and more abstract as you go. I think you're trying to race the bad dragon and stop him from entering some kind of evil tower? I don't know.

In the long run, I guess it doesn't really matter. It's all in the journey, right? I guess. I just wish I had some kind of idea what was going on. It seems like the world of this game has an interesting backstory, and I wish I was able to appreciate it fully.

Gameplay:

If you're coming into this game thinking that it is going to be any different from the original Panzer Dragoon, you can think again. Purists will probably disagree with me, but I haven't played the original game enough times to be able to detect any differences in its gameplay. To me, it's the same dang game, but with better graphics.

For those who don't know how Panzer Dragoon works, it is an on-rails shooter, similar to Star Fox or other similar games in the genre. The main thing that makes Panzer Dragoon different is how you can rotate the camera in all directions around you, allowing you to take on enemies as they come at you from all sides.

I don't have much to say about this game that I didn't already say in my original review. Go read that if you want a more detailed breakdown of the action. The only thing I really have to add is that the game felt much easier this time around. I beat the whole thing on my first attempt. I might have died once or twice the entire game.

Graphics:

This game looks tremendous. I can only imagine that this must have been the original vision for Panzer Dragoon. Now they are no longer limited by the restraints of technology. The colors, the landscapes, the characters - everything just pops off the screen. This is a very beautiful game to look at. The enemies are varied in size and scope.

While some people may dismiss the original Panzer Dragoon because of its dated graphics, they won't make the same mistake here. The mystical and mysterious world of the game is brought to life in a way that everyone can appreciate.

Sound:

The original version of Panzer Dragoon has a terrific musical score, and I'm glad to say it's been brought over to this game flawlessly. If anything, it is an improvement! Go listen to this game's soundtrack on YouTube or something if you aren't familiar with it. It is one of a kind, and really suits this game's sweeping, mysterious adventure perfectly.

The only thing I didn't like about this game's sound is the annoying noise your dragon makes when it takes damage. It gets old fast.

Overall:

I enjoyed my time with this game. Unfortunately, it wasn't a very long time. This game is very, very easy to beat. Like I said, I completed the whole thing on one attempt. It took me less than an hour and a half to beat, and that is being generous.

I do like the game. It's fun. It's beautiful. The music is great. But it's such a short experience! I don't remember the original game being such a pushover. And once you beat this game, there is little reason to play it again. The sequel has multiple branching paths and different routes you can take to beat the game. This one is as linear as it gets.

I don't regret playing this game, but that is because I didn't buy it. I only rented it through Game Fly. I simply can't imagine paying full price for a game that barely lasts a little over an hour and has no replay value whatsoever. That's like dishing out 40 or 50 bucks for one episode of a TV show.

I can't endorse this game as anything more than a rental. If you can get it for like five dollars or something, and you are a HUGE Panzer Dragoon fan, it might be worth it. I'm just having a really difficult time even justifying the price of a rental. I literally finished this in one playthrough, the first night I got it, and was done with it and sent it back.

I gave the original Panzer Dragoon a B+. Maybe it was just the nostalgia talking, but to me the remake is not a B+ game. Which is weird, because I feel it improves upon the original in nearly every way. Why am I so down on it, then? I don't know. It's just okay. And that's it. While I feel the original Panzer Dragoon is an important part of gaming history and should be played by everyone who has the means to do so, I can't say the same about this one.

THE GRADE:

40th Birthday Mop Up Duty Celebration Tour:

1982 reviews:

1983:

1984:

Frogger II: Threedeep!