A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away…
Not really. Let’s just say that in 1995, for the launch of the ever glorious Sega Saturn (still part of a galaxy!) a little gem came out by the brilliant minds at Team Andromeda. It was an on-rail shooter, all the rage back then, in which the player would ride a blue Dragon and would have to blast through 6 arcade stages, trying to prevent their nemesis, the Black (Prototype) Dragon to reach the Tower in the Capital City.
Now, some 25 and some change years later, a small miracle happened, with the guys at Megapixel Studio and Forever Entertainment releasing a remake of what was and still is considered one of the Sega Saturn’s most egregious games.
Onto the actual game now. The graphic compartment has received a deep, full, makeover. Mind you, this isn’t a remaster, this is a remake, so everything has been completely rebuilt and in some cases redrawn from the ground up. We have to admit that the end result is just a little short of stunning. While on the original version the very first level was surely evocative but definitely lacking in details, this remake turns the knob to 11 on pretty much everything. The waterway you follow during this first mission is now composed of falling pillars left from another civilization and crumbling buildings all surrounded by this vast canyon with vegetation growing on the edges of cliffs. It’s a very, VERY major change from the original’s seemingly infinite watery landscape.

Panzer Dragoon’s (and the remake’s) gameplay is actually very simple. You control your dragon and the aiming reticle in front of it by using the left analog stick, and use B to shoot. If you press the button a single time, you shoot with the rider’s gun, while holding the button and hovering the aiming reticle onto the enemies will let you lock-on to them. The moment you release the button, the dragon will shoot bursts of energy towards those targets. You also have (like in the original) the ability to rotate the camera around you using the L and R buttons, giving you the chance to destroy enemies behind you or to the sides. Very simple, very arcade, very addictive.

So: great graphics, fun gameplay… is Panzer Dragoon Remake perfect? Unfortunately it’s not, just like the original. The gameplay is sweet, but sadly is a bit too simplistic in this day and age (although we agree with the dev’s choice to not alter it) and also, the game severely lacks in longevity. Panzer Dragoon is a game that, even on harder difficulties (there’s 3 to choose from) suffers from being very short. Veteran players can breeze through it in a little over a couple hours. Continuing with the negatives, there are definitely issues with the game, in particular with some of the imputs. Whenever trying to rotate the camera using the L and R shoulder buttons, there’s definitely some delay to the action. Sadly the same issue happens when trying to lock onto enemies by using the B button. Also, during the time we spent reviewing the game, the framerate sometimes stuttered or downright dropped. Should all this prevent you from enjoying it?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! First of all, all these issues can and will probably be patched out at some point. Nothing should hold you back from enjoying this little gem. Is it short? Surely, but think about it: the Switch is also a handheld console if needed, and this game is just perfect for that little break at work, or whenever you need a quick fix of arcade action! Is the gameplay simple? Yes once again, and the same criteria as above still applies. Nothing majorly complicated to wrap your head around. Games become revered classics for a reason, you know?

In the end, all things considered, we’re absolutely loving this remake of a legendary classic. The guys at Megapixel Studio managed to recreate the feeling of the original, adapting it to the very demaning palate of newer audiences. Everything in Panzer Dragoon worked back then and works again today: The Mobius-inspired visuals, the arcade gameplay, the lore of the world, the foreboding alien feeling permeating the whole game…
If these are the premises, we already can’t wait for the remake of Panzer Dragoon Zwei!

POWER-RATING:
8.9/10
“A trip down memory lane, a great homage to a timeless classic”

PROS:
-HD graphics look PHENOMENAL
-Fun arcade action
-The world of PZD is as charming, alien and misterious as ever

CONS:
– A bit too short
-No added features over the 1995 original
-Framerate and imput-lag issues

*Review copy provided by the Publisher
*Tested using the Hori Horipad for Nintendo Switch