Edit: My final statement of the Remake since its 1.3 update. facebook.com/367677680320561/posts/913537622401228/ ------------------------------------------------------------------ Some of you may agree with my opinions, some of you may very well not. But before you go spamming my comments one way or the other, why not let the developer know first. Forever Entertainment and Mega Pixel have both reached out to the community, and want to know your thoughts. So head to the link provided here, or in the about section, and let them know. I want this game to be the best iteration of Panzer Dragoon to date, but that can’t happen if we don’t voice our concerns. With that out of the way, feel free to spam me now, just realize my filters probably caught that comment that you think I deleted. twitter.com/PanzerDragoonRE/status/1243550254802374656
Let's share the "official" spreadsheet of PDR,where fans can make their observation about the remake: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MPHB_aRPYzqNktBIEbnmQ1nMPlNi9TIfsSreSDmGQig/edit#gid=1120747282 Make your voice count,we deserve a better game!
Love the brutal honesty here, totally agree with you SSG, especially on Sega's Twitter team celebrating a rival companies mascot (Mario) above it's own IP anniversaries like this, an absolute disgrace that says it all really about how Sega see's itself these days.
I am so hopeful that the developers are listening to the fans, and while I took a much more positive approach to my review, I respect every word you penned here. Good job, bro.
Honestly, for constructive criticism, go play Panzer Dragoon Orta. Feel the controls and notice how quick and snappy everything is. This is the way that your game should have been, but I honestly don't think you have the skill nor knowledge as how to pull something like that off. That's not to take a jab at you either, it just shows you that experience really is important to making a product that is memorable. I don't think your team is that experienced. I want you to prove me wrong ForeverEntertainment. I want Panzer Dragoon II Zwei to be the best choice out of them all. I want you to make something so good, that I don't feel that I need to go back to the older version. Please, prove me wrong, please.
I really liked the remake, and I think people look back on the original Panzer Dragoon with rose-tinted glasses. It really wasn't THAT great. It's technically groundbreaking, but way too short, very difficult, and just controls clunky. I honestly thought your version improved on it somewhat -- especially in the graphics. Now, when do we get a remake of Panzer Dragoon Zwei, the best rail shooter ever made?
It seems to me that far too many developers have espoused an attitude of "we can patch it later" and release incomplete or broken games. While I realize deadlines exist and things happen, I don't feel it excuses a game coming out in such a state. It's insulting to consumers and because so many people just want something new, very few of them will speak up about it. Killer review, man! Glad to see you back at it!
It's so much worse factoring in Nintendo's slow, decades old practices. The game was supposed to launch with the patch we got on April 3rd as a day-one patch, but because of Nintendo's slow ass, it took almost a week, which was just enough time for the mainstream to completely forget about this game. It's not even a great improvement, it adds in the rearranged soundtrack and changes the SFX, and that's about it, but fuck is it irritating to see Nintendo fuck over yet another third party game with their archaic ways. I love their games and hardware, but when it actively hurts both developers and consumers, that's bullshit.
I think Smilebit really was a dream team. Also, to be sincere, since the first 5 seconds watching the first trailer of this remake i kind of already knew this would happen. Also every one of us wants the Limited Run edition out of pure BLIND devotion. Thanks for your words, SSG. We really need to rethink our roles.
Really been looking forward to this, SSG! We need to hear the good and the bad, so never apologize for your honest opinion. Also, welcome back! It's so weird to me that this released with no fanfare at all. It just dropped and flew under the radar for so many people. I am hoping Zwei does better and is handled with more care. That's what I'm looking forward to most.
Thanks for the honest review. I was in the "support it so we get more" boat till you talked about how bad the controls are. I would hate for that treatment to be given to other games in the franchise.
Sega used to be the absolute Kings of gaming. Why? Because they actually tried. These days, they've taken their beatings and they've laid down their arms. Simply put, they no longer out passion before profit. Heart breaking. The best retro revival stuff these days, comes from the fans.
I was 14 when I chose a Saturn over a playstation, so this game means the world to me! You nailed the nail on the head. You cant be content with a remake, just for the sake that it's being remade. It needs to THOUGHTFULLY remade. The more i think about this remake, the more let down I've become. I've never complained about input delay in my life, and the lock on mechanic is simply horrible in that regard. I'll never buy another game from this develiper.
Man, oh man... Where do I begin. 1. I always look forward to your content, and this video delivers on what I've come to know from you and takes it to deeper level. I appreciate your perspective, how well thought out as well as carefully crafted it is. You delivered in such a way that has become a rarity as of late in regards to video game media. You covered a wide range of bases in regards to what they got right with this iteration and highlighted even more with context scaffold by the history we commonly ignore. 2. I am glad to see a review that does it's best to deliver on details and specifics ranging from the technical to the very personal. I also enjoyed Sega Master X's review as well and glad you both didn't score it with a number. The norm has become to hold a game to a numerical value rather than getting to know the reviewer and being able to gauge interest in contrast to myself and the reviewer to make the most worth while purchase. Needless to say I find a lot of games rated from 4-7 to be some of my all time favorites despite their shortcomings. 3. You made me realize how wrong I have become and how negligent I am with my support. I am a fan of Sega's history and this video highlights as much, that I too am not fond of how they handle themselves in the present. Shenmue 3 was a veil that clouded my judgement and I know now more than ever the events that led to me supporting this game. I am thankful for you challenging my sense of brand loyalty when the brand hasn't been too loyal to itself. I thought they needed my support when in reality with all things, if you want it done right, well you know the rest. I feel more foolish for the fact that I bought this game just for the HOPE that they would re-release Zwei. I luckily own Saga so, yeah. Thank you SGG, keep keeping on.
I had the original back in '95. I knew as soon as I saw the remake it looked almost like a mobile game. Why these companies continue to bury these IP's with terrible remakes is beyond fatham...
I really wanted to dive into this game like the original back in the day. I read in an interview with the devs a few months ago that the only changes they wanted to make were to "appeal to a younger and wider audience". This was an instant red flag for me. Nothing against younger audiences but when they say "wider audience", to me that meant the difficulty was probably going to be toned down to make it accessible to more players. Oddly enough, it sounds like the controls are a complete wreck.
Sega really need to learn how to pace their projects, it's not the first time this happens to one of their games. Sonic O6 may be the worst offender of a very rushed game, but there are others.
They could fix input lag they fixed several games with input lag as well as dead zone hopefully they're listening I ordered a physical copy of this game.
This review was absolutely perfect. I could tell immediately from the first footage that so much was off about this remake and even expressed my worries and fears about it. Some series just simply can't be remade at a whim or given a budget that doesn't mirror its original. Panzer Dragoon is a series unlike any other and just handing it out to a random developer was never going to do it justice. The worst part now is that we'll probably never see another official attempt at it; this is the remake we have now and as for me, I'll stick with my Saturn original. Subbed.
There's a lot of bold statements that you make in the video, but you're very articulate with and explain your positions well. And whether it's about the faithfulness to the '95 original, the fandom's rush to defend what is clearly not the best we could have gotten, and Sega abandoning their properties to other companies, it's very, very hard to argue against any of what you've said in the video. It's honest and genuine, and as far as I'm concerned, you're completely spot on, and I think what you've said is what a lot of us out there are thinking but haven't said, either because we don't want to get into flamewars or because we don't think it'll make any difference. If there's one thing I do disagree on, it's that the graphical facelift looks amazing. I do think it looks better in some respects, but it loses a lot of its personality as well, especially when such an inspiring art direction is crucial to this series. I personally think it's too vibrant and saturated, and while the devs said they were going to change some things in hopes to draw in a wider audience, we've seen several games embrace cold and desolate atmospheric tones, even recently with indie games, and succeed regardless. I found myself concerned by the opening cinematic alone, as some shots were set up to make things more suspenseful in the original, many of them are just completely gone and replaced with erratic camera shots in the remake. After that was a mixed bag. I dig the look of the final battle, though. And as eager as people are for a Saga remake, I don't know if it's worth it. I'd rather have Sega figure out how to do emulated Saturn ports than have a low quality remake that loses everything that made the original so damn good. When you need to do a remake, you can't just give it pretty graphics and call it a day. You need to capture the same atmosphere and tone and build upon what made the original great, something I feel is sorely lacking in the remake. As much as I love this series and even bought a Switch for this game, I just can't get behind this as it currently is. Solid review, though. Very impressed.
Appreciate the lengthy comment man. Yeah, the art direction is most certainly different, and I can see why some may not like it. Personal preference and all.
I haven't invested in this remake as of yet and in hearing of the input lag I'm out straight off the bat. Thank you for your honesty here as you nailed everything about why I don't buy Sega's remakes apart from the recent Virtua Racing release. This is my first watch of your content and it's a instant subscription. Many thanks.
Love the review man. I liked the game but after playing it and completing it acouple of times i found myself playing the sega orignal. Awesome to see you making vids bro
This company did the business work to make this happen so I am appreciative. If they fix the controls/lock on quickly in a patch I will purchase and sign up for the sequel and saga. If they don't I will pretend this doesn't exist.
Man, how lucky I was today to find your channel on twitter... I had doubts about buying or not the game becose I never played it and it loocked pretty nice, but when you started talking and showing all... I knew that I was in for a ride. This video was truly very helpful for me and showed me how really bad are things with SEGA and this type of "retro content". Not only I learned new things but you showed me the goods and the bads... TYSM for this video
I cannot agree with this more, I purchased the Limited Run edition too and I am holding off for that to play. I am glad someone like you has the balls to be critical where it counts, I agree with everything here. Also. Welcome back my dude. I hope all is well with you and your family!
Maan the switch is really doing great thesedays wish I could afford one. Shame they didn't include a copy of the original game along with the new version even if it was emulated.
Remakes should always come with the original packed in, especially a very old game that would take up little space. It's great for old fans who may want to actually play the original for nostalgia. It's great for new players who can see the difference/upgrade. And because it is the original version of the game it just makes sense as an obvious extra. It's a little like when a film comes out on DVD and it's just the film - you can easily put the trailers on as an extra no matter what the film is.
I turned the aiming lock on sensitivity down to 50 which is half speed cause it kept skipping targets. I've never done anything like that in a game before. I also feel like I can't shoot fast enough. Like some button presses don't register.
You have a great take on things. As well as all the points that you raised. I'm not really too happy with the visuals. It's too clean. So much of the original aesthetic depended upon subtle visual suggestions. This version just feels artificial (plastic) in comparison to the gritty, low-poly and enigmatic original. It has lost the magic. You hit the nail on the head when you asked "Why didn't Sega develop the remake themselves?"
Some modern games are strange, it's like they dont get play tested by gamers. (Just people paid to find bugs). The number 1 priority with any game has got to be it's fun. If the controls get in the way, they have to be changed. The original was only 20fps, but played very smooth and responsive.
Thank you so much for this perspective. You're the first person to voice my suspicions about the game. I was really hoping for something with a larger sense of scale and better lighting. I mean, just looking at it, you can tell the distance between the dragon and an enemy ship or the ground isn't really to scale. And being so high up in the sky, I was hoping see more bloom and bleached lighting effects. Everything in the game looks made out of play-dough.
Nice video. I was excited to pick this up and even moreso when I saw the Limited Run version with the classic longbox. Now I feel like I would be paying good money for a lesser version on top of paying a premium just to have a replica case. Nostalgia is powerful. I definitely dont care about getting more remakes in the series if this is what we should expect to receive.
The most heart felt, articulate and true synopsis of the series and just what makes it so special I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. Top stuff SSG
My grandfather passed away a few years ago and there were 3 games he introduced me to, DOOM, Diablo, and Panzer series, I was excited to get this game and let down by everything you have mentioned, I agree with you in every way, the controls and delays are BRUTAL, I remember playing this on PC with much more ease and we only had WASD not 360 sticks so when I got it I was really looking forward to destroying again, and due to poor controls and delays I have been let down and my joyful memories with my grand father died....much like my hope in this being amazing again, I really wish they would find a way to fix it
I‘m a first hour Panzer Dragoon Saturn Freak. Heel i bought the Japanese Saturn for it. I agree the lag (L/R)is terrible. Avoiding Shots is also very difficult(size dragon/ up and down movement)The 3 D Cursor System is much worse then the Saturn single cursor. But with practice you can get used to it. I hate the sound of the gun. But i still like that they implemented the screen tilt that was missing in the first videos. Artstyle is also quite good! Except Stage 4....looks like Disco. Okay Moebius Artstyle would have been perfect. Still much work has been put in this game from the developer. This should be respected.Hopefully they fix a few things. Don’t unterstand why control is not inverted from the beginning. Or why you cant combine modern controls (Dragon inverted/cursor normal). I think you are very harsh but i understand and respect your opinion!
I expect people to feel that I'm harsh, but I'm not the only one who feels theis way. Thank you for the respectful comment, I expected much worse from the community if I'm being honest.
I will send them this feedback. Maybe they improve the game. I swear i played the first game on shield 1 day before the release...funny. Probably to make a perfect remake the polish guys had to use the original engine. Lets hope part 2 will improve...
Just played it on switch and I have never played the original. I'm glad to hear your opinion on the game, it was exactly what I was feeling when playing and wondering what the original was like. Thanks so much for making this video!
I was actually recommended to come see this from another TH-camr because of your honesty. I have not played this game yet, but after seeing both of your reviews on this, I'm right in the middle when it comes to purchasing this game. I heard it was coming to PS4 as well but I don't know for sure. It would definitely be the system I'd get it for. You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about Sega, so I will subscribe to check you out some more. So far, I'm impressed.
Dude you nailed it. The retro gaming community has blind devotion to the extreme, and *only* because games are retro. There are people calling for a Panzer Dragoon Saga remake just because it's an RPG! It's not even a true continuation of the rail shooter series that started it all! Now, you tell me how a game that has 7000 English NTSC copies generates so much fanfare over the other games? Fact of the matter is, that fanfare comes from people who never even played the game. They just heard someone else say it's good, and they found out it was an RPG, so it must be good because it's a Japanese made game with dragons in it. Then that praise gets repeated over and over in a bubble and suddenly it's on this pedestal of perfection after X amount of years. Blind devotion is such crap.
I had heard for years that Saga was this mind blowing RPG so I finally got a Pseudo cart and gave it a go. It's a decent middle of the road RPG, Chrono Trigger it is not or even a Final Fantasy. People put it on such a high pedestal that I compare it to Earthbound, a game NO ONE bought but suddenly the retro community calls the best RPG ever made and it's just not. I told Sega Lord X on his Facebook that I refuse to eat crap (cleaned it up) just because a game is from Sega or is associated with the Panzer Dragoon series, games need to be good.
It's true there's a bit of blind worship of Saga because it's so hard to obtain and a "swan song" for Saturn, RPGs are more popular with the mainstream as well. I didn't grow up with Saga and have played through it. I had also seen the claims that it was a masterpiece and one of the best RPGs, for an RPG it's a very good game and there hasn't been any game since that plays quite like it I think most of its reputation is earned, I could go on and on about why it's so great but it's all been said before many times. I can see why it seems like the franchise is being overshadowed by the high praise it gets, it doesn't make the others any less great, Zwei and maybe orta are also "mindblowing" If you prefer the rail shooter gameplay you'll probably enjoy those more.
Why do you think I'm talking about sales? I'm talking about number of copies *produced*. Saga gets so much overwhelming praise that overshadows the other games - from people who have never played the game. And purely because it's an RPG. A notoriously underproduced game, on a notoriously unpopular console (in the wake of FFVII), accounting for those who never completed the game and lost their copies/threw them away, and loved by people born in the mid to late 90s, who weren't even in kindergarten by the time it was released? Yeah, that's blind devotion. You love it - great. I'm happy for you. But Saga absolutely garners praise from people who never even went near it, and being an RPG is a huge part of that. I guarantee it.
Hugh Ang I love it I played it back it in the day still have my copy. It’s a fantastic game and I do like it better then most of the snes square games. I’m not a blind fanboy to any of it. People can just have different tastes and opinions. I think earthbound is hot garbage but I don’t go around on earthbound videos bringing negativity to their parade.
This is one of the best fan reviews of a game I've ever seen. It's brutally honest not just about the game, but the state of Sega/retro fandom. I was going to buy this game until I heard about the issues with the controls. I'm tired of buying into what are essentially test versions of a game. I don't want to be a game tester, and I don't want to be part of some charity in the hopes that Sega gets back on track. Like you said, SSG, that Sega is dead and doesn't seem to care about those old franchises. I honestly couldn't care less about a Panzer Dragoon Saga remake, as I can emulate that game right now. Why would I care about a PD Saga remake, when product like this latest remake is what we're getting? For anyone out there wanting to play Saga, search the internet archive for a copy, then download Retroarch and use the Beetle Saturn core. You'll have to fiddle with some extra stuff to be able to make your save work across the multiple disks, but it's a small hassle. The myth that Saturn emulation is impossible needs to die. SSG, could you please do a video on the topic of Saturn emulation in 2020? There are still so many people who believe that it's some sort of unicorn.
Man I feel what you talked about at the end of the vid. I run into the same attitude with shmups where I got attacked personally as being "arrogant" for giving an accurate review to a horrible psikyo port collection.
It gets pretty wild with some of the responses I've gotten over my time on this platform. I mean yeah, I'm pretty passionate about games, but there comes a point where you just have to step away.
With a (short) gamedev background, I would say we have enough coders and artists that LOVE PD and Moebius' work and are now part of the industry since decades. It is more complicated then that.
I have Orta for the OG Xbox, and the unlockable PC version of Panzer Dragoon plays pretty close to the original Saturn version. I tried playing this version, you sir are absolutely correct. The controls are indeed broken.
I completely agree with EVERYTHING that you said, The Southern Sega Gentlemen. Everything from the developers, to the fans, and to the community. Nothing you said was wrong at all. EVERYONE should contact the developers and ask them to patch this game. That sounds like what needs to happen.
Sega should've hired Bluepoint Games or M2 for the remaster, they both have a great track record in such endeavors. I guess this particular remaster was done on a shoestring budget. I'm holding out for a fully patched up 4K 60fps Xbox One X version🤞
So basically, it's like Sonic 4. A game with mechanics that pale in comparison to those of the originals made a quarter century prior. A new coat of paint over a decaying skeleton that Sega killed off long ago.
I was ever hopeful for this, but I held my reservations. Having owned a switch since damn near launch, I had a feeling they were gonna drop the ball somewhere. I'll definitely stick to my Saturn for this one.
I wasn't able to play due to me being a 1 or 2 year old baby (I'm tied more to the Dreamcast), but when my family got a Saturn, our library consisted of NiGHTS into dreams, Sonic 3D Blast, Virtua Fighter Remix and VF2, Virtua Cop 2, Daytona USA, Bug!, Clockwork Knight, and Tomb Raider, but we never had or played any of the Panzer Dragoon games (or Orta for the OG Xbox). I remember playing a game called Crimson Dragon for Xbox One back in the console's early life and it played a lot like Panzer, but that didn't look nearly as cool as the game it borrows from. Other than that, it was cool to see the series acknowledged in Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed with a race track. I was actually looking forward to the remake with baited breath as I would finally be able to play this Saturn classic with improved controls and modern graphics. But then the reviews spotlighting the attention to the control problems made me second guess my day one purchase. I'd love to finally play the Panzer Dragoon remake if they iron out the issues with the necessary patches and updates and hopefully do the same with Zwei and Saga, anything so I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for a Saturn and the games off Amazon or eBay. Also, **clicks subscription box** I like your passion. And your southern accent.
Appreciate the sub and the compliment. There's been a number of updates to the remake since launch, I generally hate going back to cover updates though. That said, improvement have been made. I still don't feel it's on par with the original control wise, or even in regards to performance. But some people obviously enjoy it very much now, so maybe take a look at some more current or updated reviews since around the beginning of August.
I really hope they can tune the controls with a patch. The controls and lock on mechanics + rapid fire shooting need fixing. If those are done right it will be one of the best remasters ever
Glad to see you are back to making fantastic videos! Thanks for the review. I really wish I had held off on getting Panzer Dragoon Remake until I saw your video. I had the same problems with it you did. I also agree with you that I hope that patch it and make it a better game, but the damage seems like its already been done. Keep up the great work sir!
im under 25 n i can tell u i OWN a saturn with panzer 1 n 2, virtua cop n virtua fighter. i have a genesis with 45 games. vapor trail being a personal favorite
Hopefully they'll address complaints with a patch. But! They're taking the criticism from this game and will be applying it to the remake for the second game. They also hope to remake Saga. *well I guess I should of read the pinned comment lol*
I'm glad you're making videos again bro- It's been too long! Whilst I've not played the game yet, I agree with almost all of your analysis of Sega as a company, outside of one point. You said that you think Sega of old aren't there anymore, which is largely true. However, there must be some element left that respects the legacy, as shown in the RGG or Yakuza games. Those are absolutely filled wiith throw-backs to the arcade legacy and really keep the spirit of old Sega within the gameplay core. I'd argue the Yakuza games (from 0 at least) have felt like the most Sega thing to me since the Dreamcast, with the exception of Sonic Mania of course. My hope going forward is that Streets of Rage 4 is up to standard. I think it's a far more important game than Panzer Dragoon (for as much time as I put into the originals, I've always felt Rez did the gameplay style better), especially here in the UK where Streets of Rage and the sequels were as commonly owned and known as the Sonic games. I realise we're only a little island, but I believe most of Europe experienced the same. Anyway, now you're at home, Dead or Alive follow up eh?
I actually purchased the LRG PS4 copy of SOR4. I'm really hoping it does justice to the franchise man. SOR is easily my favorite beat'em up on the Genesis, hell I keep SO2 in my genesis unless I wanna play something 🤣 All I can say on DOA is that I'm gonna try man. I dont actually want to say what will be finished and what won't. Seems like everytime I do, something happens and screws my plans up.
@@TheSouthernSegaGentleman I've also bought the LRG PS4 version of SOR4- the classic version which with postage has set me back £70! Which is a lot for a game that may only take a couple of hours to finish, but if those hours are as good as any on the other SOR games then I'm more than happy with that. If they aren't, I may just have to write my own huge complaint letter. No pressure for the DOA vids- It's just a series that I love that never seems to be covered for it's awesome gameplay, by other people who love it, only by those pointing out how absurd the microtransactions have become. Most important thing is stay safe bro.
I feel you are right to demand better for your hard earned money! I have always felt fans do the best work! I would love to see some skilled people take a crack at Saga!!
I agree with many of your points, the lag when switching the camera is due to it responding to you releasing the shoulder buttons instead of when pressing them. Whilst the dead zone on Switch controllers is awful, I've had exactly the same issues with Doom 2016. I'm not overly familiar with the original but have played Zwei a lot and this plays nowhere near as well as that game
You said it man. I'm not a retro gamer, I like retro games. I'm also someone who has plenty of reason to love this game but I'm really tired of the nostalgic cash grabs. If it's not good it simply isn't good, and that's that. No amount of wishful thinking and warm fuzzies will make this a good game. Thank's for saving me the price on this one, I will stick to my original. And speaking of originals that I'm sticking to, I'm looking at you HARD Resident Evil 3.
Part of me really wants the Limited Run physical release, because even though I rarely play the original, I want to support anything that puts the Saturn back in the public consciousness. But my gut is just telling me no, especially since now is the time to be careful with money. I’ve seen some complaints about “is a remake really necessary?” But from what I understand, straight ports of Saturn games are basically impossible without issues. It’s too bad this remake isn’t very good, though.
Totally agree man! This was my similar sentiment towards Shenmue III, and even Yu San recently echoed the same issues you brought up with it. It's great that SEGA is at least allowing these games to be made, but I think they should put some financial/labor muscle behind them instead of these small amateur studios doing all the work. It's tarnishing the franchise's legacies.
Thank you for mentioning this, people are so easily convinced by mediocrity indeed.. I think Panzer Dragoon as a franchise needs a reboot, not a remake. I like to fly my dragon anywhere i like without being railed among the stages.. But no, that´s something Sega could ever do.
Really hoping the Steam port fixes most of the grievances. When I'd heard it came out, I immediately checked my Steam wishlist but was dismayed to see it still said "coming soon" and only released on Switch.
Update 1.3 for Panzer Dragoon: Remake is now available! After the successful launch of the Panzer Dragoon: Remake, with your support we were able to work on a next big update for the game! This one brings a ton of new features and fixes frequently asked for by the community! The update is now live EU, NA and AU regions - unfortunately, the Japanese version still waits for Nintendo evaluation, we will announce when it is ready! Your feedback and patience were amazing - big THANK YOU to you all! 🐉♥️ Please read the full patch note below: 📋Changes in v1.3 ⭐️NEW: - Episode 0 - Super Weapon Mode - New gameplay options: rumble, classic reticle, auto-aim zoom, HUD toggle, performance mode (60FPS) - Cheatcodes in the main menu allowing the player to cheat in a campaign (god mode, infinite credits, super weapon mode) - Gyroscope controls 🛠️IMPROVEMENTS - SFX system and sounds rework - Multi-button fire (A and B) *****- Input lag removed from all actions ***** - Camera rotation speed increased - Easier and more responsive targeting system - Full options access trough pause menu - Blue Dragon motion re-work - Start language based on console account language - New, reworked Pandora's Box is now available after beating the game at any difficulty
Panzer Dragoon has so much potential. I mean, watch The Mandalorian and tell me the atmospheres aren't similar? A tv show or a series of blockbusters taking place in that world would be amazing. And don't let me even start about an open-world game like Mad Max or RDR2. Shame on Sega for not believing in its own IP.
I'm really sorry to hear that you didn't like this remake, but what you said rings true. Nobody should ever support any game just because it's financial success, or lack thereof, might decide the fate of a future game. "Fear of missing out" is a doomed consumerism mindset that companies have exploited before. Besides, from what I've heard, Mega Pixel and Forever Entertainment are already on board to remake Panzer Dragoon II Zwei anyway regardless of the financial or critical success of their first remake, and the original versions of Saga and Orta won't go away just because they might not be remade or may have poor remakes. I'm just glad that the people in charge here are at least welcoming feedback, but in this case, it might've been better if they put out a free demo or beta of Panzer Dragoon and then opened themselves up for feedback, like what Bravely Default 2 will do soon, instead of committing to a full release first and then promising to patch issues later. That being said, as someone who's only had very limited exposure to the original and never had the pleasure of playing it's sequels yet, I am still somewhat curious about the remake and don't intend to judge it too harshly or give any substantial feedback until I've played it for myself, and maybe spent some more time with the original for comparison's sake. I really hope the remake improves later or at least that I like it.
Why would people want a remake of Saga when the budgets and time constraints behind this probably won't be enough? Even though Saga is the one I enjoyed the most I wouldn't forget about Zwei, I played the games in order and certain aspects of the first two ended up paying off in that game, Saga just wouldn't be the same if the rest of the series didn't exist, there's more to the franchise than just one game.
You make excellent points. I only briefly played the remake after I bought it, and my impressions were a bit mixed, but mostly glad it existed. I actually thought the graphics were just ok. Nothing stellar, I actually think Panzer Dragoon Orta looks better and that game is almost 20 years old now. Regardless, the game looks good, it just could have looked a lot better if it used UE4. It has been a long time since I played the original PD so I didn't know if the sluggish control was true to the original or not, but now I know it isn't. I played another episode just now, and I agree with your criticism. It is sluggish, and the modern control scheme doesn't work right. Mashing the trigger button doesn't work, it should have had autofire and a separate button to fire homing lasers. That combined with the input delay make the modern scheme worse than the original set up. There's still no patch for this game. That's extremely disappointing. Despite it all though, I am glad it exists. Or to quote that Kenji Inafune translator, "It's better than nothing" XD. But seriously, I don't hate it. It just could have been so much better.
I do not agree with much of your criticism, but you definitely sound passionate about Panzer Dragoon, and I can respect that. I have spent the last two weeks jumping back and forth between the Saturn and the Switch remake, and I am floored over and over again with what this team was able to do without the source code. The love for the source material is clear in every animation, and I feel the game plays quite well. I have seen a lot of people upset about the delay when switching views, but to be honest, my personal feeling is the same on the saturn. It takes a half second on both to switch camera views, I have tried to feel out a difference, but I really do not know why so many people are concerned about this. Maybe it has something to do with the frame rate difference between the games, that it somehow does not "feel" as long on the Saturn, because the overall framerate is lower and choppier. But in terms of timing, I have found that the switch to side and back is identical on both versions. The only critique that I can definitely get behind is the atrocious load times between levels, seems strange given that the game is definitely not taxing the switch, or at least should not tax the system.
Sega simply needs to try. They need to STOP with Sonic for a while and actually get to work on their other franchises and get them known again. I have high hopes for SOR4 because even though it's not the original developers the behind the scenes videos they are showing oozes with love and care they are putting into the game - adding Yuzo Koshiro (and friends) for the soundtrack as well is perfection. However this should not be the case for ONE game, this should be the potential for ALL future games from Sega. Put the work in.
They HAVE stopped with Sonic for a while, though. The last non-spinoff game was the incredibly lackluster Forces from back in 2017. There's really been nothing of note since then, not even any announced game on the horizon to look forward to. This is perhaps the first time in the past 20 years or so that I'd say they really ought to do something with Sonic, especially to course correct after Forces.
Lets remember the original source code is lost forever. . so the new programmers had to work with what they had. . . though. . .the game needs more polishing, lets hope they will make it work.
I love this game and I played the original games.. If the source code is lost forever and it’s an important element to the game? Wouldn’t it be extremely hard to replace something important that’s missing? The remake definitely feels different from the original and I feel a huge amount of that difference has something to do with the missing original source code! Unless it turns up it’s going to be a big challenge to mirror remakes to the original with a modern twist added in no? I no longer have my old system and the games because an asshole sold it and trying to buy it back would be next to impossible for me! Now if they can find a way to recreate the missing source code? That would be great! When I play the game on the switch yes! I notice big time there’s a difference between the original and this remake but, at the same time it at least gives me a chance to play the game and I am still enjoying it myself even though I do miss my old games!
Well spoken and from the heart! Dude you have a shot on youtube to get noticed and spread the word! Passion in what you said and you did it in a very calm and factual way. You didnt force opinions you made points. Seriously loved this vid. I have never commented on a video other than once before. Thanks for the experience and looking foward to watching more!
You made some extremely valid points in this video, Sam 🖒 I haven't played this (I don't own a switch) but I 100% agree with your comments regarding Sega, remakes of retro games and the Sega retro gaming community. I love Sega too but agree - the Sega of old is long gone and we need to make our voices heard regarding these remakes so that these games release in high quality and not as nostalgic cash grabs! I am super pumped for Streets of Rage 4 - but I will be super pissed if it is not a good game! 😡 I'm also not one if those fools who will fork out for overpriced Limited Run physical copies before even playing the game. Why should I drop mega bucks on a third-party physical game that might suck?! It's absurd! 🤣 Great video and good to see you back!
I've owned and played ever Panzer game made, even the PC version (with the exception of the master system one). I own exactly one Xbox game and that's Orta. Resisting hard to buy a switch just to experience this. Lol this review is sinking my boat... Suppose i'll pray for a directors cut with everything fixed and a few extras. SSG!!!! good to see you are good and well. Hope the family is also well. Keep doing what you do man.
We're doing as good as can be we've the current state of things during this pandemic. Yeah, I wouldn't have even picked this up had my wife already not had a switch. Wait for the PC release or possibly PS4/Xbone if it receives ports to those. A lot of people keeping praising this patch released yesterday, but it doesn't fix any of the gameplay issues I addressed in the video.
Are you going to try the game on Switch with the Bluetooth version of the Retrobit Sega Saturn pad to see if it fixes any issues? It is coming out to other platforms soon though. Also, Sonic movie VFX only cost an additional $5M, not double the cost. As for Saga, I am fine if it isn't remade. I know enough Japanese these days so I simply imported a sealed Japanese copy for play (way cheaper than English versions).
Yeah, I don't know why he brought up the Sonic model change, and called it "double the production costs" when it was only 5 million dollars. Chump change!
That I am once a patch actually drops. As for the Sonic number, I hadn't heard the new $ amount until I searched it after reading these two comments. I was still of the understanding that I was going to cost $35 - $40 mil, which was the original number floated around. The overall budget was supposed to be $90 mill, so yeah, that's where that number came from. Appreciate the correction y'all. The overall point of the community speaking up still stands.
It is so refreshing to hear someone who can think and speak intelligently about a clearly inferior product such as this remake. I 100% agree with everything said in this video.
Been a fan of the series since I bought my Saturn in 1996. I own each game in the series except for the Japanese-exclusive Game Gear version. I played PD a lot, but could never beat it, that is until 3 days ago, when the remake released I was determined to finally beat the original. So I put it on Normal and got Game Over, but I tried again and finally completed it! The game wasn't as hard as I remember it, maybe I'm just a better gamer these days. Overall it was a really enjoyable game. I started the Remake, and it has a lot of issues, the aiming is just pure shit and unreliable on Switch. Furthermore, some areas are pathetically easy, while others are extremely difficult. The difficulty is all over the place! The Chapter 2 boss on Switch did nearly NOTHING the entire time! Just flew around waiting for you to kill it. Completely broken! While the Chapter 4 boss was constantly landing cheap hits on me that I couldn't avoid! The boss was perfectly fine on Saturn, but on Switch, its just unfair and I haven't beaten it yet. When these remakes were announced I knew right then and there that it they simply weren't going to be good enough compared to the classics. An unknown dev, a tiny budget, no marketing, and a long-dead franchise? Not a recipe for success. If they can fix the aiming, make the Chapter 2 boss actually do something, we may have a decent game. To anyone who wants a PD Saga remake, STOP. You don't want this company remaking Saga, no way, no how. It'd be disastrous and its best to simply play the original via burned disc, or emulation instead. If SEGA refuses to make it with a big budget and the original developers, then Saga will forever be doomed to remain in the past, but that's certainly a hell of a lot better than getting an under-funded shite remake. But as is to be expected throughout the history of games and movies: the original is always better than the remake.
I feel it captured some of its atmosphere, the minimalism and its arcade like nature. But only some. I feel there was a simple, grungy feeling to its original aesthetics that have been lost with its updated visuals - which is weird to say because they're closer to the Moebius art that inspired the game in the first place. And the controls ain't as reflexive as before. However, I still enjoyed my time. Hopefully the developers listen to feedback and make Zwei as great as possible. And if that does well, I hope it brings us closer to SAGA coming back. It won't be that original game, but SOMETHING of that original work needs to survive and be brought to a larger audience. Two people died making that game for Christ's sake. That endeavor can't disappear to time. Although I do get your point about blind devotion just for the sake of bringing it back being a bad thing.
Edit: My final statement of the Remake since its 1.3 update.
facebook.com/367677680320561/posts/913537622401228/
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Some of you may agree with my opinions, some of you may very well not. But before you go spamming my comments one way or the other, why not let the developer know first. Forever Entertainment and Mega Pixel have both reached out to the community, and want to know your thoughts. So head to the link provided here, or in the about section, and let them know. I want this game to be the best iteration of Panzer Dragoon to date, but that can’t happen if we don’t voice our concerns. With that out of the way, feel free to spam me now, just realize my filters probably caught that comment that you think I deleted.
twitter.com/PanzerDragoonRE/status/1243550254802374656
I didn't even know they made a remake.
I'm just happy to see you made another video.
Safe wishes to you and your family!
Let's share the "official" spreadsheet of PDR,where fans can make their observation about the remake: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MPHB_aRPYzqNktBIEbnmQ1nMPlNi9TIfsSreSDmGQig/edit#gid=1120747282
Make your voice count,we deserve a better game!
I agree with everything u said, u were very polite on your criticisms, i would be much harsher, but it is what it is.
@@hellwashere3821 The Southern Sega Gentleman puts the emphasis on "Gentleman".
*Edit: As we all should.
Love the brutal honesty here, totally agree with you SSG, especially on Sega's Twitter team celebrating a rival companies mascot (Mario) above it's own IP anniversaries like this, an absolute disgrace that says it all really about how Sega see's itself these days.
I am so hopeful that the developers are listening to the fans, and while I took a much more positive approach to my review, I respect every word you penned here. Good job, bro.
Oh man two of my favorite youtubers right here 👍
I can hear X saying this out loud.
RetroGameForce i think Japanese Saturn exporters owe them... a big round of applause
your awesome
Thank you for your feedback! We are working hard to bring you the tweaks and fixes the community requested, thank you all for supporting us :)
Honestly, for constructive criticism, go play Panzer Dragoon Orta. Feel the controls and notice how quick and snappy everything is. This is the way that your game should have been, but I honestly don't think you have the skill nor knowledge as how to pull something like that off. That's not to take a jab at you either, it just shows you that experience really is important to making a product that is memorable. I don't think your team is that experienced.
I want you to prove me wrong ForeverEntertainment. I want Panzer Dragoon II Zwei to be the best choice out of them all. I want you to make something so good, that I don't feel that I need to go back to the older version. Please, prove me wrong, please.
When are you gonna fix it? It is still not good enough. I'd rather play the original.
lol, so this never happened
I really liked the remake, and I think people look back on the original Panzer Dragoon with rose-tinted glasses. It really wasn't THAT great. It's technically groundbreaking, but way too short, very difficult, and just controls clunky. I honestly thought your version improved on it somewhat -- especially in the graphics.
Now, when do we get a remake of Panzer Dragoon Zwei, the best rail shooter ever made?
@kukukachu playing Orta right now, it's timeless. Still blows me away 20 years later
It seems to me that far too many developers have espoused an attitude of "we can patch it later" and release incomplete or broken games. While I realize deadlines exist and things happen, I don't feel it excuses a game coming out in such a state. It's insulting to consumers and because so many people just want something new, very few of them will speak up about it. Killer review, man! Glad to see you back at it!
Appreciate it brother!
@@TheSouthernSegaGentleman Absolutely, man! I enjoy the hell out of what you put out and it makes me wish I still had a Saturn. Yay poverty!
It's so much worse factoring in Nintendo's slow, decades old practices. The game was supposed to launch with the patch we got on April 3rd as a day-one patch, but because of Nintendo's slow ass, it took almost a week, which was just enough time for the mainstream to completely forget about this game. It's not even a great improvement, it adds in the rearranged soundtrack and changes the SFX, and that's about it, but fuck is it irritating to see Nintendo fuck over yet another third party game with their archaic ways. I love their games and hardware, but when it actively hurts both developers and consumers, that's bullshit.
I think Smilebit really was a dream team. Also, to be sincere, since the first 5 seconds watching the first trailer of this remake i kind of already knew this would happen. Also every one of us wants the Limited Run edition out of pure BLIND devotion. Thanks for your words, SSG. We really need to rethink our roles.
Really been looking forward to this, SSG! We need to hear the good and the bad, so never apologize for your honest opinion. Also, welcome back!
It's so weird to me that this released with no fanfare at all. It just dropped and flew under the radar for so many people.
I am hoping Zwei does better and is handled with more care. That's what I'm looking forward to most.
Thanks for the honest review. I was in the "support it so we get more" boat till you talked about how bad the controls are. I would hate for that treatment to be given to other games in the franchise.
Exactly! All of them deserve the same attention.
Sega used to be the absolute Kings of gaming. Why? Because they actually tried. These days, they've taken their beatings and they've laid down their arms. Simply put, they no longer out passion before profit.
Heart breaking.
The best retro revival stuff these days, comes from the fans.
I was 14 when I chose a Saturn over a playstation, so this game means the world to me!
You nailed the nail on the head. You cant be content with a remake, just for the sake that it's being remade. It needs to THOUGHTFULLY remade. The more i think about this remake, the more let down I've become. I've never complained about input delay in my life, and the lock on mechanic is simply horrible in that regard.
I'll never buy another game from this develiper.
This was really dang good. I was saving it for when I had uninterrupted time to watch, and it was well worth the wait.
Guess who’s back, back again, SSG’s back, tell a friend
Man, oh man... Where do I begin.
1. I always look forward to your content, and this video delivers on what I've come to know from you and takes it to deeper level. I appreciate your perspective, how well thought out as well as carefully crafted it is. You delivered in such a way that has become a rarity as of late in regards to video game media. You covered a wide range of bases in regards to what they got right with this iteration and highlighted even more with context scaffold by the history we commonly ignore.
2. I am glad to see a review that does it's best to deliver on details and specifics ranging from the technical to the very personal. I also enjoyed Sega Master X's review as well and glad you both didn't score it with a number. The norm has become to hold a game to a numerical value rather than getting to know the reviewer and being able to gauge interest in contrast to myself and the reviewer to make the most worth while purchase. Needless to say I find a lot of games rated from 4-7 to be some of my all time favorites despite their shortcomings.
3. You made me realize how wrong I have become and how negligent I am with my support. I am a fan of Sega's history and this video highlights as much, that I too am not fond of how they handle themselves in the present. Shenmue 3 was a veil that clouded my judgement and I know now more than ever the events that led to me supporting this game. I am thankful for you challenging my sense of brand loyalty when the brand hasn't been too loyal to itself. I thought they needed my support when in reality with all things, if you want it done right, well you know the rest. I feel more foolish for the fact that I bought this game just for the HOPE that they would re-release Zwei. I luckily own Saga so, yeah.
Thank you SGG, keep keeping on.
Appreciate the in depth comment man, really means a lot. And glad I could convey my thoughts to you so well.
Like the old saying you can't go home again
I had the original back in '95. I knew as soon as I saw the remake it looked almost like a mobile game. Why these companies continue to bury these IP's with terrible remakes is beyond fatham...
Uhhh, no....the graphics are farrrr superior to the original's.
I really wanted to dive into this game like the original back in the day. I read in an interview with the devs a few months ago that the only changes they wanted to make were to "appeal to a younger and wider audience". This was an instant red flag for me. Nothing against younger audiences but when they say "wider audience", to me that meant the difficulty was probably going to be toned down to make it accessible to more players. Oddly enough, it sounds like the controls are a complete wreck.
They had a deal with Nintendo for a timed exclusive. This is what happens when games are rushed people.
Sega really need to learn how to pace their projects, it's not the first time this happens to one of their games. Sonic O6 may be the worst offender of a very rushed game, but there are others.
They could fix input lag they fixed several games with input lag as well as dead zone hopefully they're listening I ordered a physical copy of this game.
This review was absolutely perfect. I could tell immediately from the first footage that so much was off about this remake and even expressed my worries and fears about it. Some series just simply can't be remade at a whim or given a budget that doesn't mirror its original.
Panzer Dragoon is a series unlike any other and just handing it out to a random developer was never going to do it justice.
The worst part now is that we'll probably never see another official attempt at it; this is the remake we have now and as for me, I'll stick with my Saturn original. Subbed.
Exactly my feelings as well ...
I'm so glad you mentioned how slow the gun is. I was starting to think it was just me.
There's a lot of bold statements that you make in the video, but you're very articulate with and explain your positions well. And whether it's about the faithfulness to the '95 original, the fandom's rush to defend what is clearly not the best we could have gotten, and Sega abandoning their properties to other companies, it's very, very hard to argue against any of what you've said in the video. It's honest and genuine, and as far as I'm concerned, you're completely spot on, and I think what you've said is what a lot of us out there are thinking but haven't said, either because we don't want to get into flamewars or because we don't think it'll make any difference.
If there's one thing I do disagree on, it's that the graphical facelift looks amazing. I do think it looks better in some respects, but it loses a lot of its personality as well, especially when such an inspiring art direction is crucial to this series. I personally think it's too vibrant and saturated, and while the devs said they were going to change some things in hopes to draw in a wider audience, we've seen several games embrace cold and desolate atmospheric tones, even recently with indie games, and succeed regardless. I found myself concerned by the opening cinematic alone, as some shots were set up to make things more suspenseful in the original, many of them are just completely gone and replaced with erratic camera shots in the remake. After that was a mixed bag. I dig the look of the final battle, though.
And as eager as people are for a Saga remake, I don't know if it's worth it. I'd rather have Sega figure out how to do emulated Saturn ports than have a low quality remake that loses everything that made the original so damn good. When you need to do a remake, you can't just give it pretty graphics and call it a day. You need to capture the same atmosphere and tone and build upon what made the original great, something I feel is sorely lacking in the remake. As much as I love this series and even bought a Switch for this game, I just can't get behind this as it currently is.
Solid review, though. Very impressed.
Appreciate the lengthy comment man. Yeah, the art direction is most certainly different, and I can see why some may not like it. Personal preference and all.
I haven't invested in this remake as of yet and in hearing of the input lag I'm out straight off the bat. Thank you for your honesty here as you nailed everything about why I don't buy Sega's remakes apart from the recent Virtua Racing release. This is my first watch of your content and it's a instant subscription. Many thanks.
Targeting has to be fixed. Camera has to flip faster. Hope it gets fixed. I wanted to get the Saturn like physical release but I'm passing.
Love the review man. I liked the game but after playing it and completing it acouple of times i found myself playing the sega orignal.
Awesome to see you making vids bro
Oh and the dragon has definitely gained afew pounds on 25odd years!. Dodging is kinds pointless just hope your shoot first.... han solo style
This company did the business work to make this happen so I am appreciative. If they fix the controls/lock on quickly in a patch I will purchase and sign up for the sequel and saga. If they don't I will pretend this doesn't exist.
I'm from the future it never was fixed 😂
Man, how lucky I was today to find your channel on twitter... I had doubts about buying or not the game becose I never played it and it loocked pretty nice, but when you started talking and showing all... I knew that I was in for a ride. This video was truly very helpful for me and showed me how really bad are things with SEGA and this type of "retro content". Not only I learned new things but you showed me the goods and the bads... TYSM for this video
I cannot agree with this more, I purchased the Limited Run edition too and I am holding off for that to play. I am glad someone like you has the balls to be critical where it counts, I agree with everything here.
Also. Welcome back my dude. I hope all is well with you and your family!
Maan the switch is really doing great thesedays wish I could afford one. Shame they didn't include a copy of the original game along with the new version even if it was emulated.
Remakes should always come with the original packed in, especially a very old game that would take up little space.
It's great for old fans who may want to actually play the original for nostalgia.
It's great for new players who can see the difference/upgrade.
And because it is the original version of the game it just makes sense as an obvious extra.
It's a little like when a film comes out on DVD and it's just the film - you can easily put the trailers on as an extra no matter what the film is.
@@LeeONardo Yeah it makes sense to pack it in unless the original was already released on the platform (for example FF7).
I turned the aiming lock on sensitivity down to 50 which is half speed cause it kept skipping targets. I've never done anything like that in a game before. I also feel like I can't shoot fast enough. Like some button presses don't register.
You have a great take on things. As well as all the points that you raised. I'm not really too happy with the visuals. It's too clean. So much of the original aesthetic depended upon subtle visual suggestions. This version just feels artificial (plastic) in comparison to the gritty, low-poly and enigmatic original. It has lost the magic. You hit the nail on the head when you asked "Why didn't Sega develop the remake themselves?"
Some modern games are strange, it's like they dont get play tested by gamers. (Just people paid to find bugs). The number 1 priority with any game has got to be it's fun. If the controls get in the way, they have to be changed. The original was only 20fps, but played very smooth and responsive.
Thank you so much for this perspective. You're the first person to voice my suspicions about the game. I was really hoping for something with a larger sense of scale and better lighting. I mean, just looking at it, you can tell the distance between the dragon and an enemy ship or the ground isn't really to scale. And being so high up in the sky, I was hoping see more bloom and bleached lighting effects. Everything in the game looks made out of play-dough.
Nice video. I was excited to pick this up and even moreso when I saw the Limited Run version with the classic longbox. Now I feel like I would be paying good money for a lesser version on top of paying a premium just to have a replica case. Nostalgia is powerful. I definitely dont care about getting more remakes in the series if this is what we should expect to receive.
The most heart felt, articulate and true synopsis of the series and just what makes it so special I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. Top stuff SSG
My grandfather passed away a few years ago and there were 3 games he introduced me to, DOOM, Diablo, and Panzer series, I was excited to get this game and let down by everything you have mentioned, I agree with you in every way, the controls and delays are BRUTAL, I remember playing this on PC with much more ease and we only had WASD not 360 sticks so when I got it I was really looking forward to destroying again, and due to poor controls and delays I have been let down and my joyful memories with my grand father died....much like my hope in this being amazing again, I really wish they would find a way to fix it
I‘m a first hour Panzer Dragoon Saturn Freak. Heel i bought the Japanese Saturn for it. I agree the lag (L/R)is terrible. Avoiding Shots is also very difficult(size dragon/ up and down movement)The 3 D Cursor System is much worse then the Saturn single cursor. But with practice you can get used to it. I hate the sound of the gun. But i still like that they implemented the screen tilt that was missing in the first videos. Artstyle is also quite good! Except Stage 4....looks like Disco. Okay Moebius Artstyle would have been perfect. Still much work has been put in this game from the developer. This should be respected.Hopefully they fix a few things. Don’t unterstand why control is not inverted from the beginning. Or why you cant combine modern controls (Dragon inverted/cursor normal). I think you are very harsh but i understand and respect your opinion!
I expect people to feel that I'm harsh, but I'm not the only one who feels theis way. Thank you for the respectful comment, I expected much worse from the community if I'm being honest.
I will send them this feedback. Maybe they improve the game. I swear i played the first game on shield 1 day before the release...funny. Probably to make a perfect remake the polish guys had to use the original engine. Lets hope part 2 will improve...
Just played it on switch and I have never played the original. I'm glad to hear your opinion on the game, it was exactly what I was feeling when playing and wondering what the original was like. Thanks so much for making this video!
I was actually recommended to come see this from another TH-camr because of your honesty. I have not played this game yet, but after seeing both of your reviews on this, I'm right in the middle when it comes to purchasing this game. I heard it was coming to PS4 as well but I don't know for sure. It would definitely be the system I'd get it for. You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about Sega, so I will subscribe to check you out some more. So far, I'm impressed.
This was spectacular to listen to, you made some amazing points *hits subscribe* looking forward to seeing all your current and future vids!
Dude you nailed it. The retro gaming community has blind devotion to the extreme, and *only* because games are retro. There are people calling for a Panzer Dragoon Saga remake just because it's an RPG! It's not even a true continuation of the rail shooter series that started it all!
Now, you tell me how a game that has 7000 English NTSC copies generates so much fanfare over the other games? Fact of the matter is, that fanfare comes from people who never even played the game. They just heard someone else say it's good, and they found out it was an RPG, so it must be good because it's a Japanese made game with dragons in it. Then that praise gets repeated over and over in a bubble and suddenly it's on this pedestal of perfection after X amount of years.
Blind devotion is such crap.
My first two scripts were a lot less nice, you're pretty close to the first edit.
I had heard for years that Saga was this mind blowing RPG so I finally got a Pseudo cart and gave it a go.
It's a decent middle of the road RPG, Chrono Trigger it is not or even a Final Fantasy.
People put it on such a high pedestal that I compare it to Earthbound, a game NO ONE bought but suddenly the retro community calls the best RPG ever made and it's just not.
I told Sega Lord X on his Facebook that I refuse to eat crap (cleaned it up) just because a game is from Sega or is associated with the Panzer Dragoon series, games need to be good.
It's true there's a bit of blind worship of Saga because it's so hard to obtain and a "swan song" for Saturn, RPGs are more popular with the mainstream as well.
I didn't grow up with Saga and have played through it. I had also seen the claims that it was a masterpiece and one of the best RPGs, for an RPG it's a very good game and there hasn't been any game since that plays quite like it I think most of its reputation is earned, I could go on and on about why it's so great but it's all been said before many times.
I can see why it seems like the franchise is being overshadowed by the high praise it gets, it doesn't make the others any less great, Zwei and maybe orta are also "mindblowing" If you prefer the rail shooter gameplay you'll probably enjoy those more.
Why do you think I'm talking about sales? I'm talking about number of copies *produced*. Saga gets so much overwhelming praise that overshadows the other games - from people who have never played the game. And purely because it's an RPG.
A notoriously underproduced game, on a notoriously unpopular console (in the wake of FFVII), accounting for those who never completed the game and lost their copies/threw them away, and loved by people born in the mid to late 90s, who weren't even in kindergarten by the time it was released?
Yeah, that's blind devotion.
You love it - great. I'm happy for you. But Saga absolutely garners praise from people who never even went near it, and being an RPG is a huge part of that. I guarantee it.
Hugh Ang I love it I played it back it in the day still have my copy. It’s a fantastic game and I do like it better then most of the snes square games. I’m not a blind fanboy to any of it. People can just have different tastes and opinions. I think earthbound is hot garbage but I don’t go around on earthbound videos bringing negativity to their parade.
I’m glad to see a new video. Making me think about check this out or not now.
Seeing the remake next to the original just makes me want to go play the Saturn version.
The boss is back...
Input lag would be the deal breaker for me. Thanks for the video, I think I'll pass on this one.
This is one of the best fan reviews of a game I've ever seen. It's brutally honest not just about the game, but the state of Sega/retro fandom. I was going to buy this game until I heard about the issues with the controls. I'm tired of buying into what are essentially test versions of a game. I don't want to be a game tester, and I don't want to be part of some charity in the hopes that Sega gets back on track. Like you said, SSG, that Sega is dead and doesn't seem to care about those old franchises.
I honestly couldn't care less about a Panzer Dragoon Saga remake, as I can emulate that game right now. Why would I care about a PD Saga remake, when product like this latest remake is what we're getting? For anyone out there wanting to play Saga, search the internet archive for a copy, then download Retroarch and use the Beetle Saturn core. You'll have to fiddle with some extra stuff to be able to make your save work across the multiple disks, but it's a small hassle. The myth that Saturn emulation is impossible needs to die.
SSG, could you please do a video on the topic of Saturn emulation in 2020? There are still so many people who believe that it's some sort of unicorn.
Plan on it!
I came out of curiosity, but stayed for the passion and eolquence. You've got yourself a subscriber.
Dude's dropping truth nuggets like he's the Easter Bunny!
Man I feel what you talked about at the end of the vid. I run into the same attitude with shmups where I got attacked personally as being "arrogant" for giving an accurate review to a horrible psikyo port collection.
It gets pretty wild with some of the responses I've gotten over my time on this platform. I mean yeah, I'm pretty passionate about games, but there comes a point where you just have to step away.
With a (short) gamedev background, I would say we have enough coders and artists that LOVE PD and Moebius' work and are now part of the industry since decades. It is more complicated then that.
I have Orta for the OG Xbox, and the unlockable PC version of Panzer Dragoon plays pretty close to the original Saturn version. I tried playing this version, you sir are absolutely correct. The controls are indeed broken.
I completely agree with EVERYTHING that you said, The Southern Sega Gentlemen. Everything from the developers, to the fans, and to the community. Nothing you said was wrong at all.
EVERYONE should contact the developers and ask them to patch this game. That sounds like what needs to happen.
I would have much rather had a lack luster VR Panzer remake. This game never sat well in my heart from the day they announced it.
Thank you for this review, lots of passion in this one!
I also find the values you talk about here something worth remembering.
Sega should've hired Bluepoint Games or M2 for the remaster, they both have a great track record in such endeavors. I guess this particular remaster was done on a shoestring budget.
I'm holding out for a fully patched up 4K 60fps Xbox One X version🤞
Discovered your channel today, and you made my day. Fantastic job & review my friend !
So basically, it's like Sonic 4. A game with mechanics that pale in comparison to those of the originals made a quarter century prior. A new coat of paint over a decaying skeleton that Sega killed off long ago.
Unfortunately. I do hope they can correct these issues though.
I was ever hopeful for this, but I held my reservations. Having owned a switch since damn near launch, I had a feeling they were gonna drop the ball somewhere. I'll definitely stick to my Saturn for this one.
I wasn't able to play due to me being a 1 or 2 year old baby (I'm tied more to the Dreamcast), but when my family got a Saturn, our library consisted of NiGHTS into dreams, Sonic 3D Blast, Virtua Fighter Remix and VF2, Virtua Cop 2, Daytona USA, Bug!, Clockwork Knight, and Tomb Raider, but we never had or played any of the Panzer Dragoon games (or Orta for the OG Xbox). I remember playing a game called Crimson Dragon for Xbox One back in the console's early life and it played a lot like Panzer, but that didn't look nearly as cool as the game it borrows from. Other than that, it was cool to see the series acknowledged in Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed with a race track. I was actually looking forward to the remake with baited breath as I would finally be able to play this Saturn classic with improved controls and modern graphics. But then the reviews spotlighting the attention to the control problems made me second guess my day one purchase.
I'd love to finally play the Panzer Dragoon remake if they iron out the issues with the necessary patches and updates and hopefully do the same with Zwei and Saga, anything so I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for a Saturn and the games off Amazon or eBay.
Also, **clicks subscription box** I like your passion. And your southern accent.
Appreciate the sub and the compliment. There's been a number of updates to the remake since launch, I generally hate going back to cover updates though. That said, improvement have been made. I still don't feel it's on par with the original control wise, or even in regards to performance. But some people obviously enjoy it very much now, so maybe take a look at some more current or updated reviews since around the beginning of August.
Thanks for the informative warning. I'll wait to see how the PC version turns out.
I really hope they can tune the controls with a patch. The controls and lock on mechanics + rapid fire shooting need fixing. If those are done right it will be one of the best remasters ever
This video got me excited. To go play some Orta.
🤣🤣🤣
Glad to see you are back to making fantastic videos! Thanks for the review. I really wish I had held off on getting Panzer Dragoon Remake until I saw your video. I had the same problems with it you did. I also agree with you that I hope that patch it and make it a better game, but the damage seems like its already been done. Keep up the great work sir!
Glad you enjoyed it and most certainly glad to be back.
You explain everything with perfection bro
They've just released a patch which has fixed a few things. I think give the dev a chance. They are listening to the fans and patching it.
im under 25 n i can tell u i OWN a saturn with panzer 1 n 2, virtua cop n virtua fighter. i have a genesis with 45 games. vapor trail being a personal favorite
Loved the new video dude, keep them up! We need more Sega Saturn voices!
Hopefully they'll address complaints with a patch.
But!
They're taking the criticism from this game and will be applying it to the remake for the second game.
They also hope to remake Saga.
*well I guess I should of read the pinned comment lol*
Yep, that you should have. Still appreciate the comment and thought.
I'm glad you're making videos again bro- It's been too long! Whilst I've not played the game yet, I agree with almost all of your analysis of Sega as a company, outside of one point. You said that you think Sega of old aren't there anymore, which is largely true. However, there must be some element left that respects the legacy, as shown in the RGG or Yakuza games. Those are absolutely filled wiith throw-backs to the arcade legacy and really keep the spirit of old Sega within the gameplay core. I'd argue the Yakuza games (from 0 at least) have felt like the most Sega thing to me since the Dreamcast, with the exception of Sonic Mania of course.
My hope going forward is that Streets of Rage 4 is up to standard. I think it's a far more important game than Panzer Dragoon (for as much time as I put into the originals, I've always felt Rez did the gameplay style better), especially here in the UK where Streets of Rage and the sequels were as commonly owned and known as the Sonic games. I realise we're only a little island, but I believe most of Europe experienced the same.
Anyway, now you're at home, Dead or Alive follow up eh?
I actually purchased the LRG PS4 copy of SOR4. I'm really hoping it does justice to the franchise man. SOR is easily my favorite beat'em up on the Genesis, hell I keep SO2 in my genesis unless I wanna play something 🤣
All I can say on DOA is that I'm gonna try man. I dont actually want to say what will be finished and what won't. Seems like everytime I do, something happens and screws my plans up.
@@TheSouthernSegaGentleman I've also bought the LRG PS4 version of SOR4- the classic version which with postage has set me back £70! Which is a lot for a game that may only take a couple of hours to finish, but if those hours are as good as any on the other SOR games then I'm more than happy with that. If they aren't, I may just have to write my own huge complaint letter.
No pressure for the DOA vids- It's just a series that I love that never seems to be covered for it's awesome gameplay, by other people who love it, only by those pointing out how absurd the microtransactions have become.
Most important thing is stay safe bro.
Welcome back, man. Hope things are going better!
Guess I still don't need a switch. Thanks for the heads up.
I feel you are right to demand better for your hard earned money! I have always felt fans do the best work! I would love to see some skilled people take a crack at Saga!!
I agree with many of your points, the lag when switching the camera is due to it responding to you releasing the shoulder buttons instead of when pressing them. Whilst the dead zone on Switch controllers is awful, I've had exactly the same issues with Doom 2016. I'm not overly familiar with the original but have played Zwei a lot and this plays nowhere near as well as that game
That's heinous... what were the thinking I wonder
You said it man. I'm not a retro gamer, I like retro games. I'm also someone who has plenty of reason to love this game but I'm really tired of the nostalgic cash grabs. If it's not good it simply isn't good, and that's that. No amount of wishful thinking and warm fuzzies will make this a good game. Thank's for saving me the price on this one, I will stick to my original. And speaking of originals that I'm sticking to, I'm looking at you HARD Resident Evil 3.
Part of me really wants the Limited Run physical release, because even though I rarely play the original, I want to support anything that puts the Saturn back in the public consciousness. But my gut is just telling me no, especially since now is the time to be careful with money.
I’ve seen some complaints about “is a remake really necessary?” But from what I understand, straight ports of Saturn games are basically impossible without issues. It’s too bad this remake isn’t very good, though.
Emulating the Saturn's hardware is most certainly complicated, I hope all the franchise can be remade. But not at the expense of quality.
That sega saturn inspired case of the collectors edition though...🥵
Totally agree man! This was my similar sentiment towards Shenmue III, and even Yu San recently echoed the same issues you brought up with it. It's great that SEGA is at least allowing these games to be made, but I think they should put some financial/labor muscle behind them instead of these small amateur studios doing all the work. It's tarnishing the franchise's legacies.
Thank you for mentioning this, people are so easily convinced by mediocrity indeed..
I think Panzer Dragoon as a franchise needs a reboot, not a remake.
I like to fly my dragon anywhere i like without being railed among the stages..
But no, that´s something Sega could ever do.
Really hoping the Steam port fixes most of the grievances. When I'd heard it came out, I immediately checked my Steam wishlist but was dismayed to see it still said "coming soon" and only released on Switch.
Update 1.3 for Panzer Dragoon: Remake is now available!
After the successful launch of the Panzer Dragoon: Remake, with your support we were able to work on a next big update for the game! This one brings a ton of new features and fixes frequently asked for by the community!
The update is now live EU, NA and AU regions - unfortunately, the Japanese version still waits for Nintendo evaluation, we will announce when it is ready!
Your feedback and patience were amazing - big THANK YOU to you all! 🐉♥️
Please read the full patch note below:
📋Changes in v1.3
⭐️NEW:
- Episode 0
- Super Weapon Mode
- New gameplay options: rumble, classic reticle, auto-aim zoom, HUD toggle, performance mode (60FPS)
- Cheatcodes in the main menu allowing the player to cheat in a campaign (god mode, infinite credits, super weapon mode)
- Gyroscope controls
🛠️IMPROVEMENTS
- SFX system and sounds rework
- Multi-button fire (A and B)
*****- Input lag removed from all actions
*****
- Camera rotation speed increased
- Easier and more responsive targeting system
- Full options access trough pause menu
- Blue Dragon motion re-work
- Start language based on console account language
- New, reworked Pandora's Box is now available after beating the game at any difficulty
Panzer Dragoon has so much potential. I mean, watch The Mandalorian and tell me the atmospheres aren't similar? A tv show or a series of blockbusters taking place in that world would be amazing. And don't let me even start about an open-world game like Mad Max or RDR2.
Shame on Sega for not believing in its own IP.
I'm really sorry to hear that you didn't like this remake, but what you said rings true. Nobody should ever support any game just because it's financial success, or lack thereof, might decide the fate of a future game. "Fear of missing out" is a doomed consumerism mindset that companies have exploited before. Besides, from what I've heard, Mega Pixel and Forever Entertainment are already on board to remake Panzer Dragoon II Zwei anyway regardless of the financial or critical success of their first remake, and the original versions of Saga and Orta won't go away just because they might not be remade or may have poor remakes. I'm just glad that the people in charge here are at least welcoming feedback, but in this case, it might've been better if they put out a free demo or beta of Panzer Dragoon and then opened themselves up for feedback, like what Bravely Default 2 will do soon, instead of committing to a full release first and then promising to patch issues later.
That being said, as someone who's only had very limited exposure to the original and never had the pleasure of playing it's sequels yet, I am still somewhat curious about the remake and don't intend to judge it too harshly or give any substantial feedback until I've played it for myself, and maybe spent some more time with the original for comparison's sake. I really hope the remake improves later or at least that I like it.
Why would people want a remake of Saga when the budgets and time constraints behind this probably won't be enough?
Even though Saga is the one I enjoyed the most I wouldn't forget about Zwei, I played the games in order and certain aspects of the first two ended up paying off in that game, Saga just wouldn't be the same if the rest of the series didn't exist, there's more to the franchise than just one game.
You make excellent points. I only briefly played the remake after I bought it, and my impressions were a bit mixed, but mostly glad it existed. I actually thought the graphics were just ok. Nothing stellar, I actually think Panzer Dragoon Orta looks better and that game is almost 20 years old now. Regardless, the game looks good, it just could have looked a lot better if it used UE4. It has been a long time since I played the original PD so I didn't know if the sluggish control was true to the original or not, but now I know it isn't. I played another episode just now, and I agree with your criticism. It is sluggish, and the modern control scheme doesn't work right. Mashing the trigger button doesn't work, it should have had autofire and a separate button to fire homing lasers. That combined with the input delay make the modern scheme worse than the original set up.
There's still no patch for this game. That's extremely disappointing. Despite it all though, I am glad it exists. Or to quote that Kenji Inafune translator, "It's better than nothing" XD. But seriously, I don't hate it. It just could have been so much better.
This is why I'm ready for this game for pc, I still play the originals on my Saturn lol
Just like this game, I didn’t know about your video until Sega Lord X shared it. Welcome back brother.
I do not agree with much of your criticism, but you definitely sound passionate about Panzer Dragoon, and I can respect that. I have spent the last two weeks jumping back and forth between the Saturn and the Switch remake, and I am floored over and over again with what this team was able to do without the source code. The love for the source material is clear in every animation, and I feel the game plays quite well. I have seen a lot of people upset about the delay when switching views, but to be honest, my personal feeling is the same on the saturn. It takes a half second on both to switch camera views, I have tried to feel out a difference, but I really do not know why so many people are concerned about this. Maybe it has something to do with the frame rate difference between the games, that it somehow does not "feel" as long on the Saturn, because the overall framerate is lower and choppier. But in terms of timing, I have found that the switch to side and back is identical on both versions. The only critique that I can definitely get behind is the atrocious load times between levels, seems strange given that the game is definitely not taxing the switch, or at least should not tax the system.
Glad you made this vid!!! I m going to show it around because I think the same thing ❤
Fantastic video! Whole heartedly agree with all you've said here!
Thank you. I'll be buying the game for my sega Saturn as a result of this review. Appreciate all your vids sir!
Sega simply needs to try.
They need to STOP with Sonic for a while and actually get to work on their other franchises and get them known again.
I have high hopes for SOR4 because even though it's not the original developers the behind the scenes videos they are showing oozes with love and care they are putting into the game - adding Yuzo Koshiro (and friends) for the soundtrack as well is perfection.
However this should not be the case for ONE game, this should be the potential for ALL future games from Sega.
Put the work in.
They HAVE stopped with Sonic for a while, though.
The last non-spinoff game was the incredibly lackluster Forces from back in 2017. There's really been nothing of note since then, not even any announced game on the horizon to look forward to.
This is perhaps the first time in the past 20 years or so that I'd say they really ought to do something with Sonic, especially to course correct after Forces.
Lets remember the original source code is lost forever. . so the new programmers had to work with what they had. . . though. . .the game needs more polishing, lets hope they will make it work.
I love this game and I played the original games.. If the source code is lost forever and it’s an important element to the game? Wouldn’t it be extremely hard to replace something important that’s missing? The remake definitely feels different from the original and I feel a huge amount of that difference has something to do with the missing original source code! Unless it turns up it’s going to be a big challenge to mirror remakes to the original with a modern twist added in no? I no longer have my old system and the games because an asshole sold it and trying to buy it back would be next to impossible for me! Now if they can find a way to recreate the missing source code? That would be great! When I play the game on the switch yes! I notice big time there’s a difference between the original and this remake but, at the same time it at least gives me a chance to play the game and I am still enjoying it myself even though I do miss my old games!
You're back! Hope all is well
Well spoken and from the heart! Dude you have a shot on youtube to get noticed and spread the word! Passion in what you said and you did it in a very calm and factual way. You didnt force opinions you made points. Seriously loved this vid. I have never commented on a video other than once before. Thanks for the experience and looking foward to watching more!
IT'S SO SMOOTH.THAT'SPUREPLEASURE.:
You made some extremely valid points in this video, Sam 🖒
I haven't played this (I don't own a switch) but I 100% agree with your comments regarding Sega, remakes of retro games and the Sega retro gaming community.
I love Sega too but agree - the Sega of old is long gone and we need to make our voices heard regarding these remakes so that these games release in high quality and not as nostalgic cash grabs!
I am super pumped for Streets of Rage 4 - but I will be super pissed if it is not a good game! 😡
I'm also not one if those fools who will fork out for overpriced Limited Run physical copies before even playing the game.
Why should I drop mega bucks on a third-party physical game that might suck?!
It's absurd! 🤣
Great video and good to see you back!
I'm new here, but WELCOME BACK!
I've owned and played ever Panzer game made, even the PC version (with the exception of the master system one). I own exactly one Xbox game and that's Orta. Resisting hard to buy a switch just to experience this. Lol this review is sinking my boat... Suppose i'll pray for a directors cut with everything fixed and a few extras.
SSG!!!! good to see you are good and well. Hope the family is also well. Keep doing what you do man.
We're doing as good as can be we've the current state of things during this pandemic.
Yeah, I wouldn't have even picked this up had my wife already not had a switch. Wait for the PC release or possibly PS4/Xbone if it receives ports to those. A lot of people keeping praising this patch released yesterday, but it doesn't fix any of the gameplay issues I addressed in the video.
Well done, somebody had to say this!
Thanks for this!
Are you going to try the game on Switch with the Bluetooth version of the Retrobit Sega Saturn pad to see if it fixes any issues? It is coming out to other platforms soon though.
Also, Sonic movie VFX only cost an additional $5M, not double the cost.
As for Saga, I am fine if it isn't remade. I know enough Japanese these days so I simply imported a sealed Japanese copy for play (way cheaper than English versions).
Yeah, I don't know why he brought up the Sonic model change, and called it "double the production costs" when it was only 5 million dollars. Chump change!
That I am once a patch actually drops. As for the Sonic number, I hadn't heard the new $ amount until I searched it after reading these two comments. I was still of the understanding that I was going to cost $35 - $40 mil, which was the original number floated around. The overall budget was supposed to be $90 mill, so yeah, that's where that number came from. Appreciate the correction y'all. The overall point of the community speaking up still stands.
It is so refreshing to hear someone who can think and speak intelligently about a clearly inferior product such as this remake. I 100% agree with everything said in this video.
Been a fan of the series since I bought my Saturn in 1996. I own each game in the series except for the Japanese-exclusive Game Gear version.
I played PD a lot, but could never beat it, that is until 3 days ago, when the remake released I was determined to finally beat the original. So I put it on Normal and got Game Over, but I tried again and finally completed it! The game wasn't as hard as I remember it, maybe I'm just a better gamer these days. Overall it was a really enjoyable game.
I started the Remake, and it has a lot of issues, the aiming is just pure shit and unreliable on Switch. Furthermore, some areas are pathetically easy, while others are extremely difficult. The difficulty is all over the place! The Chapter 2 boss on Switch did nearly NOTHING the entire time! Just flew around waiting for you to kill it. Completely broken! While the Chapter 4 boss was constantly landing cheap hits on me that I couldn't avoid! The boss was perfectly fine on Saturn, but on Switch, its just unfair and I haven't beaten it yet.
When these remakes were announced I knew right then and there that it they simply weren't going to be good enough compared to the classics. An unknown dev, a tiny budget, no marketing, and a long-dead franchise? Not a recipe for success. If they can fix the aiming, make the Chapter 2 boss actually do something, we may have a decent game. To anyone who wants a PD Saga remake, STOP. You don't want this company remaking Saga, no way, no how. It'd be disastrous and its best to simply play the original via burned disc, or emulation instead. If SEGA refuses to make it with a big budget and the original developers, then Saga will forever be doomed to remain in the past, but that's certainly a hell of a lot better than getting an under-funded shite remake.
But as is to be expected throughout the history of games and movies: the original is always better than the remake.
Just seen this now and completely agree with you
I feel it captured some of its atmosphere, the minimalism and its arcade like nature. But only some. I feel there was a simple, grungy feeling to its original aesthetics that have been lost with its updated visuals - which is weird to say because they're closer to the Moebius art that inspired the game in the first place. And the controls ain't as reflexive as before.
However, I still enjoyed my time. Hopefully the developers listen to feedback and make Zwei as great as possible. And if that does well, I hope it brings us closer to SAGA coming back. It won't be that original game, but SOMETHING of that original work needs to survive and be brought to a larger audience. Two people died making that game for Christ's sake. That endeavor can't disappear to time. Although I do get your point about blind devotion just for the sake of bringing it back being a bad thing.