Product Description

Years ago, a legacy was born that ruled the skies. As time passed and memory grew dim, distant times progressed from History into Legend. Now, the era of human prosperity has come to a grinding halt, with all but a few pockets of civilisation destroyed by years of devastating battles. The population clings precariously to the brink of extinction, scattered across the desolate land, living in the darkest age in history. A new Empire rules with an iron grip, and a band of rebels begins a revolt in an attempt to become masters of their destiny once again. As the world is engulfed in the flames of war, a mysterious hero on a dragon becomes mankind's only hope and stands alone against the empire.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3932 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Atari
• Released on: 2003-03-21
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Platform: Xbox

Amazon.co.uk Review
Panzer Dragoon: Orta is a quintessential action game with deceptively simple gameplay: you ride on the back of a flying dragon, blasting enemies and incoming missiles while your scaly friend soars along a pre-determined path through gorgeous fantasy landscapes. Floating power-ups serve as tasty rewards to players who are particularly apt at dishing out carnage. Gigantic "boss" monsters make regular appearances, each one challenging the player to decipher the particular boss's attack pattern and weak points.

While its core gameplay is the very definition of old school, Panzer Dragon: Orta is much more than a shooter on rails. The dragon that Orta rides can shift into three forms: light, medium, and heavy. Success depends on a player's ability to quickly shift between forms in order to take advantage of each form's particular abilities. The medium form is most useful in the most situations. The light form is fast and manoeuvrable, ideal for quickly shooting down swarms of projectiles or attaining a favourable tactical position. The heavy form presents a slow, big target, but sports the most damaging weapons in the game. The shapeshifing aspect adds depth to the game, especially considering that each form can be upgraded with powerups and enables a unique special ability.

Clever shifting strategy and a sharpshooter's eye earn a player much more than victory and powerups. Skilled players are rewarded with extras such as passages of Panzer Dragoon fiction, concept sketches, additional playable characters, extra missions, and even the original Panzer Dragoon game from 1995. The goodies celebrate the rich history of the Panzer Dragoon series, and fill in the background of the game's unfolding story.

Disappointingly, the genuinely interesting story is told through subtitles instead of spoken English. Subtitles would be fine for slow sections or non-interactive cutscenes, but Orta's text is displayed during pitched battles. The frantic pace and constant action demand the player's full attention; it's difficult to spare the time to read text when you're desperately gunning down 20 incoming missiles while dodging around a cliff wall and trying to draw a bead on a flying battleship's weak point. In other words: the game is so good, you shouldn't be forced to take your eyes off the action for even a second.

Challenging, rewarding, and beautiful, Panzer Dragoon: Orta stands with Halo as one of the "must-have" Xbox games. --Mike Fehlauer

Customer Reviews

Suprisingly entertaining
I'll admit I don't know anything about the Panzer Dragoon series...

I'll also admit I only bought this game cause it was cheap.

I'll also admit, I was really impressed. The graphics are stunning, the gameplay enjoyable, and a plot which is a cut above most. Through both the game and the bonus material, its incredably easy to get immersed into the Panzer Dragoon world.

What impressed me the most was that its rare you realise it is a rail shooter. Normal I hate such limiting games, but the game does its best to make you forget.

The bonus material is also very good, showing much more depth than most games. The ability to play bits of the storyline as other charaters is impressive and adds to the experience.

Overall it is an excellent game, one which is definately worth more than a rents worth...

Zwei + Azel = Orta
Right - If you're a Panzer fan, go and buy this game now, if you haven't already! Smilebit and Sega have done a fantastic job of maintaining both the gameplay and unique atmosphere of the Panzer series and transfering it to the X-box with some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful graphics I've seen yet on any console. There are some answers here for those of you who have had the pleasure of playing "Panzer Dragoon Saga", but as many new questions are posed also.

If you're not already a convert then it's really time you discovered the treasure that is "Panzer Dragoon" - a series that has superb atmosphere, is lovingly realised and dramatically presented.

I've heard a lot of fans despondant that Orta isn't a genuine follow-up to the Saturn masterpiece that was "Panzer Dragoon Saga", and instead has "reverted" to the shooter style gameplay of the previous incarnations of this series. Basically, it's not an RPG.

And that is true - an RPG it isn't, but it has to be the finest shooter I've played since "Zwei". And by no means is it as easy or simple as you'd think, utilising an on-rails type engine similar to "Rez" (which itself was based on the original Panzer concept), there are new gameplay twists, incorporating elements of the battle engine used in Saga. This is all good, as the battles in Saga were amazing - it is not a simple case of flying from A to B shooting all in sight - the player has the abilty to morph between different dragon forms, and control their speed - enabling them to move behind and ahead of enemies, as well as attack enemies by gliding into them. And these abilities need to be utilised correctly for you to stand any chance at all.

As you progress through the game, you open up "Pandoras Box", enabling you to view information, movies, records, additional sub-scenario missions and play the complete original Panzer Dragoon game. This is a great resource for Panzer fans, and for newcomers helps to get to grips with the story.

This game may not be to everyone's taste granted - but it plays sublimely, and unlike many games these days, is a joy, rather than a chore, to play. It is beautiful to look at, has a wonderful soundtrack, and a deep, involving storyline. You can play it for a quick blast, or spend hours exploring it's depths. As good as it looks - for sure, and more.

Out of this world!
Just completed the game on easy level at the weekend, and have since "clocked" it twice more. The more you play it (and get used to the controls, routes, etc), the more you begin to appreciate the game for it's design, graphics, and sheer artistry. I intend to go back and try the normal level, as well as all the other scenarios and sub-missions. Highly recommended!