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Intro  Evil
empires make stories so much more enjoyable, especially the evils of a giant faceless
entity that oppresses and crushes everything in its path, all except a few who
stand against it. Of course, it'd be easy to dismiss a story with such a generic
villain as something barely worth mentioning, but then again, not every game is
Panzer Dragoon Orta. With a lineage a few years short of a decade, the
Panzer Dragoon series redefined the shooting genre with continued enhancements
and innovations. After two compelling shooters and an unforgettable role-playing
game, Smilebit takes the series back to the days of Zwei with the excellent
Orta.Gameplay: 9.5/10 After being locked in seclusion, a young girl named Orta is freed from her captivity by a valiant dragon (not dragoon). Using its incredible strength, she is able to escape from her captures, the Empire, and begin her struggle for freedom and self-discovery. Like past Panzer Dragoons, Orta is played out on 'rails', that is, unseen lines to which the player is confined. Like Zwei, there are different paths in many levels, each with varying degrees of difficulty. The player aims a target around the viewable area, but can also rotate both the player and the camera 360 degrees, so that they can cover all areas. A small radar helps to keep track of enemies, though you shouldn't rely on it alone as danger comes from all areas, and very quickly. With projectiles and enemies coming from the land and air, it's fortunate that new features to accelerate and decelerate were added, although one's main defense is still shooting objects down before they get too close. The speed bursts, which are monitored via rechargeable meters, are crucial as there are now three dragon forms to use: Base, Glide, and Heavy Wing and each uses this option to evade certain attacks that would otherwise be unavoidable, and each utilizes it differently. The standard base wing is the average dragon: it can adjust its speed two times per full charge and can not only lock onto multiple targets to home in on, but also fire its basic attack rapidly enough to be highly effective. The glide wing is the runt of the bunch with no homing shots, but with a weaker and quicker regular shot, and 4 speed variations with a full charge. The heavy wing is the brute; with no means of accelerating or slowing down, a bulky size too large to use evasively, and a slower rate of regular shots, their perks come in the form of much stronger homing shots. To add some extra 'oomph' to the various morphs, each have their own special powers, including stronger missiles, ability to drain life, and a strong and steady beam. Ten levels might not seem like much, even with the various paths, and the game can be completed in a few days. That's not much fun; however, Orta is so hectic and demanding that the grading feature is actually a great way to challenge oneself and is one of the rare titles that feels like a throwback to yesteryear where the player didn't mind going through an area again so they can try for a better score. Not only that, but utilizing the different forms at different times, and trying to find the best one, remained surprisingly enjoyable. To sweeten the longevity pot, the Pandora's Box has been brought back and it's chock full of goodies, beginning with the biggie: Panzer Dragoon, the PC version, has been translated and is contained within Orta, and even though it isn't running as quickly as it could've been, it serves as a great way for players to get acquainted with one of the most stylish gaming series every created. Also a treat are the included missions of a young soldier of the Empire as he retells the death of his father, lives a stint in the military, and goes on a goal of revenge against the evil dragon and its rider. While these aren't up to the caliber of the regular missions, they are still extremely solid - far beyond most items of this nature - and provide a great way of telling the story from a different perspective. There's also an encyclopedia that includes tons of information, flight records, and more. To all companies who take the time to add in goodies like this: I love you. No, no, I'm not ashamed to admit it. I love you. Orta
is a fine addition to the series and continues on its innovations to the already
solid gameplay and continues to make the game even more of a beauty to behold
with imaginative enemies, fantastic levels, and the hybrid Germanic and Japanese
wasteland theme. Despite having more freedom to move around than the first two,
there are still some confined spaces and many might not enjoy the small amount
of maneuverability and the tendency for situations to become so hectic that the
player forgets which side is left and which is right. However, those that stick
to it will be treated to one of the best series that gaming has to offer and one
that provides rock-solid gameplay with an incredible array of unlockables and
an engaging story told through one of the best designed worlds ever crafted. Graphics: 10/10 Sound: 9.5/10 Control: 9.5/10 Overall:
9.5/10 [ top ] | |||
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