Panzer Dragoon Orta
Platform: Xbox
Genre: Arcade / Shooter
Publisher / Developer: Sega / Smilebit
Released: Europe - March 21, the U.S. game is already out
What good is Xbox? It may sound trite, but many argue something like this: "Bill Gates is stubborn as a mule, so he would not give their console die." Sense of stability and impressive technical parameters Xbox'a sometimes inspire developers to create masterpieces that are, perhaps, will never appear on other platforms. One of those rare gems and a Panzer Dragoon Orta.
Previous parts of this shooter, coming to Saturn in mid-90's, are still considered somewhat legendary. Why? As a person, never holding a joystick on the Saturn, I can only say that Panzer Dragoon was one of the first three games, where clearly embodied the concept inherent in two-dimensional shooter. Fresh sequel remained faithful to the classical canon, which today look more original than eight years ago. Do not forget that new - it is well forgotten old.
Among other things, the game has stunning graphics. Screenshots give about it only a remote idea, because it must be seen in motion. By exciting topics of gameplay and graphics, we'll come back, but now a little digression. In the PDO the plot is very important, which is unusual even for a Japanese arcade. All ten major levels (the main reason - will explain later), "glued" together informative screensavers. The logic of the developers is simple: first, the player must soak up the atmosphere of the game, and only then to indulge in all serious. By themselves, CG-rollers immensely beautiful, but the fantasy world where the events took place that does not look like paradise. Bloodthirsty mutants - the legacy of the war with biological weapons - have multiplied everywhere. But not from them comes the main threat, because the focus of evil is a greedy empire, decided to enslave the world. The domination of tyranny would be inevitable if one day the imperial soldiers did not commit a fatal error. In one raid, they destroyed the prison where his life languishing young woman named Orta (Orta). Escaping to freedom, vengeful girl straddled tucked under the dragon's hand and rushed to administer justice.
PDO is a fast-moving arcade game where you're controlling a flying dragon, fires everything that moves. But the imaginary simplicity hides weighed in with something, even a brilliant concept. Remember the old two-dimensional shooter where you could move a flying object within a single screen. Background scrolls by itself, but you only have to crack down on flocks of enemies. It is about the same thing, only in full 3D. Enemies of the rod on all sides, but, fortunately, you have a radar, which replaces the eye at the back. That serves the same purpose, and surround sound system. Correctly apart around the dynamics, you will be able to more quickly react to the approaching danger. Reviewing what is happening in the third person, you control both characters simultaneously: the dragon is under the wings of heavy artillery, and Horta are operating low-power, but the quick-guns.
However, despite the pace of battle, not only have to rely on reflexes, but also on the brain.The fact that the dragon is able at any moment to transform into one of three forms:
Base Wing - Std. Dragon can move at high speed and shoot a beam of homing lasers. This guise makes no special advantages, but has no apparent weaknesses. In short, against most opponents - the most it.
Glide Wing - This form allows you to maneuver at high speed to ram enemies and hurt. Armor and the main weapon in this case weaker, but Orta appears gun, capable of heavy fire to eliminate flying in your face shells. In the hands of an experienced player Glide Wing - a powerful force.
Heavy Wing - the most narrow profile form. In fact, it is only good against the massive and hulking enemies (bosses, for example), because it has a maximum power and minimum speed. In addition, homing lasers can capture only a small number of targets.
You can freely switch between the above regimes, and the cartridges you also need not worry - they are endless. In addition to all of PDO is an analogue of the limits of Final Fantasy. Seriously injured and has accumulated enough rage, the dragon is able to use specials. reception called Berserk. For each form it own: Base Wing - the destruction of all enemies on screen, Glide Wing - the restoration of health and death for the weakened enemies, and, finally, Heavy Wing - a powerful volley, look at that you can only sunglasses. So what kind of Japanese game without elements RPG? There they were, and PDO. If you are lucky enough to exterminate a whole wave of enemies, you get a DNA helix, which will improve the characteristics of the dragon, and even change its appearance.
Yet, despite the impressive arsenal available to you from the beginning, this shooter is the same simplicity. Even in the mode of Easy you will not be easy, but say nothing about the Normal and Hard. With proper dexterity to master the basic scenario can be a matter of hours, but apart from him there are also additional, secret. Particularly patient gamer, collected enough points, will play a young imperial pilots and other characters, each of which has its own peculiarities. In short, if you decide to suck all the juices from the PDO, then the passage will take more than a dozen hours.
Beauty - a terrible force. You know it when he lost his life, zaglyadevshis the splendor of the surrounding landscape. High detail impresses no less than the special effects that are simply enchanted. Huge flying fortress bosses, incredible mutants such as land sharks doprygivayuschih from the ground up to the sky - all this makes us forget about the high complexity and in general about the world. Whatever was said, and good graphics can not be underestimated.
Sega decided to keep a sound game series in its original form, so it did not translate the dialogues with the Japanese into English. Music represented not only rhythmic techno tunes, but good symphonic compositions. And as to what I love symphonic music in games, if only you knew. (^_^)
The eternal quest for originality has got many developers in the deep jungle. But it turns out, in order to make a hit, do not excel, crossing genres and inventing unimaginable freaks. Can you imagine a gamer who refuses to exciting and breathtakingly beautiful arcade? From rolevushki - yes, from a platform - perhaps, but not from the arcade. Also on the disc contains not one but two games:-gooders from Sega is not stingy, and moved to the very first part of the Xbox Panzer Dragoon! Notable gift ... for Bill Gates. (^_^) |
