Panzer Dragoon II Zwei (1996)

I recently replayed the first Panzer Dragoon (was even better than I remembered), and now have finally played through all of Panzer Dragoon 2 start to finish. The sequel improves on the first in almost every way.

Zwei is another on-rails shooter, which has you flying around on a laser-spitting dragon and blasting away monsters and airships with your gun. The graphics are dated of course, but they did a fantastic job with the technology that they had. You can still get a clear idea of what the monsters are like, and the general atmosphere of the world around you is conveyed beautifully. The music is also a plus, continuing the tradition of the first with excellent orchestral pieces. (A Panzer Dragoon themed concert would be lovely to attend BTW.)

There is a bit more story in this one -- your dragon starts out as a fledgling that can't even fly, but from one stage to the next it will evolve and grow more powerful. There are a lot more cinematic flairs throughout Zwei, with boss battles that involve breaking off parts of the enemy and the attacks escalating into a frantic frenzy as it grows desperate. What holds up best about this game is its intensity. Just, absolutely thrilling set pieces. I was really surprised just how exciting Zwei could be, and it really is a must-play for anyone interested in the Sega Saturn. Adding to the game's replayability, you can find a hidden route to take in the stages, and there are different ways to go about leveling up your dragon. The game is also pretty challenging (no cheat codes to get by with right away, like with the first game), but I had fun replaying the later stages until I learned the attack patterns, figured out the best times to activate the "berserk" fire mode, and nailed down a solid flight and attack strategy for taking down the bosses.