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Game Information > Panzer Dragoon Saga
 
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Team Andromeda
System: Sega Saturn
Genre: Role-Playing Game
Year of Release: 1998
Order in Series: Third Game
Azel: Panzer Dragoon RPG - or Panzer Dragoon Saga, as it's known over here - was released in the twilight of the Sega Saturn's lifespan, and it showed what the console was really capable of when handled by such an able developer as Team Andromeda. While Panzer Dragoon and Panzer Dragoon II Zwei were action-packed rollercoaster rides that led the player through a unique fantasy world, Panzer Dragoon Saga let players explore that world in depth for the first time. Combining exploration-based gameplay (both on dragon-back and on foot) with an innovative battle system, Panzer Dragoon Saga faithfully took the series into a whole new genre; its immersive storyline, memorable characters, unique artistic style and excellent soundtrack quickly brought the game critical acclaim.
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Storyline Info
Order in Storyline: Third Story
Time of Game Events: Imperial Year 119
Main Character's Name: Edge
Panzer Dragoon Saga is set roughly thirty years after the events of the first Panzer Dragoon game, and its story opens at one of the Empire's excavation sites: the archaeological digs where the Imperials unearth the ruins and the technologies of the Ancient Age. The protagonist is a young mercenary named Edge, who is employed as a guard at this dig site, but when the site comes under attack by a renegade Imperial commander named Craymen and his loyal followers, Edge is the only member of his team left alive.
It seems that Craymen's goal was to capture a mysterious girl found within the ruins, who had been kept in a state of suspended animation for thousands of years by ancient technologies. Presumed dead and left behind at the dig site, Edge wants nothing more than to avenge his fallen comrades, and his prayers are answered when he is rescued by the dragon of legend; climbing atop its back, Edge sets out in search of Craymen, and the truth...
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NTSC-J Version
Notes:
Although this version of the game can be picked up much more easily than the NTSC and PAL versions (or at least, more cheaply), its in-game text is almost entirely in Japanese; I'd only advise someone to buy this version of the game if they understood Japanese fluently, or if they were a collector, of course.
This version of the game also comes with a fold-out sheet that summarises the game controls on one side, and spell and item effects on the other.
If you try to play this version of the game on an NTSC or PAL Saturn using an Action Replay, a "PLEASE REMOVE THE CARTRIDGE" message will pop up on-screen and the game will not load. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an easy way of getting around this problem.
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NTSC Version
Notes:
Panzer Dragoon Saga had an unfortunately low production run, with relatively few copies of the game being made in comparison to other Saturn titles. Because of this, it's now become a fairly rare game that fetches quite a high price on the secondary market.
This version of the game comes in a normal NTSC Saturn case, with the second, third and fourth discs in separate cardboard sleeves that sit inside. There are apparently two different varieties of these sleeves - some white, and some black - but it seems that both kinds were being used right from the game's release, so they don't signify earlier or later production runs.
If you try to play this version of the game on an NTSC-J or PAL Saturn using an Action Replay, a "PLEASE REMOVE THE CARTRIDGE" message will pop up on-screen and the game will not load. Fortunately though, you can avoid this problem if you input a specific Action Replay code: it's detailed here.
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PAL Version
Notes:
As with the NTSC version, the PAL version of Panzer Dragoon Saga had quite a limited production run and has become similarly rare.
This version of Panzer Dragoon Saga has surprisingly nice packaging: the four discs fit inside two normal-sized Saturn game cases, each of which has a large piece of Panzer Dragoon Saga artwork on its back, and these two cases slot into a separate cardboard box. (PAL gamers may have noticed that the Saturn version of Riven was packaged in the same way.)
The PAL version of Panzer Dragoon Saga is not actually PAL optimised, so when played on a PAL Saturn it runs slower than the NTSC versions of the game; this causes small graphical glitches to occur in some cut-scenes, too. On the flip side, this version of the game does run perfectly on an NTSC-J or NTSC Saturn (provided that you have a way to play imports, of course).
If you try to play this version of the game on an NTSC-J or NTSC Saturn using an Action Replay, a "PLEASE REMOVE THE CARTRIDGE" message will pop up on-screen and the game will not load. Fortunately though, you can avoid this problem if you input a specific Action Replay code: it's detailed here.
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Summaries by Lance Way, March 2005. The product images in this section are all original scans and photographs, which are of course freely available for your own private use, but please ask us beforehand if you'd like to use them for your own website or online project. The release dates on these pages are primarily referenced from GameFAQs and Panzer Dragoon Academy.
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Destroy the mutant stealing habits; it is the village's code. The Will of the Ancients is an unofficial fansite that is in no way supported or associated with SEGA or Smilebit. Panzer Dragoon, Panzer Dragoon II Zwei, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Panzer Dragoon Orta and all other official Panzer Dragoon content is © SEGA, 1995-2003. Everything else on this website was made or written by Solo Wing Dragon unless otherwise noted. Please ask me first before using any content on this website for fan or commercial purposes.
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