Panzer Dragoon Saga Question(s)

[marurun]

Truth told, I haven't played an FF that had interesting enough combat to make me want to grind since the second one (on the Famicom).

FFV? Awesome flexibility in that one.

Despite the various classes, I still didn't find combats to be all that tactical or interesting. There was a lot of choosing outside of battle, but once you are in battle there still not that much to do. I prefer Chrono Trigger and Grandia's battle systems, since they consider placement on the field of battle in addition to basic attacks and magic.

[Mad_Hatter]

It's pretty simple really. In the beginning you are controlling the dragon in order to get to the destination marked on the map. You can break breakables to gain items and save with ancient recording device. Random battles are eminent when the radar flashes red.

For the combat in the game. The A button shoots your gun at one enemy choosen by you. The B button will immediately shoot the dragon laser attack attacking all enemies. The C button brings up the menu to MANUALLY choose to do this or to issue a berserk (special attack) or to use items. You have to have 1 bar of energy to attack, but you may move around the enemy at any part of the gauge. If I remember correctly berserk specials take a least 2 gauges out of a total of 3.

The combat gauge (bottom right) will tell you where you are in relation to the enemy. When it is red they can do extra damage. Try to move around the enemy with the D-pad to find their weak spot! The quicker you defeat an enemy the better the rank, exp, loot and money you will receive.

There are prequels to the game, but they are on the rail shooters as oppossed to an rpg. Different combat.

Thanks for that! Not sure how I missed the destination on the map. That may be the reason why I had no clue what to do lol.

It does sound simple now. Can I ask what this game is so popular then? I honestly don't see the appeal yet.


Sent from my Windows Phone

[Hatta]

Put yourself in 1997. You just spent $400 on a Saturn while all your friends spent $300 on a PSX and are playing Final Fantay 7. Frankly, if you were a JRPG fan, you were going to feel dicked over. Many of them would engage in post purchase rationalization and elevate a moderately appealing game to legendary status, rather than feel like they got the short end of the stick.

[pierrot]

Put yourself in 1997. You just spent $400 on a Saturn while all your friends spent $300 on a PSX and are playing Final Fantay 7. Frankly, if you were a JRPG fan, you were going to feel dicked over. Many of them would engage in post purchase rationalization and elevate a moderately appealing game to legendary status, rather than feel like they got the short end of the stick.

The Saturn wadn't no $400 in '97. >_> (Saga was released well into '98, in the US, by the way.) Frankly if post purchase rationalization were the only reason for its popularity, there are any number of other games that could have, or should have been put on the same pedestal. (Rayearth, Shining Force III, Albert Odyssey.)

I understand that the game isn't for everyone, but personally, I think it's a much better game than FFVII, a few times over. The story is more coherent, more nuanced; characters are better established, developed, and have stronger interaction/exposition. I, personally, prefer the battle system in PDS by probably 1000x, and I prefer the art direction by at least a tenth of that, but individual mileage could vary. It doesn't really matter how much cult fame a game enjoys, though, as there will always be someone who doesn't agree.

[Violent By Design]

Truth told, I haven't played an FF that had interesting enough combat to make me want to grind since the second one (on the Famicom).

FFV? Awesome flexibility in that one.

A lot of customization, but the battle system is the same as every other old FF.

[Mad_Hatter]

Honestly, I never remembered most people paying retail for Sega consoles. Only on release days they did.

Sega consoles always went cheap at stores likes Toys R Us.

I'm sure the Saturn went for less than 400 dollars in 97-98?


Sent from my Windows Phone