Released in 1996 Panzer Dragoon 2: Zwei was the first sequel for Panzer Dragoon released approx. 1 year earlier with events in the game actually creating a prequel title.
It was to be the last game of this style on the Saturn and improves over the original in all areas offering more re-playability with a wealth of unlockable features. It is easily one of the Saturn's showcase titles and a personal favourite.
For more detailed information about the history of the game (and others in the series) checkout the History of Panzer Dragoon Page. (coming soon..)
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Case Quote "The dragon returns! This incredibly slick sequel delivers the most stunning 3D environment yet seen. Awe-inspiring end bosses, multiple routes, tons of secrets and a unique "Dragon Evolution" system combine to deliver a surreal gaming experience that is second to none!" |
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STORY
A winged Khourieat...
In the Ancient Time, Genetic reconstruction brought about the destruction of almost all of the human race. The survivors had to live in a world turned into wasteland by war, and were hunted by fierce genetically altered animals. After thousands of years, mankind adapted to this new world, and were even able to tame some of the creatures, such as Khourieats.
Villages live in fear of the genetic mutations, and have created a set of laws about them. In the belief that any further mutations will once again create the dangers of the Ancient Time, Khourieats who are born with the green light in their throats are killed immediately.
You have ignored the village code and kept a mutant Khourieat alive. There's something special about Lagi: not just his beautiful light, but his budding wings as well. You dream that Lagi's wings will one day carry both of you through many adventures.
Lagi has become a powerful Khourieat, and you have decided it's time to test out his wings. If you can get Lagi to fly you can convince your village not to kill Khourieats any more. Lagi runs faster and faster, and suddenly you feel yourself leave the ground!
You look down at the ground below in amazement, but recoil as you see a blinding white light in front of you. A massive airship has bombed your village!
You've seen airships battling in the sky, and have heard stories of the tribes waging war on each other, using weapons from the Ancient Time. Two groups, the Mecchanics and the Imperials, are fighting for control of the planet. And now their war has destroyed your home.
Now you have nothing left but Lagi and you desire to make the Imperials pay for what they've done. You make your way down to the ruins of your village. And there the battle begins....
Taken from European Manual
GAMEPLAY
The gameplay to Zwei is essentially the same as the original Panzer Dragoon with a few tweaks that enrich the overall experience. You fly (or run) across a predetermined course shooting down enemies from a full 360-degree range avoiding environmental hazards along the way. When your dragon takes a hit from an enemy or hazard it looses energy.
New features in the mix include most episodes (or levels) having two routes through which a player can battle through and a Berserk Attack where your dragon will unleash a massive, torrent of homing lasers for a short amount of time and will be invulnerable. Dragon metamorphosis runs alongside progress through the game. As you earn more points your dragon will evolve.
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Other minor tweaks to the gameplay include the firing and radar. A single press of a fire button will release a burst of 4 shots (initially) of manual fire. The lock-on laser system is a tad faster by default and has tighter control over the camera.
The radar system functions the same with an added warning system (when activated) where a quadrant will highlight a colour representing danger level.
Graphically the game has improved with improved a smoother framerate and better effects that really show what the Saturn can do. Sonically, the game is superb with the tunes running of the Saturn’s PCM chip.
The challenge has been upped slightly from the previous game, though this is variable depending on which routes are taken.
The D-Pad controls the flight of your dragon and your crosshair for targeting with manual fire and homing lasers.
Pressing a double left or double right will perform a dash. Stronger dragons have the ability to perform barrel rolls.
Buttons A,B and C are your weapons. You have 2 at your disposal; single shots and homing lasers. A single tap of the button will fire a burst of shots.
By holding down one of the fire buttons the crosshair will open. Moving this over enemies or other targets marks/targets them. Releasing the button will fire a homing laser.
Buttons X, Y or Z trigger a berserk attack. It is recovered by use of lock-on laser use. You can initiate a berserk attack at anytime though its duration depends on the amount in the bar.
The L and R triggers rotate the viewing area in 90-degree increments.
The Start button pauses the game.
On the screen will be your radar, your dragons energy represented by the blue bar and berserk level represented by the green bar. Any bar appearing red indicates danger.
During a boss encounter, the energy of your adversary be creature or contraption will be displayed at the top of the screen.
Your dragon runs out of energy and falls out the sky when it takes too much damage. You are then displayed the game over screen. You have the option of continuing (CONTINUE) from the start of the episode you are currently on or saving your progress and ending the game (SAVE END) or ending without saving (END).
Upon ending a game you are given your final score and a breakdown of shoot down with a final percentage and ranking.
SCORING AND POINTS
You will earn points for every enemy (and object) that you shoot down. There is a set number of enemies in an episode. The higher percentage shot down the more points earned and total points earned. You are given a report at the end of each episode. At the beginning of each episode your score is reset to 0.
The additional total points system controls the metamorphosis of your dragon throughout the game. This system is not to be confused with a players score. The score is essential to opening options inside Pandra’s Box; an extended options system (more information below).
For total points a player can earn:
Level Points - You can earn up to 2 points per episode.
Route Points - You will earn 1 point for taking an alternative route in an episode
except episode 4 where it is possible to earn 2.
Technical Points - You can earn up to 2 points per episode.
How many of these points depends on your score which in turn depends on how many enemies you have shot down.
As you earn total points your dragon will have different appearances, with improved strength and abilities. The more points the better your dragon. Improvements will be agility, more simultaneous lock-ons for better attacks thus improving recovery for another Berserk Attack.
OPTIONS
Zwei has pretty standard options by default not effecting the gameplay. A slew of options are available when the game has been completed.
Up/Down - Reverse the functions of Up and Down on the D-Pad.
Controller Setting - Reassign buttons.
Instrument Mode - Adjust the level of detail on the screen. Choose between Off, Normal or Full. Default is Normal. Full mode will show points for every item shot down, where route changes occur, the time limits for defeating bosses and full radar functions.
When you have beaten your high score stored in the Saturn's RAM it will begin to flash multi-coloured.
A quadrant highlighted yellow means enemies are on the edge of visual range, orange indicates they are closing in and red indicates they are dangerously close.
Setting this to off will make for a hard game.
TV Mode - Choices are Normal and Wide which allows for panoramic views of special scenes.
Sound Mode - Choose between stereo or mono output
Sound Balance - Adjust the balance of the audio. Choices are BGM, Normal or SE.
Music - Listen to any of the music tracks in the game.
Player Data - Displays the data about the player stored in the Saturn's memory. It includes high score and shoot down percentages for each episode and an average total.
SCREENSHOTS
There are a total of 7 episodes in the game (6 and a final boss).
In between each episode will be a cut scene advancing the story of the game.
DESTINY BEGINS |
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EPISODE 2: THE GREAT CANYON |
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EPISODE 3: FORBIDDEN FOREST |
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EPISODE 4: RUINS |
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EPISODE 5: SEA OF ICE |
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EPISODE 6: IMPERIAL AIRSHIP |
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LAST EPISODE |
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PANDRA'S/PANDORA'S BOX
Pandra’s Box contains many unlockable secrets and tweaks that can be made to the game and is available after the completing the game once. The more and better you play the game the more options are unlocked. For example, in Pandra’s Box you can choose your dragon, have access to all weapons and start on any level. There is even a bonus level.
If you turn it on your saved game will be wiped and no more saves possible but you can turn it off again.
Find Pandra’s box from the options screen. When your options have been configured return to the title screen and select Box Game to begin.
The run down is as follows:
Option 1: Episode [Select]
Set where the game starts.
Episode 1-7
Begin - plays opening movie then game starts (Destiny Begins).
Zero Space - a mini-game where you are timed against defeating various enemies.
Prologue - View extended opening movie.
Epilogue A, B, C, E - view ending sequence. The letter denotes different dragon forms.
Staff Roll A, B, C, E - view credits. The letter denotes different sequences of images
that are displayed.
(Curiously there is no Epilogue or Staff Roll D)
Option 2: Dragon [Select]
Choose which dragon to play with.
Growth - Least powerful
Hatchling
Glideling
Windrider
Armonite
Brigadewing
Skydart - Most powerful
Option 3: Level [Select]
Sets the difficulty. Choices are: Normal, Hard, Super Hard and Super Easy.
Option 4: Life [bar adjust]
Set the size of the dragons life bar.
Normal - default
X2 - doubled
Increase - The dragons energy regenerates
Zero - no energy bar. A single hit will kill
Phoenix - energy returns to full when depleted
Option 5: Shot [Select]
Choose between different manual weapons.
3 Way - fires a spread of 3 shots in a horizontal line
5 Way - fires a 5 shots in a diamond shape
Homing - automatically targets weakest spots on enemies.
Graviton - is a large but very short range shot.
Option 6: Laser [Select]
Choose between different types of lasers.
Normal - No change
Full Auto - locks on and automatically fires
Bctrl - Uses berserk type lasers
BCG - Gives a much wider area to sight targets using 9 crosshairs.
Heavy - gives much more powerful lasers
Option 7: Berserk [adjust]
Set the amount and rate of recovery for berserk attacks.
Normal - No change
x2 - Berserk bar is double in size
Increase - restores more berserk power than normal per lock-on laser shot.
Zero - No berserk function
No limit - restores berserk to full immediately after a discharge
Tornado - unleashes a berserk and makes your dragon roll through the air until
complete.
Option 8: Rolling Mode [toggle]
Select on or off. When on the dragon is able to do barrel rolls by double pressing diagonal UP/RIGHT or DOWN/LEFT and do a great job of disorientating you.
Option 9: Sight [Speed]
Set the speed of the crosshair.
Normal - default
High - Faster
Low - Slow
Special - mega-fast.
Option 10:
Option 11: Pause Menu [toggle]
When toggled on allows the changing of instrument mode and sight speed in game. The radar can be moved about the screen using the second controller.
Option 12: Soundtest
Listen to any of the tunes and sound fx and sounds in the game.
SOUNDTRACKS
Like its predecessor, Zwei sports an enchanting sound track.
Two official soundtracks exist for Zwei. There is an original version and an orchestral arranged version.
You can download a soundtrack ripped from the Saturn Disc from the Zwei Soundtrack Page.
Original Soundtrack
1. Bondage ~ Main Theme
2. Omen
3. Legend Of Light
4. Destiny Begins
5. The Journey
6. The Great Ravine
7. The Empire
8. Flight
9. The Empire's Giant Carrier
10. Forest of Taboo
11. Hanuman
12. Ruins
13. An Attack from Darkness
14. Rando Doura
15. Sea of Ice
16. Conclusion
17. The Unexpected Enemy
18. Requiem
19. Parting
20.Reminiscence
21. Lagi and Lundi ~ Theme of Zwei
22. Bonus Track SE Collection
Original Arranged Album
1. Main Theme
2. Destiny Begins
3. The Great Canyon
4. The Empire
5. Flight
6. Forbidden Forest
7. Ruins
8. Water Dragon
9. Sea of Ice
10. Duel
11. The Expected Enemy
12. Epilogue
CHEATS AND TIPS
See Route Changes
You can see where the routes differ in each episode by changing the instrument mode setting to full.
Lots of points in Round 1
Towards the end of episode 1, as you leave the village heading to walk under the panther-like creature, switch to left view and look up. There will be a battleship (black). Begin shooting this with manual fire. Your score will continue to double every few seconds.
Get all of Pandra's Box
Method 1: Complete the game with a minimum ranking of SNIPER. Obtained by getting 90+% shoot down ratio on all episodes.
Method 2: If you have a copy of Panzer Dragoon Saga and a save file in your Saturn’s memory and boot up Panzer Dragoon Zwei all options will automatically be unlocked.
Method 3: Play the game for 30 hours.
Play as the Original Dragon from Panzer Dragoon (Final Dragon)
To play as the final dragon before the last episode you need 24 total points. Take the second route on episode 2, the second route in episode 3 and third route in episode 4. The final dragon morph takes place in the face of the last boss.
Shot
ADEC System
To activate the ADEC system, choose Full Instruments in the Options and then while playing press button B on controller 2. This is the same as the Pause Menu option in Pandra’s Box.
Dragon only Mode and Rider Only Mode
When you have obtained all of the secrets in Pandra's Box goto the life section. Chose Lundi to play with just the rider and Lagi to play with just the dragon.
Make Episode 3 Boss Explode
When fighting the creature at the end of episode 3 damage it so it's health is almost gone and then lauch a berserk attack. Instead of collapsing it will explode.
X-Y Radar
During play press A on controller 2.
Suicide
To kill yourself, press A+B+C+L+R anytime during play.
Clean Pause
Press Start and then XYZ. Not really useful for anything except for getting screenshots.
Extra's with Panzer Dragoon Zwei with Saga
By booting up Panzer Dragoon Saga, opening the Saturn and loading Panzer Dragoon Zwei you can see parts of the FMV intro to the original Panzer Dragoon.
Extra's for Panzer Dragoon Saga with Zwei
If you have a save file of Panzer Dragoon Zwei and boot up Saga the following options will be available.
1 - For every hour played in Zwei you will receive a hundred Dyne.
2 - The girl who plays hide and seek outside Vaiman's will give you a music box. Go
back to the camp to access it.
Control Berserk with 3D Controller
With the Saturn Analogue controller / 3D NiGHTS Pad berserk can sometimes be triggered whenever your use the L and R. A workaround is going into the options and setting button X to No Use. Berserk can still be triggered with buttons Y or Z.
UPDATES AND SEQUELS
There have been no other versions of 'Zwei' on any other platforms. It can be hoped that an upgraded version appears in line of the Sega Ages brand.
The next game in the series was Panzer Dragoon Saga on the Saturn, a critically acclaimed RPG set in the PD world. For more information see Panzer Dragoon Feature or Games of the Month December 05.
The latest (and possibly the last) in the series was Panzer Dragoon Orta for the X Box. For more information check out Panzer Dragoon Orta Page.
EMULATOR COMPATIBILITY
Whilst great progress has been made with regard to Saturn emulation there is still no decent level of reliability.
Check out sites such as Sega Xtreme and VG-Network for the latest in Saturn emulators.
LINKS
Feature at 1UP.com
An interesting feature which includes a video of the opening sequence and some gameplay.
http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3162633
The Will of The Ancients
The quite excellent The Will of The Ancients has articles discussing...
MISC INFO
- International Cases [Jap, US]
- The game can be played with the NiGHTS 3D Controller.
- The title screen sports the use of the Saturn hi-res mode 704x480 - the highest on a console at the time. Virtua Fighter 2 was another game to use this.
- When larger enemies such as battleships are smoking and going down it is still possible to lock and fire lasers onto them still earning points.
- There is a bug in Episode 3 just before the boss. If you check the aft view you will see the black cruiser sitting in the trees even if you have just destroyed it.
- Like Panzer Dragoon, the Japanese version of the game contains documents from the developers. One of these describes the PD world (world.txt) and another describes the scoring system and technical aspects (omake.txt). Another (readme.txt) contains comments from developers.
- The myth of Pandora's Box was that once all the horrible things had been released into the world the only thing left inside was hope. Very poetic within the context of the games setting.
- Pandora's Box is also the name of a famous fetish club in New York.
RELATED
Games of the Month Archive - Panzer Dragoon
Games of the Month Archive - Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei
Games of the Month Archive - Panzer Dragoon Saga
Games of the Month Archive - Panzer Dragoon Orta
