Ahh...Panzer Dragoon Saga.

This is easily my favorite RPG of all time, and the best reason for owning
a Saturn (although there are a few others as well).

What makes PDS so exceptional is that it avoids practically every RPG cliché
you can think of. Its combat system is unique and innovative, with a turn-based
system that is genuinely exciting, dynamic and challenging. The storyline is
interesting, emotional without being cheezy, and engaging. The soundtrack is
absolutely stunning. The graphics, while obviously slightly dated, still have
a visual flair that is distinctly Panzer Dragoon.

The brunt of the game follows your character and his relationship with his
Dragon, who evolves over the course of the game depending on how you change
its stats. This unique skill system is a welcome change from the typical RPG
format, and the game only features a handful of weapons and items you can use.

Panzer Dragoon isn't a flawless game of course, none are. Random battles within
the various dungeons can be repetitive, especially once you've figured out the
key to defeating each enemy (making them tedious more than anything else). The
game's cut-scenes, while strikingly beautiful when gazed from a distance, are
terribly low-resolution (to get the best out of them, download a Saturn movie
player and watch them in a window on your PC).

And of course, the game is short. But like any excellent game, that's
a complaint I'm happy to make. Especially considering that this is a game I'll
play several times. I would rather have a brilliant 10 hour game than a tedious
50 hour one. This is a game to be savored...not played through in a single sitting,
but rather tasted in small sips over a longer period of time.

I simply cannot recommend this game highly enough. It was one of the final
games released for the Saturn, and as a result there were very few copies released
in America (estimates range from 5,000 to 10,000, but never more than that).
But for the determined, it's a mainstay on eBay, and worth every penny you'll
pay for it (and chances are you'll pay quite a bit).