The Steam page for the Panzer Dragoon: Remake went live earlier today following an announcement from the game’s official Twitter account. Prior to today’s sudden announcement, fans were under the assumption that these remakes would be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch.
Sega and Forever Entertainment revealed plans to resurrect the cult classic and its sequel, Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei, last December. Nintendo would later spotlight the remake at their E3 2019 Direct, unveiling a brand-new trailer. The first remake will now arrive this winter for PC and Switch, with no word on its sequel’s arrival.
Watch out for Panzer Dragoon landing right into the… Steam Store! Visit Steam and add Panzer Dragoon: Remake to your Wishlist!
Panzer Dragoon: Remake on Steam – https://t.co/rLXvZ0kT9A
—#PanzerDragoonRemake #Steam pic.twitter.com/TtGO7ESHfG
— Panzer Dragoon: Remake (@PanzerDragoonRE) October 25, 2019
From Saturn to Steam
The Panzer Dragoon franchise had its humble beginnings on the Sega Saturn in March of 1995. Earlier entries were predominantly rail shooters, tasking players with aiming, dodging, and firing at oncoming enemies. As the lone dragon rider, it was up to the player to save their decaying world from the tyrannical Empire. The following year gave us Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei, which built on the first while serving as its prequel. Various spin-offs like Panzer Dragoon R-zone and Panzer Dragoon Mini would also release during this time frame for various, short-lived systems, namely the Tiger R-zone.
Then, out of left field, came Panzer Dragoon Saga, ditching the rail shooter formula for a 3D role-playing game. Saga was surprisingly a hit with critics, and it is looked back on as one of the greatest games to grace the Sega Saturn. But its critical acclaim came at a cost: two employees were said to have lost their lives as a result of stress.
The final game in the franchise would be Panzer Dragoon Orta, releasing in 2002 on the original Xbox. Once again, the team behind the game managed to score another critical success. The series stepped out of the spotlight on a high note and has stayed out of it since. Until, of course, the announcement of the remakes last December.
