Panzer Dragoon Orta - Xbox

While its core gameplay is the very definition of old school, Panzer Dragon: Orta is much more than a shooter on rails. The dragon that Orta rides can shift into three forms: light, medium, and heavy. Success depends on a player's ability to quickly shift between forms in order to take advantage of each form's particular abilities. The medium form is most useful in the most situations. The light form is fast and manoeuvrable, ideal for quickly shooting down swarms of projectiles or attaining a favourable tactical position. The heavy form presents a slow, big target, but sports the most damaging weapons in the game. The shapeshifing aspect adds depth to the game, especially considering that each form can be upgraded with powerups and enables a unique special ability.

Clever shifting strategy and a sharpshooter's eye earn a player much more than victory and powerups. Skilled players are rewarded with extras such as passages of Panzer Dragoon fiction, concept sketches, additional playable characters, extra missions, and even the original Panzer Dragoon game from 1995. The goodies celebrate the rich history of the Panzer Dragoon series, and fill in the background of the game's unfolding story.

Disappointingly, the genuinely interesting story is told through subtitles instead of spoken English. Subtitles would be fine for slow sections or non-interactive cutscenes, but Orta's text is displayed during pitched battles. The frantic pace and constant action demand the player's full attention; it's difficult to spare the time to read text when you're desperately gunning down 20 incoming missiles while dodging around a cliff wall and trying to draw a bead on a flying battleship's weak point. In other words: the game is so good, you shouldn't be forced to take your eyes off the action for even a second.

Challenging, rewarding, and beautiful, Panzer Dragoon: Orta stands with Halo as one of the "must-have" Xbox games. --Mike Fehlauer