Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei

Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei is a single-player rail shooter set in a distant, post-apocalyptic future.

The story follows Lundi, a boy from a frontier village where mutated creatures known as khourieats are considered cursed and are routinely culled. When Lundi discovers a small khourieat with wings, he secretly raises it rather than destroying it. Soon after, his town is annihilated by an ancient weapon, and the creature, named Lagi, begins to evolve into a dragon. Together, Lundi and Lagi set out across the desolate world to confront the forces that unleashed the destruction, uncovering a conflict that stretches back to the technology of the Ancients.

Gameplay continues the rail-shooter design of its predecessor, Panzer Dragoon, with the player following a predetermined flight path through landscapes filled with enemies. Combat relies on two offensive systems: Lundi’s mounted gun, which allows manual aiming and rapid fire, and Lagi’s lock-on laser breath, which can target multiple enemies at once. Players must continually manage threats approaching from any direction, using a radar system and the ability to rotate the camera view to cover all angles.

Unlike the first game, Lagi is not a static mount but grows stronger over the course of the campaign. Depending on the player’s performance (measured by accuracy, enemy kill counts, and survival) Lagi evolves along branching paths, taking on new forms with enhanced abilities, speed, and firepower.

Each stage concludes with large-scale boss encounters. Stages themselves are diverse, ranging from flooded ruins to volcanic landscapes and ancient fortresses. Enemy forces include both wild creatures and remnants of advanced technology left behind by the Ancients. The game incorporates a grading system that evaluates performance at the end of each level. Higher ranks reward more evolution points for Lagi. Multiple playthroughs are encouraged, as not all dragon forms can be experienced in a single run.