There's no doubt that 1998 was an exhaustingly dynamic year for our favorite videogame console manufacturer. For the course of this year, we've followed the death of the Saturn in both the US and Japan (the former with a questionably merciful bullet to the head from Sega of America prez Bernie Stolar, and the latter a more dignified Don Corleone-like affair), and the phoenix-like emergence of the Dreamcast from its ashes. We saw several superior-grade titles hit store shelves for the dying Saturn - Panzer Dragoon Saga, Radiant Silvergun, Vampire Savior, and Grandia, to name but a few - and took no small amount of pleasure in the fact that the Saturn, despite its ill-deserved blandishment by the American mainstream gamer, had proven itself, at the last, as a staple of fan videogaming. Here then, by category, are my takes on the best and worst moments of Sega in 1998.

Game of the Year
There's no doubt, in my mind, that the best title released for the Saturn in both the US and Japan was the magnificent effort known as Panzer Dragoon Saga. Taking the imagery and artistic brilliance found in the top-grade shooter series, and lending it both story and context, Panzer Dragoon Saga became the RPG before all RPGs this year, eclipsing the efforts of all competitors save, perhaps, GameArts. Panzer Dragoon Saga also demonstrated that gameplay need not play second fiddle to cinematography, despite what the folks at Square would have you believe; PDS wed superlative storytelling and evocative characterization to a clever battle engine and dynamic visuals, and the end result was an epic that represents a high-water mark in RPG development. On a bittersweet note, the all-but-confirmed breakup of the developers, Team Andromeda, scatters the promise of a Dreamcast follow-up. This is a series whose nadir lies with more powerful hardware; let's hope that Team Andromeda will return and deliver the next installment with even more realized visual brilliance!

Runners-up include Grandia (and the Digital Museum) from GameArts, a delightful take on the traditional console RPG that featured incredibly detailed 3D graphics and one of the most entertaining battle engines seen; and Radiant Silvergun, a vertical shooter from the design prodigies at Treasure which, quite possibly, represents the evolution of the shoot-em-up genre beyond mindless destruction and into the realms of intelligent, deep gameplay. It's also one of the best-looking 2D titles on the Saturn. (walkthrough/translation of Grandia can be found here on SegaNet.)

Lastly, special mention must be made of Virtua Fighter 3: Team Battle, the flagship title for the Dreamcast. While there are a few flaws in the final version (due more to rushed development and misplaced priorities than programming incompetence or hardware shortcomings), VF3:tb is, until the late December release of Sonic Adventure, the most beautiful game ever released on a home console. The graphic prowess displayed in this game is so far beyond the capabilities of any other home console that it isn't even funny; it also helps that this title is a reasonably accurate translation of what it, quite possibly, the deepest fighting game ever designed.

Other Games Not To Be Missed
In the spirit of giving, here's a small list of titles folks new to Saturn might want to look over, released this year:

Vampire Savior: One of Capcom's best games, released as an arcade-perfect conversion blessedly load-time free. If you enjoy stylish, animation-heavy 2D fighters, you MUST own this game.

Princess Crown, Re-release: A brilliant 2D action-RPG, with *the* best 2D animation ever seen in a home console game. A humorous style, accentuated by stunning art direction, makes this a must-purchase for Saturn RPG fans. A walkthrough, developed by yours truly and Alan Kwan, can be found in the FAQs section of this very site.

Samurai Spirits Collection: A re-release compilation of SNK's acclaimed 2D fighting series. It's worth it just for the conversion of Samurai Spirits III, which is well-nigh perfect, although the title isn't SNK's best. Samurai Spirits IV, the other title in the compilation, is a better game, but suffers from inexplicable slowdown.

Shining Force III: Part One: One of the few Saturn titles released in America this year, this game is a high-quality strategy RPG marred by horrible voice actiong. If you can suffer the atrocious voices, you'll have the opportunity to experience a brilliant game elevated by some of the best Saturn 3D seen to date.

Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter: In the unlikely event that you find a retailer willing to sell this game to you (Capcom has forbid the sale of it as in import, due to contractual arrangements with Marvel and the presence of the "Norimaro" character), you should pick it up without question. After Princess Crown, this game showcases the Saturn's 2D prowess like no other. Despite slightly "spazzy" game play, this game is a solid technical fighter with an impressive character roster.

Vaporware of the Year
This award goes to Capcom's Dungeons and Dragons Collection, a title which has been repeatedly confirmed to be in continuing development and subsequently cancelled over the past two years, much to the confusion of its fans. Still rumored to be released this Spring of 1999, those few of us still anticipating this title are rather dubious about its prospects. Durn it, Capcom, give us the straight line!

Narrowly missing this award was Magic Knight Rayearth, from Working Designs, which has finally emerged from its two-year holding pattern to land on store shelves. For those of you who can't play import titles (all three or so of you), you might contemplate picking up this action-RPG - it's actually a pretty solid title, despite the many delays it endured.

Biggest PR Wank of the Year
...goes to Capcom, for the MSH Vs. SF hullabaloo. Actually, it SHOULD go to Marvel, for being so frightened that the admittedly-imbecilic "Norimaro" character might be associated with their own questionable stable of characters, but since Capcom made the contract in the first place, some of us have been deprived of playing an excellent conversion of MSH Vs. SF here in the States. Bah.

Most Inexplicable Display of Sega Fandom
This award goes to all the folks out there who paid anything above $1000 US for a Dreamcast this November - damn, guys, you either have deep pockets or a serious love for Virtua Fighter 3. Despite my love of new hardware, even *I*, as prone to fits of cognitive dissonance as I am, couldn't rationalize paying over $600 for it. Or maybe that's just envy speaking, eh?

Runner-up goes to Working Designs, who released Magic Knight Rayearth at a loss on the very dead Saturn amidst rabid USENET antipathy by Sega fans for their products. Vic's either dedicated or insane, or (most likely) both. Well, thumbs up to 'em for sticking with it, and turning out a quality product, just to prove that they stand by their word. Still, considering the cost of the license and VAs, that can't look to good in the books. Ouch.

Most Vehement Display of Anti-Sega Sentiment Despite Knowing Better
Let's have a round of applause for ol' Hiroshi Yamauchi, prez of Nintendo, for implying that the Dreamcast will fail and that folks who jump on the DC bandwagon (as opposed to the oh-so-enticing N64 bandwagon) are clueless in a recent Nikkei Sangyou Shinbun interview . Here's the quote, for those not up to date, re: the future of the Dreamcast:

"If you develop a new console with powerful CPU what kind of games are you going to release? Do you think you it will automatically be a success? Can you work with a software developing team well? The people who are always talking about the next console are the ones that don't understand the video game business." -- Hirshi Yamauchi

Yeah, Sega doesn't know video games. Sounds like sour grapes from a belligerent old goat sore that his pet system, the N64, couldn't outsell the Saturn in Japan, much less the PS. Sega has some of the best development teams out there, and ol' Yamauchi knows it, much as he'd like to believe otherwise. Of course, who expects better from the same guy who bagged on Japanese RPG gamers for liking those "depressing RPG titles"? He's also forgetting the launch of the N64, which took almost TWO YEARS to muster a library similar to what the PS had after FOUR MONTHS.

Yamauchi then goes on to babble about the "new market" Nintendo is creating, which is a really euphemistic way of saying that "uh, we're getting our asses kicked by Sony and Sega in our traditional demographics, so let's skirt this whole issue by redefining our market until we look good again." I guess that would qualify him for the above "PR Wank of the Year Award, but I don't think such an idiotic tactic deserves such attention.

Runners-up awards go to any professional reviewer who harped on VF3:tb's small graphic flaws while overlooking all the graphic glitches in Zelda and Turok 2. Consistency, folks! No need to make your agenda THAT apparent!

Best Sega Fan Site of the Year
...goes to us kids at SegaNet, because we actually ARE Sega fans and not a bunch of wanna-be journalists looking for a platform (Dreamcast coverage) to propel ourselves into widespread acclaim for being "bleeding edge" or to get the attention of the major print mags. Heck, we aren't even in it to make money, as Fernando's monthly angst over our server bill will attest. We're here because we're fans, we're stupid that way, and we're proud of it. Dammit.