2019 is a GREAT year for SEGA games

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Boy do I love Sega. From my Sega Master System with 3D glasses to my Sega Dreamcast, I can't get enough of Sega properties. I may have unfortunately missed much of the Saturn era and all of the Master System, but this didn't stop me from making up for it later on. This year's E3 has given me a lot to be happy about, and I can say that 2019 is shaping up to be a great year for Sega properties.

Okay, to be fair, Shenmue III isn't really a Sega property, and Phantasy Star Online 2 doesn't come out until 2020, but at least we have Panzer Dragoon! That's right, Panzer Dragoon, that game you didn't play, but you've heard a lot about. The last game in the series was the absolutely gorgeous Panzer Dragoon Orta for Xbox (and recently backward compatible for Xbox One). Crimson Dragon was intended to be a spiritual successor on Xbox One, but it didn't reach much acclaim. But now we have an actual follow-up coming to Nintendo Switch this year. Intended to be "reimagined" according Polygon, Panzer Dragoon (2019) features new graphics and upgrades to the controls. The game already looked good with its previous incarnation, and now it looks truly breathtaking. Just see for yourself!

Next up is Phantasy Star Online 2, which is incredibly exciting news. Launched back in 2012 in Japan, this game has yet to see a release in the West. Oh sure, there's an English translation out there that you can play and use a VPN with, buy a proper Western release is what the fans truly want, and now we're finally getting it! Exclusive to Xbox One and Windows, Phantasy Star Online 2 brings Sega's massive online RPG to the United States. For fans of the series, this means long nights, grinding away to find upgrades to armor and weapons, and re-living the excitement of the original Phantasy Star Online for Dreamcast, Xbox, Gamecube, and PC.

Back in 2014 I was in Japan for a few weeks. I visited a 7-Eleven and saw that they were doing a tie-in promo with PSO2 by giving away in-game items. I was so jealous! I nearly bought the PS Vita version of the game during that trip (I also optioned Phantasy Star Portable 2), but decided that it wouldn't be worth it, especially if I couldn't play with friends. But soon everyone will be able to enjoy this certainly wonderful game (with the possible exception of Europeans - sorry, friends!).

Lastly, Shenmue III, which has been delayed until November 2019. This hotly anticipated follow-up to Sega's Shenmue II is certainly an exciting game worth waiting for. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if it were delayed again until 2020. Such is the nature of game development, especially on a huge undertaking such as Shenmue III. Recently there has been some controversy about the game, which you can read about on my post here.