Wild Arms
Encyclopedia
is a role-playing game
developed by software company Media.Vision
and originally released in Japan in 1996
for the Sony PlayStation
video game console
and was later translated and released in North America in 1997
and Europe
in 1998
by Sony Computer Entertainment
. It is noteworthy for not only being one of the first role-playing video games on the PlayStation, but also one of the few to feature a Western American
setting and motif. The game features 2D computer graphics
for normal gameplay, while battle sequences are rendered in 3D
.
Taking place in the fantasy world of Filgaia, Wild Arms follows the adventures of a band of miscreants and adventurers called Dream Chasers who scour the world in search of excitement and fortune. The player assumes control of a young boy named Rudy who has the ability to operate powerful weapons called Ancient Relic Machines (ARMs), forbidden remnants of a lost age that resemble gun
s. Along with his companions Jack and Cecilia, the group must use their respective skills to navigate through the vast wastelands and dungeons of Filgaia and prevent an otherworldly threat from reviving their lost leader and destroying the world.
In November 2003
, an enhanced remake of Wild Arms titled Wild Arms Alter Code: F was released for the PlayStation 2
in Japan, with a North American version produced in 2005
. In addition to enhanced graphics, Alter Code: F also features an expanded script, remastered soundtrack
, new characters, and additional gameplay scenarios. On July 26, 2007, Wild Arms was made available on the PlayStation Network in Japan, through which it can be played on the PlayStation Portable
and, as of Operating System update 1.70, on the PlayStation 3
. On December 6, 2007 this version was released on the North American PlayStation Network.
Wild Arms is a console role-playing game that involves the player controlling up to three characters, Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia, as they progress through a number of environments, battle enemies, and solve puzzles. The game is presented in a top-down two-dimensional
fashion where the player has an overhead view of all the action taking place on a particular screen. In order to advance, the player must overcome a number of story-based scenarios and sequences that involve navigating through dungeons while fighting enemies that appear randomly. Characters progress and grow by gaining experience points after a battle, discovering crest graphs, finding ARMs, and mastering sword techniques prompted by various events in the game. This allows them able to battle increasingly more difficult demonic entities.
Progressively more powerful armor and weapons can be purchased for each character from specialized shops in towns throughout the world, and new skills can be learned to help the player complete tougher challenges. Special devices called "Tools" unique to each character allow the player to transverse otherwise impassable situations while not in battle. These items are obtained at certain points in the game, and allow hidden areas or pathways to be discovered, as well as destroy objects and solve puzzles. Rudy's bomb
tool, for example, can demolish large rocks and other impediments, while Jack's grappling hook
allows the party to cross large gaps and chasms while avoiding traps.
. Wild Arms uses a turn-based
battle structure in which the player inputs commands at the start of each combat round and the designated actions take place. The order in which each character and enemy performs these actions is based on their "response" (RES) statistic, which denotes how quickly a particular character can act. The higher a character's response, the more likely they are to act before an enemy. The player has the option every round to either use a restorative item from their inventory, use a special skill, run from combat, or attack. Enemy units are defeated when their hit points, a numerical representation of their vitality, reaches zero. Hit points can be reduced by attacking an enemy, either with standard attacks or spells.
Each of the three playable characters has a unique set of abilities that can be used to defeat enemies or aid party members. Rudy utilizes "ARMs", powerful yet limited attacks involving gun
-like weapons that rely on a set number of cartridges
, Jack's "Fast Draw" sword
techniques can damage opponents in a variety of ways, and Cecilia's magic
can either benefit the party by restoring hit points and raising statistics or damage enemies with harmful spells. Additionally, a character can equip special items called "runes" that allow them to summon powerful Guardians to aid them in battle. New skills are acquired as the main story progresses, completing side quests, or purchasing them from an in-game shop.
During combat, each character has a "Force Bar" divided into 4 equal-sized sections called levels. As the bar's level increases, the player is given access to one of four "Force Techniques", made available through different areas of gameplay. These techniques allow a character to perform a special action each time they attack or use a skill, adding to their overall effectiveness. Cecilia's "Mystic
" ability, for example, allows an item used by her to affect all characters instead of one, and Jack's "Accelerator" gives him the option of acting first in the next combat round, regardless of his or the enemy's speed. The more effective the skill, the more Force Bar levels the move requires.
Like normal equipment, Runes can alter a character's statistics to make them more proficient in certain areas of combat, such as raising their strength statistic, increasing the damage they cause with normal attacks. Equipping these items has the added benefit of allowing a character to call upon powerful magic creatures to attack all enemies at once or aid allies with beneficial magic. Runes can be obtained either in hidden areas within dungeons, or simply whenever the story wills it. Most Guardian attacks, like Cecilia's magic, have a certain elemental
designation that is more effective against certain enemies.
), a fantasy
world modeled closely after the American Old West
and Medieval Europe
. The Wild West motif is present throughout the entirety of the game, and though several different landforms and climates exist across the entirety of the world, vast deserts, wide gorges, canyons, and sparse grasslands make up the majority of the landscape. A number of towns and villages exist, some containing old-world European architecture and castles, while others resemble early American frontier towns and trade posts. Technology at the time of the game is set around the early Industrial Revolution
, with advancements such as motors
first coming into use. A recurring theme throughout the game is destructive technology such as guns and firearms being seen as dangerous and therefore forbidden technology that is feared by the general populace. Since most of the world's most advanced technology existed centuries before the start of the game, archaeologists and engineer
s are essentially one and the same; rediscovering old technology as they find new applications for it.
Rudy Roughnight (ロディ・ラグナイト Rodi Ragunaito "Rody Roughnight"in the Japanese version and "Rudy Roughknight" in subsequent English translations) is a 15 year-old boy from a remote village who was orphaned several years before the beginning of the game when his grandfather died. Under the care of the town's mayor, Rudy worked as a farmhand for his neighbor until the day a local boy, searching for medicinal herbs to heal his ailing father, became lost in a cave just outside of town. Rushing to save him, Rudy eventually finds and rescues the child, yet inadvertently frees a demon
sealed within the cavern. He is able to defeat the demon and save the village, but alerts the villagers to his forbidden ARM weapon in the process, causing him to be cast out of the village and forcing him to live on his own, adopting the life of an adventurer and Drifter.
After severing his own arm (by sword in Wild Arms, and by gun in Wild Arms Alter Code: F), Rudy is discovered to be a Holmcross—an artificial being designed to be a weapon that shares the basic physiology of the Metal Demons, which were terminated since they were labeled as being extremely violent and dangerous. But Rudy was adopted by a man called Zepet, who assumed the role of his grandfather and cared for him, giving Rudy a heart and the capacity to care and love, steering him away from being a weapon of mass destruction like his brethren. Rudy's character exemplifies the role-playing game
archetype of the silent protagonist
and is meant to act as the player's extension into the game, though he does have one line in the game.
Jack Van Burace (ザック・ヴァン・ブレイス Zakku Van Bureisu "Zakk Vam Brace" in the Japanese version) is a treasure hunt
er and swordsman-for-hire who is searching the world for the "ultimate power" that will allow him to confront his troubled past. Upon the discovery of an ancient holographic device within a ruin, Jack learns of the long lost race of the Elw who had developed several forms of advanced technology. He sets off to the town of Adlehyde to find more information that will point him in the direction of his goal. Jack is accompanied by his partner Hanpan, a "wind mouse
" who is able to speak and understand the language of humans, and often acts as Jack's moral compass. It is discovered that in his former life, an Arctica "Gauntlet-Knight", his name was Garret Stampede.
Cecilia Lynn Adlehyde (セシリア・レイン・アーデルハイド Seshiria Rein Aderuhaido "Cecilia Raynne Adlehyde" in the Japanese version) is a young mage
who has spent most of her life studying at the Curan Abbey
magic school. Her 17th birthday at the beginning of the game marks her official ascension into the Adlehyde royal family and departure from the school. Before she is able to leave, however, she is contacted by a mysterious voice who beckons her to a hidden library deep within the abbey. It is there that she confronts and defeats a demon using her fledgling magic skills, and frees a powerful entity known as a "Guardian" from a sealed book. The Guardian informs Cecilia that her royal blood allows her to be a medium between the real world and the spirit dimension occupied by the avatars of all the world's elemental forces, and that she will be instrumental in securing the future and reconstruction of the barren planet. Throughout her life she has disliked being just a figurehead - being known as "Ceceila the princess" and not as "Ceceila the girl". One of her reasons for joining Rudy and Jack was so she would not be lonely. It is hinted that she may be in love with Rude. In Alter Code F, it is also shown that Jane harbors a crush on Rudy as well.
of Arctica. Unable to completely destroy her constantly regenerating body, the people of Arctica removed her heart and tore it into three pieces, imprisoned her within a cocoon
, and sealed the pieces of her heart inside three stone statues which they spread across the world. With their leader gone, a majority of the demons disappeared, with only a few remaining in seclusion over the next few centuries, eventually launching an attack on the castle to reclaim the incapacitated body of Mother.
Succeeding in their mission, a small band of demon warriors known as the Quarter Knights kept watch over the body of Mother in their fortress protected behind a powerful force field, and began gathering information as to the whereabouts of the guardian statues with the hope of one day reviving her and claiming Filgaia as their own. As time passed, talk of the ancient invasion began to dwindle, though stories of demonic weaponry such as "ARM" gun
s and robot
ic soldiers still persisted in the minds of many. When a mysterious child named Rudy was left in the care of the mayor of the small town of Surf, he came with an ARM at his side. The mayor, fearing for the child's safety, hid the weapon and raised him as his own. Until he was 15, Rudy lived a quiet life in Surf until it was discovered that he had the ability to psychically link with and operate his forbidden weapon, a trait only attributed to a few people, and was cast out of the village from fear of misfortune.
Making his way to the city of Adlehyde, Rudy meets Cecilia, a magician
-in-training and successor to the Adlehyde royal family, and Jack, a headstrong treasure hunter. The trio teams up for the first time to help a local engineer named Emma, who is researching ancient technology in a nearby tomb and believes a remnant of the Demon Wars may be inside, but they came across the monsters inside the tomb. Upon discovering the object, a deactivated robotic creature called a "golem
", the three adventurers escort Emma and their discovery back to Adlehyde to exhibit it at the town's Ruin Festival. During the event, where several other golem creatures are on display, a small army of demons led by the Quarter Knights precede to burn the town, steal the golems, and mortally injure Cecilia's father, the king. In order to spare the remaining people of Adlehyde, Cecilia gives the Quarter Knights her family heirloom, a pendant
called the Tear Drop that has magical properties which the demons believe can be used as a catalyst for reviving their leader. When the invaders recall from the town, Rudy and his friends make a pact to stop the Knights from taking control of Filgaia, and to restore balance to the weakening elemental forces of the world that have been in decline since the demons' initial invasion.
Traveling across Filgaia, the heroes make their way to the long-abandoned Guardian Temple to gain the alliance of the mystical guardians who maintain the forces of nature across the planet. Once befriended, the Guardians tell Rudy and his companions that the demons have already begun to revive their leader, and have only to lift the seal on her cocoon-like prison by destroying the three scattered statues that lie across Filgaia. Utilizing ancient Elw technology
in the form of teleportation
devices, the group travels the world to stop the Quarter Knights from destroying the statues, but they fail in each attempt. The consequent resurrection of Mother occurs, yet the demons are informed by their leader that it is her intention of destroying Filgaia rather than subjugating it and tells her followers that their own deaths will follow soon after.
Realizing that the only way to defeat the demons is to confront them in their stronghold, the Photosphere, Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia gather the necessary materials to enter the tomb of the last remaining golem, the Earth Golem - Asgard. Convincing him to aid them in their struggle, Asgard neutralizes the protective seal around the Photosphere, granting Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia access. With the aid of a mysterious hooded figure, the heroes are able to re-acquire Cecilia's Tear Drop, now acting as the power source to the entire fortress, and confront a weakened Mother directly, destroying her body just as the Photosphere sinks into the ocean
. Thinking the worst to be over, the trio begins to depart for Adlehyde when they are confronted by the Quarter Knights, who inform them of their plan to take over Filgaia in their maniacal leader's absence, and the mysterious hooded character who assisted them was Ziekfried, the leader of the Quarter Knights who betrayed Mother.
The demons attempt to destroy the Ray Line underneath Filgaia—a last resort by the Guardians to connect their remaining strength together and maintain the planet. These plans are temporarily thwarted at the last moment, with Zeikfried being thrown through a dimensional rift
in space when the three confront him. Finding himself transported to the underwater wreckage of the Photosphere, Zeikfred is met by a deformed visage of Mother, who consumes him. However, the remaining Demons find another way to disrupt the Ray line by creating their own tear drop designed to destroy rather than create life and using the Elw teleportation system distribute it all over Filgaia, throwing the forces of nature into chaos. It is also revealed that one of the Quarter Knights was not originally a demon, but Jack's lost love Elmina, fueling his quest for vengeance.
Later, the demons learn of a giant structure on one of the moons orbiting the planet, Malduke, that was designed to be a space station for residential and military purposes, possessing a powerful weapon that could destroy Filgaia. Inside the demons' newly-arisen tower Ka Dingel that connects with Malduke, Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia confront what remains of their adversaries before reaching the teleportation device to take them to Malduke. Within Malduke's deepest sanctum, they confront Zeikfried, who transforms into a revived Mother. This new being, Motherfried, confronts the heroes with the intent of using Malduke's primary weapon to destroy Filgaia but is defeated.
However, even after defeating the last of the Demons, it seems too late to stop Malduke's weapon from destroying Filgaia, but the Guardians are able to pool together their strength and revive the world. Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia board the teleportation device to be transported back to Filgaia, only to be stopped in mid-voyage by what is left of Zeikfried's body and his sword. The weakened Zeikfried launches a last desperate assault on the heroes, and, though defeated in the end, the energy released in the battle destabilizes the portal. Narrowly escaping through the portal to Filgaia, the trio arrives at Ka Dingel just as it collapses, with Asgard arriving to shield them from the falling debris, but the sheer strain causes great damage to the Earth golem, and he dies. With the demons defeated and nature beginning to recover, Jack and Rudy set off on a new journey while Cecilia remains in Adlehyde to fulfil her duties as ruler. In a letter she writes to Jack and Rudy, she tells them that she will send them the item they forgot to help them on their future adventures and shows up shortly after to join them on a new quest.
and initially released in Japan in late 1996
. New to the role-playing video game
market, Media.Vision had previously released the "run and gun"-styled shooter game
Rapid Reload
for the PlayStation a year before Wild Arms. Under the direction of producer
Takashi Fukushima and game designer Akifumi Kaneko, Wild Arms was developed to be a traditional console role-playing game that would incorporate an American Old West
theme with anime
-styled story elements and action sequences. Character designer Yoshihiko Ito was responsible for all major character designs.
First appearing as a video demo on the promotional PlayStation Jampack vol. 1
in January 1997, the full English version of Wild Arms was made available three months later in March 1997 by Sony Computer Entertainment America
. Being released just before the Entertainment Software Rating Board
(ESRB) updated their video game ratings system, the game thus received two separate North American ratings: first, "Kids to Adults" (K-A), and later "Everyone" (E) for copies released after January 1, 1998, though both versions contained the same software and catalog number. Wild Arms was later translated to both French and German for its release in the PAL region
in late 1998
, published by Sony Computer Entertainment's European division. Wild Arms features an opening sequence by Japanese animation
studio Madhouse
, with accompanying music by game composer Michiko Naruke
titled "Into the Wilderness". The song was arranged by Kazuhiko Toyama and features melancholy whistling
by Naoki Takao.
was composed entirely by Michiko Naruke
and is heavily inspired by American westerns
, featuring instrumentation from mandolin
s, acoustic
and electric guitar
s, finger cymbals, trumpet
s, and whistling
to produce an Old West
sound to fit the game's setting and stylistic approach. A classical
theme is also present in many tracks, with the melody being provided by string instrument
s and deep drum
s to heighten the mood or increase tension. The game's overworld theme "Lone Bird in the Shire", contains the melody
from Ennio Morricone
's "The Ecstasy of Gold
" originally from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Also, the melody that plays while Mother is reawakened sounds very similar to the melody of the song "Farewell to Cheyenne" from the popular western, Once Upon a Time in the West
. The Wild Arms Original Game Soundtrack was initially released in Japan on January 22, 1997, and was re-printed two years later. This version contained only a one-disc
sample of the game's music, and after the release of the enhanced remake Wild Arms Alter Code: F and its arranged soundtrack, a complete version of the original Wild Arms soundtrack containing all of the game's music titled Wild Arms Complete Tracks was released on April 6, 2006.
magazine stated it was "by far one of the best action RPGs of the year", praising the game's use of 3D battle graphics in addition to a colorful 2D graphics of normal gameplay. An online GamePro
review in 2000 remarked that while the game's graphics had not aged well, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable game, earning it a perfect "fun factor" score and an Editor's Choice award. The game received above-average reviews on both GameSpot
and IGN
websites, and received an above-average score of 8.75/10 in Electronic Gaming Monthly
, earning it a "Silver Award", a distinction given to games with a score of 8.0-8.9. The game maintains an 83.3% average rating on Game Rankings
, pooling reviews from 14 separate online sources.
Major criticism of Wild Arms comes from its myriad puzzles and minigame
s that resemble those found in an action game
, described as being "extremely action oriented, which may be frustrating to RPG
fans who don't have the quickest of reflexes". The game was also compared to the RPG Final Fantasy VII
, released five months later, which in turn led to Wild Arms being designated as a game that would "suppress your appetite for Final Fantasy VII". GameSpot additionally declared that Wild Arms graphics, though impressive, were not the industry standard at the time, remarking: "Although it's no Final Fantasy VII, Wild Arms looks great." The Wild Arms series
has grown to several games since the original title's release, with a fourth sequel released in Japan in December 2006, mobile phone
adaptations, a manga
, and a Wild Arms anime distributed by ADV Films
.
In episode three of the anime series Great Teacher Onizuka, Wild Arms (referred in the English voice track as Wild Arms 3) is referenced as a game that the main character Eikichi Onizuka desperately wants to finish. Its Japanese box art is also shown on screen.
of Wild Arms for the PlayStation 2
. The game features entirely new 3D
environments, five new playable characters and many other improvements. The game's North American release was postponed several times until it was finally released on November 15, 2005. The North American version comes with a bonus DVD
featuring the first episode of the Wild Arms anime series, Wild Arms: Twilight Venom
. It was never released in Europe.
The game features more characters than just the original trio. Other characters such as Jane Maxwell, Mcdullen Harts (called Magdalene Harts in the remake), Emma Hetfield, Mariel, and Zed will be able to join and the player may switch them into the battlefield. All of the dungeons have completely different puzzles and layouts.
The game has been graphically overhauled and now has 3D graphics both in and out of battles. The soundtrack has been heavily remixed or replaced entirely with new music. Numerous FMVs have been added at key points in the game and for the guardian summonings. The encounter cancel system from Wild Arms 2 and 3, which allows a player to skip a random battle, is present.
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
developed by software company Media.Vision
Media.Vision
Media.Vision is a Japanese video game developer best known for the Wild Arms series of video game RPGs.-PlayStation:* Crime Crackers* Crime Crackers 2...
and originally released in Japan in 1996
1996 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
for the Sony PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
and was later translated and released in North America in 1997
1997 in video gaming
-Events:*October 4 — Gunpei Yokoi dies after a double car accident.*November – Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association launched.*3rd annual E3...
and Europe
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
in 1998
1998 in video gaming
-Events:*Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 1st Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo to the AIAS Hall of Fame*British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the 1st annual BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards...
by Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
. It is noteworthy for not only being one of the first role-playing video games on the PlayStation, but also one of the few to feature a Western American
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
setting and motif. The game features 2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
for normal gameplay, while battle sequences are rendered in 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
.
Taking place in the fantasy world of Filgaia, Wild Arms follows the adventures of a band of miscreants and adventurers called Dream Chasers who scour the world in search of excitement and fortune. The player assumes control of a young boy named Rudy who has the ability to operate powerful weapons called Ancient Relic Machines (ARMs), forbidden remnants of a lost age that resemble gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
s. Along with his companions Jack and Cecilia, the group must use their respective skills to navigate through the vast wastelands and dungeons of Filgaia and prevent an otherworldly threat from reviving their lost leader and destroying the world.
In November 2003
2003 in video gaming
-Events:*February 27 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Yu Suzuki of Sega to the AIAS Hall of Fame....
, an enhanced remake of Wild Arms titled Wild Arms Alter Code: F was released for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
in Japan, with a North American version produced in 2005
2005 in video gaming
-Events:*March 6 — The television show 60 Minutes tackles issues within video game controversy. This segment of 60 Minutes has been criticized by video game players for encouraging video game censorship....
. In addition to enhanced graphics, Alter Code: F also features an expanded script, remastered soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
, new characters, and additional gameplay scenarios. On July 26, 2007, Wild Arms was made available on the PlayStation Network in Japan, through which it can be played on the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
and, as of Operating System update 1.70, on the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. On December 6, 2007 this version was released on the North American PlayStation Network.
Gameplay
Dimension
In physics and mathematics, the dimension of a space or object is informally defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify any point within it. Thus a line has a dimension of one because only one coordinate is needed to specify a point on it...
fashion where the player has an overhead view of all the action taking place on a particular screen. In order to advance, the player must overcome a number of story-based scenarios and sequences that involve navigating through dungeons while fighting enemies that appear randomly. Characters progress and grow by gaining experience points after a battle, discovering crest graphs, finding ARMs, and mastering sword techniques prompted by various events in the game. This allows them able to battle increasingly more difficult demonic entities.
Progressively more powerful armor and weapons can be purchased for each character from specialized shops in towns throughout the world, and new skills can be learned to help the player complete tougher challenges. Special devices called "Tools" unique to each character allow the player to transverse otherwise impassable situations while not in battle. These items are obtained at certain points in the game, and allow hidden areas or pathways to be discovered, as well as destroy objects and solve puzzles. Rudy's bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
tool, for example, can demolish large rocks and other impediments, while Jack's grappling hook
Grappling hook
A grappling hook is an anchor with multiple hooks , attached to a rope; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may catch and hold. Generally, grappling hooks are used to temporarily secure one end of a rope. They may also be used to dredge...
allows the party to cross large gaps and chasms while avoiding traps.
Battle system
Unlike normal gameplay, where all character and background graphics are two-dimensional (2D), combat is rendered entirely in 3D3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
. Wild Arms uses a turn-based
Turn-based tactics
Turn-based tactics , or tactical turn-based , is a computer and video game genre of strategy video games that through stop-action simulates the considerations and circumstances of operational warfare and military tactics in generally small-scale confrontations as opposed to more strategic...
battle structure in which the player inputs commands at the start of each combat round and the designated actions take place. The order in which each character and enemy performs these actions is based on their "response" (RES) statistic, which denotes how quickly a particular character can act. The higher a character's response, the more likely they are to act before an enemy. The player has the option every round to either use a restorative item from their inventory, use a special skill, run from combat, or attack. Enemy units are defeated when their hit points, a numerical representation of their vitality, reaches zero. Hit points can be reduced by attacking an enemy, either with standard attacks or spells.
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
-like weapons that rely on a set number of cartridges
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
, Jack's "Fast Draw" sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
techniques can damage opponents in a variety of ways, and Cecilia's magic
Magic (fantasy)
Magic in fiction is the endowing of fictional characters or objects with magical powers.Such magic often serves as a plot device, the source of magical artifacts and their quests...
can either benefit the party by restoring hit points and raising statistics or damage enemies with harmful spells. Additionally, a character can equip special items called "runes" that allow them to summon powerful Guardians to aid them in battle. New skills are acquired as the main story progresses, completing side quests, or purchasing them from an in-game shop.
During combat, each character has a "Force Bar" divided into 4 equal-sized sections called levels. As the bar's level increases, the player is given access to one of four "Force Techniques", made available through different areas of gameplay. These techniques allow a character to perform a special action each time they attack or use a skill, adding to their overall effectiveness. Cecilia's "Mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
" ability, for example, allows an item used by her to affect all characters instead of one, and Jack's "Accelerator" gives him the option of acting first in the next combat round, regardless of his or the enemy's speed. The more effective the skill, the more Force Bar levels the move requires.
Like normal equipment, Runes can alter a character's statistics to make them more proficient in certain areas of combat, such as raising their strength statistic, increasing the damage they cause with normal attacks. Equipping these items has the added benefit of allowing a character to call upon powerful magic creatures to attack all enemies at once or aid allies with beneficial magic. Runes can be obtained either in hidden areas within dungeons, or simply whenever the story wills it. Most Guardian attacks, like Cecilia's magic, have a certain elemental
Classical element
Many philosophies and worldviews have a set of classical elements believed to reflect the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based. Most frequently, classical elements refer to ancient beliefs...
designation that is more effective against certain enemies.
Setting
Wild Arms takes place in the world of Filgaia ("Fargaia" in the original Japanese versionJapanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
), a fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
world modeled closely after the American Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
and Medieval Europe
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. The Wild West motif is present throughout the entirety of the game, and though several different landforms and climates exist across the entirety of the world, vast deserts, wide gorges, canyons, and sparse grasslands make up the majority of the landscape. A number of towns and villages exist, some containing old-world European architecture and castles, while others resemble early American frontier towns and trade posts. Technology at the time of the game is set around the early Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, with advancements such as motors
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
first coming into use. A recurring theme throughout the game is destructive technology such as guns and firearms being seen as dangerous and therefore forbidden technology that is feared by the general populace. Since most of the world's most advanced technology existed centuries before the start of the game, archaeologists and engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
s are essentially one and the same; rediscovering old technology as they find new applications for it.
Characters
In addition to several supporting characters and villains, Wild Arms features three playable characters.Rudy Roughnight (ロディ・ラグナイト Rodi Ragunaito "Rody Roughnight"in the Japanese version and "Rudy Roughknight" in subsequent English translations) is a 15 year-old boy from a remote village who was orphaned several years before the beginning of the game when his grandfather died. Under the care of the town's mayor, Rudy worked as a farmhand for his neighbor until the day a local boy, searching for medicinal herbs to heal his ailing father, became lost in a cave just outside of town. Rushing to save him, Rudy eventually finds and rescues the child, yet inadvertently frees a demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
sealed within the cavern. He is able to defeat the demon and save the village, but alerts the villagers to his forbidden ARM weapon in the process, causing him to be cast out of the village and forcing him to live on his own, adopting the life of an adventurer and Drifter.
After severing his own arm (by sword in Wild Arms, and by gun in Wild Arms Alter Code: F), Rudy is discovered to be a Holmcross—an artificial being designed to be a weapon that shares the basic physiology of the Metal Demons, which were terminated since they were labeled as being extremely violent and dangerous. But Rudy was adopted by a man called Zepet, who assumed the role of his grandfather and cared for him, giving Rudy a heart and the capacity to care and love, steering him away from being a weapon of mass destruction like his brethren. Rudy's character exemplifies the role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
archetype of the silent protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
and is meant to act as the player's extension into the game, though he does have one line in the game.
Jack Van Burace (ザック・ヴァン・ブレイス Zakku Van Bureisu "Zakk Vam Brace" in the Japanese version) is a treasure hunt
Treasure hunt
A treasure hunt is one of many different types of games which can have one or more players who try to find hidden articles, locations or places by using a series of clues. This is a fictional activity; treasure hunting can also be a real life activity. Treasure hunt games may be an indoor or...
er and swordsman-for-hire who is searching the world for the "ultimate power" that will allow him to confront his troubled past. Upon the discovery of an ancient holographic device within a ruin, Jack learns of the long lost race of the Elw who had developed several forms of advanced technology. He sets off to the town of Adlehyde to find more information that will point him in the direction of his goal. Jack is accompanied by his partner Hanpan, a "wind mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
" who is able to speak and understand the language of humans, and often acts as Jack's moral compass. It is discovered that in his former life, an Arctica "Gauntlet-Knight", his name was Garret Stampede.
Cecilia Lynn Adlehyde (セシリア・レイン・アーデルハイド Seshiria Rein Aderuhaido "Cecilia Raynne Adlehyde" in the Japanese version) is a young mage
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
who has spent most of her life studying at the Curan Abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
magic school. Her 17th birthday at the beginning of the game marks her official ascension into the Adlehyde royal family and departure from the school. Before she is able to leave, however, she is contacted by a mysterious voice who beckons her to a hidden library deep within the abbey. It is there that she confronts and defeats a demon using her fledgling magic skills, and frees a powerful entity known as a "Guardian" from a sealed book. The Guardian informs Cecilia that her royal blood allows her to be a medium between the real world and the spirit dimension occupied by the avatars of all the world's elemental forces, and that she will be instrumental in securing the future and reconstruction of the barren planet. Throughout her life she has disliked being just a figurehead - being known as "Ceceila the princess" and not as "Ceceila the girl". One of her reasons for joining Rudy and Jack was so she would not be lonely. It is hinted that she may be in love with Rude. In Alter Code F, it is also shown that Jane harbors a crush on Rudy as well.
Story
A thousand years before the events of Wild Arms, a war raged between the inhabitants of Filgaia and the Metal Demons seeking to turn the planet into their new home. After a fierce struggle, the humans managed to capture the demon's leader, "Mother", and sealed her deep within a castle in the tundraTundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
of Arctica. Unable to completely destroy her constantly regenerating body, the people of Arctica removed her heart and tore it into three pieces, imprisoned her within a cocoon
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
, and sealed the pieces of her heart inside three stone statues which they spread across the world. With their leader gone, a majority of the demons disappeared, with only a few remaining in seclusion over the next few centuries, eventually launching an attack on the castle to reclaim the incapacitated body of Mother.
Succeeding in their mission, a small band of demon warriors known as the Quarter Knights kept watch over the body of Mother in their fortress protected behind a powerful force field, and began gathering information as to the whereabouts of the guardian statues with the hope of one day reviving her and claiming Filgaia as their own. As time passed, talk of the ancient invasion began to dwindle, though stories of demonic weaponry such as "ARM" gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
s and robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
ic soldiers still persisted in the minds of many. When a mysterious child named Rudy was left in the care of the mayor of the small town of Surf, he came with an ARM at his side. The mayor, fearing for the child's safety, hid the weapon and raised him as his own. Until he was 15, Rudy lived a quiet life in Surf until it was discovered that he had the ability to psychically link with and operate his forbidden weapon, a trait only attributed to a few people, and was cast out of the village from fear of misfortune.
Making his way to the city of Adlehyde, Rudy meets Cecilia, a magician
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
-in-training and successor to the Adlehyde royal family, and Jack, a headstrong treasure hunter. The trio teams up for the first time to help a local engineer named Emma, who is researching ancient technology in a nearby tomb and believes a remnant of the Demon Wars may be inside, but they came across the monsters inside the tomb. Upon discovering the object, a deactivated robotic creature called a "golem
Golem
In Jewish folklore, a golem is an animated anthropomorphic being, created entirely from inanimate matter. The word was used to mean an amorphous, unformed material in Psalms and medieval writing....
", the three adventurers escort Emma and their discovery back to Adlehyde to exhibit it at the town's Ruin Festival. During the event, where several other golem creatures are on display, a small army of demons led by the Quarter Knights precede to burn the town, steal the golems, and mortally injure Cecilia's father, the king. In order to spare the remaining people of Adlehyde, Cecilia gives the Quarter Knights her family heirloom, a pendant
Pendant
A pendant is a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, generally attached by a small loop to a necklace, when the ensemble may be known as a "pendant necklace". A pendant earring is an earring with a piece hanging down. In modern French "pendant" is the gerund form of “hanging”...
called the Tear Drop that has magical properties which the demons believe can be used as a catalyst for reviving their leader. When the invaders recall from the town, Rudy and his friends make a pact to stop the Knights from taking control of Filgaia, and to restore balance to the weakening elemental forces of the world that have been in decline since the demons' initial invasion.
Traveling across Filgaia, the heroes make their way to the long-abandoned Guardian Temple to gain the alliance of the mystical guardians who maintain the forces of nature across the planet. Once befriended, the Guardians tell Rudy and his companions that the demons have already begun to revive their leader, and have only to lift the seal on her cocoon-like prison by destroying the three scattered statues that lie across Filgaia. Utilizing ancient Elw technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
in the form of teleportation
Teleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
devices, the group travels the world to stop the Quarter Knights from destroying the statues, but they fail in each attempt. The consequent resurrection of Mother occurs, yet the demons are informed by their leader that it is her intention of destroying Filgaia rather than subjugating it and tells her followers that their own deaths will follow soon after.
Realizing that the only way to defeat the demons is to confront them in their stronghold, the Photosphere, Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia gather the necessary materials to enter the tomb of the last remaining golem, the Earth Golem - Asgard. Convincing him to aid them in their struggle, Asgard neutralizes the protective seal around the Photosphere, granting Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia access. With the aid of a mysterious hooded figure, the heroes are able to re-acquire Cecilia's Tear Drop, now acting as the power source to the entire fortress, and confront a weakened Mother directly, destroying her body just as the Photosphere sinks into the ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
. Thinking the worst to be over, the trio begins to depart for Adlehyde when they are confronted by the Quarter Knights, who inform them of their plan to take over Filgaia in their maniacal leader's absence, and the mysterious hooded character who assisted them was Ziekfried, the leader of the Quarter Knights who betrayed Mother.
The demons attempt to destroy the Ray Line underneath Filgaia—a last resort by the Guardians to connect their remaining strength together and maintain the planet. These plans are temporarily thwarted at the last moment, with Zeikfried being thrown through a dimensional rift
Wormhole
In physics, a wormhole is a hypothetical topological feature of spacetime that would be, fundamentally, a "shortcut" through spacetime. For a simple visual explanation of a wormhole, consider spacetime visualized as a two-dimensional surface. If this surface is folded along a third dimension, it...
in space when the three confront him. Finding himself transported to the underwater wreckage of the Photosphere, Zeikfred is met by a deformed visage of Mother, who consumes him. However, the remaining Demons find another way to disrupt the Ray line by creating their own tear drop designed to destroy rather than create life and using the Elw teleportation system distribute it all over Filgaia, throwing the forces of nature into chaos. It is also revealed that one of the Quarter Knights was not originally a demon, but Jack's lost love Elmina, fueling his quest for vengeance.
Later, the demons learn of a giant structure on one of the moons orbiting the planet, Malduke, that was designed to be a space station for residential and military purposes, possessing a powerful weapon that could destroy Filgaia. Inside the demons' newly-arisen tower Ka Dingel that connects with Malduke, Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia confront what remains of their adversaries before reaching the teleportation device to take them to Malduke. Within Malduke's deepest sanctum, they confront Zeikfried, who transforms into a revived Mother. This new being, Motherfried, confronts the heroes with the intent of using Malduke's primary weapon to destroy Filgaia but is defeated.
However, even after defeating the last of the Demons, it seems too late to stop Malduke's weapon from destroying Filgaia, but the Guardians are able to pool together their strength and revive the world. Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia board the teleportation device to be transported back to Filgaia, only to be stopped in mid-voyage by what is left of Zeikfried's body and his sword. The weakened Zeikfried launches a last desperate assault on the heroes, and, though defeated in the end, the energy released in the battle destabilizes the portal. Narrowly escaping through the portal to Filgaia, the trio arrives at Ka Dingel just as it collapses, with Asgard arriving to shield them from the falling debris, but the sheer strain causes great damage to the Earth golem, and he dies. With the demons defeated and nature beginning to recover, Jack and Rudy set off on a new journey while Cecilia remains in Adlehyde to fulfil her duties as ruler. In a letter she writes to Jack and Rudy, she tells them that she will send them the item they forgot to help them on their future adventures and shows up shortly after to join them on a new quest.
Development
Wild Arms was developed by Japanese software company Media.VisionMedia.Vision
Media.Vision is a Japanese video game developer best known for the Wild Arms series of video game RPGs.-PlayStation:* Crime Crackers* Crime Crackers 2...
and initially released in Japan in late 1996
1996 in video gaming
-Notable releases:*January 29 — Duke Nukem 3D, successor to the simple side-scrolling originals, and a genre-redefining title for first person shooters....
. New to the role-playing video game
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
market, Media.Vision had previously released the "run and gun"-styled shooter game
Shooter game
Shooter games are a sub-genre of action game, which often test the player's speed and reaction time. It includes many subgenres that have the commonality of focusing "on the actions of the avatar using some sort of weapon. Usually this weapon is a gun, or some other long-range weapon". A common...
Rapid Reload
Rapid Reload
Rapid Reload, known in Japan as Gunners Heaven, is a run and gun video game in the vein of Gunstar Heroes. It was among the first of its genre available for the PlayStation, and although it has very few features, it became one of the most popular games of its time.-Story:Upon hearing the legend of...
for the PlayStation a year before Wild Arms. Under the direction of producer
Game producer
A video game producer is the person in charge of overseeing development of a video game.The earliest documented use of the term producer in games was by Trip Hawkins, who established the position when he founded Electronic Arts in 1982...
Takashi Fukushima and game designer Akifumi Kaneko, Wild Arms was developed to be a traditional console role-playing game that would incorporate an American Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
theme with anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
-styled story elements and action sequences. Character designer Yoshihiko Ito was responsible for all major character designs.
First appearing as a video demo on the promotional PlayStation Jampack vol. 1
Jampack
Jampack is a demo series from Sony to advertise and preview upcoming games through demos or featurettes. Often, it has previewed many popular games from the PlayStation 2's lifespan, ranging from SSX Tricky and Final Fantasy X to Need for Speed Underground and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. They also...
in January 1997, the full English version of Wild Arms was made available three months later in March 1997 by Sony Computer Entertainment America
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
. Being released just before the Entertainment Software Rating Board
Entertainment Software Rating Board
The Entertainment Software Rating Board is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings, enforces industry-adopted advertising guidelines, and ensures responsible online privacy principles for computer and video games as well as entertainment software in Canada, Mexico and...
(ESRB) updated their video game ratings system, the game thus received two separate North American ratings: first, "Kids to Adults" (K-A), and later "Everyone" (E) for copies released after January 1, 1998, though both versions contained the same software and catalog number. Wild Arms was later translated to both French and German for its release in the PAL region
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
in late 1998
1998 in video gaming
-Events:*Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 1st Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo to the AIAS Hall of Fame*British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosts the 1st annual BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards...
, published by Sony Computer Entertainment's European division. Wild Arms features an opening sequence by Japanese animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
studio Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
, with accompanying music by game composer Michiko Naruke
Michiko Naruke
is a Japanese video game music composer, well-known for her work in the Wild Arms series.-Composing career:She used to work for Telenet Japan and Riot, but many people who worked for these two companies left, and along with Naruke, later started working for Media.Vision...
titled "Into the Wilderness". The song was arranged by Kazuhiko Toyama and features melancholy whistling
Whistling
Human whistling is the production of sound by means of carefully controlling a stream of air flowing through a small hole. Whistling can be achieved by creating a small opening with one's lips and then blowing or sucking air through the hole...
by Naoki Takao.
Audio
Wild Arms soundtrackSoundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
was composed entirely by Michiko Naruke
Michiko Naruke
is a Japanese video game music composer, well-known for her work in the Wild Arms series.-Composing career:She used to work for Telenet Japan and Riot, but many people who worked for these two companies left, and along with Naruke, later started working for Media.Vision...
and is heavily inspired by American westerns
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, featuring instrumentation from mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
s, acoustic
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
and electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s, finger cymbals, trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
s, and whistling
Whistling
Human whistling is the production of sound by means of carefully controlling a stream of air flowing through a small hole. Whistling can be achieved by creating a small opening with one's lips and then blowing or sucking air through the hole...
to produce an Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
sound to fit the game's setting and stylistic approach. A classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
theme is also present in many tracks, with the melody being provided by string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
s and deep drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s to heighten the mood or increase tension. The game's overworld theme "Lone Bird in the Shire", contains the melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
from Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
's "The Ecstasy of Gold
The Ecstasy of Gold
"The Ecstasy of Gold" is a musical composition by Ennio Morricone, part of his score for the Sergio Leone film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
" originally from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Also, the melody that plays while Mother is reawakened sounds very similar to the melody of the song "Farewell to Cheyenne" from the popular western, Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in the West
Once Upon a Time in the West is a 1968 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone for Paramount Pictures. It stars Henry Fonda cast against type as the villain, Charles Bronson as his nemesis, Jason Robards as a bandit, and Claudia Cardinale as a newly widowed homesteader with a...
. The Wild Arms Original Game Soundtrack was initially released in Japan on January 22, 1997, and was re-printed two years later. This version contained only a one-disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
sample of the game's music, and after the release of the enhanced remake Wild Arms Alter Code: F and its arranged soundtrack, a complete version of the original Wild Arms soundtrack containing all of the game's music titled Wild Arms Complete Tracks was released on April 6, 2006.
Reception
Wild Arms garnered a positive response. Game InformerGame Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
magazine stated it was "by far one of the best action RPGs of the year", praising the game's use of 3D battle graphics in addition to a colorful 2D graphics of normal gameplay. An online GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
review in 2000 remarked that while the game's graphics had not aged well, it was still a thoroughly enjoyable game, earning it a perfect "fun factor" score and an Editor's Choice award. The game received above-average reviews on both GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
and IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
websites, and received an above-average score of 8.75/10 in Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
, earning it a "Silver Award", a distinction given to games with a score of 8.0-8.9. The game maintains an 83.3% average rating on Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
, pooling reviews from 14 separate online sources.
Major criticism of Wild Arms comes from its myriad puzzles and minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
s that resemble those found in an action game
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
, described as being "extremely action oriented, which may be frustrating to RPG
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
fans who don't have the quickest of reflexes". The game was also compared to the RPG Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
is a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
, released five months later, which in turn led to Wild Arms being designated as a game that would "suppress your appetite for Final Fantasy VII". GameSpot additionally declared that Wild Arms graphics, though impressive, were not the industry standard at the time, remarking: "Although it's no Final Fantasy VII, Wild Arms looks great." The Wild Arms series
Wild Arms series
The series, also known by the title Wild ARMs, is a collection of role-playing video games and related media developed by Japanese software company Media.Vision. Since the launch of the original Wild Arms title in 1996, the series has gone on to encompass several media, including toys, manga,...
has grown to several games since the original title's release, with a fourth sequel released in Japan in December 2006, mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
adaptations, a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, and a Wild Arms anime distributed by ADV Films
A.D. Vision
A.D. Vision was an American international multimedia entertainment company headquartered in Houston, Texas, prior to its collapse and distress sale to four other Houston-based companies in 2009...
.
In episode three of the anime series Great Teacher Onizuka, Wild Arms (referred in the English voice track as Wild Arms 3) is referenced as a game that the main character Eikichi Onizuka desperately wants to finish. Its Japanese box art is also shown on screen.
Wild Arms Alter Code: F
is an enhanced remakeEnhanced remake
A video game remake is a game closely adapted from an earlier title, usually for the purpose of modernizing a game for newer hardware and contemporary audiences. Typically, a remake shares essentially the same title, fundamental gameplay concepts, and story elements of the original game...
of Wild Arms for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
. The game features entirely new 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
environments, five new playable characters and many other improvements. The game's North American release was postponed several times until it was finally released on November 15, 2005. The North American version comes with a bonus DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
featuring the first episode of the Wild Arms anime series, Wild Arms: Twilight Venom
Wild Arms (anime)
is a Japanese animated television series based on the Wild Arms series of video games. The series was animated by Bee Train, and directed by Itsuro Kawasaki and Kōichi Mashimo....
. It was never released in Europe.
The game features more characters than just the original trio. Other characters such as Jane Maxwell, Mcdullen Harts (called Magdalene Harts in the remake), Emma Hetfield, Mariel, and Zed will be able to join and the player may switch them into the battlefield. All of the dungeons have completely different puzzles and layouts.
The game has been graphically overhauled and now has 3D graphics both in and out of battles. The soundtrack has been heavily remixed or replaced entirely with new music. Numerous FMVs have been added at key points in the game and for the guardian summonings. The encounter cancel system from Wild Arms 2 and 3, which allows a player to skip a random battle, is present.
External links
- Wild Arms at IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
- Wild Arms at GameFAQSGameFAQsGameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by CBS Interactive. The site has a database of video game information, cheat codes, reviews, game saves,...
- Wild Arms at RPGamerRPGamerRPGamer is a media and news website dedicated to covering computer and video game RPGs. Its coverage includes North American game news, European game news, Asian game news, gaming industry news, game reviews, game previews, hands-on game impressions, gaming conventions, game merchandise, release...
- RPG Dreamer, Wild Arms page