Wild Arms series
Encyclopedia
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 toy
s, manga
, mobile phone applications
, and a 22-episode anime
. Wild Arms remains noteworthy in the computer and video game industry as being one of the few role-playing
series to adopt an American Old West
motif. Characters, settings, and music within the series contain visual and audio cues to American westerns
, as well as traditional fantasy
and science fiction
elements.
The series has largely been overseen by producer Akifumi Kaneko, and is viewed as a cult classic among other role-playing game franchises. While reception in North America and Europe remains modest, the series still retains a small, yet active western fanbase. The Wild Arms games remain popular in Japan, with a ten-year heritage that is still celebrated.
that had been known primarily for their shooter game
series Crime Crackers and Rapid Reload
. Looking for a way to capitalize on the growing role-playing game market of the mid-nineties, Sony
commissioned Media.Vision to create a game that would combine elements of a traditional RPG with limited 3D
graphics to promote the hardware of their newly-released PlayStation
console. Supervised and designed primarily by Akifumi Kaneko and Takashi Fukushima, 1996's Wild Arms
, while still retaining traditional two-dimensional
characters and backgrounds, became one of the first role-playing titles released to showcase 3D battle sequences.
Utilizing a unique approach to setting and character design, Wild Arms set the standard for all future games in the series. Drawing inspiration from American westerns
, as well as western-themed manga
such as Yasuhiro Nightow
's Trigun
, Kaneko and Fukushima crafted a video game world that resembles the contemporary fantasy
environment seen in similar titles, but with added allusions to gun-play, outlaws, lawmen, and wilderness tamers. References to seminal role-playing game elements influenced by European fantasy such as castle
s, magic
, dragon
s, and monsters, were added to attract players to a familiar concept, as well as extend the story-telling past the western medium to allow scenario writers from other elements. Other cultural and regional influences include Norse mythology
, animism
, and Japanese mythology
.
of Wild Arms follows the games' continued motif by providing a soundtrack
reminiscent of Western films. The groundwork for the series' music was laid by composer Michiko Naruke
, who had previously only written the scores to Super Nintendo Entertainment System
titles. Recurring instrumentation includes acoustic guitar
s, mandolin
s, drum
s, woodwind
and brass instrument
s, and piano
s, accompanied by clapping and whistling
samples. While classically influenced, the music of each game often diverges into other genres, including folk
, rock
, electronic
, swing, and choral. Naruke composed the soundtracks for the first three Wild Arms titles herself, yet she contributed to the soundtrack for Wild Arms 4
along with Nobuyuki Shimizu, Ryuta Suzuki, and Masato Kouda, who emulated her now-established style. Music for Wild Arms 5
, the only video game title where Naruke did not contribute, was provided by Kouda along with series newcomer Noriyasu Agematsu
.
s factors heavily into the Wild Arms mythos
, where the operation of such devices leads to conflict in each game. Called "ARMs", these weapons are often associated with ancient technology and represent a more violent and warlike age; thus, a social stigma is often given to anyone possessing or using them. Though the exact nature varies from one game to the next, they are seen as highly destructive devices with an array of functions in battle. The practical usage of ARMs, either to protect or destroy life, is left to the user's discretion, and serves as a plot point within each game to establish a character's true motives.
Environmentalism
is also a key factor in many Wild Arms games, which often center around the restoration of the environment that has long since been tainted, either by warfare or natural phenomena. The governing forces of the planet are personified as "Guardians", spirit-like anthropomorphic creatures who act as the gods of natural aspects such as water, fire, and wind, along with human traits such as love, hope, and courage. The primary heroes of each game often ally themselves with these Guardians to defeat technology-reliant or ecologically unconscious villains who would either subjugate or destroy the world to suit their respective goals.
s, in similar tradition to the discontinuity between games of the Final Fantasy
series. Filgaia is a fantasy
world made to resemble the American West characterized by large deserts, red rock canyons, and dry plains. Several other land types and climates exist, including forests, mountainous regions, grasslands, and Arctic tundras, though their predominance varies from one game to the next. Though human towns and cities are plentiful, the wilderness that encompasses most of the landscape is riddled with monster
s and other beasts, as well as ruins or dungeons from earlier eras that house ancient treasures inaccessible to all but skilled adventurers. Filgaia is also home to a number of different races including the Native American
-inspired Baskars, nature-dwelling Elws, and vampiric
Crimson Nobles.
The Elw were the original inhabitants of Filgaia. When the neosapiens (humans) migrated to Filgaia after a war on their home world, the Elw kindly accepted them.
Around a thousand years before the events of Wild Arms
, Filgaia was invaded by a race known as the Metal Demons. The Elw joined together with the other inhabitants of Filgaia, the humans and Guardians, in order to expel the invaders. Eventually, the Metal Demon leader "Mother" was defeated and the Metal Demons were pushed back to the southern most part of Filgaia.
During the war, the Elw developed many weapons using their knowledge of magic, alchemy, and technology. Most of these weapons later became known as ARMs. The Elw also created the large humanoid machines called Golems. The Golems proved very useful during the first Demon War. However, the Golems were unreliable because they determined friend and foe based on whoever was operating them. This flaw was later exploited by the Metal Demons during the second Demon War and was the main reason the Elws created the Holmcross. The Elw created the Holmcross using living metal based on the Metal Demons'. The Holmcross went on a rampage, and all but one were destroyed by the Elw. The final weapon the Elw created was the Guardian Blade. When the Guardian Blade was activated, it sucked the virility out of part of the planet and started the decay that would slowly turn Filgaia into a barren wasteland that would soon be impossible for the Elw, who were dependant on nature, to live on. This and the Elw distrust of humans led to the creation of the Elw Dimension and the Elw's evacuation of Filgaia. The last known Elw founded Baskar village.
, in which when defeated, Ragu drops a badge called "The Omega".
erns", combining attributes from traditional fantasy
, science fiction
, and steampunk
genres.
NA
April 30, 1997
PAL
October 6, 1998
|PlayStation
, PlayStation Network
|-
|Wild Arms 2
|JPN
September 2, 1999
NA
April 30, 2000
|PlayStation, PlayStation Network
|-
|Wild Arms 3
|JPN
March 14, 2002
NA
October 15, 2002
PAL
February 23, 2003
|PlayStation 2
|-
|Wild Arms Alter Code: F
|JPN
November 27, 2003
NA
November 12, 2005
|PlayStation 2
|-
|Wild Arms 4
|JPN
March 3, 2005
NA
January 10, 2006
PAL
October 13, 2006
|PlayStation 2
|-
|Wild Arms 5
|JPN
December 14, 2006
NA
August 28, 2007
PAL
April 11, 2008
|PlayStation 2
|-
|Wild Arms XF
|JPN
August 9, 2007
NA
March 17, 2008
|PlayStation Portable
|}
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...
. Since the launch of the original Wild Arms
Wild Arms
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...
title in 1996, the series has gone on to encompass several media, including toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s, 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...
, mobile phone applications
Mobile game
A mobile game is a video game played on a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer or portable media player. This does not include games played on handheld video game systems such as Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable....
, and a 22-episode 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....
. Wild Arms remains noteworthy in the computer and video game industry as being one of the few role-playing
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...
series to adopt 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...
motif. Characters, settings, and music within the series contain visual and audio cues to 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...
, as well as traditional 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...
and science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
elements.
The series has largely been overseen by producer Akifumi Kaneko, and is viewed as a cult classic among other role-playing game franchises. While reception in North America and Europe remains modest, the series still retains a small, yet active western fanbase. The Wild Arms games remain popular in Japan, with a ten-year heritage that is still celebrated.
Production
Wild Arms was the first console role-playing game project of 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...
that had been known primarily for their 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...
series Crime Crackers and 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...
. Looking for a way to capitalize on the growing role-playing game market of the mid-nineties, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
commissioned Media.Vision to create a game that would combine elements of a traditional RPG with limited 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...
graphics to promote the hardware of their newly-released 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...
console. Supervised and designed primarily by Akifumi Kaneko and Takashi Fukushima, 1996's Wild Arms
Wild Arms
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...
, while still retaining traditional two-dimensional
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...
characters and backgrounds, became one of the first role-playing titles released to showcase 3D battle sequences.
Utilizing a unique approach to setting and character design, Wild Arms set the standard for all future games in the series. Drawing inspiration from 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...
, as well as western-themed 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...
such as Yasuhiro Nightow
Yasuhiro Nightow
is a Japanese manga artist and game creator who created the anime and manga Trigun. Nightow was born on April 8, 1967 in Yokohama, Japan. He moved to Yokosuka when he was in elementary school, and spent the junior high and high school years in Shizuoka....
's Trigun
Trigun
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yasuhiro Nightow, published from 1996 to 2008 and spanning 17 collected volumes....
, Kaneko and Fukushima crafted a video game world that resembles the contemporary 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...
environment seen in similar titles, but with added allusions to gun-play, outlaws, lawmen, and wilderness tamers. References to seminal role-playing game elements influenced by European fantasy such as castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
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...
, dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
s, and monsters, were added to attract players to a familiar concept, as well as extend the story-telling past the western medium to allow scenario writers from other elements. Other cultural and regional influences include Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, animism
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
, and Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
.
Music
The background musicBackground music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
of Wild Arms follows the games' continued motif by providing a 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...
reminiscent of Western films. The groundwork for the series' music was laid by 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...
, who had previously only written the scores to Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
titles. Recurring instrumentation includes acoustic guitar
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...
s, 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, 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, woodwind
Woodwind instrument
A woodwind instrument is a musical instrument which produces sound when the player blows air against a sharp edge or through a reed, causing the air within its resonator to vibrate...
and brass instrument
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
s, and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
s, accompanied by clapping 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...
samples. While classically influenced, the music of each game often diverges into other genres, including folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, swing, and choral. Naruke composed the soundtracks for the first three Wild Arms titles herself, yet she contributed to the soundtrack for Wild Arms 4
Wild Arms 4
Wild Arms 4, known in Japan as , also known as Wild Arms Another Code: F at one point in production , is a role-playing game developed by Media.Vision and the fourth installment in the Wild Arms video game series...
along with Nobuyuki Shimizu, Ryuta Suzuki, and Masato Kouda, who emulated her now-established style. Music for Wild Arms 5
Wild Arms 5
Wild Arms 5, released in Japan as , is the fifth video game in the Wild Arms series of role-playing games. The game celebrates the series' 10th anniversary by featuring cameo appearances of characters from the previous games. Produced by Media.Vision for the Sony PlayStation 2 platform, it was...
, the only video game title where Naruke did not contribute, was provided by Kouda along with series newcomer Noriyasu Agematsu
Noriyasu Agematsu
is a Japanese composer and founding member of group Elements Garden.He composed and arranged tracks on Nana Mizuki's singles Massive Wonders and Eternal Blaze, "Brave Phoenix" on the single Super Generation and the track "Tears' Night" on the album Alive & Kicking, composed the track Shin'ai and...
.
Recurring themes
The usage of firearmFirearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s factors heavily into the Wild Arms mythos
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, where the operation of such devices leads to conflict in each game. Called "ARMs", these weapons are often associated with ancient technology and represent a more violent and warlike age; thus, a social stigma is often given to anyone possessing or using them. Though the exact nature varies from one game to the next, they are seen as highly destructive devices with an array of functions in battle. The practical usage of ARMs, either to protect or destroy life, is left to the user's discretion, and serves as a plot point within each game to establish a character's true motives.
Environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
is also a key factor in many Wild Arms games, which often center around the restoration of the environment that has long since been tainted, either by warfare or natural phenomena. The governing forces of the planet are personified as "Guardians", spirit-like anthropomorphic creatures who act as the gods of natural aspects such as water, fire, and wind, along with human traits such as love, hope, and courage. The primary heroes of each game often ally themselves with these Guardians to defeat technology-reliant or ecologically unconscious villains who would either subjugate or destroy the world to suit their respective goals.
Setting
Each Wild Arms story takes place on a planet called Filgaia, though each "Filgaia" appears to be an entirely separate world with a different arrangement of continentContinent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
s, in similar tradition to the discontinuity between games of the Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series. Filgaia is 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 made to resemble the American West characterized by large deserts, red rock canyons, and dry plains. Several other land types and climates exist, including forests, mountainous regions, grasslands, and Arctic tundras, though their predominance varies from one game to the next. Though human towns and cities are plentiful, the wilderness that encompasses most of the landscape is riddled with monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
s and other beasts, as well as ruins or dungeons from earlier eras that house ancient treasures inaccessible to all but skilled adventurers. Filgaia is also home to a number of different races including the Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
-inspired Baskars, nature-dwelling Elws, and vampiric
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
Crimson Nobles.
Elw
The Elw are a demi-human race who appear human, with the exception of their long ears. Because of their close relationship with nature, the Elw live exceptionally long lives. Due to the destruction of the environment, the Elw population is extremely low.The Elw were the original inhabitants of Filgaia. When the neosapiens (humans) migrated to Filgaia after a war on their home world, the Elw kindly accepted them.
Around a thousand years before the events of Wild Arms
Wild Arms
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...
, Filgaia was invaded by a race known as the Metal Demons. The Elw joined together with the other inhabitants of Filgaia, the humans and Guardians, in order to expel the invaders. Eventually, the Metal Demon leader "Mother" was defeated and the Metal Demons were pushed back to the southern most part of Filgaia.
During the war, the Elw developed many weapons using their knowledge of magic, alchemy, and technology. Most of these weapons later became known as ARMs. The Elw also created the large humanoid machines called Golems. The Golems proved very useful during the first Demon War. However, the Golems were unreliable because they determined friend and foe based on whoever was operating them. This flaw was later exploited by the Metal Demons during the second Demon War and was the main reason the Elws created the Holmcross. The Elw created the Holmcross using living metal based on the Metal Demons'. The Holmcross went on a rampage, and all but one were destroyed by the Elw. The final weapon the Elw created was the Guardian Blade. When the Guardian Blade was activated, it sucked the virility out of part of the planet and started the decay that would slowly turn Filgaia into a barren wasteland that would soon be impossible for the Elw, who were dependant on nature, to live on. This and the Elw distrust of humans led to the creation of the Elw Dimension and the Elw's evacuation of Filgaia. The last known Elw founded Baskar village.
Ragu O Ragula
A recurring optional boss enemy throughout the series is the legendary Ragu O Ragula, known as the "King of the Monsters". He is strongly hinted at being an alien lifeform, as he has "traveled the stars". In each Wild ARMs game, he is the ultimate extra boss, and is always found at the end of the Abyss, a sometimes ridiculously long side-area also common across the series. The player is not often given many clues to find him, but he is always alluded to in a few bookshelves throughout the game. When defeated, Ragu usually bestows upon the player the iconic Sheriff Star accessory, which not only proves the player's valor, but also tends to make the remainder of the game quite easy when equipped due to its effects. This trend was broken in Wild Arms 5Wild Arms 5
Wild Arms 5, released in Japan as , is the fifth video game in the Wild Arms series of role-playing games. The game celebrates the series' 10th anniversary by featuring cameo appearances of characters from the previous games. Produced by Media.Vision for the Sony PlayStation 2 platform, it was...
, in which when defeated, Ragu drops a badge called "The Omega".
Games
As a Sony franchise, all Wild Arms video games appear exclusively on PlayStation video game consoles. While each individual title is set in worlds completely independent of one another, they contain several consistencies that have become series mainstays, including similar races, monsters, technologies, and plot points. Though variations and stylistic differences persist in the overall presentation of each game, all titles can be considered "Weird WestWeird West
Weird West is used to describe a combination of the Western with another literary genre, usually horror, occult, or fantasy.DC's Weird Western Tales appeared in the early 1970s and the weird Western was further popularized by Joe R...
erns", combining attributes from traditional 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...
, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, and steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
genres.
NA
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
April 30, 1997
PAL
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
October 6, 1998
|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...
, PlayStation Network
|-
|Wild Arms 2
Wild Arms 2
Wild Arms 2, known in Japan as , is a role-playing game developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony Computer Entertainment and the second installment in the Wild Arms series...
|JPN
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
September 2, 1999
NA
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
April 30, 2000
|PlayStation, PlayStation Network
|-
|Wild Arms 3
Wild Arms 3
Wild Arms 3, known in Japan as , is a role-playing game developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony Computer Entertainment and the sequel to Wild Arms and Wild Arms 2. It was released in 2002 on the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console....
|JPN
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
March 14, 2002
NA
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
October 15, 2002
PAL
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
February 23, 2003
|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...
|-
|Wild Arms Alter Code: F
Wild Arms
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...
|JPN
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
November 27, 2003
NA
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
November 12, 2005
|PlayStation 2
|-
|Wild Arms 4
Wild Arms 4
Wild Arms 4, known in Japan as , also known as Wild Arms Another Code: F at one point in production , is a role-playing game developed by Media.Vision and the fourth installment in the Wild Arms video game series...
|JPN
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
March 3, 2005
NA
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
January 10, 2006
PAL
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
October 13, 2006
|PlayStation 2
|-
|Wild Arms 5
Wild Arms 5
Wild Arms 5, released in Japan as , is the fifth video game in the Wild Arms series of role-playing games. The game celebrates the series' 10th anniversary by featuring cameo appearances of characters from the previous games. Produced by Media.Vision for the Sony PlayStation 2 platform, it was...
|JPN
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
December 14, 2006
NA
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
August 28, 2007
PAL
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
April 11, 2008
|PlayStation 2
|-
|Wild Arms XF
Wild Arms XF
is the first game in the Wild Arms series for the PlayStation Portable. The game was unveiled at a Media.Vision fan event on September 2, 2006 and was released in Japan in 2007...
|JPN
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
August 9, 2007
NA
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
March 17, 2008
|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...
|}
- Wild ArmsWild Armsis 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...
established many of the recurring themes seen in later installments, including western overtones, the desert world of Filgaia, and gun-like machinery called "ARMs" that would become the series namesake. It introduced the "tool" system, in which special items such as bombBombA 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...
s or grappling hookGrappling hookA 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...
s can be used out of combat to cross otherwise impassable terrain and destroy objects. Originally released in Japan for the PlayStation in 1996, the game was later translated published in North America and the PAL regionPAL regionThe PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
over the next two years by Sony Computer EntertainmentSony Computer EntertainmentSony 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...
. Wild Arms features two-dimensionalDimensionIn 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...
characters and environments for normal gameplay, while battle sequences are instead rendered in full 3D3D computer graphics3D 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...
. The game follows the adventures of a band of "Dream Chasers", Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia, as they make their way across the desert-like world of Filgaia. Contacted by the AvatarAvatarIn Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
s of the forces of nature that protect the world, the heroes are chosen to be mankind's champions in the face of a demonDemoncall - 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...
invasion. - Wild Arms 2Wild Arms 2Wild Arms 2, known in Japan as , is a role-playing game developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony Computer Entertainment and the second installment in the Wild Arms series...
, the sequel to the first Wild Arms, was the second and final title for the original PlayStation. While keeping many of the themes from the previous title, Wild Arms 2 introduced additional science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
elements, including more abundant high technology and cybernetics, with additional fantasy and steampunkSteampunkSteampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
themes. A total of six characters can be recruited, with the player able to switch between any of them at any time. While characters remained in 2D, environments such as dungeons and towns were now rendered in isometricIsometric projectionIsometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
3D. Wild Arms 2 involves a group of international peace-keepers known as "Operation ARMS" that are assigned by a wealthy benefactor to protect the world from the terroristTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
organization Odessa. The player assumes control of each member of ARMS as they make their way through the game, and eventually confront an ancient evil that once threatened to destroy all of Filgaia. - Wild Arms 3Wild Arms 3Wild Arms 3, known in Japan as , is a role-playing game developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony Computer Entertainment and the sequel to Wild Arms and Wild Arms 2. It was released in 2002 on the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console....
is the first Wild Arms game for the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The 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...
console and the first title to be presented entirely using 3D3D computer graphics3D 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...
cel-shaded graphics. Though combat remains turn-based, a minor addition to the battle system, the "crossfire sequence", gives the appearance that characters and enemies are moving around the battlefield between rounds. Going back to the series' Wild West roots, the game takes place on a desert world almost totally devoid of large bodies of water, where roving bands of adventurers and outlaws roam the land in search of vast fortune, either through robberies or treasure huntTreasure huntA 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...
ing. Four strangers united by circumstance, Virginia, Jet, Clive, and Gallows, are the main characters who must confront a group of mystics trying to revive the world, and a demon who would have it destroyed. - Wild Arms Alter Code: F is an enhanced remake of the original Wild Arms, featuring an expanded script, additional story sequences, and a re-recorded soundtrack by Naruke. While all the previous locations from the initial version return, they are now presented in full 3D with new layouts and puzzles. New gameplay additions from Wild Arms 3 include the Migrant System for avoiding battles, and the Crossfire Sequence added to combat.
- Wild Arms 4Wild Arms 4Wild Arms 4, known in Japan as , also known as Wild Arms Another Code: F at one point in production , is a role-playing game developed by Media.Vision and the fourth installment in the Wild Arms video game series...
takes a more action gameAction gameAction 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...
-like approach to the series, including environments that only allow horizontal movement, and the ability to run, jump, and slide past obstacles. The tool system is absent for the first time, and combat sequences are handled dramatically different from previous games. Utilizing the "Hex System", battlefields are now made up of seven equally-sized hexagons that characters may move between each combat round, allowing the player to attack enemies or aid allies stationed in adjacent hexes. The story follows the journey of Jude, a young boy from an isolated village who is the unwilling owner of a secretly-developed ARM weapon and now on the run from the government. He is joined by his companions Yulie, Arnaud, and Raquel as they embark on a quest to re-unite Jude with his mother, as well as defeat a number of superhuman government agents with a hidden plot involving the safety of the world. - Wild Arms 5Wild Arms 5Wild Arms 5, released in Japan as , is the fifth video game in the Wild Arms series of role-playing games. The game celebrates the series' 10th anniversary by featuring cameo appearances of characters from the previous games. Produced by Media.Vision for the Sony PlayStation 2 platform, it was...
, the final title for the PlayStation 2, makes further use of Wild Arms 4's HEX combat system with minor adjustments, including a combat party of no more than three characters. Released in Japan in December 2006, the game was released in North America by XSEED Games in August, 2007. A PAL-region version was published by 505 Games505 Games505 Games, formerly known as 505 Game Street, is an Italian video game publishing division of Italian company Digital Bros. group founded in 2006...
in limited quantities only available in France, Italy and the UK. The story concerns Dean Stark, a 16-year-old adventurer from a village specializing in collecting lost technology, and his friend Rebecca who discover a mysterious amnesiaAmnesiaAmnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
c young woman named Avril outside town. The duo agrees to help Avril in her quest to recover her memory, while Dean commits himself to learning how to use ARMs so he may one day become a successful "Golem Hunter", a finder of ancient robotic giants. - Wild Arms XFWild Arms XFis the first game in the Wild Arms series for the PlayStation Portable. The game was unveiled at a Media.Vision fan event on September 2, 2006 and was released in Japan in 2007...
is the series' first handheld title, developed for the PlayStation PortablePlayStation PortableThe 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...
. Unlike the other titles, it is a tactical role-playing gameTactical role-playing gameA tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
. The story centers around Clarissa Arwin, the leader of the Chevalet Blanc knights, who is swept up into a political war when she travels to the Kingdom of Elesius to retrieve her mother's sword. - In 2009, Wild Arms 6 was rumored to have been announced at the Tokyo Game Show. No information regarding it has surfaced since then.
Mobile
Wild Arms Mobile is a series of flashAdobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
-based mobile phone games
Mobile game
A mobile game is a video game played on a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer or portable media player. This does not include games played on handheld video game systems such as Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable....
distributed by Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
Keitai, I-Mode, and EZWeb for the NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo
is the predominant mobile phone operator in Japan. The name is officially an abbreviation of the phrase, "do communications over the mobile network", and is also from a compound word dokomo, meaning "everywhere" in Japanese. Docomo provides phone, video phone , i-mode , and mail services...
cellphone brand in Japan. First developed in 2006, the download-to-play service includes two Wild Arms-themed 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: a Tetris
Tetris
Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
-style puzzle game, and Wild Arms Kōya no Nichō Kenjū, a shooting 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...
featuring characters and locations from Wild Arms 3. Additional downloadable features include backgrounds, calendar
Calendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
skins, music, and visual styles based on several Wild Arms games. A routine news feed can also be accessed with information from Sony Computer Entertainment.
Manga
First appearing in the Japanese Magazine ZMagazine Z
was a Japanese seinen mixed-media magazine published by Kodansha, aimed at teenage males and above, but particularly at hardcore anime and manga fans, featuring articles as well as manga tied into popular franchises. Original manga were also featured in the magazine.It was announced in September...
in 2001, Wild Arms Hana Nusubito, or Wild ARMs: Flower Thieves, is a 187-page 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...
commissioned by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan published by Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
. The manga features artwork by Wakako Ōba and contains plot elements from the first two Wild Arms titles, though it is set in its own unique world. Flower Thieves takes place thousands of years after a war between human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s and demons destroyed much of the life on the planet, turning the world into a scorched wasteland. Set in a dystopian future, the manga features a large group of humans on their last leg, living in the overcrowded city of Upper Hose where flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s and other flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
are rare and valuable. When a plant-eating monster known as a "Flower-Thief" attacks a mysterious girl named Jechika, a young boy, Maxi, must use a forbidden ARM weapon to save her, and is subsequently expelled from the city for using illegal technology. Traveling into the wilderness with Jechika and a florist named Gi, Maxi sets off on a quest to restore the balance of nature throughout the world and make the earth habitable again.
Beginning with Wild Arms 2 in 1999, official adaptations of each Wild Arms game were produced by such manga companies as DNA Media, Enix
Enix
The was a Japanese company that produced video games, anime and manga. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975 as and renamed Enix in 1982...
, Bros. Comics, GanGan Wing, and 4Kings for release exclusively in Japan. Each work follows the plot of each game it is based on, with minor interpretations to the original script and characters.
Anime
Wild Arms: Twilight Venom is a 22-episode animeAnime
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....
series originally broadcast on Japan's WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
network from October 1999 to March 2000 produced by Studio Bee Train
Bee Train
, commonly referred simply as Bee Train, is a Japanese animation studio founded by Kōichi Mashimo in 1997. Since their involvement with Noir, .hack//Sign, and Madlax they have a strong following in the yuri fandom for being involved in series portraying strong female leads with speculatively...
. Directed by Kōichi Mashimo
Koichi Mashimo
is a well-known Japanese anime director and the founder of the animation studio Bee Train. Since the creation of the studio, Mashimo directed or otherwise participated in all its works, for example, as a member of art or sound department...
, the series follows the adventures of two treasure hunters - Loretta, an aspiring sorceress and Mirabelle, a Crimson Noble
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
- who stumble upon the body of Sheyenne Rainstorm, a warrior from the past reborn as a 10 year-old boy. Able to use the archaic yet powerful ARM devices found with him, Sheyenne and the others team up with gung-ho scientist Dr. Aronnax to discover the secret of his past. The series features music by Kow Otani and Sho Wada, as well as themes from the first two Wild Arms games.
Albums
In addition to commercial soundtracks for each individual game and the anime, two sets of arranged albumsRemix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
have been released featuring music from multiple games in the Wild Arms series. The compilation album alone the world: Wild Arms Vocal Collection
Alone the world: Wild ARMs Vocal Collection
Alone the World is a Wild Arms vocal arrangement album.-Information:This is the first arrangement album of the Wild Arms series. It is a vocal arrangement, with all songs sang by Kaori Asoh and composed by Michiko Naruke. Wild Arms Vocal Collection is commonly treasured and praised amongst fans of...
, released in July 2002, features all vocal tracks from the first three Wild Arms titles, as well as sung versions of previously instrumental songs provided by Kaori Asoh
Kaori Asoh
' is a Japanese actress and voice actress.*Originally she was an actor.*She did a voice work in Nurse Angel Ririka SOS. She also sang two of the ending themes.*After this work, she performed to the supervisor work of Daichi Akitaro....
.
In celebration of the Wild Arms series 10th anniversary, Media.Vision and King Records produced two separate albums under the Wild Arms: Music the Best label which feature music from the first four Wild Arms games as well as the Twilight Venom anime. The first album, Feeling Wind
Wild ARMs Music the Best -feeling wind-
Wild Arms Music the Best is a series of arrangement albums from Media.Vision's Wild Arms series. This is the first album released under the title "Music the Best", -feeling wind-, a piano arrangement album.-Information:...
, released August 2006, contains piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
interpretations of various songs performed by Haruki Mino and Fumito Hirata and arranged by Yasuo Sako, and came packaged with a special edition songbook entitled Piece of Tears featuring linear notes for each track as well as interviews with long-time series composer Michiko Naruke. The second album, Rocking Heart
Wild ARMs Music the Best -rocking heart-
Wild Arms Music the Best is a series of arrangement albums from Media.Vision's Wild Arms series. This is the second album released under the title "Music the Best", -rocking heart-, a rock arrangement album.-Information:Original Composition...
, released the following October, is a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-inspired remix album featuring arrangements by Nittoku Inoue, Nobuhiko Kashiwara, Nao Tokisawa, Atsushi Tomita, Transquillo, and Ryo Yonemitsu.
Critical response
Wild Arms has often been compared to such high-profile console role-playing game series as Square EnixSquare Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
's Final Fantasy. While some critics praise Wild Arms for its unique approach to storytelling, others denounce that it is at best a "filler" series meant to fill gaps between releases of other, more prominent titles. Each Wild Arms game has sold modestly in North America and Europe, with no titles selling above the requisite amount to qualify for a "PlayStation Greatest Hits" or "Sony Platinum Range
Platinum range
The Platinum Range is a Sony PlayStation budget range in the PAL regions, notably Europe , Australia, New Zealand, India, and Africa...
" distinction. Sales in Japan have been significantly better, with the first five titles obtaining the equivalent "PlayStation the Best" or "PlayStation 2 the Best" distinction as well as reprints several months or years after their original release. With the exception of Wild Arms 2 and Alter Code: F, each game has been released in the three major NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
and 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...
s.