Wild Arms
 

Wild Arms fans, represent!

Wild Arms is an awesome series with four games and a remake under its belt, with #5 on its way. Since its premier, the series has been evolving in unique and innovative ways, a sharp contrast to the variations-on-a-theme style of Final Fantasy.

I've beaten WA1, 3, and 4, and I'm about to return to my file on Alter Code F. Unfortunately, I can't find 2 anywhere. My favorite so far is either 1 or 4 (I can't decide between the two), and I can't say whether I prefer the original first game or the remake.

I finally finished 4 this past weekend after abandoning my quest to make Raquel's best weapon, a task on which I was making no progress. I liked the ending though - it gave the story a nice sense of closure.

So who else has played Wild Arms, and what can you say about it?

It needs more press. That's what I can say about it.

I didn't know there was a four... now I'll have to buy it.

Also: two is pretty damn good. I'd suggest checking e-bay if nothing else works out.

I was disappointed in WA4. It abandoned the one cool thing it had going for it: the wild west theme. The other games in the series have been pretty fun though. I liked the earlier games where each of the characters got their own little gadgets that allowed you to solve different kinds of puzzles and stuff.

Also, MT, if you have too much trouble finding WA2, lemme know. I've got a copy that's just collecting dust, I'd be happy to let you borrow it.

Thanks for the offer; I'll keep that in mind.

I'll admit I kinda missed the old Tools in WA4, but the hex battle system made up for it. That's gotta be the most interesting fight system I've ever seen; it makes certain battles seem more like puzzles. Plus, voice acting! Finally. I'll admit it could've been better, but I liked it anyway. They should've added voice acting to ACF.

I'm a proud owner of Wild Arms 2!

I couldn't stand W.A. 3 though. Unearthly hard monsters requiring near constant healing of pary members and just not enough items to compensate for HP and Mana loss.

Haven't touched W.A. 4 though. Just doesn't do much for me, I guess W.A. 2 spoiled me. Such an awesome game..

I could never beat WA1. Those bastards were too tough and I didn't have enough heals. Boomerang (is that his name?) and Luceid in front of the last tower, Ka Dingel. I could probably win, but the expense wouldn't really be worth victory right now.

I beat WA2, though, rather easily. Of course, I just got Lord Blazer up to full FP, then used that suicide dive attack of his to smite the last boss. I'd take that save and use it to kill the secret bosses if it wasn't corrupted.

I beat WA3 too! Go go Finest Arts combo of desperation doing over one million damage total!

WA4 is an insult to the series and I pretend it doesn't exist. In my opinion, anyhow.

I had a much tougher time against him at the top of Epitaph Sea. God, that took at least twenty tries. >.< Stupid Boomerang Dynamic... Anyway, invest in spells like Hi-Heal, Remedy, Hi-Shield, and Hyper, and you should do fine. Just spam those spells while Rudy and Jack use Phaser and Magnum Fang respectively.
Does not compute. Please explain.

I enjoyed 3. And I've got ACF and 4 on my to play list. Eventually...

Oh, I have them, it's just that I have like 2 Magic Carrots left to my name, you know? It's not my power that's in short supply, it's the fuel that keeps them killing. :P I could probably kick his but if I was willing to run out of items. Unless, of course, there's something I can Mystic to get MP back; then I'd probably be in business.

I just thought WA4 was awful. Hated the characters, hated the way the story was delivered (always calling them kids, over and over...), and I just didn't really find it interesting. It felt like they tried to cram a season of anime into a game. And I hated that weird hexagon battle system, too. I think Wild Arms battle systems need something new, but not that. I did like how you could have them team up to do Force attacks, though.

Man, I loved those games. You don't see games with the kind of personality that the first 2 WA games had.

I bought the first on a whim froma pawn shop, and I must say that it was a sad thing that this game was glossed over like it was because it came out within a month of Final Fantasy 7.

Two of my all time favorites.

HOWEVER, the third was a disgrace and I have not played the remake, so I reserve my harsh judgement on that.

No item that I know of will restore MP when used with Mystic, but I know where you can get more carrots. Remember how Saint Centour was overrun with monsters after the townsfolk were abducted? There's a type of random monster there called Dekarabia, or something very close. You can Trickster a Magic Carrot out of it.
If you disliked 3 because of the gameplay, stay away from Alter Code F. They basically took WA1 and squeezed it through a WA3 filter; ACF has many characteristics in common with the third game, like canceling encounters and a lack of equipment. If it's the stories you care more about, then go ahead and pick up the remake; the story scenes are far better this time around.

Oddly enough, I loved 3, and I could tolerate 4. Then again, it's probably because I haven't played the earlier two games or the remake.

Seriously though, it needs more press. I got my copy of the third used, and even then it was because it was just there and available.

Really!? @_@ Here I was trying to think of the name of those monsters that could put every status ailment in the game on a character with an attack whose name I can't remember. I was gonna try and Lucky Shot one to see what sort of item I get. I seriously didn't know about the Magic Carrot from that place, though; you might've just doomed Boomerang. :P

Also, did you like Alter Code: F? It made me pretty sad. I felt like the original Wild Arms had been sold out. I mean, sometimes it's hard for me to play Wild Arms because of how god-awful ugly the battles are (not that I'm a graphics whore, but damn, most SNES RPGs were easier on the eye), but, if I remember right, the translations in Alter Code: F were worse, and they stuffed a bunch of extra characters in the party. Also, didn't they do something with how Rudy attacks? I always thought it was cool that he carried a claymore and several guns; always made me imagine him as a big, slow arsenal.

Of course, I often find excuses to snarl at remakes, whether they're warranted or not.

The first Wild Arms was an underdog hit because of FFVII. While game play was semi-original, its story far exceeded most RPGs of its time.

#2 far surpassed its predecessor. With one optional character in there, difficult hidden bosses, 3d environments, and excellent story. Using the Force meter rather than consuming MP was very cool.

#3 allows you to add a great deal of customization to your party members. I found the lack of places to buy Heal Berries (and other recovery items) VERY annoying.

Never played #4. So I can't really give my opinion. but my lady friend who did said it smelled worse than Black Mage.

:bmage: For the last time! They're my spell components!
:fighter: Then why don't we ever see them?
:bmage: Don't make me stab you...

I cant believe that i forgot to mention my favorite part of all the games, the intros! All of them are well done, and give a sense that you are playing a tv series. (At least thats the effect the game makers were going for.)

I disagree with all of the complaints you made; I enjoyed the battle graphics in the original game, I thought the dialogue in ACF was better than the original, and the extra characters were fun.

Also: Yes, Rudy no longer carries a sword; his ARM is his primary weapon, which seems to make a little more sense. Doesn't make him any less of an arsenal though.

WA3's opening song is my favorite, though the first game's intro will always have a special place in my heart.

The battle graphics in the first WA were good at the time, but now everytime I look at it, it feels weird and chibi. I like most of the attack animations, though.

I couldn't particularly remember the dialouge in ACF, but I thought I remembered voice acting in ACF and when I think of voice acting, I tend to think poorly. I've heard some good voice acting, but it's generally not the norm in my experience. :P I like my RPGs without voice acting and my character names changeable.

The extra characters? Ehhh. i dunno. I guess when it comes to old stuff that I really love like WA I just want it to stay the same. I remember playing the FF6 remake on Playstation thinking "I swear if they changed the muddled opera voices, I'll bomb the building."

I guess Rudy not having a sword makes more sense. I just liked the idea of him seeming totally loaded for bear. Arsenal of guns, big claymore, tower shield, and ready to summon a Guardian. Reminded me of a D&D Fighter who walked around with so many weapons he could arm a small squad, lol.

Oh, and I love the original WA sequence the most, too. Every Wild Arms game I played through, I remember getting goosebumps and chills listening to the opening theme or the overworld music, and I'd usually watch it in the morning after I got up.

:D Playing through WA3 again, but I've forgotten how tough folks could be if I didn't level up. Or at least, how quick Virginia tends to die in combat. T_T

Alright, aficionados: should I play Wild Arms? If so, which one?

I'm looking for a console RPG to play. If it isn't really unique, I won't be hooked. I want to play them all, but I'm looking for something that will wow me. When I played Vagrant Story, I went, "Holy shit." Will Wild Arms "holy shit" me? Will I be mildly holy shitted? Will I have only mild gastrointestinal pain?

Is it long? Does it ever get stale? Answer me, damn you!!

You have to ask yourself this Locke: Do you like spaghetti westerns?

Wild Arms is steeped in it, with a hearty mix of worn down steampunkish technology of course. If'n y'don't put much stock for the ol' dustbowls 'n trains ya best be movin' on now, y'hear?
*spit* *ting*

It depends on what you're looking for. WA is steeped in Western stuff, but it's sort of gradual. Like the first Wild Arms was a mix of basic fantasy, western stuff, and a little bit of sci-fi. The second one moved more into the sci-fi and philosophizing stuff, but it still had a loose western-mixed-with-fantasy sort of feel. WA3 pretty much is a spaghetti western with a bit of sci-fi and fantasy mixed in. Can't really tell you about WA4 because it hurt me a bit inside when I tried it.

I'd say start with the first one, just because if you can actually reach the end/beat the first one, I figure you can do them all. Besides that, it's just cooler because of how you learn attacks and stuff. :D

If I ranked them in story goodness, though, I'd say it's WA2 -> WA3 -> WA1. Each of them have superb stories, but damn did I feel for Ashley Winchester and Brad. Hell, in WA2, I even felt attached to the bosses and enemies I fought. WA3 gave me the same empathetic feel. WA1 gives beautiful insight into the enemies faced, but I felt like they were treated in a more usual way. In WA2, I felt bad for what happened to my enemies, but in WA1, it was something of a "Holy crap, he's crazy, I need to blow him away." I like stories with sympathetic villians and stuff.

:p This discussion is solely responsible for my current Wild Arms kick. I dug all of them up and am probably gonna play through them backwards from 3 to the first (or at least just beat the first one >_>).

I totally like spaghetti westerns. I even watched the anime show after I got my hands on Wild Arms: TV (Complete Collection) at Best Bribe. Anyway, I kinda liked when the gunblade, or known as the bayonet, first appeared in Wild Arms 2. I thought that game kicked bad ass (or was it good ass? Can't remember.)

To make my rather long story short as Black Mage would want it to be, because I highly think that telling you the story of my experience with Wild Arms series would classify as "boring stuff" I realliked the PSX games... the PS2 games kinda were sucky IMO.