*spoilers ahead if you don't like spoilers*

... For the first time in years, I am playing through the PS1 (original) version of Wild Arms, and, even twenty hours into the game, the pure, blissful wave of nostalgia that one feels when going back to true quality games of the past has still yet yo fully pass over me. I wonder if even going back to the days of the first Lunar once I get around to playing it on the PSP will feel just as good. Hitting up Wild Arms like this and finally realizing just how truly great a game it is makes me wonder if the feeling I am experiencing right now is sort similar to being touched by a angelic being - if that ever happens; it's quite pleasing, but in a gentle, wholesome, non-sexual sort of way. ^_^

I have always thought that Wild Arms was great, but only about an 8 on a 1-10 scale. That's just classic/very good on my personal scale, but actually now I am thinking it deserves closer to a 9, which borderlines masterpiece. I admit; I did not become so fascinated with the story of Filgaia - the world in which the Wild Arms series revolves - until I played through Wild Arms 3, which seemed to give a lot more backstory on Filgaia's history than the first installment, but, I have found that the story here in Wild Arms 1 is just as engrossing, and, naturally, this is all where the story of Filgaia and its delightful assortment of heroes, villains, spiritual entities called Guardians, and fascinating weapons known as ARM's, truly began. In the best way I can sum all five of the games in the series so far, I believe that the story is all about natural human error that continues to repeat itself throughout time but in the end is somehow corrected/admonished by the protagonists' faith in and love of that very same human race, no matter how both the humans and the world they live in perpetually suffer because of humanity's darker half. As a series in whole, I dare say it is as compelling Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda, and there is really no reason at this time I can see to call the latest, fifth installment the series' swan song. If there is a 6th on the way, I look forward to it expecting no disappointment whatsoever.

Emotion, through both dialogue and music, is strong enough in Wild Arms 1 to easily rival even that of RPG's typically known for their captivating characters and storylines such as Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VII, Xenogears, and so on. There are also a few scenes in particular (i.e. Jack's duel with Elmina, Cecylia's overcoming of a great demon in order to save Rudy), I believe, in the game that I would expect most gamers to become as emotionally engrossed in as other RPG landmark scenes I am sure we all know like Celes' opera song and Aeirs' death. In particular, while nearly every character is likable (and believable), whether as a protagonist or a villain, Cecylia is by far is one of the strongest and most admirable women I have seen in any game, and in my eyes she puts those over-the-top ridiculous, butt-kicking heroines like Lara Croft with their tiny brains, arrogant personalities, and oversized chests to shame.

Pictured: Cecylia. ... She needs to be noticed more by GT and IGN.

Overall, while graphics are somewhat primitive (actually on a slightly lower level than FFVII, it appears to me) and the personified members of the Metal Demon race in the game are rather non-challenging to defeat considering how powerful they are made out to be by the humans who fear them, these can't even really be considered major weaknesses and as of now there is nothing obviously "bad" or "weak" I can see in this game. Story and characters are some of the most detailed and engaging, the music and battle system can both at least be considered solid, if not great, and Filgaia is a fun, beautiful place to explore.


In battle.


On the overworld map.

People, if you have not yet had the privilege of experience this old but truly well-made and classic RPG, then please by all means break out your debit cards and start searching the Net for a copy. It is very hard to imagine that any die-hard lover or even casual fan of RPG's will be at all disappointed with Wild Arms 1.

If you don't mind the preemptive curtain-opener, perhaps the first two minutes or so of the below video might convince those of you have not had the pleasure but maybe, just maybe had their curiosity stroked a little by this post. True loyalty and friendship, which drives the protagonists in Wild Arms 1, has scarcely ever been more touchingly expressed in any story. Not Lord of the Rings or even - dare I say it - Magic Knight Rayearth comes this close ->

And I still haven't played 4 or 5. I've been putting those off almost as long as I did Skies of Arcadia.

Actually, I bought Wild Arms 1 on the PSN for 10 dollars. If you have a PS3, I suggest that route more than anything else. You could even transfer it to your PSP as well. Of course I'm sure plenty of ISO's exsist all over the net, but whatever. In this case, they desirve your money for the game, methinks.

You are missing something from this topic:

I never got very far in the original version. I got as far as the part where you are suppose to meet up with Cecylia in the castle, but there apparently was no way for me to so I got tired of looking, turned off the game and haven't touched it since.

gamefaqs?

What you call me, boy?

Wild Arms is among my favorite RPGs It was also one of my firsts. I consider the intro to be one of the most memorable ones I've ever seen, probably topped by Soul Blade (which made me drop my jaw in amazement back then)

i love wild arms and that opening theme is very high in my top 10. i enjoyed the story and the game mechanics but the graphics have suffered horribly.

a year ago i picked up alter code f and tried to play it (a remake on wild arms 1) but i couldnt get far and had other stuff to do.

the later games where not all that great. the story ended up being too childish or stupid for my liking. so unrealistic.

Since when were RPGs ever about realism? Aren't the best RPGs the ones based on as much fantasy as possible?

To each their own, I guess.

But I personally liked the more naive and childish stance that Wild Arms 4 and 5 took up. That and the "hexagonal" battle system made both games quite entertaining.


I just beat Wild Arms 1 last night. I had forgotten how great the entire ending is, too. May this role-playing franchise live forever.

.... Well, until it begins to suck, anyway, like Final Fantasy XIII.



P.S. I was not trying to kick over a hornet's nest of debating with that last statement. I just wanted to say it once and get it off of my chest.