Released: 19970520 Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Genre: RPG

Review by: Carlo

On graphics, Wild ARMs is a good looker as it mixes 2D and 3D graphics from time to time. The battles are 3D featuring super deformed polygonal characters fighting polygonal enemies. The special effects from the magic spells look good, but not as good as that of Final Fantasy 7. Sometimes the battle backgrounds look cool with changing colors giving it life. Most battle backgrounds feature landscape, forests, castle interiors and more. The anime intro is cool to look at, but the problem is that there's no more anime left to watch in the game. There are anime art shots shown during the closing end credits. The game uses an overhead 2D view when exploring, and the world/town maps are well designed. When it comes to telling the story, only game graphics are used but that's just okay for me. Wild ARMs looks great but is a few steps behind Final Fantasy 7.

On sounds, the sound effects are just above satisfactory. The sound effects from the spells and physical attacks are not intensive enough to give the player a realistic feeling. I wished that Media Vision (the developer) concentrated more on the sound effects. The music is the star here as it gives big expression during the times when a story is being told, when the adventure goes on, or when an event is happening. One example of this was when there was this festival/fair that went on in the town of Adlehyde. The music was great to listen! Wild ARMs sounds great but not as great as Final Fantasy...again.

Gameplay? Wild ARMs plays like any other RPG...with a few additions like the "tool system" which the characters use. Rudy uses his Skates, Jack uses a grappling hook, Cecilia uses her wand and so on. Each character's tool is useful for the party during the quests like the part in which Jack uses his animal friend Hanpan to go through small passageways when he and his friends were in the prison cells. Hanpan eventually helped his friends out, of course. Also there are status building items to use like the Agile Apple, Power Apple, etc. The story's great and long to play with and the player can actually feel it. There are some problems with the gameplay though. There are puzzles which are very hard to solve, and guessing the solution really takes a lot of time. I advice the player to buy a strategy guide as a backup solution to the problems concerning the puzzles.

Another problem here is that there are only 3 characters to use namely Rudy, Jack and Cecilia (or make that 4 since Hanpan is used late in the game). I sure wished that the other characters can be used like Hurricane Jane, Emma the engineer, and more. Using the 3 main characters for the entire game can sometimes get boring. I also noticed that Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia are sort of a Star Wars Trio (Luke, Han and Leia) with a twist. Rudy and Luke Skywalker are both youths. Rudy uses a gun, Luke a lightsaber/sword weapon. Jack and Han both share the taste of adventure and wealth/treasures. They are also the oldest in their respective groups. Jack uses a sword. Han uses a blaster. Cecilia and Leia are both princesses. Cecilia wants to go out to experience the world and how herself to the people as a normal person, not a princess. Leia on the other hand stood by her Rebel Alliance.

As for the funfactor, Wild ARMs is well made and entertains the player very well with it's great story, good cast of characters, extras, adventures, puzzles and more. Wild ARMs will take the player at least 38 hours to finish.

Overall, Wild ARMs is a great RPG to buy and play, even in today's time. The game is the 2nd best RPG of 1997 (next to Final Fantasy 7) and is worth the money you pay. Wild ARMs now cost between $20 to $29 here in my place and you get great value from this game. I also recommend to you PSX fans that this game should be part of your PSX game collection. If you missed this one before, then go get this game now! You'll enjoy it!

Wild ARMs is such a great RPG and really deserves a sequel (or prequel). I heard that the sequel will come out if only there's enough popular demand around. If anyone of you is a Wild ARMs fan, then I would suggest that you contact Sony (at http://www.playstation.com) and tell them that a sequel (or prequel) should be made. That is if you want another Wild ARMs. Me? I want another Wild ARMs! It's a great RPG!

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