Gaming Target - PlayStation 2: Wild Arms 3

Written by Chris Reiter on August 12, 2002

First Impressions: Because Wild Butt Cheeks didn't sound right...

The original Wild Arms that appeared on the PlayStation was Sony's first attempt to make it in the RPG genre when they released the title on their 32-bit system. Not only was the game a huge success, due to the fact that it combined a unique 3D battle system inside of a 2D title, but it also thereafter built a following, that led Sony to make a second title. While Wild Arms: 2nd Ignition wasn't as good as its predecessor...the game continued the trend of the franchise's unique battle system with a few new innovations in check. This fall, fans can expect a little more from the growing rise in the series as Sony plans to unleash the third and hopefully not the final title in the franchise -- Wild Arms 3.

Filgaia, the home world seen in the past two titles, is also where the new plot centers on in the sequel. It is here that now the land of Filgaia has in a way died to now mostly being made up of sand. With its nickname "Sea of Sand", the people of Filgaia struggle for life to awaken on their planet. Still, travelers visit often here in search of ancient treasure. Word of magical creations that possess elemental properties has spread throughout Filgaia, and there are those who believe these objects to be treasure. Others think of them only as the bringers of the end of their world. A set of four unique travelers -- Virginia, Jet, Gallows, and Clive -- has now graced these parts, on the lookout of one legendary piece, hoping that the rumored items may be the link to finding what bounty it is that they desire; but ultimately will find that their travel will lead them to the journey of their lives.

Wild Arms 3 will be the first of its kind in the franchise to take you on the road of four protagonists instead of the traditional three. Likewise, there'll be more depth to the series than ever before. Having to delve into both puzzle solving and turn based battles you'll need to be able to learn each of your team's traits in order to be successful within the gameplay. For starters, the dungeon exploration will require you to switch between the four characters on fly. You'll be able to do so easily with a flick of the L2 button. All four characters, having their own abilities, can then contribute individually to area puzzles. Virginia, for example, has the power to use a set of magical cards that will set objects aflame, such as torches mounted on the wall. Specifically, this method can be used in a number of ways, like giving vision to darkened paths or even solving abstract enigmas. The other characters will receive their own items that can also only be used by them: from bombs, a boomerang, and even a toy snowman that shoots a freeze ray. Aside from lighting flames, you'll also need to extinguish fiery traps, plant bombs, or even push large blocks out of the way. Getting to know each of your team will essentially become a major aspect of the gameplay.

Similarly to the previous installment in the series, battles will occur at random times throughout exploration. That is, unless you're to pass on the opportunity. In the second Wild Arms, an exclamation point had appeared above your character's head every time a random battle would take place. And for a limited time you'd be able to opt not to take a part in it and continue on your way until the next one presented itself for as many times as you'd like, and hardly ever having to go through the game without getting acquainted with the battle system at hand. This time, however, players will have the same opportunity to avoid turn-based confrontation, except there's a limit to the number of chances you can check off escaping each confrontation. But, the meter isn't a complete roadblock, as you'll have the chance to collect special crystals used to relinquish the meter from locking up on you, so you can proceed to make each opportunity of battle a way of a strategic breakdown.

When the time does come to get down and dirty, though, the battle system in Wild Arms 3 is being shaped a little after the one seen in Grandia 2. With a resemblance in how characters placed themselves separately from one another, rather than forming a single row, Wild Arms 3 will do the same, and will do it right. Just like its former editions, the third game's battle scenarios will equip the characters with their own ARMs abilities, in addition to a Force point system. Force points will be earned the more you attack enemies physically. And after fueling the meter, players can spend the points gained during combat through distributing them to item usage, combo attacks, and monster Summons. As in the Final Fantasy games, you can equip your host of unique characters with summon beasts. Depending on which character you summon with (some being more prone to magic usage than others), the more powerful your attacks will become. Sony is also paying this tweaked fighting system with new automatic attack choices you can set to each one of the characters (controlled by the computer) that will then boost the battle process for a more quicker, rather than a slower, turn-based brawl every time.

Needless to say, Wild Arms never seems to slow down in its evolving process. Graphically, the game is taking a leap into the new fabrication of cel-shading, like so many other series are interlocking onto. But, with each of the other cel-shaded titles having a digitalized format, Wild Arms 3 seems to stand out with a more stenciled layer. Technically, the game will be able to hold its own use of light and shading techniques across the hand drawn apparatus of western themed anime characters, enigmatic dungeons, sand filled locales, and even within the battles themselves, using impressive magic and physical attack effects. However, it remains to be seen if this somewhat primitive cel-shading technique will work with the Wild Arms series, and with the cel-shading influence on games in general.