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[SolidSnakex]

Basically just a teaser site until January

http://www.wild-arms.net/wa_top.html

You get the kickass WA music though.

 

[dark10x]

That would be nice. ACF was a bit dull, as it felt so dated, but WA4 was f*cking awesome. The controls/field map navigation was quite possibly better than any RPG to date, the dungeons were fun and interesting, the story was quite decent, and the battle system was far FAR beyond anything else in the series. It was really cool.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Sony HAS GOT TO stop with the basic travel and battle system that has been in Wild Arms since Wild Arms 2. I haven't played the newest installment (Not the remake of Wild Arms) but i'm so sick and tired of the re hashed battle and travel system.

This series has the potential to be very good (I liked Wild Arms and Wild Arms 4)

 

[SolidSnakex]

Sony HAS GOT TO stop with the basic travel and battle system that has been in Wild Arms since Wild Arms 2. I haven't played the newest installment (Not the remake of Wild Arms) but i'm so sick and tired of the re hashed battle and travel system.

Well WA4 seems to play very different from the previous games from what I read ( you can see what dark says right up above your post too).

 

[BlueTsunami]

Well WA4 seems to play very different from the previous games from what I read ( you can see what dark says right up above your post too).

Wow..that is a big departure. I can't wait to get my hands on WA4 then (i'm confused though...I think i'm thinking of WA3 or something..the one on the PS2 is the one I liked)

 

[Error]

This series has the potential to be very good (I liked Wild Arms and Wild Arms 4)

wait a minute, Wild Arms 4 is out in the States? or did you mean 3?

btw a little off-topic what's are reputation points and also, what's that green thing beside my name?

 

[BlueTsunami]

wait a minute, Wild Arms 4 is out in the States? or did you mean 3?

btw a little off-topic what's are reputation points and also, what's that green thing beside my name?

I think I mean 3 (if 4 is the one that hasn't been released in the US yet). Basically the one that was released on the PS2 already (a while back)

OT: About the reputation, its only open for Moderators to cast reputation (as I understand it), it seems like a system to track people who have been naughty or nice (The way GAF is using it). So if you keep doing bad stuff and mods keep giving you bad rep they can tell that, that person has chronically been either a troll or just a bad poster.

The green dot probably grows as you get more reputation points from mods. So you can get two, three, four etc green dots as you make posts that mods deem helpfull to the community

 

[Greenpanda]

Cool, thanks for the link. The site definitely makes it seem pretty obvious that a new title is coming -- they wouldn't have put together that "Wild Arms 10th Anniversary" logo if they weren't planning on doing something with, I'm sure . I'm fond of the series (always love to hear that theme music ) so this is good to hear.

And there's a thread about the new reputation system here in OT here. Basically, you start with 10 points and the mods can give or take away points based on your posts.

 

[dark10x]

Yes, as I said, WA4 is completely different from the rest of the games in the series (while still carrying some of its qualities).

The field map now feels like something out of a decent platformer rather than an RPG. You are given EXTREMELY responsive controls that allow you to jump, dash, air stomp, slide (and more) through the environments. They nailed the look and feel of simple running and jumping to the point where I think it is better than many a recent platformer (or at least on par). Jumping around town is fun, but the dungeons really benefit the most, with some enjoyable little platform challenges and an action-RPG design (more so than before). There are even times when the game actually switches to a 2.5D mode with only left and right directions available (look at those shots which say "side view").

The combat system is much faster paced and plays nothing like the previous games. That hex system works suprisingly well, actually. Different hexes offer different strategic considerations while also potentially housing a positive or negative effect on the characters standing within them. You can actually move your characters into the same squares as well, which adds further to the strategy elements. The game uses Grandia or FFX like "turn bar" which functions as you'd expect. The enemy life bars are also displayed and, when selecting an attack, it will display how much damage you will do (some people may not like this, however, but I loved it). They've also thrown in a few more additional gameplay systems to take your attacks beyond the typical "attack, magic, item" options. Also, as I said, the pace is VERY quick, so you'll be in and out of battles in a snap. My only complaint here is that the battles are random. Considering the environment, they should have added in some sort of field-attack (or something like what we saw in Valkyrie Profile) to the mix. You won't get into encounters all that often, though.

The story and characters are quite enjoyable, though nothing particular different or standout. The game does start off in quite a unique fashion, but it does sort of return to something a bit more grounded as you progress (to a degree). The presentation is pretty nice as well and, again, varies pretty heavily from the previous games by using lots of 2D drawings of the characters along with the text. The visuals are suprisingly attractive, with a wide variety of nice looking areas to explore at 60 fps. They also ditched the old world map in favor of a 2D map with a cursor. The lack of a real world map was a bit disappointing, but I'd take that over the awful "searching" from WA3 and ACF. The soundtrack is good, but not quite up to the standards of the rest of the series (especially ACF). There just aren't as many memorable tracks.

Really, though, this game is totally worth a play. I certainly hope some people give it a shot when it shows up in the US.

 

[Shouta]

Oooh keen. I hope it's something neat.

Wild Arms games in general are pretty underrated IMO. While they get solid review scores, the reception for them by the general public is mild and the hardcore is lukewarm at best. All of the WA games are pretty well (except for the second half of the story in every game since WA2) and I'd easily put WA3 in my Top 10 RPGs on the PS2 if not this generation. To date, I can't think of any RPG that has matched WA3's customization both in effectiveness and flexibility. It also helps that the game had one of the best female characters in RPG and she was the lead.

 

[hahahax]

I want an awesome Wild Arms for PSP with lots of rail roads.

 

[Dice]

The field map now feels like something out of a decent platformer rather than an RPG. You are given EXTREMELY responsive controls that allow you to jump, dash, air stomp, slide (and more) through the environments. They nailed the look and feel of simple running and jumping to the point where I think it is better than many a recent platformer (or at least on par). Jumping around town is fun, but the dungeons really benefit the most, with some enjoyable little platform challenges and an action-RPG design (more so than before). There are even times when the game actually switches to a 2.5D mode with only left and right directions available (look at those shots which say "side view").

sweet

The combat system is much faster paced and plays nothing like the previous games. That hex system works suprisingly well, actually. Different hexes offer different strategic considerations while also potentially housing a positive or negative effect on the characters standing within them. You can actually move your characters into the same squares as well, which adds further to the strategy elements.

yes

The game uses Grandia or FFX like "turn bar" which functions as you'd expect. The enemy life bars are also displayed and, when selecting an attack, it will display how much damage you will do (some people may not like this, however, but I loved it).

Sweet goodness yes... but is there a way to turn off the damage thing? I like being intuitive.

They've also thrown in a few more additional gameplay systems to take your attacks beyond the typical "attack, magic, item" options. Also, as I said, the pace is VERY quick, so you'll be in and out of battles in a snap. My only complaint here is that the battles are random. Considering the environment, they should have added in some sort of field-attack (or something like what we saw in Valkyrie Profile) to the mix. You won't get into encounters all that often, though.

sounds good

The story and characters are quite enjoyable, though nothing particular different or standout. The game does start off in quite a unique fashion, but it does sort of return to something a bit more grounded as you progress (to a degree).

Seems somewhat techno-western-anime. I dunno how it's possible but I like it.

The presentation is pretty nice as well and, again, varies pretty heavily from the previous games by using lots of 2D drawings of the characters along with the text.

Oh good I love that in RPGs.

The visuals are suprisingly attractive, with a wide variety of nice looking areas to explore at 60 fps. They also ditched the old world map in favor of a 2D map with a cursor. The lack of a real world map was a bit disappointing, but I'd take that over the awful "searching" from WA3 and ACF.

I seem to rarely pick games that are 60fps, that's a nice bonus for me. Also I'm sure the map thing was to ensure that all platforming was well-designed and fun. I know I'm personally tired of running around huge fields in games--it's kinda cool at first, but ocne you're familiar with the world and just want to get somewhere it's annoying.

The soundtrack is good, but not quite up to the standards of the rest of the series (especially ACF). There just aren't as many memorable tracks.

No biggie for me so long as it doesn't stand out in an annoying way. Not every soundtrack can be FF7.

Really, though, this game is totally worth a play. I certainly hope some people give it a shot when it shows up in the US.

Your impressions help a lot. I would love to get this game, but I've been putting off Paper Mario 2 for so long, I'm gonna get that before any other RPG. Ideally over the enxt year my RPG's will be Paper Mario 2, then Wild Arms 4 then Rogue Galaxy, with maybe Fire Emblem and another strat RPG in there somewhere.

 

[BuddyC]

I came in here to pimp Wild ARMs 4 and see that dark10x has already beaten me to the punch.

 

[Baron Aloha]

Isn't ACF basically a remake of WA1? I kinda hope this new one is a remake of WA2. It'd be nice to have the entire series together on one system.

 

[Servizio]

...

It's been almost ten years since Wild Arms came out?

God.

 

[DarienA]

Sony HAS GOT TO stop with the basic travel and battle system that has been in Wild Arms since Wild Arms 2. I haven't played the newest installment (Not the remake of Wild Arms) but i'm so sick and tired of the re hashed battle and travel system.

This series has the potential to be very good (I liked Wild Arms and Wild Arms 4)

Sony makes Wild Arms?

 

[SolidSnakex]

Sony makes Wild Arms?

It's their franchise, but its made by Media Vision.

 

[Kiriku]

I love the Wild Arms series, I know it has its problems...but then something happens, like when I clicked on the link in this thread and heard the music. It reminded me of why I think Wild Arms is a kick-ass RPG series.

I'm excited about this, 10th Anniversary! Management begins!? We get to play as a sheriff?! :lol

 

[FateBreaker]

I probably love the Wild Arms series than most peeps out there. I even loved Wild Arms 2, which is widely considered a disappointment.

You know the one particular thing that has always ruled with every single installment of the series, though?

The music.

GO MICHIKO NARUKE!!

 

[jarrod]

Sony makes Wild Arms?

Only the 2nd game was made inhouse by SCEI.

-Wild ARMs (MediaVision) 1996
-Wild ARMs: 2nd Ignition (Contrail) 1999
-Wild ARMs: Advanced 3rd (MediaVision) 2002
-Wild ARMs: Alter Code F (MediaVision) 2003
-Wild ARMs: The 4th Detonator (MediaVision) 2005


...that said I'm hoping it's a PSP game. Wild ARMs 1+2 would be nice even.

 

[DarienA]

It's their franchise, but its made by Media Vision.

They've sure as hell treated it like a step child then... and I agree Jarrod I've love to see a PSP compilation or brand new title.

 

[SolidSnakex]

As long as there's a PS3 WA in the making, PSP ports are fine with me.

 

[Shouta]

It'd be awesome if the PSP got a WA1+2 compilation but I hope they'd update the graphics for that cause both games are really ugly looking now.

 

[Greenpanda]

...

It's been almost ten years since Wild Arms came out?

God.

Ha, no kidding, my reaction exactly

I'm old

 

[Y2Kev]

I got ACF and geesh, it feels old. It's fun, but it is simply really old feeling. Slow paced and the battles are really monotonous.

And the art style...the first game felt MUCH more serious and grave. When they were trying to

Spoiler

wake Mother

, I was like "OH SHIT!" but now I am under the impression that Bowser is trying to wake up a giant snail.

I never finished it. Could someone sum up the end of the game? I remember being at a tower or at a town that the rat thing couldn't go into or something.

 

[MoxManiac]

Dammit, WF4 sounds fantastic. I can't afford it right now

 

[Error]

good god, Wild Arms intro music kicks so much ass why didn't they make that song the series' main theme is beyond me.

 

[Y2Kev]

Basically just a teaser site until January

http://www.wild-arms.net/wa_top.html

You get the kickass WA music though.

This music is so good. Wild Arms was the best FF7-tie over I ever had.

 

[BuddyC]

Yes, as I said, WA4 is completely different from the rest of the games in the series (while still carrying some of its qualities).

The field map now feels like something out of a decent platformer rather than an RPG. You are given EXTREMELY responsive controls that allow you to jump, dash, air stomp, slide (and more) through the environments. They nailed the look and feel of simple running and jumping to the point where I think it is better than many a recent platformer (or at least on par). Jumping around town is fun, but the dungeons really benefit the most, with some enjoyable little platform challenges and an action-RPG design (more so than before). There are even times when the game actually switches to a 2.5D mode with only left and right directions available (look at those shots which say "side view").

The combat system is much faster paced and plays nothing like the previous games. That hex system works suprisingly well, actually. Different hexes offer different strategic considerations while also potentially housing a positive or negative effect on the characters standing within them. You can actually move your characters into the same squares as well, which adds further to the strategy elements. The game uses Grandia or FFX like "turn bar" which functions as you'd expect. The enemy life bars are also displayed and, when selecting an attack, it will display how much damage you will do (some people may not like this, however, but I loved it). They've also thrown in a few more additional gameplay systems to take your attacks beyond the typical "attack, magic, item" options. Also, as I said, the pace is VERY quick, so you'll be in and out of battles in a snap. My only complaint here is that the battles are random. Considering the environment, they should have added in some sort of field-attack (or something like what we saw in Valkyrie Profile) to the mix. You won't get into encounters all that often, though.

The story and characters are quite enjoyable, though nothing particular different or standout. The game does start off in quite a unique fashion, but it does sort of return to something a bit more grounded as you progress (to a degree). The presentation is pretty nice as well and, again, varies pretty heavily from the previous games by using lots of 2D drawings of the characters along with the text. The visuals are suprisingly attractive, with a wide variety of nice looking areas to explore at 60 fps. They also ditched the old world map in favor of a 2D map with a cursor. The lack of a real world map was a bit disappointing, but I'd take that over the awful "searching" from WA3 and ACF. The soundtrack is good, but not quite up to the standards of the rest of the series (especially ACF). There just aren't as many memorable tracks.

Really, though, this game is totally worth a play. I certainly hope some people give it a shot when it shows up in the US.

I sat down today and wrote up some more details about WA4 battle system. Some of them overlap with yours, but ...

Battle takes place on a grid of 7 hexagons, with 6 of these hexagons forming a circle around the seventh. When a battle begins, the player will find their four-character party and the enemies they face assigned to random locations. These locations are very important, as a character's position not only determines which actions are useful, but also how vulnerable the character is. As they have weak physical attacks and low defense, magic users Yulie and Arnaud are best kept a few grids away from most enemies. Physical characters Jude and Raquel, however, are much more effective at a close range and also more adept at taking damage.

Though players can throw as many of their characters as they want into an individual grid, their characters can't share a grid with an enemy. That's because the actions and items affect an entire grid instead of individuals. So if the entire party is located in the same grid, Yulie can heal them all in one turn. Likewise, if a group of enemies is massed in a grid, attacking that location will damage everyone inside. Additionally, certain combo attacks and abilities are available depending on which characters share a grid, with individual abilities earned as character's level up.

The emphasis on strategy is heightened by the turn indicator, located near the bottom of the screen, which displays the order of the next nine turns. By knowing when the next enemy attack is likely to occur, this allows the player to formulate their upcoming actions.

Despite how complex the HEX system may sound to be, it's rather simple in execution. Most battles are rather short-lived, generally lasting 1 or 2 minutes. And thanks to the grid system, there's more to an encounter than just mashing the same button repeatedly, so these fights are rarely boring.

Even better, boss fights require a deeper strategy, with my favorite example featuring a recurring shield. This particular fight requires the player to destroy the shield, and then deal out as much damage as possible across the next few turns before the boss can generate an even stronger shield. That means paying careful attention to the turn bar, slowing wearing down the shield with weak attacks while positioning for a full-on assault once the shield disappears, which is quite satisfying in execution.

There's a bit more at the actual preview. I hope you guys don't overlook WA4, because it really is a lot of fun.

 

[SolidSnakex]

It's a completely new game instead of a remake

 

[dark10x]

It's a completely new game instead of a remake

While that's good news, that description could literally be applied to any other WA game. They are really obsessed with the whole "Migratory Bird" thing too, aren't they.

Ah well, still very interested.

 

[Shouta]

While that's good news, that description could literally be applied to any other WA game. They are really obsessed with the whole "Migratory Bird" thing too, aren't they.

Ah well, still very interested.

They've always called all of their characters "Migratory Birds". It's been translated as Dream Chaser before which sounds cooler. :lol

 

[dark10x]

They've always called all of their characters "Migratory Birds". It's been translated as Dream Chaser before which sounds cooler. :lol

Dream Chaser? Which game was that? I suppose it's always been "渡り鳥" in the JP versions then? All 5 games? Never did play WA2 and it's been almost a decade since WA1.

 

[BlueTsunami]

They've always called all of their characters "Migratory Birds". It's been translated as Dream Chaser before which sounds cooler. :lol

Yes, it does sound cooler...omg....Migratory Birds?...wtf

 

[hahahax]

Wow, hopefully RPG releases slows down after this year. I'm swamped by them and have more than 30 in my backlog.

To think that once, this genre was regarded as the most rare with no more than say 1-2 releases a year. It is now more common than movie licenses and sports!

Playing them all is like trying to read every fantasy-book on the market.
Frustrating. Please, publishers and Sony, some kind of yearly limit would be nice.

 

[Shouta]

Dream Chaser? Which game was that? I suppose it's always been "渡り鳥" in the JP versions then? All 5 games? Never did play WA2 and it's been almost a decade since WA1.

It's almost always been "渡り鳥" in the JP versions as I recall. In the origina Englishl translation for WA1, they're called Dream Chasers. WA2 is an odd fish, I think they do call them that in there but I don't recall exactly (It's also the only one not done by Media Vision though). WA3 makes analogy to migratory birds but still calls them Dream Chasers as I recall.

 

[Greenpanda]

Cool! Not much info. so far, but good to hear nonetheless