Wild Arms 5
| Wild Arms 5 | |
|---|---|
 Wild Arms 5 US cover. From left to right: Rebecca, Greg, Dean, Avril and Chuck | |
| Developer(s) | Media.Vision |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Series | Wild Arms |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Console role-playing game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Wild Arms: The Vth Vanguard (ワイルドアームズ ザ フィフスヴァンガード (Wairudo Āmuzu Za Fifusu Vangādo) ) also known as Wild Arms 5, is the fifth video game in the Wild Arms series of Western-themed Science Fantasy role-playing games. The game celebrates the series's 10th anniversary by featuring cameo appearances of characters from the previous games. Produced by Media.Vision for the Sony PlayStation 2 platform, it was released in Japan on December 14, 2006 and in North America on August 28, 2007.[1]A European release was first scheduled for November 30, 2007 and then delayed until February 22, 2008. However, the release date passed and the future of a PAL-version remains unclear.
Gameplay
Combat system
The HEX system from Wild Arms 4 returns in Wild Arms 5. During combat, the field is split into seven hexagonal sections, some of which may have special properties. The player and enemies can move to different hexagons during their turn. This time around, the party count is three instead of four. Unlike Wild Arms 4 where once a character or enemy loses his turn when he moves to a new hex platform of the battlefield, in Wild Arms 5, Dean's party members and enemies can act instantly when even they move on to the next hexagonal platform.
The Force Meter returns from Wild Arms 4. This meter increases as Dean's party members make physical related attacks or from being attacked by the enemies. This can be used for Original attacks, Team Combos or summoning Guardian beasts to attack enemies. The more powerful the attack is, the more the Force meter will be drained. Also returning from the last game, the characters can summon guardian beasts to the field to attack enemies. They can also use combination attacks that utilize most or all of the party. New in Wild Arms 5 is the ability to chain attacks together. This lets one of Dean's party members attack two to five times provided they have the Violator Badge equipped and enough bullets to make the attack.
ARMs
Each playable character is equipped with an ARM, a specialized kind of gun that deals physical damage in a range that varies for each character, from one-hex away to any hex. The ARMs must be reloaded after a number of shots by having the character defend for one round. While each character has a specific ARM, there are cartridges that can be added to increase its firepower. The ARMs also have their own stats that can be boosted by using "dragon fossil" items acquired during play.
Like in other Wild Arms games, ARM is an acronym, though its actual meaning is obscure (there are two versions given in the game.)
Mediums
By the time the player is able to control three characters at once early in the game, the tools known as mediums are introduced. In this version, they are portable computer devices with mystical qualities. Each character can only equip one medium at a time and there are six available mediums throughout the game. Each medium specializes in effecting specific parameters and granting the character unique Original and Force abilities.
There are six original mediums known in Filgaia, they are:
Sky Medium
Sky mediums focus on attacking magic originals, such as blast.
Sea Medium
Sea mediums focus on healing magic originals, such as heal and hi-heal.
Sword Medium
Sword mediums focus on attacking physical originals, such as crush.
Luck Medium
Luck mediums focus on luck techniques, such as steal and rare steal.
Mountain Medium
Mountain mediums focus on originals such as shut out, etc.
Moon Medium
Moon mediums focus on originals such as replace, gather, etc.
There is also one other medium, known as the blank medium. The blank medium is used to copy the original mediums available in the game.
Exploration
Wild Arms 5 is a second-person video game. There is no world map in this game. Instead, the player traverses a world that is scaled like those of Final Fantasy XII and Dragon Quest VIII. Besides walking, the player can travel across Filgaia by employing various vehicles, including a train and monowheel. The field avatar cannot be changed; Dean is always the leader.
Dungeon exploration has two modes. In ACT (Action) mode, the player can jump, slide, and interact with objects, similar to controlling Jude in Wild Arms 4. In SHT (Shooting) mode, Dean draws both of his ARMs and can fire them freely. By employing various cartridges, the player can interact with the environment in a number of ways. Some examples include activating distant switches, breaking down obstacles, lighting torches, freezing objects, and grappling up to higher places.
Plot
Story
Like every game in the Wild Arms series, Wild Arms 5 takes place on the world of Filgaia. Humans are currently being ruled over by the Veruni, an alien race that landed on Filgaia 100 years ago. Dean Stark, the protagonist of the story, lives in a secluded village away from all the turmoil. He dreams of one day leaving the village to pursue his dream of becoming a Golem Hunter(someone who excavates ancient robots) like his idol Nightburn. While in the mountains, Dean and his childhood friend Rebecca spot a Golem's arm fall from the sky and land in a cave just in front of them. Upon entering the cave, they find a girl curled up within the Golem's hand. The girl only remembers two things, her name (Avril), and the words Johnny Appleseed. After receiving the pair of ARMS (special guns) she was holding, Dean, along with Avril and Rebecca, decides to embark on an adventure to find out what the words "Johnny Appleseed" really mean.
Meanwhile, a revolt has begun within the Veruni government. A man named Volsung has overthrown the leader of the Radical faction-sworn enemies of the more peaceful Moderate faction, claiming that his violent actions are necessary for the survival of the Veruni.
Characters
Playable Characters
All playable characters are equipped with ARM weapons (see Gameplay section)
- Dean Stark- a teenage boy who wishes to be a Golem Hunter. He is naive, but his idealism influences the other characters. Dean fights with a pair of ARMS.
- Special Ability: Doubles the damage of all critical attacks
- Voiced by: Hiro Shimono (Japanese); Yuri Lowenthal (English)
- Rebecca Streisand- Dean's childhood friend, who is smarter than he is. She has feelings for him, but does not dare reveal them. Rebecca fights with a revolver-style ARM.
- Special Ability: Can randomly shoot/attack up to two to five times
- Voiced by: Nana Mizuki (Japanese); Wendee Lee (English)
- Avril Vent Fleur, the mysterious girl with amnesia. Avril fights with a sword ARM that can change into a whip.
- Special Ability: Can randomly double the DP of all physical attacks including critical attacks
- Voiced by: Shizuka Itou (Japanese); Michelle Ruff (English)
- Greg Russellberg, a 'Golem Crusher' who destroys golems, looking to find the man who killed his family. Greg fights with a combination sword/shotgun.
- Special Ability: Randomly guards after attacking
- Voiced by: Tomoyuki Shimura (Japanese); Patrick Seitz (English)
- Chuck Preston, a young, boastful Golem Hunter with self-confidence issues. He fights with a piledriver-like weapon.
- Special Ability: Increases his attack power proportional to his loss of HP
- Voiced by: Eiji Hanawa (Japanese); Liam O'Brien (English)
- Carol Anderson, the young assistant of a mysterious professor, she is extremely intelligent, but very shy and clumsy. She is equipped with a backpack-mounted missile launcher.
- Special Ability: Can attack any enemy from any position
- Voiced by: Asuka Tanii (Japanese); Mona Marshall (English)
- Asgard, the golem that dropped Avril. It acts as transportation device and an ally in battle. Asgard is not under direct player control, but its combat actions can be preprogrammed.
Other characters
- The group's enemies include Volsung, leader of the radical movement, and the four sentinels under his command, Fereydoon, Persephone, Kartikeya, and Elvis. Their goal is to ensure the survival of the Veruni race at any cost. Note that all these characters (except Elvis) are named for figures from various mythologies, although this is not mentioned in the game. Volsung comes from Norse myth, Fereydoon from Persian myth, Persephone from Greek myth and Kartikeya from Hindu beliefs.
- Other characters include Nightburn Acklund, a famous golem hunter who is Dean's hero, and Captain Bartholomew, the captain of the moderate ship Mayflower.
- Cameos from other games include all the playable characters from Wild Arms (and its remake, Wild Arms Alter Code: F), Wild Arms 2, Wild Arms 3, and Wild Arms 4. Some may or may not be the characters they resemble, but most are likely just cameos. These characters are not playable, though many of them are part of the game's sidequests.
Graphics
The game makes use of CGI to create a 3D effect, including a slow camera pan drift. The player can zoom in and out from different angles during gameplay. There are also several computer generated custscenes. The art style for the characters is a typical anime look, as opposed to a realistic or superdeformed one (except during battle when the characters are affected by the "Misery" status effect, which transforms them into Hello Kitty lookalikes.) In addition, the game features a wide selection of alternate costumes for all the playable characters, including several originally used by characters from the previous Wild Arms games, that can be obtained during gameplay.
Music and Sound Effects
The game features voiceovers in several (but not all) of its cutscenes and battles. It also gives the player the option of raising or lowering the volume individually for characters, music and background sounds.
The music for Wild Arms 5, the only video game title where the original series composer Michiko Naruke did not contribute, was provided by Masato Kouda along with series newcomer Noriyasu Agematsu.
This time, it was Nana Mizuki's "Justice to Believe" and "Crystal Letter" that was used as the opening and ending, respectively.
Development
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Reception
Wild Arms 5 garnered generally positive reviews; the game has an average review score of 74% according to Game Rankings.[2]
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Sources
- Wild Arms 5 Prima Official Game Guide, published in America by Prima Games (2007)
External links
- ^ "XSEED Games Announces Upcoming Games Line-Up". WorthPlaying.
- ^ "Wild Arms 5 Reviews". Game Rankings. Retrieved 2007-09-30.