Wild Arms (video game)

Wild Arms
North American cover art
Developer(s)Media.Vision[a]
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
Producer(s)Takashi Fukushima
Designer(s)Akifumi Kaneko
Writer(s)Akifumi Kaneko
Composer(s)Michiko Naruke
SeriesWild Arms
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • JP: December 20, 1996[1]
  • NA: April 30, 1997
  • EU: October 1998
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Wild Arms[b] is a role-playing video game developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. Originally released in Japan in 1996, it was later translated and released in North America in 1997 and Europe in 1998.[2] It features a fantasy setting and motif and 2D computer graphics for normal gameplay, while battle sequences are rendered in 3D.[3]

Taking place in the fantasy world of Filgaia, Wild Arms follows the adventures of a band of miscreants and adventurers called Dream Chasers who scour the world in search of excitement and fortune. The player assumes control of a young boy named Rudy who has the ability to operate powerful weapons called Ancient Relic Machines (ARMs), forbidden remnants of a lost age that resemble firearms. Along with his companions Jack and Cecilia, the group must use their respective skills to navigate through the vast wastelands and dungeons of Filgaia and prevent an otherworldly threat from reviving their lost leader and destroying the world.[4]

Despite its release being somewhat overshadowed by hype for the upcoming Final Fantasy VII, Wild Arms was a critical and commercial success. Since the American branch of Sony Computer Entertainment had only recently lifted its policy against allowing RPGs to be released in the U.S.,[5] there were relatively few RPGs available for the system in the U.S. at that time, giving Wild Arms an added advantage in that market.[6][note 1] In November 2003, an enhanced remake titled Wild Arms Alter Code: F was released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan, with a North American version produced in 2005.[7] In addition to enhanced graphics, Alter Code: F also features an expanded script, remastered soundtrack, new characters, and additional gameplay scenarios.[8]

  1. ^ "Wild Arms". IGN. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  2. ^ GameFAQs staff. "Wild ARMs Game Info". GameFAQs.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.
  3. ^ MobyGames staff. "Wild ARMs for PlayStation". MobyGames.com. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.
  4. ^ Boor, Jay & Chen, Jeff (1997). "IGN: Wild ARMs Review". IGN.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2007.
  5. ^ "Behind the Screens". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 85. Ziff Davis. August 1996. p. 61.
  6. ^ Wheeler, Commondore (1999). "RPGFan Reviews WildARMS". RPGFan.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2007.
  7. ^ GameFAQs staff. "Wild Arms Alter Code: F Info". GameFAQs.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2007. Retrieved February 21, 2007.
  8. ^ Dunham, Jeremy (2005). "Wild ARMs Alter Code F". IGN.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2007.


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