Wild Arms

Coming of age seems to be an easy thing to do. Nevertheless it remains one of the main themes played upon in today's popular culture. So why not transfer it to a media which by itself is always a little in danger of being regarded as childish? The fourth installment in developer Media Vision's Wild Arms series tries exactly that.

Game Description: Wild Arms 4 invites you to go on a journey through a war-torn world, with the power to either repair it—or destroy it. All his life, a young man named Jude lived in the tiny village of Ciel, until the day a hole was ripped in the sky. That day, a military invasion uncovered a strange and powerful weapon called an ARM. It bonded to Jude and now he'll have to master it to save his home & people. As he becomes a man in a time of war, he'll have a chance to put a stop to the violence.

Is it just me, or has the traditional Japanese role-playing game (RPG) worn out its welcome? Certain advances have been made by a few bold titles, and of course the introduction of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) was a force unto itself, but I'm talking about the old, tried-and-no-longer-true formula of teenage hero, group of friends, random battles, talking to townsfolk, and all the stuff that was so interesting and addicting during the 16-bit era.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Fantasy Violence

Game Description: The world of Wild ARMS is returning seven years after its first release on PS one. Wild ARMS: Alter Code F is not only a remake of the foremost title in the series, but a completely renewed and evolved experience with expanded story, system and cutting-edge graphics. On Filgaia, a planet where severe conditions and savage beasts threaten the very existence of all life, the Ancient Guardians call upon three brave warriors to save their benign world from the returning metal demons the prophesized destroyers of Filgaia.

Mike wasn't kidding when he says Wild Arms 3 follows standard role-playing game (RPG) conventions. Wild Arms 3 has the standard band of strangers, a strong, silent party member with a "mysterious past," lots of dungeons to explore and a predictable plot for the player to be lead through—and that's just to name a few. But it is Wild Arms 3's differences, subtle as they may be, that I think makes it a little more than an also-ran.

Gamers expecting something dynamic and involving will most likely find Wild Arms 3 to be a rather trite and staid gaming experience. How much enjoyment a player will get out of the game depends largely on how they feel about the genre in general.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Mild Violence