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Post by paulofthewest on Aug 16, 2020 10:29:38 GMT -5
This one has been on my "really ought to have played this by now" list for a long time. I did last year buy the Alter Code: F PS2 remake. That was after an internal debate that lasted a long time, about whether I should play the PS1 original or the PS2 remake. I'll be interested in your thoughts on this one as you progress deeper into the experience. I have not played the other Wild Arms, so I wouldn't know how they compare. Nonetheless, the game is currently coming off as well made JRPG. There are 3 main characters each with special abilities: ARMs, Sword-tech, and magic. To acquire the special abilities you either find special items (ARMS), do a special event (sword-tech), or find a create and combine for spells (magic.) The arms can be upgraded in town. I also like the force-level system for battles. Basically, you get abilities once the battle progress, which powers up your other abilities. This *really* alleviates overly-long non-boss battles (something I appreciate with my time constraints.) Also, each character has other overworld/dungeon/map abilities to solve puzzles (like planting a bomb, or lighting up brush.)
One thing I wish they would capitalize on more is the split characters. Namely at the beginning (and so far only one other place) you have to switch to/from different characters to complete the next section. (In other words, you would play as a single character for awhile until switching to another.) Since each character has unique puzzle solving skills, this could easily be extended into a 3-character puzzle-like game (a la The Lost Vikings.) Unfortunately, currently it is just for plot purposes. IE: lets do Rudy's plot for awhile until we get back to Jack/Celica.
Also, if you play the PS1 version, be ready for the old-school 3D shock. I know it is retro but it gets me every time I boot up my PS1.
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Post by toei on Aug 16, 2020 11:26:15 GMT -5
The 3D shock is augmented by the fact that most of the game is in pretty 2D. Only the battles use 3D, so they come off as really ugly. Wild ARMs 2 uses the 32-bit era 3D environments/2D sprites combination outside of battle (which I'm a big fan of), but still has somewhat ugly 3D battles. It's also possible to avoid nearly all random encounters by using all the Lucky Cards you find during big boss battles (a rare item that doubles EXP earned for one battle, and I *think* it's stackable?), since you can cancel any random battle below your level by pressing a button when a ! sign appears over your heard. I ended up fighting almost none, and while it's a relief at first, it ends up making the game feel weirdly empty and unfinished. I really don't think it's the right solution; the solution is visible monsters that you can mostly avoid if you want to. But hey, they tried something.
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Post by Xeogred on Aug 16, 2020 12:44:32 GMT -5
toei: Did you play any of the PS2 entries?
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Post by toei on Aug 16, 2020 13:06:12 GMT -5
Nope. I played the first two on a physical PSX, but I never owned the PS2 entries, and they need a stronger computer to emulate as they require the use of special exceptions on PSCX2 (especially WA3). I've always been intrigued by them, 3 and 5 especially. 3 is probably the most high-profile entry in the series in the West, and 5 seemed really cool when I messed around with it. Just running around exploring felt nice.
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Post by Sarge on Aug 16, 2020 17:09:26 GMT -5
Wild ARMs 3 is one I had to dive back in after like 25 hours with a walkthrough, but I did finish it. It and Alter Code: F are the last in the traditional style. WA4/5 do the hex combat thing. I really love WA5, a lot more than I expected to. It expands on everything WA4 did, and ends up being a great late-gen JRPG.
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Post by Ex on Aug 16, 2020 20:34:20 GMT -5
I have not played the other Wild Arms, so I wouldn't know how they compare. I just want to note here, that WA3 is the entry that most strongly captures the "western" aspect. It's the entry I am most interested in as a result. I own a legit copy of it even. If it weren't for the battles being 3D, it's likely SCEA wouldn't have allowed Wild Arms to come over when it did. So there's one benefit of that at least.
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Post by toei on Aug 16, 2020 21:03:10 GMT -5
It was one of the very first PSX RPG released in the West, even. According to wikipedia, citing a 1996 EGM issue, "the American branch of Sony Computer Entertainment had only recently lifted its policy against allowing RPGs to be released in the U.S.".
I remember that in the Saturn community, Bernie Stolar, the former SCEA exec who moved to Sega, was widely despised. Part of it was that he basically killed off the Saturn, but he was also know for his anti-RPG stance. I wonder whether he's the reason SCEA initially did as well. After FFVII exploded, they had no choice but to start letting them through, but even then, WD struggled to get the Arc the Lad games released and ended up having to do it as a whole collection; I also heard they were going to do the first Growlanser, but they were never allowed. I really wish that game had an English release. One guy on the HG101 forum even claims it's the best in the series.
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Post by Sarge on Aug 16, 2020 23:36:00 GMT -5
Was making good progress in Outlaws, but it just crashed on me. I'm in the final level, so I should have it finished up tomorrow. Not jumping back in tonight - it's time to wind this puppy down, anyway.
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Post by Ex on Aug 17, 2020 0:24:08 GMT -5
WD struggled to get the Arc the Lad games released and ended up having to do it as a whole collection Probably because those PS1 Arcs were 100% 2D. I've read that for a long time SCEA only wanted/allowed polygonal games on the PS1. They wanted to draw a clear line in the sand about the PS1's technical capabilities versus the 2D 16-bit paradigm of the time. To the USA's PS1's library's detriment to an extent. - I put an hour and a half into Call of Juarez on 360 tonight. Despite taking place in the American west, this game was actually developed by a Polish studio. I've been playing the 2007 360 port, but CoJ was originally a 2006 Windows PC release. I think ol' triggerman @tsumuri might like this one. There's lots of rootin' tootin' shootin', the plot's dark and serious, and the game's surprisingly challenging right off the bat. I think hard mode in this game would be HARD.
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Post by Xeogred on Aug 17, 2020 2:59:08 GMT -5
It was one of the very first PSX RPG released in the West, even. According to wikipedia, citing a 1996 EGM issue, "the American branch of Sony Computer Entertainment had only recently lifted its policy against allowing RPGs to be released in the U.S.". I remember that in the Saturn community, Bernie Stolar, the former SCEA exec who moved to Sega, was widely despised. Part of it was that he basically killed off the Saturn, but he was also know for his anti-RPG stance. I wonder whether he's the reason SCEA initially did as well. After FFVII exploded, they had no choice but to start letting them through, but even then, WD struggled to get the Arc the Lad games released and ended up having to do it as a whole collection; I also heard they were going to do the first Growlanser, but they were never allowed. I really wish that game had an English release. One guy on the HG101 forum even claims it's the best in the series. Hopefully it gets fully translated someday. Seems like it had a string of bad luck and was almost brought over here... twice, the PS1 and PSP versions?
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