How Wild are these Arms?
Long ago, in the ancient year of 202...1, I played the second game of a franchise, skipping over part one. The internet said it was better. But I'm wrapping back to check out the first Wild Arms. I'm in the mood for something new but familiar, so here we are. I don't know Jack about this game, so let's dive in.
Just as its sequel, we can choose from one of three characters. I'll spoil it now, though, and say they all come together at the end of their introductions. I know the first guy is the main character, so I skipped him.
Our blonde boy has arrived at an ancient ruin. It's a well known location, and the locals warn that the Temple of Memory has been picked clean by treasure hunters. Even Jack's sidekick, Hanpan, a wind rat, thinks coming here is dumb. But Jack paid money for this hint, so here he is. The two enter the temple and approach a pedestal at the back of the room. It speaks! It asks for a name, so Jack gives it his. It doesn't work! Jack falls into a pitfall that ends up being a trap. It's filled with falling platforms, wall spears, floor spikes, and Indiana Jones rocks. He avoids all of it while narration prologues his tale. Jack van Burace is seeking the ultimate power.
We eventually regain control, and the dungeoneering begins. It's your standard affair, which is to be assumed as it's 1997 again. I used to be happy... It's also a tutorial dungeon, so why would I expect anything grandiose? But just like Wild Arms II, Wild Arms has the tools for exploration. Jack can throw Hanpan to activate switches, be a weight, or open far reaching treasure chests. There are stage hazards here, so Jack's dungeon is the most interesting.
At the end are the remains of an advanced civilization. Jack gets a giant plot dump from a hologram. It tells us that the humans once aligned themselves with the Elw and the guardians to defeat a great evil. While the guardians have disappeared, the Elw have gone extinct, leaving only hidden records. Someone named Lolithia is brought up a lot, and her resting place is to the east, but the Elw warn us not to seek her. And with that, Jack's story is finished without a boss. He leaves the ruins, gets another ominous narrative, and we can select another character. I don't and explore the world. It's not much, but we can walk to the castle of Adlehyde, where a fair is to take place tomorrow. Check out the shops and inspect the rainbow bird outside the inn to change characters because there's nothing else to do here.
Character two is Cecilia. She's cooped up in Curran Abbey, south of Adlehyde, studying magic. She's also asleep... A voice calls out to her, calling her the Innocent One. It warns her that the world is weakening, and it needs to be fixed. To do so, Cecilia needs to find the "Book." The voice loves to say her name and disappears. She fell asleep in class... The nun wakes the girl up, but that's not important. Cecilia is turning seventeen, so she's about to be kicked out of the all girls school. Her classmates suggest she say her final farewells to all her friends, and she's off. But there's something else she needs to find. Another nun gives her the idea that there's a forbidden area of the abbey. This may house the book the specter mentioned. She then needs to go on a treasure hunt, cleaning up a pile of books and obtaining her second tool, Pocket Watch, along the way. Inspecting the statues in the middle of the courtyard opens a new way forward. Cecilia can trigger her tool, Tear, to warp to the Sealed Library. Cecilia is a magic user, so her basic attacks aren't great. But they'll suffice for the most part. Don't hesitate to cast magic on the bigger, less common mobs. You should have gotten two crests to form new spells, so you'll have a couple of options. Follow along, spamming Crystal, and you'll reach a giant library. You can read the books and get more backstory on the hologram Jack saw. This game is very front loaded. After being a Republican and burning three books, the way forward appears. There's a book on a desk that Cecilia opens. Rather than the shadow that spoke in her dream, something evil appears. Nelgaul. Go all out. There's no shame in healing early (with berries) and spamming your magic attacks. After the boss dies, the shadow reveals itself. It's the whelk from Final Fantasy VI... But it's also a guardian. Stoldark, the game's first rune, guides Cecilia to her future, which is to save the world. She warps out of the library, where the nun is awaiting her. All girls of the royal family attend this abbey in the hopes that they gain the guardian and the knowledge of magic, for this is their destiny. Once again, Lolithia was brought up again in all this, and it's time for our mage to begin her journey. She leaves, gets her narration, and I guide her home. No one in Adlehyde recognizes their heir except her father, who lets her continue anonymously to enjoy the fair.
And now it's time for Rudy. He has amnesia, so he's a farm hand in the sticks of Surf Village. They're nowhere near the ocean... Explore around town until someone rushes into the mayor's house. One of the kids in town, Tony, has run off. He's gone to the forbidden area of Berry Cave. This place used to be where the village got its food, but an evil spirit invaded it. It ruined everyone's lives until an adventurer placed a Holy Seed in the monster's rejuvenating body, stopping it from reviving. That is the legend, at least. While the town gathers, our mute protagonist goes ahead. Good thing the mayor gave him bombs.
It's a tutorial dungeon, and the only thing of note is the room with bats. You're supposed to calmly walk across the cliff. If you run, though, a bat will hover around Rudy's head. I don't know what this means... Besides that and the destructible walls, Tony is at the back. He came here to find medicine for his wounded dad, but a bombable wall blocked him. Rudy destroys it and enters the shining room. A Holy Seed is resting at the back, and Rudy picks it up. He and Tony leave, and an earthquake shakes the region. We (the player) can follow the quake to the abbey.
Surf Village has gathered at the cave entrance, which is a perfect place for them to watch a boss fight! Zombie attacks us. The best strategy is to use Rudy's focus skill to guarantee his ARMs blast to hit. Do this six times, healing when needed, and you'll win. But then you lose. Everyone hates you now. Not only did you trespass, but ARMs are forbidden for some reason. They return to the village, where they exile Rudy. He makes his way to Adlehyde, learns his earthquake caused an accident at Lolithia's, and follows the kids to a woman named Emma, who's north of the inn. She tasks you to find a team and save the workers in the tomb. Guess who's outside the inn and waiting to be helpful? And we'll continue this...
...tomorrow!
So far, I'm having fun. The graphics are dated as all get out, though. Treasure of Rudra was prettier. But the battle graphics look like a lofi N64 game, so that's interesting. 1997 is a weird drug. But the music is hella rad. Surf Village felt so peaceful, and I dug the Berry Cave ambiance. I value a lot over graphics, so I'm looking forward to this. Battle system wise... I don't think its sequel changed much. Not necessarily a bad thing, though...
PS: I don't know how I'm updating this. I might not be playing every night, and I don't want to write every night, so... [shrug emoji]
No comments:
Post a Comment