Wild Arms 2 was an awesome JRPG on the original PlayStation, but it had room for improvement. It was released in the same year as the PlayStation 2, which caused it to be overshadowed by the impressive new technology at that time. The standard got set ridiculously high early on when Final Fantasy X came out in 2001, dazzling the world with its impeccable cinematic presentation and impressively realistic character models. However, there was always a nagging feeling that it all came at the expense of the game itself. Following the trend set by Final Fantasy X, players encountered fewer expansive world maps, drivable ships, and towns to explore, trading them for highly detailed but noticeably linear set pieces. Wild Arms 3 came a few years after FFX shifted the genre’s paradigm, and while at the time it seemed dated, it actually has aged far better than anyone could have expected.
It’s a harsh and unforgiving desert wasteland of a planet, where life hangs by a thread after an extinction event. For <a href="https://comicvibe.com/10-classic-tv-shows-everyone-pretends-to-remember-but-nobody-actually-watched/” title=”10 classic TV shows everyone pretends to remember, but nobody actually watched”>everyone living in Filgaia, it’s a Tuesday. The story begins on a stormy night aboard a train carrying a powerful artefact, where the fates of four strangers intersect. Virginia Maxwell is an idealistic young woman pursuing the adventurer’s life while searching for her missing father. Jet Enduro is an aloof, troubled youth and treasure hunter with a fractured past. Clive Winslett is a dependable bounty hunter and devoted family man, and Gallows Carradine is a hesitant shaman trying to escape his tribal responsibilities. It’s a memorable opening: the four protagonists find themselves in a tense Mexican standoff until Virginia steps up, keeps her cool, and proves she’s the level-headed one. She talks everyone down, easing the tension and convincing them to ally.
What starts as a straightforward hunt for treasure and answers quickly spirals into something much bigger. The group crosses paths with rival Drifters, a ruthless trio of scientists known as the Prophets, who aim to reshape the planet to serve their own ambitions, as well as ancient demonic forces tied to Filgaia’s myths. Janus Cascade and his gang serve as the early rivals. A flashy, arrogant Drifter outlaw accompanied by his subordinates Romero and Dario, Janus repeatedly clashes with Virginia’s group over treasures and artefacts. While Janus starts as a mere thug, his arc shows his growth from nobody to nightmare. Along the way, Virginia and the gang awaken the Guardians, the world’s spiritual protectors, and slowly piece together the real story behind the catastrophe that left Filgaia a wasteland.
The plot has surprising callbacks to the original Wild Arms, especially with some of the main villains. One core throughline is the importance of tradition and that not all “progress” is inherently good. Wild Arms 3 features a strong anti-science and anti-technology theme, with antagonists embodying selfish idealism and the perils of their unchecked scientific ambition. The message feels even more relevant today than when Wild Arms 3 was first released, as humanity continues to achieve daily scientific breakthroughs, yet people seem no better off because of it. As always, leaping forward comes with its own proverbial Pandora’s box, unleashing demons into the world, but in Filgaia’s case, they’re literal demons.
While the planet can’t seem to catch a break in this franchise, the characters truly shine in this entry. Wild Arms 3 features the best writing and the most thoughtful localisation in any Wild Arms game. Yes, there are only four now as opposed to the whopping six in the last game, but it’s ultimately for the best so that the story can neatly tie everything together in one satisfying thematic package. Most importantly, the heroes work together in gameplay, building camaraderie both in battle and while solving puzzles.
The first thing anyone will notice about Wild Arms 3‘s party is that everyone is packing heat. Traditionally, if a character had an ARM (gun), it was a big deal for the story, but now the entire party carries their own bespoke shotgun, rifle, or revolver. Characters and enemies move freely across the battlefield, bringing a lively, action-packed vibe, all while running smoothly at 60fps, a first for the series that would go on to become a staple in every game thereafter. Each gun comes with multiple stats to upgrade, but every weapon has a strict level cap, so players need to choose wisely which stat to enhance before hitting the weapon’s level limit.
Exploration focuses on a sprawling desert world map where towns and dungeons need to be found through active searching instead of just appearing, and battles feature unrestricted character movement along with a fully rotatable camera. Compared to the first two games, it improves with fully realised 3D environments and a more polished cel-shaded Western aesthetic, a refined FP combat system carried over and tightened from Wild Arms 2, the replacement of traditional equipment with Guardian-linked Personal Skills for deeper customisation, and the series’ first full party of ARM users from the start, resulting in smoother, more cinematic, and strategically flexible gameplay overall. Wild Arms 3‘s battle system is the most polished and challenging in the franchise. Some bosses push gamers to really batten down the hatches and brace themselves for some diabolical fights.
Wild Arms 3 retains turn-based combat where a Force Point gauge fills up through attacking and defending. This gauge powers special moves, Arcana magic, and ARM firearm attacks. Battles are cinematic with swooping angles and well-timed cuts and edits that add a lot of flair and energy to every fight. Character progression has been tweaked since characters can equip Guardian Mediums, which functionally serve as a semi-Job Class system. The mediums grant customisable Personal Skills, replacing the need for conventional armour and weapons, streamlining customisation but adding a new layer of depth.
Exploring and using tools in Wild Arms 3 is still similar to gameplay in the Zelda series and the first two Wild Arms games. It’s virtually unchanged because if it isn’t broken, why fix it? In those earlier titles, each character had a unique set of three or four tools requiring players to switch between characters. Wild Arms 3 updates these tools to fit its new cast in a more detailed world with an emphasis on verticality while maintaining the core mechanic of character-specific abilities.
Even though Wild Arms 3 boasts a timeless and stylish, sketchy, cel-shaded visual design, this is the most Wild West the franchise has ever been. The first game started strong but quickly fell into fairly typical fantasy JRPG fare, and while the sequel did a better job at being more like a Western, it also became a full-on dark tokusatsu story that ponders Jungian duality of man. There are a lot fewer steampunk and overt fantasy elements. While all of that is still present, it’s more understated this time around so there can be a greater focus on the twangy frontier theming.
Michiko Naruke’s music once again brings the boys to the yard, delivering what is undoubtedly the best suite of tracks in the series so far. The score balances upbeat adventure themes with a noticeably darker, more sombre atmosphere that matches the desolate wasteland setting and the story’s themes of memory and loss. The beautiful anime intro and its music perfectly convey the wistful longing and adventurous spirit of the Wild West. It’s the kind of feeling you get gazing into a vast pale blue sky from an endless canyon, fists clenched, while the wind weeps across your brow as a single tear traces down your cheek.
Cubed3 Rating
Wild Arms 3 is where the franchise found itself and leaned hardest into its Wild West flavour. It’s the most polished and well-designed entry, presenting a challenge where previous entries were inconsistent. The cast is unbelievably endearing, and Filgaia has never been more intriguing. The cel-shaded, sketchy graphics aged beautifully and set it apart from other JRPGs of its time. While the PlayStation 2’s JRPG lineup is often remembered for Final Fantasy X and its sequels, which pushed the genre forward, Wild Arms 3 stands out as a top-tier traditional JRPG while boasting Old West appeal.
10/10
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