Wild ARMs XF

While the series is not as well loved as the Final Fantasy franchise, the Wild ARMs series has developed a loyal following by fans of the role-playing game genre to the point that it even inspired an anime series. A number of sequels on the PS2 have been released and the series has gone from good to great and just Ok but there was always something to like about the series. So the thought of a PSP offering was good news and Wild ARMs XF has all the right elements but the new strategy game twist is far from perfect.

The good news is that the story is an interesting one and is faithful to the Wild ARMs series. Wild ARMs XF tells the tale of Clarissa and Felius Arwin, a brother and sister team in search of a man who has stolen a powerful sword that once belonged to the sibling’s dead mother. This man named Rupert is determined to unlock the secrets of the blade and as both Clarissa and Felius pursue him they become involved in a far more important quest involving a sinister plot to usurp the throne from the Kingdom of Elesius. Soon the two find themselves joined by allies who will play a role in uncovering the nasty truth behind Elesius’ King falling mysteriously ill and the so-called accident that claimed the life of the kingdom’s first Princess.

With a story that’s as interesting as a good anime series, the game does a brilliant job of setting up all the right pieces in this epic-like story. Clarissa and Felius are actually well-rounded characters that are as different as night and day and their interactions with new companions such as the lovely magic-user Labyrinthia or the tough mercenary named Ragnar. Labyrinthia’s young apprentice named Levin and a dog named Tony will also make up the party and each character has his or her own unique style and personality that make each of them likeable. This, of course, is all thanks to a wonderfully written story with quality dialogue that

Unlike past Wild ARMs games, however, XF opts for a more strategic turn rather than the more traditional real-time battles of past games. Taking a page from the recent Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, the battles are more about the strategy than simply laying on the firepower and magic. When battles erupt in the game you’ll be moving characters on a hexagonal grid. You can move a character along the grid, chose to unleash a powerful attack or simply use an item. Also, like most strategy games, battles tend to take longer than most RPG battles. This might turn off fans use to the more traditional RPG battles and we’ve seen combat handled a lot better than this in the Disgaea games.

Yes, this doesn’t sound like a Wild ARMs game does it? While I have no problem with a strategic twist to the battles, why must they have an objective-based twist as well? Some battles, for instance, have you attempting to hold an area while trying to keep the enemy from crossing your side. Another one has you trying to take an enemy occupied area. Failing an objective means you’ll be starting over again and that will certainly not fail to irritate both new strategy gamers and veteran fans of the genre. 

Interestingly enough, though, you can change your party’s class and there are 20 job classes. You can, for example, change Levin’s Martial Mage with a Geomancer class or perhaps keep him away from magic altogether and make him a High Cavalier. You can also craft your own weapons, spells and armor thanks to the Synthesis Shop. Another interesting addition grants you the ability to hire mercenaries in a town’s local bar to provide backup during battles. These are things we will definitely like to see more in other Wild ARMs games.

Wild ARMs XF is a somewhat average-looking game with some rather appealing and delightfully colorful cut scenes that aren’t exactly animated but rather more like an interactive manga. The actual in-game graphics aren’t bad and the characters are not very detailed but you’ll be able to tell characters apart on the map. The backgrounds are true to the familiar Western world of Filgaia and, while you don’t get a chance to explore the world on your own, the towns and areas you’ll encounter feel like you’re in recognizable territory.

Another aspect of the game that will be familiar is the Western soundtrack that plays throughout the game. For the most part, the score is good enough that you’ll be able to listen to it in the Music Library. The only problem is that since the battles you’ll wage are lengthy affairs you will hear the same tune in a continuous loop. Sadly, the voice acting is only reserved to a few cut scenes (the rest is handled via text) seeing as the voice acting is really good. The sound effects are minimal and you’ll be hearing the same slashing, gunshot and magic sounds throughout the game.

Wild ARMs XF has its fun moments and the story isn’t bad either but, sadly enough, the objective-based gameplay and a few other flaws keep this from being a truly enjoyable role-playing game for the PSP. This is too bad, really, seeing as the character customization and variety of job classes offer plenty of intriguing options that work well. Unfortunately, the game’s problems and so-so strategy gameplay just aren’t as good as recent strategy/RPGs available on Sony’s handheld. Sorry, Wild ARMs fans, but this one just doesn’t have what it takes to be worthy of the franchise.

Gameplay: 6.0
The well-written story and great characters are what makes the game really shine but it’s the battles that make the game drag on more than it should. The main quest is actually lengthy and you can customize your characters and create your own weapons. We’ve seen better strategy gameplay, though.

Graphics: 7.0
While there are no animated cut scenes, there are anime-styled stills that look really good throughout the game. The in-game visuals aren’t bad either and the backgrounds are colorful but we’ve seen better. At least the visual effects are good.

Sound: 8.0
The game’s voice acting is handled beautifully whether you prefer the English dub or Japanese voice work. There’s also a decent soundtrack with two tunes that bring to mind those Sergio Leone flicks. The sound effects are the only element in the sound that isn’t impressive.

Difficulty: Medium
Like most strategy games, the outcome and length of a battle all depends on your tactics and how well you’re able to take advantage of your character’s skills. At times, the enemy is good at countering your tactical decisions. At other times, however, you’ll be running circles around them.

Concept: 6.0
Clarissa and Felius go on an epic quest Wild ARMs fans will enjoy story-wise and a number of classes to pick from that change the way your party members react during battle. There’s a world map but there is very little room to explore your surroundings.

Overall: 6.0
While not a major disappointment, Wild ARMs XF can be fun at times but it just isn’t as good as other similar games on the PSP. Fans of the genre will enjoy the deep character customization as well as the satisfying tale that is as good as the console Wild ARMs games. It’s just too bad that XF is hindered by its few problems that hold it back.