Editing Wild Arms

{{Short description|Japanese media franchise}}
{{Distinguish|text=the Super NES shooting gallery game [[Wild Guns]]}}
{{About|the video game series|the first game in the series|Wild Arms (video game)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox video game series
| title = Wild Arms
| image = WildArms.png
| genre = [[Role-playing video game|Role-playing]]<br>[[Tactical role-playing game|Tactical role-playing]]
| developer = [[Media.Vision]]<br>[[Contrail (company)|Contrail]]<br> [[ForwardWorks]]
| publisher = [[Sony Computer Entertainment]]<br>[[Ubisoft]]<br>[[Agetec]]<br>[[Xseed Games]]<br>[[505 Games]]
| platforms = [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[PlayStation 2]], [[PlayStation Portable]], [[PlayStation Classic]], [[PlayStation Vita]], [[PlayStation 4]]
| first release version = ''[[Wild Arms (video game)|Wild Arms]]''
| first release date = December 20, 1996
| latest release version = ''[[Wild Arms: Million Memories]]''
| latest release date = September 26, 2018
}}

{{Nihongo|'''''Wild Arms'''''|ワイルドアームズ|Wairudo Āmuzu}}, also written as '''''Wild ARMs''''',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news090106wildarms5 |title=Wild ARMs 5|website=Eurogamer|last=Bramwell|first=Tom|date=January 9, 2006|access-date=February 2, 2009}}</ref> is a [[media franchise]] developed by [[Media.Vision]] and owned by [[Sony Computer Entertainment]]. The franchise consists of several [[role-playing video game|role-playing]] [[video game]]s and related media. Since the launch of the original ''Wild Arms'' title in 1996,<ref>{{Cite web| author=Wyman, Walt | title=Wild Arms writer talks Vth Vanguard |date=July 10, 2006 | work=GameSpot.com | url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/wildarmsthevthvanguard/news.html?sid=6153748 | access-date=February 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102154903/http://www.gamespot.com/news/wild-arms-writer-talks-vth-vanguard-6153748 |archive-date=November 2, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> the series has gone on to encompass several media, including [[toy]]s, [[manga]], [[Mobile game|mobile phone applications]], and a 22-episode [[anime]].

The series has largely been overseen by producer Akifumi Kaneko. It saw regular releases throughout the late 1990s and 2000s. Following its last major entry, ''[[Wild Arms XF]]'', in 2007, it became dormant save for a [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover]] mobile game, ''Wild Arms: Million Memories'', released a decade later. Kaneko crowdfunded an [[open world]] [[spiritual successor]], ''Armed Fantasia'', in 2022, alongside Naruke and other series veterans. The title is currently in development.

==Series development==
=== Production ===
''Wild Arms'' was the first role-playing video game project of [[Media.Vision]], a company that had been known primarily for their [[shooter game]] series ''[[Crime Crackers]]'' and ''[[Rapid Reload]]''. Looking for a way to capitalize on the growing role-playing game market of the mid-1990s, [[Sony]] commissioned Media.Vision to create a game that would combine elements of a traditional RPG with limited [[3D computer graphics|3D]] graphics to promote the hardware of their newly released [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] [[game console|console]].<ref name=Absolute>{{Cite book |editor=Sony Computer Entertainment |title=Wild Arms: Absolute Reading for Marvelous Supporters |year=2006 |publisher=AZA Entertainment |isbn=4-8402-3668-2 |language=ja}}</ref> Supervised and designed primarily by Akifumi Kaneko and Takashi Fukushima, 1996's ''Wild Arms'', while still retaining traditional [[dimension|two-dimensional]] characters and backgrounds, became one of the first role-playing titles released to showcase 3D battle sequences.

Drawing inspiration from [[manga]] such as [[Yasuhiro Nightow]]'s ''[[Trigun]]'', Kaneko and Fukushima crafted a video game world that resembles the contemporary [[fantasy]] environment seen in similar titles.<ref name="Chronicle">{{Cite book|editor=Sony Computer Entertainment |title=Wild Arms Fargaia Chronicle |year=1999 |publisher=SGE Visual Works |isbn=4-7973-1107-X |language=ja}}</ref> References to seminal role-playing game elements influenced by European fantasy such as [[castle]]s, [[magic (fantasy)|magic]], [[dragon]]s, and monsters, were added to attract players to a familiar concept, as well as allow scenario writers from other projects.<ref name="Chronicle" /> Other cultural and regional influences include [[Norse mythology]], [[animism]], and [[Japanese mythology]].<ref name="Absolute" />

===Music===
The [[background music]] of ''Wild Arms'' is reminiscent of [[Western film]]s. The groundwork for the series' music was laid by composer [[Michiko Naruke]], who had previously only written the scores to [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] titles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michiko Naruke Discographie |work=Lost Fantasy.com |url=http://www.lost-fantasy.com/naruke.php?page=discographie |access-date=March 27, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928124740/http://www.lost-fantasy.com/naruke.php?page=discographie |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Recurring instrumentation includes [[acoustic guitar]]s, [[mandolin]]s, [[drum]]s, [[woodwind instrument|woodwind]] and [[brass instrument]]s, and [[piano]]s, accompanied by clapping and [[whistling]] samples. While classically influenced, the music of each game often diverges into other genres, including [[folk music|folk]], [[rock music|rock]], [[electronic music|electronic]], [[swing music|swing]], and [[choral music|choral]].<ref>{{Cite book|author1=Naruke, Michiko |author2=King Records staff |name-list-style=amp |editor=AZA Entertainment |title=Wild Arms Piece of Tears Songbook |year=2006 |publisher=(packaged with [[Wild Arms Music the Best -feeling wind-]]). King Records |pages=4 |language=ja}}</ref> Naruke composed the soundtracks for the first three ''Wild Arms'' titles herself, yet she contributed to the soundtrack for ''[[Wild Arms 4]]'' along with [[Nobuyuki Shimizu]], Ryuta Suzuki, and Masato Kouda, who emulated her now-established style.<ref>{{Cite web | author=Wilson, Mike | title=RPGFan Soundtrack - Wild Arms the 4th Detonator Original Score | date=March 26, 2006 | work=RPGFan.com | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/wa4/index.html | access-date=March 27, 2007 | archive-date=December 30, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061230052415/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/wa4/index.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> Music for ''[[Wild Arms 5]]'', the only video game title where Naruke did not contribute, was provided by Kouda along with series newcomer [[Noriyasu Agematsu]].

==Recurring themes==
[[File:AlterCodeFGame01.png|left|thumb|Rudy brandishing an ARM from ''[[Wild Arms Alter Code: F]]'']]
The usage of firearms factors heavily into the ''Wild Arms'' mythos. Called "ARMs", these weapons are often associated with ancient technology and represent a more violent and warlike age; thus, a social stigma is often given to anyone possessing or using them.<ref>'''Townsperson''': I know about you. You possess the [ARM]. The forbidden power!{{cite video game|title=Wild Arms |developer=Media.Vision |publisher=Sony Computer Entertainment |date=April 30, 1997 |platform=PlayStation }}</ref> Though the exact nature varies from one game to the next, they are seen as highly destructive devices with an array of functions in battle. The practical usage of ARMs, either to protect or destroy life, is left to the user's discretion, and serves as a plot point within each game to establish a character's true motives.<ref>'''Virginia''': My father disappeared into the wasteland, but one thing he taught me was the ability to handle ARMs. If there's anybody out there--out there in the vast wasteland needing my help, I want to have wings so that I can fly right to them. {{cite video game|title=Wild Arms 3 |developer=Media.Vision |publisher=Sony Computer Entertainment |date=October 15, 2002 |platform=PlayStation 2 }}</ref><ref>'''Jude''': "That guy...He referred to my ARM as the 'power that sparked and fueled a war'... Weapons such as ARMs are responsible for what happened to places like Ciel and that other town, aren't they...? Maybe my power really can't protect anything..." / '''Raquel''': "Remember when I told you that there are both good and bad Drifters? And that I wanted to be a good Drifter?" / '''Jude''': "Yeah..." / '''Raquel''': "Well, it's the same for you. You just need to focus on using your power for good, that's all."{{cite video game|title=Wild Arms 4 |developer=Media.Vision |publisher=XSeed Games |date=January 10, 2006 |platform=PlayStation 2 }}</ref>

[[Environmentalism]] is also a key factor in many ''Wild Arms'' games, which often center around the restoration of the environment that has long since been tainted, either by warfare or natural phenomena. The governing forces of the planet are personified as "Guardians", spirit-like [[anthropomorphic]] creatures who act as the [[gods]] of natural aspects such as water, fire, and wind, along with human traits such as love, hope, and courage. The primary heroes of each game often ally themselves with these Guardians to defeat technology-reliant or ecologically unconscious villains who would either subjugate or destroy the world to suit their respective goals.<ref>'''Guardian Gurdijeff''': Warriors! Do you still seek our power?! / '''Cecilia''': We can't possibly do this ourselves... / '''Jack''': I want the power... I want to defeat them... / '''Gurdijeff''': Because you are weak, you seek power... We shall give you the power that you seek, but time is running out. (''Wild Arms'')</ref><ref>'''Irving''': That's right. Contact the mystical Guardians who protect the world, and they may also aid us in battle. We have finally discovered the key to contacting them. {{cite video game|title=Wild Arms 2 |developer=Media.Vision / Contrail |publisher=Sony Computer Entertainment |date=April 30, 2000 |platform=PlayStation }}</ref>
{{Clear}}

===Setting===
Each ''Wild Arms'' story takes place on a planet called Filgaia, though each "Filgaia" appears to be an entirely separate world with a different arrangement of [[continent]]s, in similar tradition to the discontinuity between games of the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series.<ref>{{Cite magazine| editor=Famitsū staff | year=2006 | title=Wild Arms: The Vth Vanguard Kaneko Akifumi Shi Interview! | url=http://www.famitsu.com/interview/article/2006/07/10/668,1152512724,56510,0,0.html | magazine=[[Famitsu]] | access-date=October 30, 2008 | language=ja }}</ref> Filgaia is a [[fantasy]] world containing a variety of terrain, including deserts, red rock canyons, plains, forests, mountainous regions, grasslands, and Arctic tundras, though their predominance varies from one game to the next.<ref name="Absolute" /> Though human towns and cities are plentiful, the wilderness that encompasses most of the landscape is riddled with monsters and other beasts, as well as ruins or dungeons from earlier eras that house ancient treasures inaccessible to all but skilled adventurers. Filgaia is also home to a number of different races including the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]]-inspired Baskars, nature-dwelling Elws, and [[vampire|vampiric]] Crimson Nobles.<ref name="Chronicle" />

===Elw===
The Elw (pronounced el-loo) are a demi-human race who appear human, with the exception of their long ears. Because of their close relationship with nature, the Elw live exceptionally long lives. Due to the destruction of the environment, the Elw population is extremely low.

The Elw were the original inhabitants of Filgaia. When the neosapiens (humans) migrated to Filgaia after a war on their home world, the Elw kindly accepted them.

Around a thousand years before the events of ''Wild Arms'', Filgaia was invaded by a race known as the Metal Demons. The Elw joined together with the other inhabitants of Filgaia, the humans and Guardians, in order to expel the invaders. Eventually, the Metal Demon leader "Mother" was defeated and the Metal Demons were pushed back to the northernmost part of Filgaia.

During the war, the Elw developed many weapons using their knowledge of magic, alchemy, and technology. Most of these weapons later became known as ARMs. The Elw also created the large humanoid machines called Golems. The Golems proved very useful during the first Demon War. However, the Golems were unreliable because they determined friend and foe based on whoever was operating them. This flaw was later exploited by the Metal Demons during the second Demon War and was the main reason the Elws created the Holmcross. The Elw created the Holmcross using living metal based on the Metal Demons'. The Holmcross went on a rampage, and all but one were destroyed by the Elw. The final weapon the Elw created was the Guardian Blade. When the Guardian Blade was activated, it sucked the vitality out of part of the planet and started the decay that would slowly turn Filgaia into a barren wasteland that would soon be impossible for the Elw, who were dependent on nature, to live on. This and the Elw distrust of humans led to the creation of the Elw Dimension and the Elw's evacuation of Filgaia. The last known Elw founded Baskar village.

===Ragu O Ragula===
A recurring optional boss enemy throughout the series is the legendary Ragu O Ragula, known as the "King of the Monsters". He is strongly hinted at being an alien lifeform, as he has "traveled the stars". In each ''Wild ARMs'' game, he is the ultimate extra boss. In games in which the Abyss — a sometimes ridiculously long optional dungeon that appears in many of the games — is present, he will be at the end of that dungeon. The player is not often given many clues to find him, but he is always alluded to in a few bookshelves throughout the game. When defeated, Ragu usually bestows upon the player the iconic Sheriff Star accessory, which not only proves the player's valor, but also tends to make the remainder of the game quite easy when equipped due to its effects. This trend was broken in ''[[Wild Arms 5]]'', in which when defeated, Ragu drops a badge called "The Omega".

== Games ==
{{Video game timeline
| title =
| 1996 = '''''[[Wild Arms (video game)|Wild Arms]]'''''
| 1999 = '''''[[Wild Arms 2]]'''''
| 2002 = '''''[[Wild Arms 3]]'''''
| 2003 = ''[[Wild Arms Alter Code: F]]''
| 2005 = '''''[[Wild Arms 4]]'''''
| 2006 = '''''[[Wild Arms 5]]'''''
| 2007 = '''''[[Wild Arms XF]]'''''
| 2018 = ''Wild Arms: Million Memories''
}}
=== Main series ===
As a Sony franchise, all ''Wild Arms'' video games appear exclusively on PlayStation video game consoles. Each individual title is set in the world of Filgaia and contains several consistencies that have become series mainstays, including similar races, monsters, technologies, and plot points. Only two of the titles directly allude to any chronology, as each game bears a Filgaia unrecognizable from each prior title.

* '''''[[Wild Arms (video game)|Wild Arms]]''''' established many of the recurring themes seen in later installments, including the desert world of Filgaia, and gun-like machinery called "ARMs". It introduced the "tool" system, in which special items such as bombs or [[grappling hook]]s can be used out of combat to cross otherwise impassable terrain and destroy objects. Originally released in Japan for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] in 1996, the game was published in North America and the [[PAL region]] over the next two years by [[Sony Computer Entertainment]]. ''Wild Arms'' features [[2D computer graphics|two-dimensional]] characters and environments for normal gameplay, while battle sequences are instead rendered in full [[3D computer graphics|3D]].<ref>{{Cite web| author=Ward, Trent C. | title=Wild Arms Review |date=June 6, 1997 | work=GameSpot.com | url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps/rpg/wildarms/review.html | access-date=February 21, 2007}}</ref> The game follows the adventures of a band of "Dream Chasers", Rudy, Jack, and Cecilia, as they make their way across the desert-like world of Filgaia. Contacted by the [[Avatar]]s of the forces of nature that protect the world, the heroes are chosen to be humankind's champions in the face of a demon invasion.<ref>{{Cite web|author1=Boor, Jay |author2=Chen, Jeff |name-list-style=amp | title=IGN: Wild ARMs Review |date=May 20, 1997 | work=IGN.com | url=http://psx.ign.com/articles/151/151875p1.html | access-date=February 20, 2007}}</ref>
* '''''[[Wild Arms 2]]''''', the sequel to the first ''Wild Arms'', was the second and final title for the original PlayStation. While keeping many of the themes from the previous title, ''Wild Arms 2'' introduced additional [[science fiction]] elements, including more abundant high technology and cybernetics, with additional fantasy and [[steampunk]] themes. A total of six characters can be recruited, with the player able to switch between any of them at any time. While characters remained in 2D, environments such as dungeons and towns were now rendered in [[isometric projection|isometric]] 3D.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Bartholow, Peter | title=Wild ARMs 2 Review |date=May 4, 2000 | work=GameSpot.com |url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps/rpg/wildarms2/review.html | access-date=March 27, 2007}}</ref> ''Wild Arms 2'' involves a group of international peace-keepers known as "Operation ARMS" that are assigned by a wealthy benefactor to protect the world from the terrorist organization Odessa. The player assumes control of each member of ARMS as they make their way through the game, and eventually confront an ancient evil that once threatened to destroy all of Filgaia.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Bishop, Sam | title=Wild Arms 2 for PlayStation |date=May 5, 2000 | work=[[IGN]] | url=http://psx.ign.com/articles/162/162916p1.html | access-date=February 20, 2007}}</ref>
* '''''[[Wild Arms 3]]''''' is the first ''Wild Arms'' game for the [[PlayStation 2]] console and the first title to be presented entirely using [[3D computer graphics|3D]] [[cel-shading|cel-shaded]] graphics. Though combat remains turn-based, a minor addition to the battle system, the "crossfire sequence", gives the appearance that characters and enemies are moving around the battlefield between rounds.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Kasavin, Greg | title=Wild Arms 3 Review |date=October 23, 2002 | work=GameSpot.com |url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/wildarms3/review.html | access-date=March 27, 2007}}</ref> The game takes place on a desert world almost totally devoid of large bodies of water, where roving bands of adventurers and outlaws roam the land in search of vast fortune, either through robberies or [[treasure hunting]]. Four strangers united by circumstance, Virginia, Jet, Clive and Gallows are the main characters who must confront a group of mystics trying to revive the world, and a demon who would have it destroyed.<ref name="IGNWA3">{{Cite web| author=Smith, David | title=Wild ARMs 3 for PlayStation 2 |date=October 15, 2002 | work=IGN.com | url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/374/374617p1.html | access-date=February 20, 2007}}</ref>
*'''''[[Wild Arms Alter Code: F]]''''' was released for the PlayStation 2 as an [[video game remake|enhanced remake]] of the original ''Wild Arms''.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Massimilla, Bethany | title=Wild Arms Alter Code: F for PS2 |date=December 5, 2005 | work=GameSpot.com | url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wild-arms-alter-code-f-review/1900-6140679/ |access-date=April 5, 2021}}</ref> It features an expanded script, additional story sequences, and a re-recorded soundtrack by Naruke. While all the previous locations from the initial version return, they are now presented in full 3D with new layouts and puzzles.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} New gameplay additions from ''Wild Arms 3'' include the Migrant System for avoiding battles, and the Crossfire Sequence added to combat.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Dunham, Jeremy | title=Wild ARMs -- Alter Code: F for PlayStation 2 |date=November 30, 2005 | work=[[IGN]] |url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/671/671943p1.html |access-date=February 20, 2007}}</ref>
* '''''[[Wild Arms 4]]''''', also released for the PlayStation 2, takes a more [[action game]]-like approach to the series, including environments that only allow horizontal movement, and the ability to run, jump, and slide past obstacles. The tool system is absent for the first time, and combat sequences are handled dramatically different from previous games. Utilizing the "Hex System", battlefields are now made up of seven equally-sized [[hexagons]] that characters may move between each combat round, allowing the player to attack enemies or aid allies stationed in adjacent hexes.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Massimilla, Bethany | title=Wild Arms 4 Review |date=January 10, 2006 | work=[[GameSpot]] |url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/wildarmsanothercodef/review.html | access-date=March 27, 2007}}</ref> The story follows the journey of Jude, a young boy from an isolated village who is the unwilling owner of a secretly-developed ARM weapon and now on the run from the government. He is joined by his companions Yulie, Arnaud, and Raquel as they embark on a quest to re-unite Jude with his mother, as well as defeat a number of superhuman government agents with a hidden plot involving the safety of the world.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Dunham, Jeremy | title=Wild Arms 4 for PlayStation 2 |date=January 12, 2006 | work=[[IGN]] | url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/680/680753p1.html | access-date=February 20, 2007}}</ref>
* '''''[[Wild Arms 5]]''''', the final title for the PlayStation 2, makes further use of ''Wild Arms 4's'' HEX combat system with minor adjustments, including a combat party of no more than three characters. Released in Japan in December 2006, the game was released in North America by XSEED Games in August 2007.<ref>{{Cite web | author=McCarroll, John | title=Wild Arms 5 Gets Release Date, Art Book | date=August 8, 2007 | work=RPGFan.com | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/news/2007/1259.html | access-date=March 27, 2007 | archive-date=October 11, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011132124/http://rpgfan.com/news/2007/1259.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> A PAL-region version was published by [[505 Games]] in limited quantities only available in France, Italy, Spain and the UK. The story concerns Dean Stark, a 16-year-old adventurer from a village specializing in collecting lost technology, and his friend Rebecca who discover a mysterious [[amnesia]]c young woman named Avril outside town. The duo agrees to help Avril in her quest to recover her memory, while Dean commits himself to learning how to use ARMs so he may one day become a successful "Golem Hunter", a finder of ancient robotic giants.<ref name="IGNWA5">{{Cite web| author=Gantayat, Anoop | title=Wild ARMs 5 Preview |date=December 20, 2006 | work=IGN.com | url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/751/751827p1.html | access-date=February 20, 2007}}</ref>
* '''''[[Wild Arms XF]]''''' is the series' first [[handheld console|handheld]] title, developed for the [[PlayStation Portable]].<ref>{{Cite web | title=WILD ARMS.net / WILD ARMS XF | year=2007 | work=Wild Arms.net | url=http://www.wild-arms.net/XF/ | access-date=March 27, 2007 | language=ja | archive-date=September 28, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928082005/http://www.wild-arms.net/XF/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Wild ARMs XF |year=2007 | work=[[GameSpot]] |url=https://www.gamespot.com/games/wild-arms-xf/ | access-date=April 5, 2021}}</ref> Unlike the other titles, it is a [[tactical role-playing game]]. The story centers around Clarissa Arwin, the leader of the Chevalet Blanc knights, who is swept up into a political war when she travels to the Kingdom of Elesius to retrieve her mother's sword.

===Mobile===
'''''Wild Arms Mobile''''' is a series of [[Adobe Flash|Flash]]-based [[mobile game|mobile phone games]] distributed by [[Yahoo!]] Keitai, I-Mode, and EZWeb for the [[NTT DoCoMo]] [[cellphone]] brand in Japan. First developed in 2006, the download-to-play service includes two ''Wild Arms''-themed [[minigame]]s: a ''[[Tetris]]''-style [[puzzle game]], and ''Wild Arms Kōya no Nichō Kenjū'', a [[shooter game|shooting game]] featuring characters and locations from ''Wild Arms 3''. Additional downloadable features include backgrounds, [[calendar]] skins, music, and visual styles based on several ''Wild Arms'' games. A routine news feed can also be accessed with information from Sony Computer Entertainment.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Sony Computer Entertainment | title=WILD ARMs.net / WILD ARMS MOBILE |year=2006 | work=Wild Arms.net | url=http://www.wild-arms.net/mobile.html | access-date=March 27, 2007 |language=ja}}</ref>

''Wild Arms: Million Memories'' was released for smart phones in Japan on September 26, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Sony Computer Entertainment | title=Wild Arms: Million Memories |year=2018 | url=https://gematsu.com/2018/09/wild-arms-million-memories-now-available-in-japan | access-date=September 26, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> The game was developed by [[ForwardWorks]] and features characters from various ''Wild Arms'' games. The game was shut down February 27, 2020.

=== Spiritual successor ===
''Armed Fantasia'', a [[crowdfunded]] [[Indie game|indie]] [[spiritual successor]] to the series, was announced in 2022 by Kaneko, who had not developed a game in the 15 years since ''Wild Arms XF''.<ref name=gemaKanek/> Developed by Wild Bunch Productions, its music is planned to be composed by [[Elements Garden]] and long-time series composers such as [[Michiko Naruke]]. It was fully funded in a "double [[Kickstarter]]" along with the ''[[Shadow Hearts]]''-inspired JRPG ''[[Penny Blood]]''. ''Armed Fantasia'' is planned to include an open-world environment, but with a story-driven approach. The game includes the ability to chain attacks for both players and enemies.<ref name=gemaKanek>{{Cite web |last=Arnold |first=Cory |date=2022-09-19 |title=Armed Fantasia: To the End of the Wilderness – TGS 2022 interview with Akifumi Kaneko |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/09/armed-fantasia-to-the-end-of-the-wilderness-tgs-2022-interview-with-akifumi-kaneko |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US}}</ref>

The game takes place in a world afflicted by [[desertification]] and governed by the Order of the Sacred Key, which fights creatures known as Anomalies using powerful ARM weapons. The three main characters of ''Armed Fantasia'' are wandering Anomaly fighters dubbed Pathfinders, akin to Drifters in ''Wild Arms''. They include 17-year-old street-smart protagonist Ingram Goodweather, 19-year-old Order knight Alicia Farhead, and Elucid Sturges, a highly-intelligent 18-year-old mage.

== Other media ==

===Manga===
[[File:WildArmsFlowerThieves.png|right|thumb|Cover to the ''Wild Arms Flower Thieves'' [[manga]] collection]]
First appearing in the Japanese ''[[Magazine Z]]'' in 2001, ''Wild Arms Hana Nusubito'', or '''''Wild ARMs: Flower Thieves''''', is a 187-page [[manga]] commissioned by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan published by [[Kodansha]]. The manga features artwork by Wakako Ōba and contains plot elements from the first two ''Wild Arms'' titles, though it is set in its own unique world.<ref name="KodanClub">{{Cite web| author=KodanClub staff | title=Promising works: Wild Arms Flower Thieves | work=KodanClub.com | url=http://www.kodanclub.com/cgi-local/comic.cgi?id=006-00117-01-001 | access-date=March 27, 2007}}</ref> ''Flower Thieves'' takes place thousands of years after a war between [[human]]s and demons destroyed much of the life on the planet, turning the world into a scorched wasteland. Set in a dystopian future, the manga features a large group of humans on their last legs, living in the overcrowded city of Upper Hose where [[flower]]s and other [[flora]] are rare and valuable. When a plant-eating monster known as a "Flower Thief" attacks a mysterious girl named Jechika, a young boy, Maxi, must use a forbidden ARM weapon to save her, and is subsequently expelled from the city for using illegal technology. Traveling into the wilderness with Jechika and a [[florist]] named Gi, Maxi sets off on a quest to restore the balance of nature throughout the world and make the earth habitable again.<ref name="KodanClub" />

Beginning with ''Wild Arms 2'' in 1999, official adaptations of each ''Wild Arms'' game were produced by such manga companies as DNA Media, [[Enix]], Bros. Comics, GanGan Wing, and 4Kings for release exclusively in Japan. Each work follows the plot of each game it is based on, with minor interpretations to the original script and characters.<ref>{{Cite web| author=Sony Computer Entertainment | title=WILD ARMS.net / SHOSEKIANIME |year=2006 | work=Wild Arms.net | url=http://www.wild-arms.net/shosekianime.html | access-date=March 27, 2007 |language=ja}}</ref>

===Anime===
{{Main|Wild Arms: Twilight Venom}}

'''''Wild Arms: Twilight Venom''''' is a 22-episode [[anime]] series originally broadcast on Japan's [[WOWOW]] network from October 1999 to March 2000 produced by [[Bee Train|Studio Bee Train]].<ref>{{Cite web|author=ADV Films Online staff |title=ADV Films DVD Catalog/Store |work=ADV FIlms.com |url=http://www.advfilms.com/CatalogFilms_Volumes.asp?Cat=180&Title=Wild%20Arms |access-date=March 27, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311062335/http://www.advfilms.com/CatalogFilms_Volumes.asp?Cat=180&Title=Wild%20Arms |archive-date=March 11, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Directed by [[Itsuro Kawasaki]] and [[Kōichi Mashimo]], the series follows the adventures of two treasure hunters—Loretta, an aspiring sorceress and Mirabelle, a [[vampire|Crimson Noble]]—who stumble upon the body of Sheyenne Rainstorm, a warrior from the past reborn as a 10-year-old boy. Able to use the archaic yet powerful ARM devices found with him, Sheyenne and the others team up with gung-ho scientist Dr. Aronnax to discover the secret of his past. The series features music by [[Kow Otani]] and Sho Wada, as well as themes from the first two ''Wild Arms'' games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild ARMs Twilight Venom: Music: Kow Otani, Sho Wada |website=Amazon |url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000058A7T |access-date=March 27, 2007}}</ref>

===Albums===
[[File:Alone the world.jpg|right|thumb|''Alone the World'' cover]]
In addition to commercial soundtracks for each individual game and the anime,<ref>{{Cite web| author=Sony Computer Entertainment| title=WILD ARMS.net / CD |year=2006 | work=Wild Arms.net | url=http://www.wild-arms.net/cd.html | access-date=March 27, 2007 |language=ja}}</ref> two sets of [[remix|arranged albums]] have been released featuring music from multiple games in the ''Wild Arms'' series. The compilation album ''Alone the World: Wild Arms Vocal Collection'', released in July 2002, features all vocal tracks from the first three ''Wild Arms'' titles,<ref>{{Cite web | author=Gann, Patrick | title=RPGFan Soundtrack - alone the world: Wild Arms Vocal Collection | date=November 21, 2004 | work=RPGFan.com | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/wavocal/index.html | access-date=March 27, 2007 | archive-date=December 30, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061230165512/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/wavocal/index.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> as well as sung versions of previously instrumental songs provided by [[Kaori Asoh]].<ref>{{Cite web| author=Rzeminski, Lucy | title=Chudah's Corner - alone the world - Wild Arms Vocal Collection | work=Chduah's Corner.com | url=http://www.chudahs-corner.com/soundtracks/index.php?catalog=SVWC-7138 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060627054950/http://chudahs-corner.com/soundtracks/index.php?catalog=SVWC-7138 | url-status=usurped | archive-date=June 27, 2006 | access-date=March 27, 2007}}</ref>

In celebration of the ''Wild Arms'' series 10th anniversary, Media.Vision and [[King Records (Japan)|King Records]] produced two separate albums under the ''Wild Arms: Music the Best'' label which feature music from the first four ''Wild Arms'' games as well as the ''Twilight Venom'' anime. The first album, ''Feeling Wind'', released August 2006, contains [[piano]] interpretations of various songs performed by Haruki Mino and Fumito Hirata and arranged by Yasuo Sako,<ref>{{Cite web |author=Gann, Patrick |title=RPGFan Soundtrack - Wild Arms Music the Best -feeling wind- |date=September 5, 2006 |work=RPGFan.com |url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/wa-wind/index.html |access-date=March 27, 2007 |archive-date=June 13, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613101153/http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/wa-wind/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and came packaged with a special edition songbook entitled ''Piece of Tears'' featuring liner notes for each track as well as interviews with long-time series composer Michiko Naruke.<ref>{{Cite web | author=Media.Vision | title=Media.Vision Black Market - Piece of Tears | year=2006 | work=Media.Vision.com | url=http://www.media-vision.co.jp/blackmarket/shop/mve4000-0001/ | access-date=March 27, 2007 | archive-date=February 18, 2013 | archive-url=https://archive.is/20130218161822/http://www.media-vision.co.jp/blackmarket/shop/mve4000-0001/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> The second album, ''Rocking Heart'', released the following October, is a [[rock music|rock]] and [[jazz]]-inspired remix album featuring arrangements by Nittoku Inoue, Nobuhiko Kashiwara, Nao Tokisawa, Atsushi Tomita, Transquillo, and Ryo Yonemitsu.<ref>{{Cite web | author=Gann, Patrick | title=RPGFan Soundtrack - Wild Arms Music the Best -rocking heart- | date=February 15, 2007 | work=RPGFan.com | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/wa-heart/index.html | access-date=March 27, 2007 | archive-date=October 12, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012210901/http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/wa-heart/index.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>

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==Reception==
{{VG Series Reviews
| updated = July 30, 2013
| game1 = [[Wild Arms (video game)|Wild Arms]]
| gr1 = (PS1) 79%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/ps/199299-wild-arms/index.html |title=''Wild Arms'' Reviews |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref><br />
| game2 = [[Wild Arms 2]] 
| gr2 = (PS1) 68%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/ps/913703-wild-arms-2/index.html |title='' Wild Arms 2'' Reviews |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| mc2 = -
| game3 = [[Wild Arms Alter Code: F]]
| gr3 =(PS2) 73%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/918799-wild-arms-alter-code-f/index.html |title=''Wild Arms Alter Code: F'' Reviews |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| mc3 = (PS2) 73<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/wild-arms-alter-code-f/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=''Wild Arms Alter Code: F'' Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| game4 = [[Wild Arms 3]]
| gr4 = (PS2) 78%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/478787-wild-arms-3/index.html |title=''Wild Arms 3'' Reviews |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| mc4 = (PS2) 78<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/wild-arms-3/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=''Wild Arms 3'' Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| game5 = [[Wild Arms 4]]
| gr5 = (PS2) 73%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/918840-wild-arms-4/index.html |title=''Wild Arms 4'' Reviews |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| mc5 = (PS2) 69<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/wild-arms-4/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=''Wild Arms 4'' Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| game6 = [[Wild Arms 5]]
| gr6 = (PS2) 73%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/931326-wild-arms-5/index.html |title=''Wild Arms 5'' Reviews |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| mc6 = (PS2) 71<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/wild-arms-5/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |title=''Wild Arms 5'' Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| game7 = [[Wild Arms XF]]
| gr7 = (PSP) 69%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/psp/935425-wild-arms-xf/index.html |title=''Wild Arms XF'' Reviews |publisher=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| mc7 = (PSP) 64<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/wild-arms-xf/critic-reviews/?platform=psp |title=''Wild Arms XF'' Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=July 30, 2013}}</ref>
| game8 = [[Wild Arms: Million Memories]]
| gr8 = -
| mc8 = -
}}

Bryan Cebulski of ''[[Hardcore Gaming 101]]'' praised the original ''Wild Arms'', stating that "where every sequel is thrown off balance by its flaws, the original is exactly what it wants to be: An uncomplicated mid-sized JRPG". He also said that the reoccurring Baskar tribe were some of the only playable equivalents to Native Americans in JRPGs outside of ''[[Shadow Hearts: From the New World]]''. He called Michiko Naruke’s compositions "gorgeous" and said that despite their drawing upon Western film soundtracks, they fit very well into the RPG setting.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cebulski |first=Bryan |date=2019-06-24 |title=Wild Arms |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/wild-arms/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

Cebulski stated his opinion that ''Wild Arms 2'' was the "black sheep" of the franchise, featuring an unusually mature and ambitious plot and themes that resembles the game ''[[Xenogears]]'' and the later works of [[Yoko Taro]], but a narrative which is "confused, at times even totally incomprehensible". He also criticized the story's lack of urgency and the villains' lack of clearly defined actions and motives, and concluded that the game "wants to be something postmodern and complex, subversive and dynamic in a way it just never shows itself being."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cebulski |first=Bryan |date=2019-06-26 |title=Wild Arms 2 |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/wild-arms-2/ |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

Cebulski said that ''Wild Arms 3'', which lowered the amount of [[medieval fantasy]] and [[steampunk]] influence, was superior to its predecessors, saying that it was the game he recommends to new players in order to get a feel for the series due to its better pace and more competent localization than the second game. He said the characters are "tremendously endearing" and  called protagonist Virginia Maxwell surprisingly progressive due to her optimism and naivety. However, he said the combat is "tedious because they’re random battles" and found it annoying that most bosses cannot be defeated in a straightforward manner, though he acknowledged this keeps the game from becoming too easy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cebulski |first=Bryan |date=2019-06-29 |title=Wild Arms 3 |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/wild-arms-3/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]] |language=en-US}}</ref> He called its successor a "jarring change" to a more heavily sci-fi "[[Mecha anime and manga|mecha anime]]" setting, but one that was needed and welcome due to its older mechanics having peaked and run out of new ways to explore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cebulski |first=Bryan |date=2019-07-04 |title=Wild Arms 4 |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/wild-arms-4/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]] |language=en-US}}</ref> He called ''Wild Arms 5'' "a streamlined culmination of all the series has to offer ... [which] pays homage to the core of what made the series remarkable as it introduces new and sometimes improved mechanics", particularly mentioning how the ability to place hexes in formations other than hexagonal enables numerous new combinations and strategies and how the overworld allows sufficient exploration without making the game lag, but said that the series as a whole was "petering out".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cebulski |first=Bryan |date=2017-07-07 |title=Wild Arms 5 |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/wild-arms-5/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2012, Kimberley Wallace of ''[[Game Informer]]'' called ''Wild Arms'' a "lost RPG franchise", saying the odds of a new game in the series were 25:1 due to sales potentially not meeting Sony's expectations.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Wallace |first=Kimberley |title=Lost RPG Franchises: Where Are They Now? |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/11/15/lost-rpg-franchises-where-are-they-now.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121118013456/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/11/15/lost-rpg-franchises-where-are-they-now.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 18, 2012 |access-date=2023-10-13 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |language=en}}</ref>

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==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://www.wild-arms.net}} {{in lang|ja}}

{{Wild Arms series}}
{{Sony Franchises}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wild Arms (Series)}}
[[Category:Wild Arms| ]]
[[Category:Sony Interactive Entertainment games]]
[[Category:Video game franchises]]
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 1996]]
[[Category:Video games set on fictional planets]]