 Review By: Jared Black |
Developer: | Media.Vision |
| Publisher: | XSEED Games | |
| Genre: | RPG | |
| ESRB: | Teen | |
| # Of Players: | 1 | |
| Online Play: | No | |
| Accessories: | Memory Card | |
| Buy Now: |   |
To aid in Jude's platform hopping, he has an Accelerator skill that essentially slows everything down around him (giving him super-speed in the game, although his character doesn't actually move any faster) for a short period of time. This is used to not only defeat some challenging traps essentially unbeatable at normal speeds, but also to collect hidden Gella (money) scattered throughout the world and only visible in Accelerator mode. The latter is actually somewhat annoying, as I found myself tapping the Accelerator button every few seconds throughout most of the journey to keep from wasting it all while making sure I didn't miss any hidden money. Still, for those patient enough it's worth the trouble and very rewarding.
And while many gamers have complained about this change, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. Sure, there are plenty of areas you can't get to that don't make sense (ex: low walls impassable when Jude can jump over crates twice the height) and it's not what you expect in a RPG, but it makes exploring the world more fun. Rather than simply holding down the analog stick, you're actually actively involved in exploring the area and it also lends itself to some rather inventive puzzles.
Being a Wild ARMs game, tools also once again figure prominently in dungeon exploring. However, instead of being assigned to a different character they're now found in the dungeons themselves and can only be used in limited areas. For example, while exploring you will come across a Wonder Crystal, which can be turned into an Ice or Fire Crystal and then used to solve puzzles in the area such as turning on and off fire pots. For the most part these new tools are pretty uninspiring, as the puzzles they're used to solve are easy to figure out and each tool only has one or two uses at most.
The graphics are quite nice. While not quite on par with the system's flashiest, the game definitely has a distinct anime-inspired feel of its own and rivals other recent RPGs like Suikoden IV. Most environments are nicely detailed, spells are appropriately flashy without being too overbearing, and portraits of every character in the game when you talk to them doesn't hurt things either. On the downside, textures for walls and some other environmental objects repeat quite frequently (although not to the point that you get lost or anything) and some animation is below average (such as water that wiggles indefinitely as you walk through it even if you stop). Visually this is also probably the least Wild West-inspired game in the series yet, which is a slight downside in my opinion as more areas now look just like the ones found in any other generic RPG.
The soundtrack is standard fare for the series, with lots of upbeat tunes full of whistling and/or a Western feel and tracks that appropriately match the mood of each area. The voice acting is competent, but sadly used only sparingly and repeats often in the heat of combat.
Bottom Line:
Wild ARMs 4 is the rare RPG that puts as much of an emphasis on fun as plot and character development. While the storyline is unoriginal and the characters stereotypical Japanese RPG heroes, the style the story is told in is strong enough to make it an enjoyable ride overall.
That being said, as a fan of the Wild ARMs series since the very beginning I really hope this game was an aberration and not the direction the series is headed in as a whole. As enjoyable as this game was, now that it's been done I doubt future installments in the same mold will hold my attention the way this one did.
| Pros: | Cons: | Final Score: |
|---|---|---|
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| 8.0 |
Posted: 2006-02-22 15:17:59 PST