Well, after about a year, I finally got up and finished WildArms3. Which, even thought I ended up dauddling and taking so long, was a game I extremely enjoyed. Much better than WA2 to me (probably because the translators did a much more professional job).

There's good stuff, there's bad stuff... There's even more goodstuff! Feel free to read the whole review, it's gunna take a while...

Animation - The opening song, like WA2, is very nicely done. Sorta like making the game look anime with great music. There's a secondary good side because while you play the game there are parts in the opening theme that change as the game progresses (newer badguys tacked into the theme). Also, once or twice during the opening and ending songs, the music changes from english to japanese. But I sorta like the english voice better, just so much more emotion to it! Downside? The only real anime animation is in the opening song.

Graphics - The character sprites aren't anything uber quality, but they are up there. Though they look a little strange during talking scenes (the little character face images next to the words make up for this) and their hands are overly sized, the sprites do look good during fighting scenes. Cause, well, they're running around to keep away from the badguy. Otherwise they're blocky and comfortible at the same time. It's a weird combination. Monster sprites are the same. As for character design, they all look fantastic with exception of Gallows. I have no idea what they were thinking when they made his design for the game (overgrown indian meets Elvis. Tall, buff-looking, fat lips, slouch, and aside from magic he's worthless with his gun), and it was a turnoff in the beginning of the game, but he warms up to you after a point.


Music - I give it a 8/10 for the music. It's above normally awesome. Nothing orchestral and I've heard stuff in other games that's amazed me more (FF7 anyone?), but every song fits the game perfectly. Even when you listen to the music away from playing the game it puts you in a cowboy/wildwest sorta warm mood. There's really no songs that I hated. And if I see a CD for the game music, I'll buy it Because it's worth listening to. Definately will put you in the mood for scenes as well.


GamePlay - A bit original and easy to get use to. I stumbled a bit in the beginning with fighting, but it was easily overcome. The only thing I didn't like about fighting was that I wanted to switch mediums around person to person in the middle of a battle to get what I wanted to do right. Oh, that and if you unequip something off a medium (magic thingy), it goes away completely. Fighting is turn-based, where you select what your 4 characters do and it goes in order of which charries/monsters are faster per attack.

_Running around was easy, as was flying, as was sandcruising. There were parts on the horse when I had probs jumping chasms, but it's nothing huge or annoying. You have to do a radar thing (in conjunction with people telling you that places exist) to find towns. Of course, that's a WildArms trait for all the games as far as I know. Sure gets you to fight more monsters. Speaking of monsters, you have an option to avoid fighting them for a certain number of times, and that's definately a plus.

_Frolicking in dungeons/towns/etc is wonderful. This is a game where you need to solve puzzles with abilities that your charries have, and you Want to. It makes travelling through dungeons that much more fun and is one of the best traits you can GET in a game.


SideQuests - Half of this game is sidequests. You don't have to do them and can just wizz through the 3 some chapters of the game. However, some of the sidequests are legendary. Like the MelleniumPuzzles, TelepathTowers, AdventureBooks, GunnersHaven Battle Arena, and TheAbyss. There's even a sidequest to save a girl that'll grow a garden of herbs/potions for you, which is extremely useful. However, with the good sidequests there is a huge downside. First is that some of the sidequests have to be activated (If you don't activate Telepath towers somewhere before Chapter 3 or so, you don't get to at all). Secondarily, some (like running around finding all the extra bosses) can get you way in over your head and slaughter you outright. And third, some others (Apoche, Abyss, Garden) are Downright Monotonous. I think trying to complete these sidequests is what took me so long and, in the end, made me dauddle with getting the game done. But you see, there's a goodie for finishing sidequests. After every one, you'll get an Ex File Key. Which, if you have enough, will unlock extra goodies after the game is over (like Newgame with all your finished stats, getting all the opening and ending displays, few others). Since there are 12 in all, you really need to start some of the sidequests way early on. If you don't, it's just a dead hope and will feel like a chore that you just Don't want to do. Don't let this be a turndown, though. I never thought I was going to get so into the game because of those MelleniumPuzzles and I had no idea I would enjoy reading so much when I got around to collecting the adventure books.

(btw, you find the exfile keys in more places than just the puzzles.)


Plot - I loved the plot. One of my fav parts of the game. Held me into the game to finish it all the way through, even if some sidequests did weigh me down considerably. I bawled laughing at some parts, and wanted to cry at others. I absolutely fell in love with the characters and found the whole backstory to the game extremely interesting And original. Good package all in one, the plot. One good thing I enjoyed was that you didn't have the same badguy all the way through it. So you can't exactly act like you KNOW how the game will turn out 1/2 way through it. That, in my opinion, rules.


The Ending - I liked it. My father thought it was lame, but he didn't see it. DEFINATELY a twist that caps the game off with a feeling that there's going to be more in the future (maybe in WildArms4?). While it's nothing huge, it does make killing the last badguy ironic and all around alright.


Originality - It's a Wildarms game. VERY original. Extremely so. They do their own thing in their own world with their own genre away from every other cliche game out there. And it's worth it.


Replay Value - Definately good replay value. If not to enjoy the plot again, than to see if I can't finish off those sidequests without having it be too late =P Though there are no additional endings or anything. Good experience value. If you play the game once, you'll want to play the game again in the future cause you KNOW you missed something on the way.


Other stuff that I found off/bad/challanging -

_First off, there is only one items selling guy, and he travels to different towns as you do. If you don't buy from him right away (antidotes, all that. Including the map for the game in the beginning), you wont get another chance til the next town. He also doesn't sell Herbs, I believe. So that's another downfall that makes the game Extremely challanging. (and why the garden sidequest is so important)

_I have gotten lost once or twice in the game. No, it's not a slow spot or anything, I just don't comprehend where I'm told to go. I ended up having to find a walkthrough ^^` to find my way to the next part. HOWEVER, like I just said, it only happened once or twice (once for sure) in the entire game.

_The same goes for some puzzles. There are 3 or so puzzles that I just had a bitchin time figuring out. 2 of which I looked at a walkthrough for help. The other I spent about an hour just fooling around til I got it right. I think this is why the game got such a poor rating in the magazines, cause it was 'too hard'. Honestly, though? It was challanging and that, in itself, is good. Mind you, If I just fiddles with the other 2, I would've figured them out over time.


Other stuff I found good/interesting -

_This is one of few games where I really enjoyed most of the badguys. You feel for half of them and their reasons behind what they do that it's cool. Same with the goodguys, btw. And a few npcs. Characters you don't enjoy at first either fade out of the picture fast or grow on you over time to the point that you like them.

_It's easy to remember Towns! I remember a few games way back when that I had NO CLUE which town was where. Fact, I think I had that prob in WA2. This game, though, you slowly come to understand the layout of the map and know the places of towns (not to mention their names) very quickly.


Other than that, it's a good game that I recommend people play. I mean, no swords! All 4 characters have guns and magic! Their personalities are unique and RULE! You can either take your time and try to get everything complete (which will take a strat guide or walkthrough), or breeze through the game for the exceptionally good plot and great gameplay. I don't know what the game magazines were thinking when they rated this game, because it's definately worthwhile and keeps your mind active so you don't fall asleep during it =P

I encourage people to wander. Fact, the game does as well. You find the coolest stuff while aimlessly wanding ;)

Fact, you can rename your characters. I think their original names were Virginia (or Argentina), Jet, Gallows, and Clive. Since I didn't want the main girl to be named after a location, I renamed her Victoria. Renamed Jet Aki for, um, my own reasons......... Gallows became Source cause it sounded better to me. And Clive stayed as Clive... Good name for him.



Fav Characters - Clive, Malik, 'Daddy'


Motion Sick Warning. Sides for flying too fast, there is less of a motionsick value in this game. Oh, I got a bit dizzy while sandsurfing as well, but not Nearly as bad as the Wildarms game previous to this one. And it was something that didn't get in my way.


WHEW what a long review... My fingers hurt.

*whimper* Man I've wanted to play the wildarms games since I've tried the first one as a kid (mainly the title theme and like 5 minutes of gameplay). I need a playstation. :/