In early 1997 I traded in my Nintendo 64 for a PlayStation, due to disappointment in the N64 launch window games (and their prices) and in anticipation of Final Fantasy VII. In the lead up to FF VII I discovered a handful of games that would become among my all-time favorites, like Suikoden, Twisted Metal 2, Resident Evil, Ridge Racer Revolution, and the original Persona. But the game that was most aligned with my FF VII hype was Wild Arms.
I had fallen in love with RPGs on the SNES and naively expected the release cadence to continue onto the N64, the platform that Final Fantasy VII was originally announced for. By late-1996 it became very clear that not only would FF VII be skipping the N64, but so would the genre as a whole. While Suikoden and Persona felt like slightly prettier versions of SNES RPGs, Wild Arms felt like the first true “next gen” game in the genre.
From the incredible anime opening to the impressive-at-the-time 3D polygonal battles, Wild Arms felt like a game that could not exist on the previous console generation. Fortunately, in addition to the impressive tech, the game is also well-designed.
Wild Arms begins with three separate prologues, one for each of the main characters. You can play these in any order you like, and it’s still pretty cool when all of the characters finally meet up and begin the adventure in earnest. The overworld, turn-based combat, and towns in Wild Arms are pretty standard fare, but the dungeons are a bit more interesting than some of its peers.
Each character has items that they can use at any time, from bombs to a pocket watch that rewinds time. These tools are essential to progressing through the dungeons, which aren’t too far removed from the types of puzzles you’d find in A Link to the Past or Link’s Awakening.
I wouldn’t call Wild Arms’ story among the best of PS1 RPGs, but it is fairly interesting. The mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and western give the game a unique flavor, punctuated by Michiko Naruke’s brilliant soundtrack.
Wild Arms is arguably the best pre-FF VII RPG on the PlayStation and in some ways can hold its own against it. While the series has been inactive for well over a decade, it’s nice that this game is still officially available in top form on modern hardware.
All screenshots and video here were captured from the PS5 digital version of the game.
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