I've got some impressions of it up on my blog. But yea, I quite enjoyed the game.
A great read -- I'm excited to sink my teeth into the game. Your mention of Wild ARMs excites me; at the time, the original WA was just what I wanted and needed on the PS1. Sort of a right place, right time kind of thing -- now I likely wouldn't go back to it, but back then it was manna from heaven.
I got it from GameFly last night but only got to "play" about 10 minutes of it so far. The only observation I have so far is that the character models are really pretty.
Funny you mention my mention of Wild Arms. I have been playing Wild Arms 5 for a few weeks now, and have a blog going up in the next day or two on the current state of Filgaia. As for the original, you should consider visiting Alter Code F. Not a perfect game, but it's a good remake.
I REALLY need to check that game out. I absolutely loved the first Wild Arms, and the I'll always love the intro, and specially its music.
I've got some impressions of it up on my blog. But yea, I quite enjoyed the game.
A great read -- I'm excited to sink my teeth into the game. Your mention of Wild ARMs excites me; at the time, the original WA was just what I wanted and needed on the PS1. Sort of a right place, right time kind of thing -- now I likely wouldn't go back to it, but back then it was manna from heaven.
I got it from GameFly last night but only got to "play" about 10 minutes of it so far. The only observation I have so far is that the character models are really pretty.
Funny you mention my mention of Wild Arms. I have been playing Wild Arms 5 for a few weeks now, and have a blog going up in the next day or two on the current state of Filgaia. As for the original, you should consider visiting Alter Code F. Not a perfect game, but it's a good remake.
I REALLY need to check that game out. I absolutely loved the first Wild Arms, and the I'll always love the intro, and specially its music.
But how did you feel about the 4th game? It flew int he face of the previous 3 titles in many respects, andintroduced an inferior combat system to boot. The 5th game follws this tradition, while also introcigina number of platforming style mechanics int eh adventuring areas. It's almost strange to call this a Wild Arms title, but I'll link here or in another thread when I'd got a cohesive piece to share.
So just picked this up and pretty happy with it so far. I like simple fun RPGs in portable form. Catgirls tits are funky lookin though and the main guys sword could be better lookin.
Also I had to buy the gutted version from a Gamestop and they actually went out of their way to shrink wrap it again.
I've got some impressions of it up on my blog. But yea, I quite enjoyed the game.
A great read -- I'm excited to sink my teeth into the game. Your mention of Wild ARMs excites me; at the time, the original WA was just what I wanted and needed on the PS1. Sort of a right place, right time kind of thing -- now I likely wouldn't go back to it, but back then it was manna from heaven.
I got it from GameFly last night but only got to "play" about 10 minutes of it so far. The only observation I have so far is that the character models are really pretty.
Funny you mention my mention of Wild Arms. I have been playing Wild Arms 5 for a few weeks now, and have a blog going up in the next day or two on the current state of Filgaia. As for the original, you should consider visiting Alter Code F. Not a perfect game, but it's a good remake.
I REALLY need to check that game out. I absolutely loved the first Wild Arms, and the I'll always love the intro, and specially its music.
But how did you feel about the 4th game? It flew int he face of the previous 3 titles in many respects, andintroduced an inferior combat system to boot. The 5th game follws this tradition, while also introcigina number of platforming style mechanics int eh adventuring areas. It's almost strange to call this a Wild Arms title, but I'll link here or in another thread when I'd got a cohesive piece to share.
This is my thread so I'll hijack it if I want to...
Overall do you like WA5? I was going to reserve it tomorrow. Keep in mind that I've never actually played a Wild Arms game...
I've got some impressions of it up on my blog. But yea, I quite enjoyed the game.
A great read -- I'm excited to sink my teeth into the game. Your mention of Wild ARMs excites me; at the time, the original WA was just what I wanted and needed on the PS1. Sort of a right place, right time kind of thing -- now I likely wouldn't go back to it, but back then it was manna from heaven.
I got it from GameFly last night but only got to "play" about 10 minutes of it so far. The only observation I have so far is that the character models are really pretty.
Funny you mention my mention of Wild Arms. I have been playing Wild Arms 5 for a few weeks now, and have a blog going up in the next day or two on the current state of Filgaia. As for the original, you should consider visiting Alter Code F. Not a perfect game, but it's a good remake.
I REALLY need to check that game out. I absolutely loved the first Wild Arms, and the I'll always love the intro, and specially its music.
But how did you feel about the 4th game? It flew int he face of the previous 3 titles in many respects, andintroduced an inferior combat system to boot. The 5th game follws this tradition, while also introcigina number of platforming style mechanics int eh adventuring areas. It's almost strange to call this a Wild Arms title, but I'll link here or in another thread when I'd got a cohesive piece to share.
The HEX system, inferior? Dude, WTF? WA1 had what was basically bog standard JRPG combat, I've never played 2 but it sunds like the best one pre-HEX and 3 had some interesting ideas but was overall horribly broken. The HEX system OTOH is one of the best combat systems I've ever seen in one of these games, good enough to be my soul motivation for finishing WA4.
I've got some impressions of it up on my blog. But yea, I quite enjoyed the game.
A great read -- I'm excited to sink my teeth into the game. Your mention of Wild ARMs excites me; at the time, the original WA was just what I wanted and needed on the PS1. Sort of a right place, right time kind of thing -- now I likely wouldn't go back to it, but back then it was manna from heaven.
I got it from GameFly last night but only got to "play" about 10 minutes of it so far. The only observation I have so far is that the character models are really pretty.
Funny you mention my mention of Wild Arms. I have been playing Wild Arms 5 for a few weeks now, and have a blog going up in the next day or two on the current state of Filgaia. As for the original, you should consider visiting Alter Code F. Not a perfect game, but it's a good remake.
I REALLY need to check that game out. I absolutely loved the first Wild Arms, and the I'll always love the intro, and specially its music.
But how did you feel about the 4th game? It flew int he face of the previous 3 titles in many respects, andintroduced an inferior combat system to boot. The 5th game follws this tradition, while also introcigina number of platforming style mechanics int eh adventuring areas. It's almost strange to call this a Wild Arms title, but I'll link here or in another thread when I'd got a cohesive piece to share.
The HEX system, inferior? Dude, WTF? WA1 had what was basically bog standard JRPG combat, I've never played 2 but it sunds like the best one pre-HEX and 3 had some interesting ideas but was overall horribly broken. The HEX system OTOH is one of the best combat systems I've ever seen in one of these games, good enough to be my soul motivation for finishing WA4.
The HEX system is terrible, at least in my eyes. The WA series have never been about innovative gameplay. It's all been old school, with the characters and setting driving the game onward like spurs. In contrast, WA4 introduced a combat system that was bankrupt of fun, and essentially ignored the bulk of the series' now trademark setting for a game that felt less like Wild Arms and more like a made for Sci Fi Channel budget movie. WA5 strays from this a bit back to the more accepted grounds, but is still far too rooted in WA4's stumblings for my tastes.
I've got some impressions of it up on my blog. But yea, I quite enjoyed the game.
A great read -- I'm excited to sink my teeth into the game. Your mention of Wild ARMs excites me; at the time, the original WA was just what I wanted and needed on the PS1. Sort of a right place, right time kind of thing -- now I likely wouldn't go back to it, but back then it was manna from heaven.
I got it from GameFly last night but only got to "play" about 10 minutes of it so far. The only observation I have so far is that the character models are really pretty.
Funny you mention my mention of Wild Arms. I have been playing Wild Arms 5 for a few weeks now, and have a blog going up in the next day or two on the current state of Filgaia. As for the original, you should consider visiting Alter Code F. Not a perfect game, but it's a good remake.
I REALLY need to check that game out. I absolutely loved the first Wild Arms, and the I'll always love the intro, and specially its music.
But how did you feel about the 4th game? It flew int he face of the previous 3 titles in many respects, andintroduced an inferior combat system to boot. The 5th game follws this tradition, while also introcigina number of platforming style mechanics int eh adventuring areas. It's almost strange to call this a Wild Arms title, but I'll link here or in another thread when I'd got a cohesive piece to share.
The HEX system, inferior? Dude, WTF? WA1 had what was basically bog standard JRPG combat, I've never played 2 but it sunds like the best one pre-HEX and 3 had some interesting ideas but was overall horribly broken. The HEX system OTOH is one of the best combat systems I've ever seen in one of these games, good enough to be my soul motivation for finishing WA4.
The HEX system is terrible, at least in my eyes. The WA series have never been about innovative gameplay. It's all been old school, with the characters and setting driving the game onward like spurs. In contrast, WA4 introduced a combat system that was bankrupt of fun, and essentially ignored the bulk of the series' now trademark setting for a game that felt less like Wild Arms and more like a made for Sci Fi Channel budget movie. WA5 strays from this a bit back to the more accepted grounds, but is still far too rooted in WA4's stumblings for my tastes.
The plot in WA4 was like a bad shounen manga someone wrote while drunk and with a monologue about how the children are our future playing in the background. In it's defence, however, it's not like it really dropped any of the stuff that makes a Filgaia a Filgaia (no way are any of these games situated on the same timeline) or very much of what makes a WA a WA (although I'll agree it didn't really feel the same, I think the only think I noticed that was actually missing was the multi-prologue thing), it's just some of it was only mentioned in passing or was a different take on the same basic idea, occasionally not even mentioned by name.
The games have been experimenting with increasingly weird stuff from at lest the second one on (the whole thing of having to "discover" places on the map, the increasing weirdness and importance of FP, the migrant system, that weird conversation thing in WA3, VIT etc.) WA4 happened to be the one where they just said screw it and made everything different for the sake of being different, 5 from what I know of it sounds like they took the stuff that worked and reintegrated it backwards onto something that is otherwise more similar to what came before (although I think I'll miss the sidescrolling bits, those were kind of cool).
You personally may not have enjoyed HEX, that's your taste but it's not like what the previous games had going was of especially much merit. Personally, I rank it right up there with stuff like UAB (Grandia) and... I can't actually think of another JRPG combat system I'd rank next to either of those. I'm not quite sure what it was (I mean, I can point to little things like how each character had their own way of recovering MP, but as a whole I really don't know) but the whole thing just clicked for me and I went in expecting to find it tolerable at best (I find tactical RPG gameplay really boring and, in theory , the idea of everything affecting hexes rather than characters seemed pretty stupid).
To each their own for sure, but we at least seem to be on the same page as per WA4's plot and meanderings beyond the combat system. For me it just didn't feel any more evolved than more traditional RPG combat, just convoluted for the sake of change, but as said, we're all bound to take away different things for different games. If you liked the HEX system, then you'll be right at home here with the sequel.
I should say that I enjoyed the plot of 5 quite a bit more than 4. It's still goofy, but it's much more cohesive than the last game. I just miss the most Western themes of previous games, and even went back and played the first few hours of both Alter Code F and Wild Arms 3 just to remind myself what made those games special. In those games the marriage of the Wild West and cheesy sci-fi worked, and played off of each other almost like an homage to childhood fantasies, but these last two games have moved beyond this setting...and so your milage may vary depending on how locked in you were with the trappings of earlier games.
If the WA5 review on actionbutton.net someone else on here pointed to is to be believed WA5's plot was writtten by an actual Japanese novelist, who insisted that it should branch in really subtle ways. That sounds like it could be one of the simultaeneously the most awesome and yet REALLY ANNOYING things ever as you replay the game repeatedly trying to figure out what the hell the branch triggers were.
If the WA5 review on actionbutton.net someone else on here pointed to is to be believed WA5's plot was writtten by an actual Japanese novelist, who insisted that it should branch in really subtle ways. That sounds like it could be one of the simultaeneously the most awesome and yet REALLY ANNOYING things ever as you replay the game repeatedly trying to figure out what the hell the branch triggers were.
Yea, I mean, the plot is decent, but the problem, as I see it, is that while I recognize that the experience was mildly dynamic, little of it felt compelling enough to warrent a second play through. ALso, for those picking it up, prepare for some shrill voices. A couple of the main characters talk at a pitch that stabs at your ears.
edit...I think tonight I'll load up a couple of my saves and make a couple videos of WA5 to share. I need to test this new card anyway.
Last time I derail the conversation, but I put up my final impressions of WA 5 last night. I went a lot of different ways and had a lot of different feelings about the game depending on where I was it the title. At a couple points I feared it was even following in WA 4's steps, but it always managed to pull itself back together when it counted.
ANYWAY, to make things go back to the game at hand, Brave Story, people should pick it up and play it. Pompous wizards and all!
I'll keep my Jeanne d'Arc/FF Tactics piece out of this thread. :P
Posts
I REALLY need to check that game out. I absolutely loved the first Wild Arms, and the I'll always love the intro, and specially its music.
But how did you feel about the 4th game? It flew int he face of the previous 3 titles in many respects, andintroduced an inferior combat system to boot. The 5th game follws this tradition, while also introcigina number of platforming style mechanics int eh adventuring areas. It's almost strange to call this a Wild Arms title, but I'll link here or in another thread when I'd got a cohesive piece to share.
Also I had to buy the gutted version from a Gamestop and they actually went out of their way to shrink wrap it again.
This is my thread so I'll hijack it if I want to...
Overall do you like WA5? I was going to reserve it tomorrow. Keep in mind that I've never actually played a Wild Arms game...
The HEX system, inferior? Dude, WTF? WA1 had what was basically bog standard JRPG combat, I've never played 2 but it sunds like the best one pre-HEX and 3 had some interesting ideas but was overall horribly broken. The HEX system OTOH is one of the best combat systems I've ever seen in one of these games, good enough to be my soul motivation for finishing WA4.
The HEX system is terrible, at least in my eyes. The WA series have never been about innovative gameplay. It's all been old school, with the characters and setting driving the game onward like spurs. In contrast, WA4 introduced a combat system that was bankrupt of fun, and essentially ignored the bulk of the series' now trademark setting for a game that felt less like Wild Arms and more like a made for Sci Fi Channel budget movie. WA5 strays from this a bit back to the more accepted grounds, but is still far too rooted in WA4's stumblings for my tastes.
The plot in WA4 was like a bad shounen manga someone wrote while drunk and with a monologue about how the children are our future playing in the background. In it's defence, however, it's not like it really dropped any of the stuff that makes a Filgaia a Filgaia (no way are any of these games situated on the same timeline) or very much of what makes a WA a WA (although I'll agree it didn't really feel the same, I think the only think I noticed that was actually missing was the multi-prologue thing), it's just some of it was only mentioned in passing or was a different take on the same basic idea, occasionally not even mentioned by name.
The games have been experimenting with increasingly weird stuff from at lest the second one on (the whole thing of having to "discover" places on the map, the increasing weirdness and importance of FP, the migrant system, that weird conversation thing in WA3, VIT etc.) WA4 happened to be the one where they just said screw it and made everything different for the sake of being different, 5 from what I know of it sounds like they took the stuff that worked and reintegrated it backwards onto something that is otherwise more similar to what came before (although I think I'll miss the sidescrolling bits, those were kind of cool).
You personally may not have enjoyed HEX, that's your taste but it's not like what the previous games had going was of especially much merit. Personally, I rank it right up there with stuff like UAB (Grandia) and... I can't actually think of another JRPG combat system I'd rank next to either of those. I'm not quite sure what it was (I mean, I can point to little things like how each character had their own way of recovering MP, but as a whole I really don't know) but the whole thing just clicked for me and I went in expecting to find it tolerable at best (I find tactical RPG gameplay really boring and, in theory , the idea of everything affecting hexes rather than characters seemed pretty stupid).
I should say that I enjoyed the plot of 5 quite a bit more than 4. It's still goofy, but it's much more cohesive than the last game. I just miss the most Western themes of previous games, and even went back and played the first few hours of both Alter Code F and Wild Arms 3 just to remind myself what made those games special. In those games the marriage of the Wild West and cheesy sci-fi worked, and played off of each other almost like an homage to childhood fantasies, but these last two games have moved beyond this setting...and so your milage may vary depending on how locked in you were with the trappings of earlier games.
Yea, I mean, the plot is decent, but the problem, as I see it, is that while I recognize that the experience was mildly dynamic, little of it felt compelling enough to warrent a second play through. ALso, for those picking it up, prepare for some shrill voices. A couple of the main characters talk at a pitch that stabs at your ears.
edit...I think tonight I'll load up a couple of my saves and make a couple videos of WA5 to share. I need to test this new card anyway.
ANYWAY, to make things go back to the game at hand, Brave Story, people should pick it up and play it. Pompous wizards and all!
I'll keep my Jeanne d'Arc/FF Tactics piece out of this thread. :P