Wild Arms 4

Infobox VG
title = Wild Arms 4


caption = Wild Arms 4 North American cover
developer = Media.Vision
publisher = SCEI (JP)
XSEED Games (US)
505 Games (PAL)
designer = Media.Vision Entertainment
engine =
series = "Wild Arms"
released = vgrelease|JP=March 3, 2005|NA=January 10, 2006|EU=October 13, 2006|AUS=October 26, 2006
genre = Console role-playing game
modes = Single player
ratings = vgratings|ESRB=Teen|PEGI=12+
platforms = PlayStation 2
media = DVD-ROM
requirements =
input = DualShock 2
preceded by = Wild Arms 3
followed by = Wild Arms 5

"Wild Arms 4", known in Japan as nihongo|"Wild Arms the 4th Detonator"|ワイルドアームズ ザ フォースデトネイター|Wairudo Āmuzu Za Fōsu Detoneitā, also known as "Wild Arms Another Code: F" at one point in production (since it was simultaneously developed with ""), is a console role-playing game developed by Media.Vision and the fourth installment in the "Wild Arms" video game series. The game's overall look and feel is a departure from the Wild West feel of the previous games in the series, to a more modern look.

Storyline

Jude Maverick has grown up in an isolated town called Ciel, which is completely enclosed in a large sphere floating thousands of feet above the surface of Filgaia. His sheltered world changes forever when he sees the sky "tear" and ships enter his homeland. Upon inspecting the campsite set up by the intruders, he sees something else that he has never seen before: a girl.

The girl's name is Yulie and she is being held captive by the intruders after being captured by a "Drifter" for hire, Arnaud G. Vasquez. After the invading army attacks Ciel and brings the sphere crashing down, Jude, Yulie and Arnaud join forces to find the army's true intention behind Yulie's abduction. With the help of another Drifter, Raquel, these four idealistic teens travel the war-torn land of Filgaia in search of truth, their own identities, and their separate paths to adulthood.

Main characters

*Jude Maverick:Age 13. A young boy whose will to overcome obstacles tends to manifest itself as pure recklessness. He is a bit immature for his age, but this is partially due to fact that grew up in a very sheltered environment. He wears a jacket that is a couple sizes too large for him, which only adds to his immature image. He's the only party member who is capable of using an ARM. He is also the first non-Drifter hero to appear in the series since "Wild Arms 2". Jude is the jack of all trades of the group. He has good attack power, can shoot energy beams with his ARM, and steal items. His special ability is Mystic, which allows a used item to affect all party members.

:He is the son of Ethelda Maverick, and his father is later implied to be Hauser Blackwell, both of whom he loses before the game's end. After the catastrophe that strikes Ciel, Jude makes the decision to roam the world in search of survivors from his town and to protect Yulie. After multiple encounters with the forces of Brionac, his purpose later evolves into preserving Filgaia's future. Through the course of the group's struggles, Jude matures into a stronger person, and yet still manages to retain the youthful drive of his innocence. 10 years later, he is a forest ranger who works to protect the world's forests, and surrounds himself with the company of animals rather than people. He is voiced by Ryoko Shiraishi in the Japanese version and Julie Anne Taylor in the English version.

*Yulie Ahtreide:Age 15. A young girl saddled with the fate of being a "Wild Arms" heroine. She seems a bit shy at first, but is an upbeat and caring girl. Since losing her parents in the war, she has lived in the White Orphanage and has since retracted from adults. Though her abilities differ from Jude's, she also has the ability to control ARMs after activation. Unlike Jude, however, her ARM ability is not natural, and she only obtained it through extensive (and inhumane) experimentation. She is the white mage and summoner of the group. Her special ability is Material, which, depending on the HEX she's standing in, will either heal the party or unleash an elemental summon that attacks all enemies.

:Throughout the game, Yulie wrestles with the guilt in believing that she had brought all this tragedy to Jude and the others, as well as having to oppose her brother, Kresnik. However, she later manages to overcome her feelings, as well as the unsureness of her faith in her brother. Brionac wish to control her so that they may use her abilities to control "The Divine Weapon", an incredibly powerful ARM. Although she is eventually captured at one point in the game, her brother and her friends manage to work together to free her. Later, with her powers amplified by the Marduk satellite (as stated by a village at the end of the game), she is able to assist in the Divine Weapon's deactivation. 10 years later, she acts as the town school teacher for Ciel's replacement. She is voiced by Ayako Kawasumi in the Japanese version and Kate Higgins in the English version.

*Arnaud G. Vasquez:Age 18. A magic user who prides himself "in everything from the neck up". He would rather spend his days wandering and searching for something for his own benefit, but, somehow, becomes tangled in Jude's travels. He is the group's black mage, specializing in attack spells and stat changing spells. His special ability is Jump, which can move him and anyone else in his HEX to another. If he has learned a certain skill, he can attack after using Jump.

:A recurring joke with Arnaud is that he is constantly complaining about having been dragged into Jude's and Yulie's problems, and yet still remains loyal and by their side regardless. Arnaud lost his mother when he was young, and as a result, he resolved to learn how to fly so that he could see her in heaven. He later became a magic user and a Drifter, and just worked purposelessly until he becomes embroiled with Brionac. During the journey, he finds a purpose in being with Raquel and acting as her warmth. After the final battle, they both decide to go off together to find a cure for her illness. 10 years later, he has settled in a town as a restaurant manager, with his daughter assisting him. He is voiced by Hiroki Takahashi in the Japanese version and Yuri Lowenthal in the English version.

*Raquel Applegate:Age 19. The lady fencer isn't very "ladylike", but her strength in battle more than makes up for her faults. Seems hard to approach at first, but in reality this female swordsman is caring and is the most mature of the party. Traveling the world that has been devastated by the war, her objective is to find and draw the few beautiful landscapes left in Filgaia. Later, it is learned that she is doing so because she contracted an incurable disease when she was younger and wishes to have the ugly memories of war be erased by the beauty that is left in Filgaia. Her attack power in battle is the highest of the party, as she can often kill enemies in one blow. However, she is very slow. Her special ability is Intrude, which allows her to have consecutive turns. She is voiced by Hitomi Nabatame in the Japanese version and Wendee Lee in the English version.

:The group first meet Raquel after she talks down a couple of soldiers from causing a ruckus, and later joins them after hearing of their plight, reasoning that she could still fulfill her original purpose by accompanying Jude and the others. Through a matter of unfortunate circumstance, Arnaud (and eventually the others) discover that Raquel has an incurable condition that is killing her. She had contracted it during an incident that wiped out her entire hometown, leaving her as possibly the only survivor. She and Arnaud fall in love, and she later decides to rely on him as her warmth. In the 10 year time skip, it is revealed that the two later married and had a daughter. Unfortunately, they were never able to find a cure for her condition, and Raquel quietly passed away after realizing the ultimate beauty in her baby daughter.

*Ethelda Maverick:Age 41. Jude's mother. A former ARM scientist, she and her colleagues moved to Ciel in order to escape their past and the war torn Filgaia. When Ciel is destroyed, the occupants are separated. She is captured by Lambda along with another group of Ciel residents (also former ARM scientists) so that they may activate the Divine Weapon. Although the Weapon was designed to help restore Filgaia, she believes it is also capable of great destruction, and she wishes to destroy it. She and the others are eventually rescued by Jude and company at Brionac's headquarters, Garra de Leon (a large sandship), and the two parties split up into two separate hovercrafts to make their escape. However, Lambda had set multiple time bombs all over Garra de Leon as a means to prevent Jude and the others from escaping, and Ethelda's craft is hit by one, killing her and everyone else aboard. Jude is sent into a depression over this, but eventually snaps out of it, and decides to fulfill his mom's last wish: to destroy the Divine Weapon.

*Hauser Blackwell:Age unknown. Wields the XERD_002GC "Gunclaw". Fuses with the fourth ARM, the Divine Weapon, sealed away under Ilsveil Prison, in order to wipe out humanity with its nanomachines. Is defeated when our heroes unite their power to use the powerful attack "Arc Impulse". During the war he was a "hero", fighting for the sake of a better future. He has saved countless towns on his own, disappearing while trying to save the town where Raquel Applegate was born. He was dubbed "The Black Reaper". He is also the father of Jude, whom he conceived with Ethelda Maverick. Although he is always spoken of as a highly dangerous war criminal, he is in actuality a fairly sympathetic character who is sick of war and just wants to live in peace. He even heals the party back to health after the train they were riding on (Silver Star Express) crash lands into Verklarung. Hauser is then seen leading Yulie to the surface so that she may exorcise the earthbound souls of those killed in the citie's destruction, which he accidentally caused. He is then captured by Gawn, and taken to Illsveil Prison. Once there, Lambda gives him a speech on how people are the cause of Filgaia's problems, which sends the war weary Hauser over the edge. He escapes his bondage, and makes his way to the Divine Weapon so that he may use it to kill all life in Filgaia, as he believes that is the only way Filgaia will ever see peace. When the party arrives to destroy the Weapon, Hauser stops them and states his intentions. The party then battles him as he continually changes forms, each less human looking than the last. Upon his defeat, he reforms himself back into his old form, and chases Jude down with his ARM drawn. Jude then throws his own ARM away, and tries to plead with him that humanity is worth saving. It works, and Hauser drops his arm and places his hand on Jude's head, indicating he knows who Jude is and that he is proud of him. He then dissipates. Jude then breaks down into tears, presumably because he just realized that Hauser was his father. Later on, a townsperson suggests that Hauser actually didn't survive the Verklarung explosion, and the form seen throughout the game was actually a collection of nanomachines with Hauser's mind still intact (which explains how Jude always saw a scene from Hauser's past when he made physical contact with him). He is voiced by Masahiko Tanaka in the Japanese version and Dan Woren in the English version.

Brionac Forces

The Brionac is the elite fighting force of the Congressional Knights, and was initially formed during the war against the Global Union. They were reformed after the war by a new captain, Lambda, and are now known as "Lambda's Elite." The group is composed of members with super-human abilities, and each member of the Brionac is equivalent to an entire battalion.

*Lambda Zellweger:Age 32. He possesses an iron will, and the ability to accurately "see" the future. A calculating man who, in the order to guarantee the success of a mission, always has a trump card readied. It is under his command that the Brionac lieutenants pursue Yulie. His weapons include a sword and a whip. After battling and wounding him, the party convinces Lambda that using the Divine Weapon to restore Filgaia is not the way to go, but rather the teamwork of all people. Lambda then gives the party his blessing to destroy the Divine Weapon, even using the last of his strength to save them from falling debris and creating a path for them. After the party leaves, Lambda meets up again with the now blinded Farmel, and the two share one last moment together before being crushed by falling boulders.

*Kresnik Ahtreide:Age 24. A commander of the Brionac forces, and Yulie's older brother. He is also known as the "lance" of Lambda. He is a knight in every sense of the word, and "Javelin" is his steed. His weapon is an ARM, despite the fact that he must take drugs in order to use it (he, like his sister, was also experimented upon). Despite being a Brionac member, he cares greatly for the well-being of his sister, and even goes against Brionac on a few occasions. However, he does not like Jude much, as he is jealous of his completely natural ability to use ARMs. He is a temporary party member at two points in the game, though he does not gain experience. After the second time, he is supposedly killed when a cave ledge collapses under his feet, and he plunges into the abyss. Before he passes, he gives his ARM to Jude and tells him to protect Yulie. From that point, Jude can then make use of a number of Kresnik's abilities. At the end of the game, a music box that is identical to the one he had carried is seen left on a crate outside the party's workshop, implying that he may still be alive. It is also implied that he is Dr. Morgan's lover. Jude convinces Yulie to keep it until its owner comes to claim it.

*Farmel:Age 30. A commander of the Brionac Forces. She is also known as the "shield" which protects Lambda. Despite her lighthearted demeanor and teasing words, her faith in Lambda is absolute and she guards him with her life. Her weapon is a bladed shield, which she uses to block attacks, then return fire with a very powerful counterattack. Her right arm and leg sport gold armor. After the battle with her, a computer console near her explodes when she chooses to destroy it to subtly assist Jude, presumably killing her. Later on, she is shown to have survived, but was blinded by the explosion. She took a great amount of time to find her way down to the recently battle wounded Lambda, and the two share one last moment together before being crushed by falling boulders.

*Jeremy:Age 28. A Brionac lieutenant who is fueled by violence and destruction. He wields a rapid-fire missile launcher with his bare hands. Although it would be impossible for normal humans to withstand the recoil, his special ability "Inertial Canceller" allows him to do this. He is by far the most psychotic member of Brionac, willing to kill people he is not supposed to just because he feels like it. He is later transformed into a Wild ARM (a living being merged with ARM technology), somehow keeping his mind and returning to attack the party again. He and Kresnik do not get along at all, and this is solidified by the fact that Kresnik rescues the party just as Jeremy is about to sap their power via a mechanical cage. The party then finishes Jeremy for good.

*Enil:Age 31. A Brionac lieutenant who is harsh on herself and has difficulty interacting with others. Although she lacks physical prowess in battle, her specialty is in psychological attacks. She is not only able to materalize her opponent's fears (Dark Whisper), but she also has the ability to shapeshift, thus making her ideal for infiltration and espionage. Enil never actually dies after the battle with her. She just disappears after the party convinces her not to chase them anymore.

*Hugo:Age 33. A Brionac lieutenant known for his skillful wielding of the pair of swords known as Gan and Diva. By combining the swords, he is able to create a bow, named Gandiva, which shoots arrows of light, and allows him to target even distant foes with deadly accuracy. His ability is "System Chronos" which allows him to stop time for everyone but himself and move freely, which resembles teleportation to an observer. This "speed which defies physics" is faster even than Jude's Accelerator ability. Like Enil, Hugo allows the party to continue on, and is never heard from again.

*Balgaine:Age 40. Balgaine is a power fighter who yearns for an honorable death on the battlefield. His cyborg body packs unimaginable power, and his weaponized chainsaw, named Nidhogg, was developed specifically for battle. His weapon boasts the most attack power, even amongst the Brionac commanders. After the battle with him, his wish for death is granted as Nidhogg explodes.

*Augst:Age 48. Formerly a scientist, Augst currently functions as an advisor to Lambda and oversees the formulation of battle strategies. Unlike any of the other Brionac members, he lacks any special or super-human ability and instead relies on "common sense" to bring missions to a success. At one point he tries to stop the party by injecting part of a liquefied ARM into himself, transforming into a monster which is then killed by the party. After the final battle, a townperson comments on the fact that is was the Marduk, a satellite created as a weapon by Augst, that helped amplify Yulie's efforts to deactivate the Divine Weapon, and ironically saved the future. He notes that he would have been pleased. He is voiced by Akio Nojima in the Japanese version.

*Scythe:Age 30. Scythe has the ability to manipulate time/space and create wormholes. This ability not only has offensive capabilities, but defensive ones as well. He can drag opponents into subspace or use it to protect himself. It is rumored that he is a remnant of an ancient race called the "Crimson Nobles." His nickname is Crimson Noble, despite the fact that he really isn't one (the most obvious clue being sunlight has no effect on him). This delusion came about in part because he was a hemophiliac, eventually tricking himself into that fantasy. The source of his power actually comes from his lover, Belial, who is a demon. Scythe meets his end when he is accidentally crushed by a plane whose locks were released by Arnaud.

*Heath:Age unknown. Heath is the only member of Brionac who is never seen during the game, due to the fact that he is dead. All of the information known about him is shown during a conversation between Enil and Balgaine. According to them, Heath was a powerful warrior who had no love for anything, including himself. The only things he loved were the dolls he created, Fiore and Asia, which somehow brought life into them. His total apathy towards everything somehow caused him to turn invisible, which became his special ability, called Invisible Stalker. His invisibility eventually caused him to go insane, and he used the power to "spy" on the female staff members. Lambda then had him killed for this.

*Gawn Brawdia:Age 37. Gawn is the trump card of the group, in that he is only used if all else fails. Gawn is first seen looking for food when the group is wandering around in the Sea of Trees after escaping Wunderweltraum. He earns the group's trust when he rescues a citizen of the now-destroyed Ciel, and was trying to find food so he could heft him all the way to the nearby town of Guara Bobelo. Gawn then decides to travel with the group, as he is going in the same direction, looking for an old war comrade, Hauser Blackwell. He takes off after learning that the group is trying to keep Yulie away from Brionac, presumably to tell them where they are. Although first portrayed as a laid back buffoon, Gawn reveals a much more serious side when he ambushes the group at the Forgotten City of Verklarung, Raquel's destroyed hometown. Despite the fact that he is a Brionac member, Gawn actually does care about the well-being of the party, and even questions Lambda's agenda. He wields two very powerful six-shooters. He can even shoot down missiles and keep himself afloat in mid air with them, all at the same time. He uses this talent to save the party from 11 missiles fired at the party by Lambda during their flight to Illsveil Prison, and sacrifices himself by punching the last missile upon running out of ammunition. Jude looks up to him, and Arnaud comments that he only wishes he could grow up to be someone like Gawn.

The following people are not official members of Brionac, but still operate with them.

*Belial:Age unknown. Although she is Scythe's constant companion, she is not an official member of the Brionac forces. Whenever Scythe depletes himself with the use of his ability, he turns to the willing Belial who always offers him a willing neck to feed upon. It is noticeable that Belial is in love with Scythe. After Scythe's death, Belial goes insane, and sucks the party into another dimension she created, named Wunderweltraum, with the intention of trapping them there forever. Arnaud then hatches a plan to escape. He believes that Belial would have had to use a great deal of power to create the dimension, and should be weak enough to fight. His theory proves to be correct, and the party defeats her. However, she informs the party that they will never escape the dimension in time because they are so far from the entrance. The party gets back in time, only to encounter Belial again. They defeat her for good, and escape Wunderweltraum just in time.

*Fiore & Asia:Age unknown. A pair of dolls who were brought to life by the love of their master; Heath, a former Brionac lieutenant. Yet, despite the fact that Heath is no longer alive, Asia and Fiore continue to live. They, like Belial, are not members of Brionac. Since they were fueled by dreams, they are known as the "dreaming dolls." Both Fiore and Asia have a strong magic ability, and can unleash an extremely powerful attack when combined. They self-destruct after the party defeats them in an effort to destroy them and rejoin Heath.

ARMs

Ambient Reorganization Material weapons made from nanomachines. There are four in the game.

*XERD_001HS "Howling Spike":An experimental prototype ARM, in the possession of the Ciel shelter, but was given to the knights by Augst when he left Ciel. This Arm was passed on to Kresnik, who requires drugs in order to use it. Kresnik eventually passed it on to Jude, who naturally combined it with "Shapeshifter".
*XERD_002GC "Gunclaw":Hauser's ARM went missing with him after the war. Its original form is unknown, as it may have transformed into Hauser after he supposedly died. A remark stated by Hauser indicates that the Gunclaw was what was originally meant to restore the environment, and that is has the intrinsic power to purify poisons and regenerate the user.
*XERD_003SS "Shapeshifter":Sealed away on Ciel, only to be activated by Jude. it take many forms; a handgun, a sword, "Howling Spike", rocket launcher, and beam cannon among others.
*XERD_004DW "Divine Weapon":Sealed away under Illsveil before it was completed; later reactivated by Hauser. The original purpose of the Divine Weapon was to restore the world after the destruction of the war, but as it began to spread out in Illsveil, it killed the prisoners, and took their murderous minds. This is the most powerful ARM in the game, however the player never gets it, nor does any character in the game control it. Instead, the ARM controls the user, and acts as the game's endgame boss. It is destroyed by the party, and its deactivation results in the failure of Illsveil's structural integrity.

Gameplay

*Action Action elements on the field map such as double-jumps, using the new "Accelerator" ability to manipulate time, and equipping items to solve puzzles maintains the excitement between battles.

*EventsMovie events presented in a distinctive use of polygons and shading with voice-actors.

Dialog takes place using various character illustrations that change and reposition frequently.

Combat

The HEX battle system is composed of seven hexagons on the battle field, with random beginning placement for all characters and enemies. What makes the HEX battle system so unique is that it is area based instead of character based. This means that any attacks or spells given to certain hexagon, or HEX, will effect all characters on that HEX. Multiple allies or enemies can occupy a single HEX, but enemies and allies can't occupy the same HEX.

Other features of the battle system include:

*Special Attacks: Force Ability - Force Points (FP) accumulate during battle each time a character performs an action, whether it is attacking or being attacked. There is one force gauge for the entire party, so once the gauge fills, any member of the party can execute a special Force Ability. There are also Force Abilities which that are executed by two or more party members which take up a certain amount of Force Points depending on how many party members are involved in the attack.

*Team Capabilities: By grouping more than one party member onto a single HEX, the player can use one item or spell on the HEX to heal all the party members together. Combination attacks are also possible when multiple party members are on the same HEX. However, should an enemy attack a specific HEX, all party members in that HEX will take damage. This also applies to enemies.

Music

Composer
* Masato Kouda
* Michiko Naruke
* Nobuyuki Shimizu

Artist
* Kaori Aso (voice, Japanese version)
* Franki Love (voice, English version)
OST

(Disc 1)
*01 - The 4th Detonator
*02 - I Look Up At The Sky Because You Are There (Opening Theme)
*03 - Still Village Ciel
*04 - Perilous Change
*05 - Catastrophe Now
*06 - Clash, The Fourth Battle Position
*07 - For The Sake Of One Flower
*08 - Over The Wind
*09 - Gun Blaze
*10 - Condition Green!
*11 - Port Ailinton
*12 - So Close, Yet So Far Away
*13 - Friends Who Watch Your Back
*14 - Totally Busy
*15 - Time And Rocks Piled Up
*16 - Ghosts Of The Knights
*17 - A Future Wet With Tears
*18 - Shadow Territory
*19 - Critical Attack Breaking Boundaries
(Disc 2)
*01 - In The Cold Iron Box
*02 - From Anxiety To Impatience
*03 - REASON Which Becomes Clear In A Moment
*04 - Weapon X
*05 - The Shining Spear Pierces The Darkness
*06 - Nightmare Spiral
*07 - Beckoning Bewitching Princess
*08 - Like A Rolling Stone
*09 - Unrest
*10 - Nanodat the Gardener!?
*11 - Nightless City Guara Bobelo
*12 - Gloom Of The Duelist
*13 - With Admiration And Returned Blood
*14 - The Unknown Terminal Station
*15 - Run Without Stopping Time
*16 - At The End Of The Wilderness Ver. Detonator
*17 - Taste Of The Sand That Sheds No Tears
*18 - Flickering Flame In The Darkness
*19 - Unbinded Shackles, Released Brute
(Disc 3)
*01 - Dark Grey Back Ry
*02 - Wandering Nothingness
*03 - Howling At An Unstoppable Fate
*04 - Force, Storm, And CRISIS
*05 - Buried City
*06 - Black Trigger
*07 - Starlight And The Passing Breeze
*08 - Trusting In The Wings Beyond The Storm
*09 - Taking The Name Of Exorcist
*10 - Feeling The Bonds
*11 - That Is Where The Spirit Becomes Certain
*12 - From Your Tears...
*13 - Infrared Threat
*14 - SECRET Of The Thin Line Between Truth And Lies
*15 - Those Sparkling Eyes, That Shining Smile
*16 - You Are To Take The Lost Sword
*17 - The Funeral Rain Flows Down Your Cheek
*18 - Green Tracks
*19 - Don't Be Afraid Of The Future
*20 - Frontier Halim
*21 - Manifestation From Hell
(Disc 4)
*01 - Catch, Call, And Awaken
*02 - The Flower Blooms In The Heart As Much As It Can
*03 - Reckless ARM
*04 - Until The Sorrow Ends
*05 - Falling Stardust, Dancing In The Wilderness
*06 - Black Shadow Of The Closing Coffin
*07 - Hauser Hazard
*08 - I Look Up At The Sky Because You Are There
*09 - The Path Of No Return
*10 - If You Call Out That Name Beyond The Wind
*11 - The Desire To Fly Exceed Words
*12 - Never-ending Story
*13 - As Time Goes By ~Never Forget Me~
*14 - Introduction
*15 - Bird's eye View Test
*16 - Do It
*17 - Launch The Land Gear!
*18 - Ex. File
*19 - Yet Another Ex. File
*20 - The Power To Control
*21 - Leave It To Me
*22 - The Hand Reaching Out To The Sky Above

Localisation problems

In the North American version, two monsters (Dalawa Bunny and Accident Rabbit) were taken out of the game, but not out of the monsters list, making it impossible to finish the game with 100% completion. The PAL version still contains this error, and is also known to crash in certain places when played in 50Hz mode, leaving those areas potentially impassable to players whose television does not support 60Hz PAL signals.

External links

* [http://ps2.ign.com/objects/573/573637.html IGN's "Wild Arms 4" page]
*
* [http://www.wildarms4.com/ XSEED's Official "Wild Arms 4" site]
* [http://www.wildarms-4.com/ Wild ARMs The 4th Detonator - Jude's Innocence]