Software:Wild Arms 5

From HandWiki
Short description: 2006 video game

Wild Arms 5
North American cover art
Developer(s)Media.Vision[lower-alpha 1][1]
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Nobukazu Satō
Producer(s)Akifumi Kaneko
Eitaro Nagano
Kentaro Motomura
Designer(s)Koichi Shirasaka
Artist(s)Takayuki Yabubayashi
Tomomi Sasaki
Writer(s)Kaoru Kurosaki
Hirokazu Taki
Composer(s)Masato Kouda
Noriyasu Agematsu
SeriesWild Arms
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Release
  • JP: December 14, 2006
  • NA: August 28, 2007[2]
  • EU: February 22, 2008
  • AU: April 17, 2008
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Wild Arms 5, released in Japan as Lua error in Module:Lang/utilities at line 332: attempt to call field '_transl' (a nil value)., is a role-playing video game developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It is the fifth and most recent main installment of the Wild Arms series. It was released in December 2006 in Japan, August 2007 in North America by Xseed Games, February 2008 in Europe by 505 Games and April 2008 in Australia by Xseed Games. The game celebrates the series' 10th anniversary by featuring cameo appearances of characters from the previous games.

Gameplay

Combat system

During combat, the field is split into seven hexagonal sections, some of which may have special properties. The player and enemies can move to different hexagons during their turn. This time around, the party count is three instead of four. Dean's party members and enemies can act instantly when they move onto the next hexagonal platform.

The Force meter returns from Wild Arms 4. This meter increases as Dean's party members make physical attacks or are attacked. This can be used for Original attacks, Team Combos or summoning Guardian beasts to attack enemies. The more powerful the attack is, the more the Force meter will be drained. The characters can summon guardian beasts to the field to attack enemies. They can also use combination attacks that utilize most or all of the party. A new feature in Wild Arms 5 is the ability to chain attacks together. This lets one of Dean's party members attack two to five times provided they have the Violator Badge equipped and enough bullets to make the attack.

Wild ARMs

Each playable character is equipped with an ARM, a specialized kind of gun that deals physical damage in a range that varies for each character, from one-hex away to any hex. The ARMs must be reloaded after a number of shots by having the character defend for one round. While each character has a specific ARM, there are cartridges that can be added to increase its firepower. The ARMs also have their own stats that can be boosted by using "dragon fossil" items acquired during play. Like in other Wild Arms games, ARM is an acronym, though its actual meaning is obscure. There are two versions given in the game.

By the time the player is able to control three characters at once early in the game, the tools known as mediums are introduced. In this version, they are portable computer devices with mystical qualities. Each character can only equip one medium at a time and there are six available mediums throughout the game. Each medium specializes in affecting specific parameters and granting the character unique Original and Force abilities.

Exploration

Wild Arms 5 is a third-person video game. The world map is not scaled down, and towns and dungeons can be seen in their real size. The player traverses the world by walking, or employing various vehicles, including a train and monowheel. The field avatar cannot be changed; Dean is always the leader.

Dungeon exploration has two modes. In Action mode, the player can jump, slide, and interact with objects. In Shooting mode, Dean draws both of his ARMs and can fire them freely. By employing various cartridges, the player can interact with the environment in a number of ways. Some examples include activating distant switches, breaking down obstacles, and lighting torches.

Plot

Story

Like every game in the Wild Arms series, Wild Arms 5 takes place on the world of Filgaia. Humans are currently being ruled over by the Veruni, an alien race that landed on Filgaia 100 years ago. Dean Stark, the protagonist of the story, lives in a secluded village away from all the turmoil. He dreams of one day leaving the village to pursue his dream of becoming a Golem Hunter, someone who excavates ancient robots, like his idol Nightburn. While in the mountains, Dean and his childhood friend Rebecca spot a Golem's arm fall from the sky and land in a cave just in front of them. Upon entering the cave, they find a girl curled up within the Golem's hand. The girl only remembers two things, her name (Avril), and the words Johnny Appleseed. After receiving the pair of ARMs (special guns) she was holding, Dean, along with Avril and Rebecca, decides to embark on an adventure to find out what the words "Johnny Appleseed" really mean.

Meanwhile, a revolt has begun within the Veruni government. A man named Volsung has overthrown the leader of the Radical faction, sworn enemies of the more peaceful Moderater faction, claiming that his violent actions are necessary for the survival of the Veruni.

Characters

Playable characters

All playable characters are equipped with ARM weapons:

  • Dean Stark - a teenage boy who wishes to be a Golem Hunter. Dean often obsesses over Golems, to the point where he, if he can, finds any piece of any Golem. He is naive, but his idealism influences the other characters. He idolizes Nightburn. Dean fights with a pair of ARMs. Special Ability: Double Critical: Doubles the damage of all critical attacks.
  • Rebecca Streisand - Dean's childhood friend, who is smarter than he is. She has feelings for him, but does not dare reveal them. Rebecca fights with a revolver-style ARM. Special Ability: Continuous Shot: Can randomly shoot/attack two to five times.
  • Avril Vent Fleur - a mysterious girl with amnesia. Avril fights with a sword ARM that can change into a whip. Special Ability: Double DP: Can randomly double the DP of all physical attacks including critical attacks.
  • Greg Russellberg - a 'Golem Crusher' who destroys golems, looking to find the man who killed his family. Greg fights with a combination sword/shotgun. Special Ability: Shoot and Guard' Randomly guards after attacking.
  • Chuck Preston - a young, boastful Golem Hunter with self-confidence issues. He fights with a piledriver-like weapon. Special Ability: Increases his attack power proportional to his loss of HP.
  • Carol Anderson - the young assistant of a mysterious professor. She is extremely intelligent, but very shy and clumsy. She is equipped with a backpack-mounted missile launcher. Special Ability: Can attack any enemy from any position.
  • Asgard - the golem that dropped Avril. It acts as a transportation device and an ally in battle. Asgard is not under direct player control, but its combat actions can be preprogrammed.

Other characters

  • The group's enemies include Volsung, leader of the radical movement, and the four sentinels under his command, Fereydoon, Persephone, Kartikeya, and Elvis. Their goal is to ensure the survival of the Veruni race at any cost. Note that all these characters (except Elvis) are named for figures from various mythologies, although this is not mentioned in the game. Volsung comes from Norse myth, Fereydoon from Persian myth, Persephone from Greek myth and Kartikeya from Hindu beliefs.
  • Other characters include Nightburn Acklund, a famous golem hunter who is Dean's hero, and Captain Bartholomew, the captain of the Moderate ship Mayflower.
  • Cameos from other games include all the playable characters (excluding Lucied from 2nd Ignition) from Wild Arms and its remake, Wild Arms Alter Code: F, Wild Arms 2, Wild Arms 3, and Wild Arms 4. Some may or may not be the characters they resemble, but most are likely just cameos. These characters are not playable, though many of them are part of the game's sidequests. The anime series, Wild Arms: Twilight Venom, is also given a nod in the form of a boss by the name of "Twilight Venom".

Development

The game makes use of CGI to create a 3D effect, including a slow camera pan drift. The player can zoom in and out from different angles during gameplay. There are also several computer generated cut scenes. The art style for the characters is a typical anime look, as opposed to a realistic or super deformed one. In addition, the game features a wide selection of alternate costumes for all the playable characters, including several originally used by characters from the previous Wild Arms games, that can be obtained during gameplay.

The game features voiceovers in several of its cutscenes and battles. The music for Wild Arms 5, the only video game title where the original series composer Michiko Naruke did not contribute, was provided by Masato Kouda along with series newcomer Noriyasu Agematsu. Unlike past Wild Arms, Nana Mizuki sung the opening "Justice to Believe" and ending "Crystal Letter" theme rather than Kaori Asoh.

Release

Sony announced the game through a special website commemorating the series' upcoming 10th anniversary website.[3]

In the United States, the first print run of Wild Arms 5 came in a commemorative "Series 10th Anniversary" box and included an art book featuring character art from all five Wild Arms games. This limited edition was later replaced by a standard edition with different cover art and no extras. The European version was released in two different versions: a limited edition, including an 80-page art book, and a standard edition, without the art book. Both featured the "Series 10th Anniversary" cover from the US release.

The game was released for the PlayStation Network in Japan on October 14, 2014.[4]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic71/100[5]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM6.5/10[6][lower-alpha 2]
Famitsu34/40[7]
Game Informer6.5/10[8]
GameSpot7.5/10[9]
GameSpyStarStarStar[10]
GameTrailers8.2/10[11]
GameZone7.9/10[12]
Hardcore Gamer3/5[13]
IGN7.3/10[14]
PSM5.5/10[15]
RPGamer3.5/5[16]

Wild Arms 5 received above-average reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[5] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of one eight, one nine, one eight, and one nine for a total of 34 out of 40.[7] GamePro said of the game, "The sometimes ridiculous characters, anime presence, and engaging story line work together with intensely fun and strategic play mechanics to make this installment of the ARMs series the best yet. For the $40 price tag that includes an eighty page artbook, it's more than worth it for any RPG fan to pick up."[18][lower-alpha 3]

Notes

  1. ↑ Additional work by Japan Studio.
  2. ↑ Three critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 8/10, 6.5/10, and 5/10.
  3. ↑ GamePro gave the game three 4/5 scores for graphics, control, and fun factor, and 4.25/5 for sound.

References

  1. ↑ "JAPANスタジオ作品一覧 2007" (in ja). Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://www.playstation.com/ja-jp/corporate/playstation-studios/japan-studio/history-2006-2007/. 
  2. ↑ GameSpot staff (August 27, 2007). "Shippin' Out August 27-31: Metroid 3, Warhawk, Tiger Woods, Blue Dragon, Stuntman [date mislabeled as "August 28, 2007""]. Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/shippin-out-august-27-31-metroid-3-warhawk-tiger-woods-blue-dragon-stuntman/1100-6177716/. 
  3. ↑ Niizumi, Hirohiko (January 6, 2006). "Sony taking up new Wild Arms". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-taking-up-new-wild-arms/1100-6142033/. 
  4. ↑ Yip, Spencer (October 14, 2014). "Wild ARMs 5 Never Gave Up On Becoming A PS2 Classic, Live On PSN In Japan". Gamurs. https://www.siliconera.com/wild-arms-5-never-gave-becoming-ps2-classic-live-psn-japan/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Wild ARMs 5". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/wild-arms-5/. 
  6. ↑ Fitch, Andrew; Bettenhausen, Shane; Donahoe, Michael (October 2007). "Wild Arms 5". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (220): 100. https://archive.org/details/electronic-gaming-monthly-issue-220-october-2007/page/99/mode/2up. Retrieved April 3, 2025. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "December 7, 2006". December 7, 2006. http://www.the-magicbox.com/game20061207.shtml. 
  8. ↑ Vore, Bryan (October 2007). "Wild Arms 5". Game Informer (GameStop) (174): 118. https://archive.org/details/game-informer-issue-174-october-2007/page/118/mode/2up. Retrieved April 3, 2025. 
  9. ↑ Dodson, Joe (August 31, 2007). "Wild ARMs 5 Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/wild-arms-5-review/1900-6178013/. 
  10. ↑ Joynt-Borger, Sarah (September 6, 2007). "GameSpy: Wild Arms 5". IGN Entertainment. http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/wild-arms-the-vth-vanguard/818505p1.html. 
  11. ↑ "Wild Arms 5 Review". Viacom. September 13, 2007. http://www.gametrailers.com/game/2916.html. 
  12. ↑ Grabowski, Dakota (September 7, 2007). "WILD ARMS 5 - PS2 - Review". https://gamezone.com/reviews/wild_arms_5_ps2_review/. 
  13. ↑ Ashby, Alicia "Lynxara"; Hatchett, Geson "Racewing" (October 2007). "Wild Arms 5". Hardcore Gamer (Prima Games) 3 (4): 58. https://archive.org/details/hardcore-gamer-magazine-v3i4/page/n29/mode/2up. Retrieved April 3, 2025. 
  14. ↑ Moriarty, Colin (August 29, 2007). "Wild ARMs 5 Review". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/08/29/wild-arms-5-review. 
  15. ↑ "Wild Arms 5". PSM (Future US) (129): 88. November 2007. 
  16. ↑ Boulette, Bryan (September 17, 2007). "Wild ARMs 5 - Staff Review". CraveOnline. https://archive.rpgamer.com/games/wa/wa5/reviews/wa5strev2.html. 
  17. ↑ Rubinshteyn, Dennis (August 28, 2007). "Wild Arms 5". Emerald Shield Media LLC. https://www.rpgfan.com/review/wild-arms-5/. 
  18. ↑ Papa Frog (October 2007). "Review: Wild ARMs 5". GamePro (IDG) (229). http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/131690.shtml. Retrieved August 16, 2022. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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