Wild Arms

Wild Arms was a landmark title for the Sony PlayStation – it was among the first true JRPGs to appear on the console, and it showed that the new generation of hardware could offer the genre much more than just prettier sprites. The game combines a classic turn-based combat system with a western atmosphere full of deserts, canyons, and ancient ruins, which set it apart from the era's fantasy clones drawing on European mythology. The player alternately controls a trio of heroes with different abilities, and outside of combat the game offers simple but functional puzzle sections that make use of each character's special tools, from grappling hooks to explosives. The game world is divided across a sprawling map that the player traverses, gradually unlocking new areas, which gives the exploration a genuine sense of adventure.

Visually, Wild Arms combined 2D character sprites with pre-rendered backgrounds, a solution typical of early PS1 RPGs that gave the game a picturesque, almost comic-book look. The music by composer Michiko Naruke is among the most memorable parts of the whole game and contributed greatly to the atmosphere of a lonely trek across the wilderness, alternating melancholic acoustic themes with more dramatic battle compositions. The combat system, though technically simple, offered plenty of tactical depth thanks to the combination of weapons, spells, and each character's special skills, along with their gradual upgrades.

At release, the game was appreciated mainly by JRPG fans thirsting for an alternative to the dominant Japanese fantasy aesthetic, and over time it became the foundation of its own series, which continued with further entries on PlayStation. Today, many players view the game as a nostalgic affair with somewhat stiff controls, but its western flavor and melancholic music secure it a permanent place among the classics of early PlayStation RPGs, and it is often recommended as an entry point into the whole series.

Why play: For the western flavor and melancholic music, even though the stiff controls feel dated today – a good entry point into the whole series.