2

4 /5

A soldier named Ashley Winchester witnesses a demon-summoning experiment, which turns his comrades into horrifying monsters. Having been forced to kill them, Ashley discovers that he had been tainted by a demonic essence as well. Looking for answers, he encounters a man who offers him to join ARMs, a team of fighters trying to overthrow a terrorist organization known as Odessa, whose goal is to conquer the world. Once there, Ashley meets Brad, a war veteran who has turned to criminal ways, and Lilka, a young girl training to become a Crest Sorceress. Aided by their new friends, the three heroes are determined to defeat Odessa and save the world.

Wild Arms 2 is not a direct sequel to the first Wild Arms, although it is set in the same fictional world Filgaia, which combines elements of Old West, steampunk, and fantasy. The turn-based combat system against randomly appearing enemies resembles that of the predecessor, featuring techniques unique to each character, as well as the Guardian system, which allows the characters to summon powerful creatures to assist them in battles. Three combatants can be used actively in battles; the player can also switch any of them with a reserve character, up to six altogether.

The puzzle-solving element is further emphasized in this sequel. Each character possesses three unique field abilities (called "Tools") in the game, which are used for accessing certain areas, discover secrets, and solve puzzles. These abilities range from jumping to hurling knives, pulling switches from afar, kicking large objects, and others. The game utilizes 3D graphics with limited camera rotation for both exploration and combat sequences.