Video games - Wild Arms 2

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	Video games - Wild Arms 2

Wild Arms 2 or Wild Arms: 2nd Ignition in Japan, is the second installation of the Wild Arms series and was released in 2000 on the Sony PlayStation in the US.

Story

The story takes place on Filgaia, a planet that resembles the American Wild West except that it also features both magic and modern technology. When a terrorist organization called Odessa tries to conquer the World, an international antiterrorist group called ARMS is formed to combat them. They recruit several heroes to help them, including: Ashley, a gunfighter; Lilka, a teenage sorceress; and Brad, a large, Native-American-like warrior. As the heroes battle their enemies, they discover that more things are going on than they believed, and that everyone, both friends and foes, are keeping terrible secrets.

Fuller Synopsis:

1000 years before the events of the game, a great Blaze of Disaster swept the land of Filgaia. This was Lord Blazer. Many heroes tried to defeat him and failed, until a girl holding the magic sword Argetlahm stepped forth and did battle with him, ultimately managing to defeat him. However, she could not kill him; rather, she exchanged her life in order to seal Lord Blazer away forever. The girl's name was forgotten by time, and she became known as simply the Sword Maiden.

Now, 1000 years later, Filgaia is a desolate land, dying steadily. Much of the world has already become desert, and the few areas of greenery left are steadily declining. Ashley Winchester, a member of a military unit near Meria Boule, becomes involved in the fate of the world when his group is involved in a demon summoning experiment. This experiment is conducted by the sinister organization of Odessa in order to resurrect Lord Blazer... or so it seems. After all of his friends and comrades have been possessed by demons, Ashley is finally taken over as well. After killing all of his former comrades, he claims the legendary Argetlahm, which had been brought to the summoning ceremony as a relic. After coming into contact with it, he confronts both the demon inside him, Lord Blazer himself, and the wielder of the sword, the Sword Maiden. Managing to repress Lord Blazer for the time being, Ashley escapes back to his home town of Meria.

However, this is not the end of it for Ashley. He soon receives an offer from a mysterious man, named Irving, to join an elite team of fighters named "ARMS". After accepting, Ashley meets the other two people selected for ARMS - Lilka Eleniak and Brad Evans; one an ex-military man turned con, one a girl in training to be a witch. Irving reveals his plans to them: he wishes to combat Odessa, which he claims will make its presence known to the world soon.

What follows is an adventure that will see our three heroes, as well as many others, caught up in the fate of the world itself. As they race towards the future in this desert world, many questions present themselves. Questions such as "What does it mean to be a hero?" and "Who is really to blame for the world's current state?" As they progress, the answers to these questions will become known.

Characters

Below is a brief summary of each character in relation to the plot, their tools, and their battle abilities.

Ashley Winchester

Ashley is the protagonist, or hero (although the latter term comes to have some weighty delimmas attached to it within the game) of Wild Arms 2. Arguably the most complex character, Ashley struggles with many different issues along the course of the game. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Ashley's character is the fact that he is possessed by Lord Blazer, one of the main antagonists of the story. After his group of soldiers is involved in a demon summoning experiment, Ashley is the lone survivor, made human again after murdering his comrades by contact with a legendary sword used to defeat Lord Blazer ages ago, when his Blaze of Disaster swept across Filgaia. After this incident, Lord Blazer dwells within him for most of the game, barely withheld by Ashley, until the final confrontation with him after the defeat of what is seemingly the final boss. Ashley also struggles with many other issues within the course of the game, the most notable of which being the definition of what a hero really is.

In terms of gameplay, Ashley is a well-balanced character and uses a bayonet as his ARM. He also has the capability of becoming KnightBlazer, the most powerful character in the game, when his force gauge reaches max.

Tools

Hurl Knife - A basic tool in which Ashley tosses a knife straight ahead. Its most common purpose is activating faraway switches. It also falls down after hitting a wall or obstacle, making it possible to access switches below you.
Booty Call - A radar of sorts that will flash a green dot on the location of any treasures on the current screen. Not necessary to complete the game and frequently missed.
Flare Gun - Ashley fires a flare straight above, activating any switches or providing light to a dark room.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Wild Arms 2 ]

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Video games - Wild Arms 2

Story

Characters

Ashley Winchester

Tools

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