I got it last night and I have only played about an hour. Luckily I only work until seven, so I will get plenty of playing time tonight. I have a lot of pro/cons already, but I have to be at work in fifteen, so I'm just posting quickly. Plus, to see if anyone else has gotten it.

i'm only at the Curale Temple, so i don't have alot to say yet...
pro's: the voice acting is nice as are graphics. (who does Raquel's voice? sounds like Wendee Lee, the voice of Cowboy Bebop's Faye Valentine).

con's: no exploration- dungeons and maps are pretty linear, you can't loot and raid houses. i really hope the rest of this game makes up for the lack of worthwhile exploration.

i haven't fully experienced the wonders of the HEX system, but if it continues like the first major boss fight- where he kept poisoning the grids i was in, and i spent most of my time running around while he kept tainting the land... then it might prove more of a hinderance...

i'll play more later, though i'm currently enthralled in a game of Skies of Arcadia: Legends.

I have my own copy to 06 and I have some complaints already.

I despise some of the Guardian designs, especially Fengalon. He looks like a fugly ass dinosaur. If he kept his tiger look he would have looked badass.

I also hate how treasure chests are in a random HEX and if I'm not in that HEX I lose the item. I've lost a lot of items because of it, especially when one was a guarddamn Dragon Fossil! ><

i doubly agree.
Fengalon and Odoryuk are f'ed up... Mor Gault looks more like a dragon than a bird, i haven't seen Grudiev yet... and since there are only four ley lines (unless black and white come in at some point), then it's a complete bummer.

and i've missed many a chest, most of which contained boost apples...

i also hate the exp. system. first off- there's barely any benefit, the amounts of exp generated are as pitiful as the boss exp in FF8/9, second: the 'reward those who defeat enemies'' system... which means Yulie won't get anything, seeing as how some enemies are dead before Yulie can even attack... or she's usually dead.
not even lucky cards made the bosses worthwhile, hell- even using a gella card was pointless...
also, the enemies seem to running on an 'insane' power level... the fight against a dude name "Jeremy" is definitely an example of the insane power level... Yulie was the only one who survived, because the corpses of everyone else prevented him from moving. (she tried to cast Revive, but Jeremy kept killing them outright)... and she still got ##### for exp.

You're lucky. I swear in the beginning of combat, Yulie is always getting killed. I swear the game programmed the monsters to focus on her only cause they know everyone else would whip their ass.

i swear, Arnaud's "Lock Out" ability is the most useful boss fight spell.
i fought Jeremy again and Locked him in a HEX that he couldn't attack anyone, but whenever he got the chance his damned 'Inertia Cancellor' gave him a double chance to kill who ever got close...

also, Yulie's "Switch" ability is very useful... it was funny, she used "Switch" during the 'Incubator' fight and chose Raquel who was with Arnaud (who used Lock Out his previous turn, and the bastard summoned another minion). Raquel used Intrude, then used Poison Strike and then Genocide Driver...

does anybody know how to trigger Yulie/Jude, Jude/Raquel, or Yulie/Raquel dual techniques? i already have Jude/Arnaud's "Blade Diver" and Arnaud/Raquel's "Genocide Slash" techs...

the experience still sucks, but it's getting a little better- though still not worth the effort. and the bosses still have an Insane power level?

alrighty... i just defeat two of the Broinac (?) forces- Scythe (Thank god he wasn't a true Crimson Noble!) and his 'companion' Belial...
the boss fights aren't becoming too much of a pain... but the experience, though is getting more abundant, is still quit pitiful.

I was curious as to how different this actually is compared to the other WA series.

Is it a good difference or a bad one?

that's hard to say exactly... the only 'bad' difference is that town/dungeon exploration has been completely nix'ed, which makes the game very linear- because you're pretty much stuck to the track of what's really examinable...

alrighty- another downside: one through bosses.
the previous games, you'd fight the main bosses atleast three times...
The Quarter Knights in the first and Alter Code F, Vinsfelf and Cocytus of WA2, even the Prophets in WA3...

the main villains, Brionac, are wimps... they get beat, and stay down... except for Jeremy, the whole 'elite specal forces' whom are said to be as strong as a whole battalion, are falling before a ragtag group of adolescence.

Just bought it yesterday.
The Hexagon battle system is really confused me. I guess I'll get used to it, but it'll take some time.

Everything has changed alot, It doesn't like the usual Wild Arms anymore. =\

I haven't been able to get it yet. I'm trying to survive college right now, and I've got two of the hardest classes I think I will ever see in my college career breathing down my neck. The earliest I'll be able to get it, probably, is during Spring Break (and then I'll be studying for my finals that will occur a few weeks afterwards).

Thing is, from what I'm reading, the game doesn't sound like something I'd really be excited for...is it worth me paying the however many dollars to get it, or is it just an innovative lemon (like the infamous Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter.)?

personally, i'd wait until you can get it for cheaper... right now it's retailing for $40.
it's not an 'innovative lemon' but it falls into the same category that Ratchet: Deadlocked is in. that meaning- it's a good game, though alot of the staples we've come to enjoy in the previous games have been changed or completely nixed- it's a different experience that's for sure.

Well as a fan of the series would I like it?
I've loved the first 3 games, haven't gotten Alter Code F yet, want to at some point.

I mean, the music is ok considering that unlike the other games, only some of it was done by Naruke.

I dunno, maybe I'll pick it up in a bit.

i'd get Alter Code F first, and wait til this game is cheaper. as a fan of the series, you probably would like it... it's like the FF-fanboys who bought FFX and FFX-2 when they came out, and still complain that the games suck.

two more li'l nitpicks:
no auto-equip... you buy new weapons or armor, you have to go to the main screen to equip them.
"Legaia Syndrome" that meaning the price for equipment and weapons are astronomical, and the gella dropped by enemies are pitiful... fight lots of enemies, or try to fight Melchoms...

i don't really like the vocals in the opening movie, is there a way to turn them off like in WA3?

I've read somewhere that if you initiate a 4 persons attack (or some combo-thing); you'll be able to catch a glimpse of the Wild Arms Alter Code:F characters in the anime opening scene.

that seems interesting...
i've obtained all but Raquel/Yulie's dual-tech, and have gotten Raquel/Arnaud/Yulie's Tri-tech.

One...the boss thing...I agree with. Belselk 3 times...Hugo(who is flippin awesome) once! I am at Illsveil Island now. Going along.

Extra Challenge is fun, did a few arena battles, and just running around.

Combination Arts:
Jude and Arnaud- Forget name...don't use much.
Jude and Raquel- Same as above.
Jude and Yulie- Blade Diver, I believe.
Arnaud and Raquel- Genocide Edge
Arnaud and Yulie- Sorcery something
Arnaud, Raquel, and Yulie- Retreat Wave
Jude, Raquel, and Arnaud- Riot Fencer
Jude, Raquel, and Yulie- Forget...hehe...
Jude, Raquel, Arnaud, and Yulie - Hi-Material

All of them are randomly learned, except the one with Kresnik. Which is hands-down the strongest one I have had yet. (20,000 to every enemy on screen.) It was beautiful...

i'm at illsveil now (actaully, i left to see if i can complete the arena and try to fight the 'sealed' enemies...) i had to cheat when fighting Farmel...

i got Yulie/Raquel's dual-tech, but then i got wiped fighting Gawn- and only Raquel survived (and got all the experience i wanted everyone else to get)- so i said screw it and restarted. (mainly because fighting the damned Misery's and soldiers, i drained my MP trying to get past them all.)

do you know how annoying it is fighting the Ape Man Vargon on the bridge? if you run, you drop all your gella... imo, that's a stupid idea... gella is scarce enough, loosing your entire stash running from one over-powered enemies? hellz no...

i wondered what that 'convert' feature was... apparently you can upload data from ACF...

somethings shouldn't be possible...
running around the Dragon Fossil Mine, trying to find the hidden boss there, i ran into a Mega Apple and Jude was in Detonation mode.
Lock-Out, Lucky Card, Quicken, Slow Down, then Assault Buster=170,000+ damage. :eek: Mega Apples supposedly give out experience equal to double the damage dealt to them, and since i used a lucky card... :eek: everybody gained 4 levels in that fight alone...

also, in the arena- i got another tri-tech, and Hi-Material...
still trying to get Yulie/Raquel's dual-tech. :mad:

Man, I am so far behind o.o. I just got to Buckeye and I'm now going to the next dungeon. Can anyone tell me if I'm at the half-way point?

i think your getting very close to what i'd call the 'half-way' point... after the events in Buckeye, the story changes...
just watch the opening movie, and if it has changed- then you've gotten there.

i think i've finally gotten all of hte techs. and now i'm running around after getting the Detector in Illsveil, trying to collect all the chests, and such.

okay, this is Confirmed... there's a quad-tech called "Kindred Hearts" that has Cecelia, Rudy, and Jack from Alter Code F- and they even have voices.
the thing is to get this tech, you need to find three books called 'Far and Near Tales' and 50,000 gella to use at Halim's alchemy shop. the books are hidden in red chests that you'll need the Detector to find. (or, maybe if you converted a save file from AC:F you won't need the Detector. don't hold me to it, i didn't convery my save file.)

i finished Wild ARMs 4... it's an alright game, but i still have a couple of complaints, which i've already started... but this game is somewhat short. less than 30 hrs, without running around to complete the quests...

and if anybody can tell me where to find the Porn-magazines/Lecherous Books, please tell me...
[edit]n/m- i found them.

I beat it the other day and it was an alright ending. Some were okay...but for the most part it felt slightly lacking. There were so many things I wanted to know, but was left hanging, wondering if certain things were true or not. The ending at some points, though, were very heart-touching.

alrighty... i found the Adult Magazines, and went out to fight some other opti-bosses...
the Black Box- haven't check to see if i found every treasure chest, thankfully the levels aren't too long.
but the last three (aside from Ragu O Ragula) are really cheap: Buckbaird in White Orphanage, Sapphire Drake in Autumn River, and mummy dude in the desert bridge place... why? they get three turns first to completely screw me over...
urgh... even at levels in the mid-70's there guys are cheap.

heart-warming? especially Raquel's ending.

Hey guys, I have the soundtrack to WA4 but I can't find the second battle theme to Belial anywhere on it. It's suppose to be after Beckoing Bewildering Princess but it's a totally different song. Anyone have any idea if the song is in the OST at all?

the ending of WA4 made me cry... it's so touching...

Touching? Haha don't make me laugh. lol, O yeah I think you cried at that Raquel thingy.

Ah yeah. I need to go to illsvell Island Only play 4 days XD didn't really have the chance to play on the PS2 at my dad's house. The game itself is pretty easy. Hardest boss/enemy in the till now BREAK POINT! enemies XD those things are damn hard with their Detonation in the whole fight they just kill you in 2 attacks. Also the hardest enemy in the game is that "Wild ARM" in the last level where you get like 80000 EXP or more. And i'm at level 42 with Jude, Yulie 37, Raquel 40, Arnaud 39. Only Jude gets level apples^^

O yeah one thing, Jude's party don't kill anybody but almost/everyone they know/met dies? WTF is that?

I always gave Yulie the apples' And blew all her points on Sacrifice as soon as I could. It's a powerful move

O yeah, how come Arnaud is 6/10 stronger then Jude? I jsut hit the enemy with a normal blow XD And no it's not DETONATION! XD he did like 3000-4000 damage and Jude did 1000-3000 damage on the same enemy...It's jsut so weird. And the weapon of Arnaud isn't as strong as Jude's I just don't get it...

I just got started on my WA4 play woohoo, quite unlikely of me aaaanyway, and am still on my way to Buckeye station and I still have to fight those doll twins Asia/Fiore. So far its been easy and I just want to ask if it'll be like omg go difficult all of a sudden?

In any case I really like the hex system, its just so refreshing and its simple to understand as well. =)

I would have played ACF but certain game mechanics really make me all confuzzled as such and I decided to put the game on hold until I can sort of stomach the idea. ^^;;

nah, i found the beginning unbelievably hard- the enemies gave ##### experience and gold, so trying to get the good armor/weapons was hard.
hell, the first fight against Jeremy was a crap-shoot. Jude, Arnaud, & Racquel died before they could even move- but luckily Jeremy was pinned and couldn't move to attack Yulie- who just sat on a Leyline and fragged him with a lame-lookin' Fenglon.
the 'main villians' in this game sucked royally... worse than the Prophets in WA3. :/

no, the enemy bosses aren't going to pull steroids out of their asses. though some of the hidden/Sealed bosses can be a pain.

also, don't worry about Alter Code F; 4th Detonator is a step outside the norm... ACF is more like the previous three games.

LOL I got my ass owned trying to take on a lv.90 sealed boss, curiosity got the best of me... meh. <.<;; I just got past the Enil fight which a tad bit annoying because I attacked all of those clones of myself... xO But the battle was still okay and managed to beat her before heading off to bed.

I got a few questions again, are Lucky cards and Gella cards usable only once or are they cumulative? Another is that black chest, what does it give you if you managed to wake up all of his 160+ chest friends?

Lucky/Gella Cards can only be used once, per fight.

as for the Black Chest- i think you fight him, and get something. i don't know... I MISSED ONE CHEST SOMEWHERE!!!

what's so lame about these villians are they don't have the motivation, like the Quarter Knights or Vinsfeld's Cocytus did- they're just following Lambda's orders. some were actually pretty decent like the Chrono guy and the Doppelganger lady; but sadly they were one-hit wonders.

yeah, i finished this game about 4 months ago and it was my first wild arms experiance and over all its any ok rpg to pick up weither your a fan of wild arms or not because im not a real big fan myself,

i believe that any of the cons (well most of them at least) were overshadowed by the fighting system, how fresh it was and a little more planning and the fact that you didnt have to heal after every battle made it very refreshing, though i didnt like how ALL the optional bosses were so much harder than the final boss, a push over i might add, though i dont know if that the norm for wild arms games if it is then i was just surprised, yes i didnt like the fact that you had to be in the same hex as the treasure to get it and missing those dragon fossils made me scream at my playstation on more than one ocation an the very very generic story line war bad, peace good, dont leave very destrutive weapons lining around underground after a war, but these like i said were made up for by the fighting system and it was a very pleasant experiance

Finally finished it clocking in 27 hrs. and I must say it was a decent experience although I guess a major gripe I have with the game was the adult/child thing in the scripting. I dont know but I always felt the using the word adult in certain conversations really felt awkward like the Lambda/HighChancellor conversation. Also I dont like certain parts like when Jude said about Lambda that he's an adult and he's crying.... whaaat? Adults are also humans that the right to cry sheeesh. <.<;;

The game clearly suffers from the storyline and the lack of character development, on a sidenote I like the ArnaudxRaquel pairing rather than the JudexYulie considering they are more of the lead pair. As for the villains, I dont have a problem with them because they just served their purpose and nothing more really... never cared for any that much in any game anyway.

Finally beated it after 6 months and 22 hours of playing got to 25 cuz I let the PS2 on while fighting on of the last bosses couldn't save, and I needed to go fo a few Hours. I couldn't wait Kresnik to die(Muahahahaha)
Jude lvl 49....
Yulie lvl 43
Arnaud lvl 46
Raquel lvl 47

now i'm level 60/54/57/58 with 29 hours. Lol, doing some sidequests, beated 21/30 challenges. got 2 mini games XD Love it! Too bad I still need to beat Grandia 3 and KH2....and then...I'm gonna complete WA4.
It's still a fun game to play. just need to enjoy the stuff. I didn't really care about the story cuz I already knew it sucked. So, played the game, beated it, and try doing some sidequests to enjoy it some more.

And yeah, Jude is still weak compared to my other characters.

I was able to finishing one time the game and im playing my second playthrough and i have a lot of pro/cons:

The designs of the Guardians: They sucks!!! I dont know that is because these guardians where programs and not spirits like in the other games, but the designs are horrible, especially Fengalon, which is my favorite, instead of a tiger looks like a damn raptor dinosaur with horns.

The HEX: For me, its good and bad. they have his adventage and his disadventage. I hate trying to get a treasure chest after the end of the battle, but its good have diferent positions where you can attack the enemy.

The movements: What is this? Super Wild ARMs Bros.? The running, the jumping, getting the tools from the ground, sliding, stomping and... the rest. I like the normal system that give us the previous games. In three words: It was better.

The rest is just... well... acceptable and open to debate, of course. For me, its good, some things...

I haven't played the game yet... but I like the part when they combine forces...! that's so cool!

oh, btw, i'm new here!

I finally got Wild Arms 4 for under 20$ brand new, so the wait was worth it to save around 30$ or so. Though, I'm still quite late playing this game that most other Wild Arms fan already played.

Anyway, didn't play much of it quite yet. Just getting use to the battle system, which I think I got the hand of so far. Just getting use to game itself, which is quite different from the past games. I do like how characters have conversation in this game with artwork images displaying their emotion similar to Disgaea style of characters conversating with each another.

I'm only up to point where I just got all four characters. Haven't played that much of game to form much of opinion on the characters, storyline and things like that. But, so far, I'm enjoying the look and battle system for the game up to this point.

Im a type of person that like to "destroy" a game before i clear it, meaning i want to unlock everything, beat all the optional bosses, and so on.....but i have no time to find everything in this game, so can some one tell me how to fight dem optional bosses (i know how to fight the one in the skyway place), and where a good place to level up is (besides where that apeman is on the bridge, cause he rarely comes)>

There's rare monster in certain levels if you travel back to them. Like Creeping Choas at the Air Base.

Grow Apple are the best enemy to level up against. First, make sure Arnaud cast Isolate, so the Grow Apple can't leave the HEX, meaning he can not run away. Also, make sure Arnaud cast Fragile on Grow Apple, then Extend to make sure the effect last and also Slow Down, there's a reason for Slow Down. Ok, have Jude increase his agility on a Wind HEX, then make sure he's on a HEX with Quicken, he should be every powerful at this point, then hit the Grow Apple with Assault Buster, which increase in power with the difference between a character and enemy REX.

Make sure to have Lucky Cards on all characters as well.

Never tried it, but Gatling Raid could be effect, but consider an awful time I have getting Dragon Fossils, I don't you have a ton of ammo to make Gatling Raid awesome like it was in Wild Arms Alter Code: F.

http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/file/wild_arms_4.txt

You get the location of the monster there since I'm too lazy to type the rest. You'll also see that explaination about fast leveling there, too, but I type it out still.

I at the castle where the divine weapon is and i have to fight a women with a shield and i can't not beat her..does anyone know how to beat her

if i remember- move Arnaud to a HEX that isn't adjacent, then Blast her- she'll change defensive, then you can attack with Racquel or Jude- then she'll change defensive again. Blast/Attack... something like that.