Speaking of battles, they are random but you have the ability to sneak around them if you are not feeling like a fight and just want to get from point A to point B quickly. Well, actually you can only avoid some battles. Wild Arms uses a thing called the Migrant Meter to notify you of impending doom. If the battle ahead is one you can easily win you can skip it with a push of a button. However is the bad guys are a little tougher then you can still get past the battle but you lose some of the power in the meter...once you use up the meter you then will not be able to avoid the battles.

Battles are a big part of most RPGs and if not done correctly can really ruin a game or at least take a lot of the fun out of it. Unfortunately Wild Arms is a victim of not having a smooth and quick interface. It feels like a system from years ago. But there are a couple of new ideas. One is a force meter. This meter builds as you attack and take damage. Once you get enough power in the meter you can use it in increase one of force powers, but the interesting part is that if you let the meter build to 100% you can use it to remove any negative status from your character. Also, you will need to find new, that is locate, you new powers and spells...that is they care not given automatically when you level up. You can have up to six characters in your party but you can get by without any of them except for the previously mentioned three. The others just seem to be around for the heck of it.

Graphically we're not looking at a total mess, but this isn't the best stuff out there either. The style of the game is pure anime, with that Old West thing thrown in, but on the blocky side. The colors seemed to have been one of the things that the world of Filgaia had lost in the war as they are very dull and muted. The caves, dungeons, and caverns do not have excitement going for them and the towns don't fair too much better. The sound and music are fine but, again, nothing that seems to stand out.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 70%. Fans of the Wild Arms series will probably get more enjoyment out of Wild Arms Alter Code: F than then most gamer. Give it a rental and see if its old-school vibe is right for you.

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