History VideoGame / WildArmsXF

** DevelopersForesight: TropesAreTools. There very few options for creativity in these puzzle battles; either you go with the dev team's strategy, or you lose.

The game received mixed reviews and was a FranchiseKiller until the 2018 release of the MobilePhoneGame ''Wild [=ARMs=]: Million Memories''.

Though billed as a straight-up Tactical RPG, featuring a ClassAndLevelSystem and grid-based movement, ''XF'' is more of a puzzle game: you are given a specific set of tools and must use them to solve whatever challenge is presented to you. While this is a logical extension of the entire [=T/RPG=] formula, there are occasional bouts of [[ButThouMust diminished freedom]] and TrialAndErrorGameplay. The Class system takes similar cues to that of subgenre titan ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' in requiring each character to unlock various skills by earning "Class Skill Points," but allows greater freedom of mixing-and-matching of learned skills. It also limits each class to only four "Original Commands" (IE spells), forcing each of them to focus on a niche and lowering the incidence of TierInducedScrappy classes. Finally, the game uses a hex-based map instead of square tiles, and adds bonus damage when enemies are surrounded on two, three or six sides.

''Wild [=ARMs=] XF'' follows the story of a Drifter named Clarissa Arwin, whose mother was seeking the answers to decay of the eternally unlucky planet Filgaea. Along with her protective adopted big brother Felius, she is tracking down [[TheDragon Rupert]], who stole her mother's sword. Entering the kingdom of Elesius, she is almost immediately mistaken for the dead heir to the throne, Princess Alexia. This proves useful when she finds out that the citizens of Elesius are chafing under the restrictive rule of three {{Evil Chancellor}}s: Clarissa adopts the role of the Princess Royal and leads a RagtagBunchOfMisfits in a quest to restore Elesius to its proper rule.

** Iron fans (Arcanist), books (Elementalist), spanners/wrenches (Gadgeteers), and bells (Fantastica).

* MeleeATrois: in the final battle at Schnell ruins, your party is pitted against not only one of the {{Big Bad}}s, but a bunch of zombies he just summoned and thereafter lost control of, who are now attacking everything in sight. It is completely legitimate to just bottle up and let the two of them take care of each other. (And basically suicidal to try and do it yourself.)

* SpritePolygonMix

A TurnBasedStrategy game in the ''Franchise/WildArms'' series, released for the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable PSP]].

* BonusBoss: Ragu Ragula pops up in a single optional mission. The bonus boss from all of the ''[[WildArms Wild ARMs]]'' games.

** TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: TropesAreTools. There very few options for creativity in these puzzle battles; either you go with the dev team's strategy, or you lose.

This game provides examples of:

* OneStatToRuleThemAll: Predictably for the genre, RFX (aka Speed), which determines how frequently a character takes turns. Unlike the game's other combat stats, there is no equipment and only a few abilities that raise it. This enforces CharacterTiers: Levin, with naturally high RFX and the [[BoringButPractical eternally-useful]] "Blast" spell, is basically this game's [[FinalFantasyTactics TG Cid]], while Alexia and Labrynthia lag way behind him until a FragileSpeedster class becomes available.

* ClassAndLevelSystem: An intricate and well-balanced one, too, arguably surpassing the competing system in ''FinalFantasyTactics''.

** TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything: TropesAreNotGood. There very few options for creativity in these puzzle battles; either you go with the dev team's strategy, or you lose.

A TurnBasedStrategy game in the ''Franchise/WildArms'' series, released for the {{PSP}}.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/waxf.gif

* PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling: the Flatwoods' rare Creeping Chaos encounter. Overkill damage divided by 2 = CSP gained from battle.

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* IsThisCuteKidYours: in the epilogue manga, Ragnar shows up at the reunion with two Zortroa children in tow, and his friends ask him if they're his kids. Ragnar insists they're not. (it doesn't help Ragnar's case that the girl greatly resembles Chelle.)

* GodStat: predictably for the genre, RFX (aka Speed), which determines how frequently a character takes turns. Unlike the game's other combat stats, there is no equipment and only a few abilities that raise it. This enforces CharacterTiers: Levin, with naturally high RFX and the [[BoringButPractical eternally-useful]] "Blast" spell, is basically this game's [[FinalFantasyTactics TG Cid]], while Alexia and Labrynthia lag way behind him until a FragileSpeedster class becomes available.
** (The "Move" and "Climb" stats would be similarly crippling if not for the game's most-mobile class, Excavator, becoming available within 10 battles.)

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: averted in Labrynthia's pre-battle briefings, whose text reflects the conditions of the battlefield—for instance, when the characters have been hit by a trap which inflicts depression on them, Laby mopes and groans her way through the DER. (And, when she's not available, there ''is'' no briefing, just VisibleSilence from Clarissa.)

* LaResistance: Chevalet Blanc.

A TurnBasedStrategy game in the [[WildArms Wild ARMs]] series, released for the {{PSP}}.

The named PlayerCharacters are are:

* '''Clarissa Arwin''': A young woman who hates lies and carries a mysterious weapon named Strahl Gewehr. She bears a striking resemblance to the late Princess Alexia.
* '''Felius Arwin''': Clarissa's adopted brother with a MysteriousPast. He seeks to protect Clarissa no matter the cost.
* '''Alexia Lynn Elesius''': The eldest princess of Elesius, she seeks to continue her father's work and change Elesius from a land bloated by conquest to a kingdom full of peace. [[spoiler:She's not actually dead.]]
* '''Labyrinthia Wordsworth''': Former tutor to Alexia and other noble children and court magician. She is on the run from the Council when she mistakes Clarissa for Princess Alexia. She lacks humility, has a weird fascination with Clarissa's costumes, and is defensive about the fact that she's 34 years old.
* '''Levin Brenton''': A reckless, idealistic and [[{{Keet}} loud]] young man who has a crush on both Alexia and Clarissa. His father, the head of the PraetorianGuard, disowned him when he ran away to join the princess' rebellion (though more because Captain Eisen works side-by-side with the villains than because he thinks Levin's wrong).
* '''Ragnar Blitz Lebrett''': A Drifter whose home and family were destroyed by Elesius' constant wars of conquest. He came to the country looking to destroy it, but over time changes his goals to destroying the old regime and building something better.
* '''Tony''': A white dog that belongs to Labrynthia.

* BattleBallgown: Alexia

* CompetenceZone: Laby is twice Clarissa's age and has insecurities to match—since, after all, one is far into one's decline by the mid-thirties.

* EmotionlessGirl: Princess Katrina. Particularly marked as being unable to feel fear.

* EvilDetectingDog: Tony.
* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: Clarissa’s first hair and outfit change reflect her willingness to live the lie in order to save the people of Elesius. She changes it again once when she [[spoiler: travels back in time and meets her deceased mother again.]]
* FailureKnight: Felius was this originally. He's been with Clarissa long enough as of the start of the game that the devotion is slightly less creepy.

* FullNameBasis: Chelle insists on calling Ragnar by his full name.

* GodWasMyCoPilot: [[spoiler: Tony is revealed to be Luceid, the Guardian of Desire. Only the player realizes this, though.]]

* {{Immortality}}: Type IX, Parasitic. [[spoiler: Kressen/Weisheit]]
* ImportantHaircut: Princess Alexia cuts her hair to use as a rope to save Clarissa.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: Iron fans (Arcanist), books (Elementalist), spanners/wrenches (Gadgeteers), and bells (Fantastica).

* LadyOfWar: Alexia.
* TheLancer: Felius to Clarissa. (Literally, too, since he uses a BladeOnAStick.)

* LoveTriangle: TriangRelations Type A. Levin has a crush on both Clarissa and Alexia. Even in the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue he hasn't made up his mind yet. (What either of them think of him is never particularly explored.)

* MissingMom: Levin's mother is dead, as is Melissa Arwin. What happened to Mrs. Hrathnir is never addressed—despite the game implying that King Hrathnir only got to the throne by marrying her.
* MysteriousMercenaryPursuer: Chelle.
* NewGamePlus: allowing you to keep your money, EQ and items, but not your levels or classes.
** It also gives you an additional exp multiplier, 2x on your 2nd playthrough, 3x on your third, and so on, and no one knows of a limit yet.

* PimpedOutDress: Princess Alexia's battle outfit. It's a pink princess dress. With ''armor''.

* PrincessesPreferPink: Princess Alexia's battle outfit.

* SelfMadeOrphan: [[spoiler: Clarissa kills King Hrathnir at his request as part of his HeroicSacrifice. What she doesn't know, and never finds out, is that he's really her father.]]

* SpoonyBard: The Fantastica class is only useful in two battles which require destroying or moving objects to proceed. You're better off only using it to learn the [=OCs=] and then equipping them on a character with a different class.
** And maybe the Fant EQ skill too, which gives you not only your first ranged attack (aside from Clarissa's gun) but eventually the Sheriff Star, the best piece of armor in the game.

* TheStrategist: Labrynthia

* TyrantTakesTheHelm: Edna. [[spoiler:When Weisheit took over her and then Katrina [[AnticlimaxBoss just dissolved her]] it is a thrill that damn ''Edna'' is gone.]]
* TheUnfought: Edna.

* WellDoneSonGuy: Pretty much sums up Levin's relationship with his father.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Chelle's fate is left rather ambiguous.

* WhiteHairedPrettyGirl: Princess Katrina
* ZettaiRyouiki: Grade A, Clarissa's final costume.