History VideoGame / WildArms3

* DarkerAndEdgier - It's a toss-up between Wild Arms II and III as to which is the bleakest game in the series. Ironically, this also means that III has one of the best storylines in the series, too.

** Actually in the ending Virginia did hugged Jet once.

* FoeYay[=/=]LesYay: Virginia and Maya. It's subtle at first, but around the third time they meet you wonder why they just don't admit it already. [[http://safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=190999 Even the creators were aware of it!]]

** When Shaddy, the cat of Maya's group, is trapped, he yells "No more walls !"... Add this to the fact that in battle he only has two attacks with 50% of chances of using each one... And that Maya's family is named Schrödinger... And that said family's ancestors made Shaddy completely claustrophobic... Poor Schrödinger's cat.

* TheGunslinger - Unlike previous [[WildARMs Wild ARMs]] games, which mixed swords and fantasy weapons together, pretty much everyone uses a gun. Everyone in your party wields a different type of gun.
** This fact leads to a ''[[CrowningMomentOfFunny hysterical]]'' scene. The party is opposed by villainous Huskarls, a group of knights [[TooDumbToLive equipped solely with swords]]. The party is ''flabbergasted'' that someone would be using a sword in this day and age. When the party [[CurbStompBattle kills them deader than disco]], the guy who sent the Huskarls after the party freely admits that he thought they'd all get killed, using swords like that.

** The original name, Titty Twister, is a pretty obvious ShoutOut to FromDuskTillDawn....

An interesting tidbit - this game was the first not to be localized by Sony. Squaresoft, of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' fame, performed the localization process, which was noticeably of much higher quality than the {{Blind Idiot Translation}}s of the first two. Unfortunately, this also created some continuity errors with certain names that were intended to be references to the first two games. Future entries were handled by XSEED (and in [[VideoGameRemake one]] [[VideoGame/WildArms1 case]], [[BlindIdiotTranslation Agetec]]).

''Wild Arms 3'' (released in Japan as ''Wild Arms Advanced 3rd'') is the third game in the ''[[WildArms Wild ARMs]]'' DesertPunk {{RPG}} series.

* SelfDuplication: Janus Cascade revealed his ability to make duplicate bodies of himself, in an attempt [[{{Faking the Dead}} to escape death by the protagonist party]]. Unfortunately for him, [[{{Final Death}} he perished for good shortly thereafter.]]

* SequentialBoss - The final boss takes this trope [[UpToEleven much further than most ever do]]: it has ''[[BeyondTheImpossible ten]]'' forms.

* SequentialBoss - The final boss takes this trope [[UpToEleven much further than most ever do]]: it has ''[[BeyondTheImpossible eleven]]'' forms.

-->--'''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezkMLIdE-Kg Advanced Wind]]''', the opening theme

An interesting tidbit - this game was the first not to be localized by Sony. Squaresoft, of ''FinalFantasy'' fame, performed the localization process, which was noticeably of much higher quality than the {{Blind Idiot Translation}}s of the first two. Unfortunately, this also created some continuity errors with certain names that were intended to be references to the first two games. Future entries were handled by XSEED (and in [[VideoGameRemake one]] [[VideoGame/WildArms1 case]], [[BlindIdiotTranslation Agetec]]).

An interesting tidbit - this game was the first not to be localized by Sony. Squaresoft, of ''FinalFantasy'' fame, performed the localization process, which was noticeably of much higher quality than the {{Blind Idiot Translation}}s of the first two. Unfortunately, this also created some continuity errors with certain names that were intended to be references to the first two games. Future entries were handled by XSEED (and in [[VideoGameRemake one]] [[WildArms1 case]], [[BlindIdiotTranslation Agetec]]).

* [[spoiler: HijackedByGanon - Siegfried was TheDragon and later the BigBad in the first WildARMS and is the "Ganon" to the new villains the Prophets.]]

* InGameNovel - A FanFic of ''[[WildArms2 Wild ARMs 2]]'', no less, starring Marivel and space flight. Clive reads it to his daughter as a father/daughter bonding moment, and it's [[CrowningMomentofHeartwarming adorable]].

* ShoutOut - Oh so many, even by Wild Arms standards. Not only do many elements from WildArms1 hover in a grey area between {{Expy}} and straight reappearance, but monsters and locations have a remarkable tendency to reference myth, folklore, and pop culture in one way or another. NorseMythology and ''Theatre/TheRingCycle'' get a particular emphasis, from Siegfried to Yggdrasil to [[spoiler:Virginia's father and his remarkable resemblance to Odin's mortal disguise]].

* BonusLevelOfHell - One hundred floors. No save points whatsoever. BonusBoss from hell, Ragu O Ragla, waiting for you at the end. Have fun.
** Twice. You have to fight him twice. In. A. Row. And he is even stronger the second time around.

* BFG - The gun mounted on the sandcraft, which can do a ''million'' points of damage in a single attack.

* ShoutOut - Oh so many, even by Wild Arms standards. Not only do many elements from WildArms1 hover in a grey area between {{Expy}} and straight reappearance, but monsters and locations have a remarkable tendency to reference myth, folklore, and pop culture in one way or another. NorseMythology and TheRingCycle get a particular emphasis, from Siegfried to Yggdrasil to [[spoiler:Virginia's father and his remarkable resemblance to Odin's mortal disguise]].

On a train, four such Drifters clash over a mysterious artifact known as the Arc Scepter: Virginia Maxwell, a [[NaiveNewcomer greenhorn Drifter]] following in the footsteps of her DisappearedDad; Jet Enduro, a experienced [[IneffectualLoner but cold-hearted]] Drifter with IdentityAmnesia; Gallows Carradine, a [[IdiotHero crass and lazy]] MagicalNativeAmerican running away from his duties to his tribe; and Clive Winslett, a BountyHunter and AdventurerArchaeologist with a cool disposition and a mean sniper rifle.

Soon afterwards they decide to form a [[TrueCompanions team]] ([[MagneticHero with a lot of prodding from Virginia]]) and track down a priceless treasure known as the [[MacGuffin Eternal Sparkle]]. This brings them into conflict with [[TheRival rival Drifter]] Janus Cascade, a SimilarSquad of Drifters called the Schrödinger Family (led by Virginia's {{Foil}}, Maya Schrödinger), and eventually an AncientConspiracy threatening to consume both the past and future of Filgaia.

* Characters don't buy new weapons: they upgrade and customise their existing ones.

* BagOfSharing - Especially ridiculous in the prologue, which shares items between characters ''who haven't even met yet'', with the items travelling ''back in time'' if you choose to play the four prologues out of chronological order. One of the few outright weird FridgeLogic moments in the game.

* BonusLevelOfHell - One hundred levels. With no save points whatsoever. With BonusBoss from hell, Ragu O Ragla, waiting for you at the end. Have fun.

** One in particular stands out, spanning the ''entire damn game.'' [[spoiler: Beatrice, the final boss, shows up in the ''first ten minutes'', and repeatedly shows up for small portions of cutscenes throughout the game as an almost unnoticeable side character until she reveals herself as the Woman behind the Man who was behind 3 People who were behind One Man. Yes.]]

* CrewOfOne: Subverted, the sandcraft requires four crewmembers to be used, each in different jobs roughly corresponding to actual ship jobs- Helmsman, Gunner, etc.

* {{Expy}}: Maya is an expy of Jane from the first game. Not only are they alike in appearance and personality, they serve as the rival for the resident lead female (romantic for Cecelia, professional for Virginia). Though, its Virginia who takes Jane's surname. [[spoiler: This makes sense, since Maya is actually using her power to become any character from a book to ''literally'' be Calamity Jane in appearance, personality, and abilities.]]

* {{Foreshadowing}} - ''Everything'' is foreshadowed. Most of it is obvious, but you'll probably overlook [[spoiler:Shane's explanation of his prophetic dreams, which pretty much summarises the entire plot and is the first mention of Beatrice. And since this dream ''came'' from Beatrice in the first place, it's the first part of her XanatosRoulette]].
* ForTheCelOfIt - One of the earlier examples of cel-shading on the PS2, and highly successful- the look merges well with the Wild West aesthetic.

* GatlingGood - Maya Schrodinger has one. Mentioned less for the weapon and more for her...[[TrouserSpace means of carrying it]]

** The Dark Luceid arcana is a great spell... as long as you know how it works. The game doesn't tell you, of course. The big secret is that it's damage is affected by the elemental affinities of the target(s), losing power for each weakness, but gaining power if resist it at all (and of course, the greater the resistance, the greater the boost). It'll do next to no damage (or no damage period) on most enemies, since a good chunk of the bestiary has at least one weakness, but for the monsters that resist, nullify, or absorb multiple elements? They will break down and CRY if they see you cast this.
* HeroesPreferSwords - Not in this game, making it one of the few [=JRPGs=] that ''averts'' this trope. Not even the other WildARMs games can claim this. There's even a joke about enemies [[TakeThat coming at them with swords and being totally ineffectual]].

* ItWasADarkAndStormyNight: These words exactly open the game. Virginia lampshades it later with "it sure was a dark and stormy night..."
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Maya may seem harsh, but beside the obvious motivation of wanting to get rid of other Drifter competitors, she does have a sweet spot for Virginia, protecting her in her own way (and literally saved the party's life at least once). Lampshaded by her own brother, Alfred : ''My sister's a little... you know... She comes off as crass, but she's trying her hardest to be nice''.

* TheManBehindTheMan - ''Three'' times: [[spoiler:The Prophets]] behind Janus, [[spoiler:Siegfried]] behind [[spoiler:The Prophets]] and [[spoiler:Beatrice]] behind [[spoiler:''everyone'']].
** Though it seems more like [[spoiler:Beatrice and Siegfried were enemies, since when Siegfried brought the 'dream-demon' up he more or less stated 'But in this world she can't really hurt me', not to mention the visions she gave to everybody seemed more to be towards the goal of stopping Siegfried before she made her move.]] So the last one was more of a case of Villian on Villian action.
* TheMaze - The final dungeon and the Abyss are both like this.
* [[MeddlingParents Meddling Grandmother]] - Late during the second act, just before going to the last shrine, Halle, Gallows's grandma, outright reveals to her grandson that she had an hidden agenda, and that she intentionnaly orchestated the events of the beginning of the game, in which she succeeded to bring back home Gallows, and set him up on the rails of his quest and duties (which he ran away from at the beginning of the game).

* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: An direct allusion to this trope by Maya Schroedinger, who says this to Virginia t after saving her and her party from Asgard (who '''did''' OHKO them) : ''I, Maya Schroedinger, will crush you to the ground, no holds barred. Just remember that''.
* NoHuggingNoKissing: It's one of the very few PS2 JRPGs that doesn't have a romantic subplot.

** The final boss has ''ten freaking forms.''

* PapaWolf - Virginia's father is pretty much absent, but if you dare hurt her, Papa will come to rescue.

* PuzzleBoss - A ''lot.'' Around half the game's bosses require either a specific strategy to defeat, or have their difficulty level go through the roof if you don't use it (Trask being the key example).

* SandIsWater - The oceans are, quite literally, ''sand''. Giant sea monsters live in it, and you have to drive a boat out to fight them. Don't ask.

* SchizoTech - Fantasy and Wild West Tech, as is common to the series. However, in this game, the latter is played up far more prominently, with the fantasy elements almost removed, arguably improving the game by forcing it to focus on what was unique in Wild ARMs in the first place.
* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan - Shane and Gallows.
* SequentialBoss - The final boss takes this trope much further than most ever do: it has ''eleven'' forms.

** When Shaddy, the cat of Maya's group, is trapped, he yells "No more walls !"... Add this to the fact that in battle he only has two attacks with 50% of chances of using each one... And that Maya's family is named Schroedinger... And that said family's ancestors made Shaddy completly claustrophobic... Poor Schödinger's cat.

* TheGunslinger - Unlike previous ''Wild Arms'' games, which mixed swords and fantasy weapons together, pretty much everyone uses a gun. Everyone in your party wields a different type of gun.
** This fact leads to a ''hysterical'' scene. The party is opposed by villainous Huskarls, a group of sword-using knights. The party is ''flabbergasted'' that someone would be using a sword in this day and age. When the party [[CurbStompBattle kills them deader than disco]], the guy who sent the Huskarls after the party freely admits that he thought they'd all get killed, using swords like that.

* TrueCompanions - Virginia declares herself and the three men to be one of these. While initially, the three men find it funny and decide to play along, CharacterDevelopment slowly turns the whole group into the real thing.

** The original (struck-through) name is a pretty obvious ShoutOut to FromDuskTillDawn....

* ThirtyGambitPileup - Arguably has the most convoluted plot in the entire series.

* TraintopBattle - During the aforementioned Thirty TrainJob Pileup, you battle Janus and his boys atop the train.

* Expy: Maya is an expy of Jane from the first game. Not only are they alike in appearance and personality, they serve as the rival for the resident lead female (romantic for Cecelia, professional for Virginia). Though, its Virginia who takes Jane's surname.