Wild Arms XF

Wild Arms XF
Platform:	PlayStation Portable
Genre:	Tactical Role Playing
Mode:	Single Player
Release Dates
Japan:	PSP: August 9, 2007
N. America:	PSP: March 11, 2008
Europe:	PSP: November 28, 2008

Wild Arms XF, also known in Japan as Wild Arms Crossfire (Japanese:ワイルドアームズ クロスファイア) is a spin-off of the Wild Arms series. Unlike mainline games, Crossfire is a Tactical RPG. It was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2007, with Western releases following in 2008.

Story

(Summary taken from the official English website:) The once vibrant world of Filgaia is slowly dying, a result of some cataclysmic event lost in the dim, misty reaches of the past. The few pathetic remnants of once mighty nations are caught up in an endless cycle of war, fighting over Filgaia’s ever-dwindling natural resources. Amidst the carnage and slow decay, there is one kingdom that has until recently managed to avoid the chaos and suffering plaguing its neighbors; the kingdom of Elesius.

However, the kingdom is slowly descending into anarchy with the king inflicted with a mysterious illness that has kept him bed-ridden, intensifying the future uncertainty as the heir-apparent disappeared a year earlier and is presumed dead. An opportunistic senate has formed its own police force and is gradually usurping power from the royal family.

It is against this backdrop of political intrigue and social decay that the main character Clarissa Arwin, accompanied by her half-brother and protector, Felius, enter Elesius hot on the trail of Rupert Dandridge, the man who murdered her mother. What started out as a personal vendetta soon turns into an epic battle to not only keep a kingdom from falling, but to save the world of Filgaia from being turned into an uninhabitable wasteland.

Prologue: Seed of the Dandelion

Clarissa Arwin and her adoptive older brother Felius Arwin catch up to Rupert Dandridge, the man responsible murdering Clarissa's mother Melissa Arwin and stealing her sword Iskender Bey. The siblings briefly scuffle with Rupert in an attempt to retrieve the sword, only for him to use his hired henchmen to create a distraction and help him make his getaway. Once Rupert has escaped, his men take a poison and commit suicide together. Clarissa and Felius track Rupert to Elesius and head to the nearest harbor, Port Atraige.

Act 1: Path of the Founding Knights

Act 1-1

A month later, Clarissa and Felius arrive in Port Atraige to ask around about Rupert and are left fruitless. They decide to travel northwest, in the direction of the next town, when they end up defending a merchant from rogue members of the Martial Guard of Elesius on Trader's Road and are joined by the dog Tony (Wild Arms XF).

Act 1-2

Clarissa and Felius are nearing Windhalt Gatehouse to get to Poliasha when the Martial Guard closes the drawbridge in order cut them off. Clarissa follows Tony into the fray when she and her brother meet Labyrinthia Wordsworth, Tony's owner, who is wanted for terrorism and has a bounty placed on her head. After defeating the Drifters, Labyrinthia excitedly mistakes Clarissa for the missing princess Alexia Lynn Elesius and Clarissa has to clear up the case of mistaken identity.

Act 1-3

The party arrives in Poliasha, where Labyrinthia gives exposition on the current political situation in the Elesius: the crown princess Alexia Lynn Elesius has been presumed dead and her father King Hrathnir has become seriously ill, leading the kingdom to be governed by the Council of Elder Statesmen made up of members of the nobility who rule more as dictators and created the Martial Guard to coerce the masses. Labyrinthia herself, who used to be the princess' personal tutor has been branded a fugitive after finding out that the princess' fate was orchestrated by the council and is now conspiring with the rebel forces. She, as well as a number of others, continue to make remarks about Clarissa's striking resemblance to Alexia, and how the confusion may cause her to become caught up in trouble. They spend the night in town, and wake up to a fire spread by the Martial Guard. The Arwins are informed that the Martial Guard has been terrorizing the town over tax issues, and make their way to escape. The Martial Guard then takes a number of villagers prisoner in order to make an example out of them, and Clarissa, overcome with a compulsion to help the people of the kingdom, resolves herself to free them.

Act 1-4

Before setting out with Clarissa and Felius to Creedmore Prison, Labyrinthia sends a message via carrier pigeon to another of her pupils -- Levin Brenton, whose father is Captain of the Royal Knights of Elesius -- in the hopes of bringing the conflict in the kingdom to a peaceful resolution. After passing through Bandits' Forest and reaching Promise Hill, Labyrinthia receives a response from Levin reporting that the council itself ordered the attack on Poliasha and that the prisoners are to be executed, as well as a key to the back door of the prison. The player party finally reaches the prison and infiltrates using the key, and works to liberate the villagers while avoiding being detected by the guards on patrol. Clarissa and company free the villagers, and navigate to the front gate, where they meet Levin as he waits for them. The warden, however, has set up an ambush and surrounds the escapees. The villagers are too afraid to run at first, until Clarissa pretends to be the missing Princess Alexia in order to encourage the people. While the villagers are successfully freed thanks to Clarissa's bluff, she suffers the guilt of having told such a big lie.

Act 1-5

The Council of Elder Statesmen have a meeting in Elensia City, where Charlton Blunt, Edna Warren and Rupert Dandridge have caught wind of the recent breakout at Creedmore Prison ostensibly led by the lost princess Alexia. They suspect she is an imposter, but do look into the matter right away. Levin goes to bring his father up to appraise his father on the government conspiracy going on and parts ways with the player party for the moment. Clarissa returns to Poliasha and speaks with the townspeople, who express their gratitude and subsequently request that her group take care of some monsters at their nearby fishing port Rusty Docks. Clarissa decides to continue playing the role of the princess until she can help save the kingdom, prompting Labyrinthia to garb her in more regal clothes and hairstyle to help her look the part. Immediately after, a robed messenger comes to speak with "Alexia" to speak on behalf of Charlton Blunt, who seeks an audience with the princess at the Guardian Shrine to parley over peace and cooperation.

Act 1-6

Levin is arguing with his father Eisen Brenton, Captain of the Royal Knights, as his father hesitates to mobilize his knights without the kings' official decree. Decrying his fathers' stringent ways, Levin goes off to aid Clarissa, parting ways with his father on sour terms as he is disowned. Clarissa's party passes through Fallen Fowl Swamp on the way to the shrine. Meanwhile, Edna makes a concession to Charlton that she herself was the one who killed Alexia while having a conniption over Clarissa, insisting that she an imposter. Upon arrival, Clarissa's ARM reacts to the shrine, glowing ethereally.

Act 1-7

Expecting to meet the council chairman, the heroes find they have been set up and that Charlton has arranged for them to be murdered by sending his goons in his place. It is at this moment that the shrine starts to tremble and collapse, and the rebels must escape. After narrowly escaping the danger, her ARM activates again, and Clarissa hears a whisper or voice call out to her. While returning to town along the Path to the Shrine, the enemy's backup forces surround the rebels. Levin catches up to Clarissa's party and attempts to come to the rescue, but fumbles and ends up cut off from his allies by a pillar he knocked down himself.

Act 1-8

Levin officially joins the rebel cause and laments his inability to mobilize the Royal Knights. Labyrinthia suggests strengthening their forces by laying siege to Fort Molasar, a fortress of the Martial Guard. The group pass through West Wind Guidepost on the way, and Levin comes up with their official name, "Chevalet Blanc" named after a previous army of Elesius. Upon victory, Chevalet Blanc sends a messenger to the chairman Charlton of their declaration of war. Meanwhile in the Council Chamber, Kressen is introduced to the Council of Elder Statesman.

Act 1-9

Chevalet Blanc resolves to make their way to the capitol while liberating towns from the Martial Guard along the way. Their first stop along the way is Hanigar, a mining town being menaced by the Martial Guard. Clarissa and Levin stealth through the town's holding cells at night in order to free the Martial Guard's hostage, the town elder's granddaughter, and inspire the villagers to revolt. It is at this time that Charlton has executed the messenger sent by Chevalet Blanc, which is witnessed by Princess Katrina Liane Elesius, who is emotionally numb to feelings of fear and being manipulated by the Council.

Act 1-10

Rupert finds himself bored with being in charge of the Martial Guard and decides to allay that boredom by confronting Clarissa with his troops. Chevalet Blanc determines their next destination will be Richala Rose, another town troubled by the mercenaries. They take shelter in a cave in the mountainous terrain of Rainy Pass when Rupert and his men catch up to them. Levin Brenton charges at Rupert in an attempt to impress Clarissa Arwin, but is quickly beaten and almost killed which forces Clarissa to save him. Rupert retreats when his forces are defeated, and Levin is harshly scolded by Felius and runs away in shame.

Act 1-11

Chevalet Blanc comes across Starlit Path and is confronted with a puzzle that requires them to open the door by activating different types of switches. Levin and Felius are forced to cooperate in order to deactivate the mechanism on the other side, and have a heart-to-heart about what it means to protect "family". In the kings' chamber, Charlton requests that King Hrathnir cede control of the Royal Knights, a request which Hrathnir denies, dismissing him when Princess Katrina steps in. Katrina informs her father that Alexia may still be alive, and expresses her desire to serve her country despite her feelings of helplessness.

Act 1-12

Charlton convenes with Weisheit in the council chamber over how to gain control over the Royal Knights of Elesius. Chevalet Blanc reaches Rhino River when they meet Ragnar Blitz Lebrett, a former Martial Guardsman who has made camp on the river. They continue onto the Deserters' Camp, where they find the Martial Guardsmen decimated by monsters and end up having to slay the horde themselves.

Act 1-13

As the rebels are passing through the arid, monster-laden terrain of Dead Plateau, Charlton and Weisheit are scheming to lay a trap for Chevalet Blanc. The group runs into Ragnar again, who reveals he "knows" Clarissa's true identity to be the Princess Alexia.

Act 1-14

Rupert pieces together that the assumed princess Alexia is actually Clarissa. Officially joining the rebel cause, Ragnar has a discussion with Clarissa about ARMS as lost technology and the royal family's knowledge and involvement with them. The group finally reaches Richala Rose and helps defend it from invading Martial Guardsmen. Edna and Rupert argue in the Council chamber about the two royal daughters, the veracity of the returned Alexia, and Edna's motive in seeking to profit from war.

Act 1-15

Chevalet Blanc hurries to the Quarry of Desire to fend off a horde of zombies. Upon defeating them, their commander Stronach arrives to find the undead were his fellow townspeople. Stronach finds an ARM and attempts to keep it, only for Ragnar to recognize it and immediately destroy it. In the capitol, Rupert and Weisheit are discussing said ARM, which they reveal was developed by Weisheit and designed to zombify humans.

Act 1-16

Ragnar returns to Dead Plateau, recounting Elesius' history of conquest as well as his personal story of loss which bore his hatred for the kingdom. He tells of how the black ARM took away his fellow mercenaries, and his belief that the townspeople of Richala Rose had intended to raid the base for more ARMs all along. The rebels rush back to town to prevent the ARMs from being activated. Seeking to avenge his fallen comrades, Stronach activates the arm and turns himself and several others into zombies. After putting down the undead and bearing witness to the technology manufactured by the government, Clarissa declares her determination to protect the people and destroy Elesius if it means accomplishing that goal. Somewhere in the council hall, Weisheit plots alone against Felius after adjourning his meeting with Rupert and Charlton.

Act 2: A Tale of Two Princesses

Act 2-1

Commander Eisen Brenton finds himself in conflict with Charlton when the Royal Knights border patrols use up resources available for the Martial Guard. Chevalet Blanc continues towards the capital, crossing through Frightful Abyss and coming to blows with the Martial Guard each step of the way.

Act 2-2

Chevalet Blanc has made camp in the woods, while Charlton orders Rupert to have Clarissa killed. They make it to Wayward Path, fighting their way through more guardsmen while solving puzzles and activating switches. In Princess Katrina's chamber, Edna continues to bully and condescend towards the young girl and postulates that royalty must use fear to control its people.

Act 2-3

The Council sends Eisen's troops far to the north for border patrol as a means of getting him out of the way while they deal with Chevalet Blanc, who at this point has moved through The Flatwoods to get to Rasalom Keep. Once they reach the keep, Felius scouts ahead, and immediately afterwards the rest of the group springs a booby trap that leaves them disoriented. Felius comes to the rescue just before the enemy reinforcements arrive, and Chevalet Blanc takes advantage of the weapons storeroom. Katrina updates her father on the deployment of the Royal Knights and mentions the Sovereign Ritual meant to establish her mediumship, but fails to bring up Edna's abuse towards her. Hrathnir helps Katrina resolve herself to understanding fear in order to better serve her country.

Act 2-4

Chevalet Blanc finally reaches the capital and is met with a blockade, which they clear. Meanwhile, at Sundome Abbey Ruins, Edna is holding the missing Princess Alexia in a cell.

Act 2-5

Charlton, Rupert and Weisheit scheme in the council chamber, having set a bomb that will destroy a fraction of Elensia City in order to take out the rebel army. The player party maneuvers to infiltrate the castle and has to fight their way through the streets. A lone Martial Guardsman tries to ambush them with explosives, but they are shielded out of nowhere by Asgard, a Golem.

Act 2-6

Weisheit appears in-person to Chevalet Blanc, employing Asgard to battle the team but cutting the fight short and retreating after alerting them to the ARM, Grauswein, being set to detonate and take them out along with innocent civilians. The rebels rush to the plaza to shut down the bomb.

Act 2-7

Chevalet Blanc runs into Rupert in the plaza, whose troop is guarding the device that is summoning Grauswein. As Clarissa's party is destroying the device's generators, Charlton steps forward, having taken King Hrathnir hostage to force the liberation army to surrender. One of Charlton's lackeys takes Clarissa's ARM, Strahl Gewehr, from her and tries to kill her with it only to find that she is the only one who can fire it. Tony creates a quick diversion, allowing Hrathnir to quickly break away and the rebels to retreat.

Act 2-8

The king and the rebels hide out in a civilian's home; Ragnar states his intention to assassinate Hrathnir with Slayhem grenades to avenge the deaths of his loved ones lost to Elesius during war. Even though Hrathnir nobly submits, Ragnar realizes after talking to him that Hrathnir is not the imperialist personally to blame for his tragedy. He hesitates to do the deed, and leaves the grenades with Hrathnir. Clarissa later meets the Hrathnir in private, and after thanking her for fighting for his country and becomes curious about her ARM. Chevalet Blanc hurries back to the plaza to shut down Grauswein's activation, fighting enemies zombified by black ARMs. Hrathnir leaves his bed to join Chevalet Blanc in battle and, holding off Asgard, uses Ragnar's grenades to blow up the apparatus and the undead, sacrificing himself as he apologizes to Clarissa as a father.

Act 2-9

Chevalet Blanc is forced to flee the capital, with Labyrinthia in such a daze in light of the king's death that she cannot strategize and could hardly flee. Rupert is about to cut Clarissa down when Eisen and the Royal Knights return just in time to protect her. Rupert then reveals Clarissa to be a pretender to the throne; in the confusion, Levin takes off in a spurt of emotion, the rest of Chevalet Blanc hurries behind him, except for Labyrinthia who is captured.

Act 2-10

Charlton has sent the Zortroa Kinship after Chevalet Blanc in lieu of the Martial Guard, who are to keep the Royal Knights in check after their return. The rebels flee to Twilight Valley to find a village or town to recover and figure out their strategy after losing Labyrinthia, and find themselves surrounded by monsters and a monster tamer. They are able to fend off the monsters and get across the bridge, escaping the danger and forcing the tamer to withdraw. Meanwhile, Labyrinthia is locked up in the castle dungeon as Charlton expresses his intention to her to put Katrina through the Rite Divine Coalescence and have her ascend the throne so that the council may rule Elesius vicariously through her.

Act 2-11

Charlton meets with Piedras Blancas and his interpreter Chelle of the Zortroa Kinship in the council chamber where they pledge to kill the members of Chevalet Blanc. Clarissa carries guilt over Hrathnir's death and its ramifications, briefly considering leaving the country until she talks to the locals and renews her sense of duty to Elesius, and formally apologizes to Levin and Ragnar for deceiving them along with most everyone else they had come across up to that point. Chevalet Blanc unanimously agrees to return to the capital to rescue Labyrinthia and Katrina and defend Elesius from the council. They return to Twilight Valley on the way, battling more of the same pursuers as before. Katrina lets Labyrinthia out of her cell and attempts to escape with her before being caught by Rupert and Eisen. Katrina passes on Alexia's ARM to Labyrinthia before admonishing the older woman uses her magic to teleport away. Rupert attempts to execute Labyrinthia with his sword, only for Eisen to take the hit protecting the two females.

Act 2-12

On the way back from the dungeon where she is keeping the captive princess, Edna's stagecoach is ambushed by Chevalet Blanc at Circle Valley. They quickly dispatch her bodyguards, and Edna pathetically entreats them to spare her life when the Zortroa arrive to attack the rebels, giving Edna the opportunity to flee. Edna lets slip that she has the real Alexia at the same time that Labyrinthia finally catches up to the rest of Chevalet Blanc. After the battle, Labyrinthia persuades them not to return to the capital, but to rescue Alexia instead.

Act 2-13

Chevalet Blanc reaches Sundome Abbey Ruins in search of Alexia, triggering a monster trap that clues them in that they are in the right place. Charlton hints to Edna that the rebels are near the abbey, which causes her to panic.

Act 2-14

Edna hurries back to the ruins to kill Alexia before the rebels can liberate her. The rebels find the lower passages of the abbey run hot with lava and monsters roam beneath. At the castle, Katrina confides in Eisen her decision to go through with the ritual in order to serve her country. Chevalet Blanc descends deeper, into dungeon, when Clarissa is separated from the rest of her group when the bridge she crosses collapses due to tremors.

Act 2-15

Clarissa traverses through the dungeon and happens upon the cell where Alexia is and finds the key to let her out. The two of them fight through monsters as they are making their escape until they trigger a trap sending lava towards Clarissa.

Act 2-16

Alexia, in order to save Clarissa from the lava trap, cuts her hair and uses it as a rope for Clarissa to climb up to a higher platform. The girls have just gotten back outside when Edna arrives with her mercenaries to assassinate both girls. Clarissa tosses Alexia her ARM and the duo battle Edna's men until the rest of Chevalet Blanc catches up with them to join the fray.

Act 3: Echoes of Days Past

Act 3-1

With heir-apparent Alexia officially joining their cause Chevalet Blanc must make it back to the capital before Katrina goes through the Rite of Divine Coalescence and claims the throne as the council's puppet. They journey through Lonely Waterside, having more encounters with the monster tamers, who reveal they have a deal with Charlton to eliminate the rebels in exchange for having their lands returned to them. Ragnar finds an affinity with Piedras and Chelle in having been displaced by war, but the two parties remain adversarial as the Zortroa withdraw.

Act 3-2

The party spends the night in Crestabelde, where Clarissa breaks the bad news to Alexia that her father Hrathnir has passed away and that she herself helped to kill him. The girls go outside to further discuss the incident when they are surrounded by more of the Zortroa, and the other members of Chevalet Blanc eventually join the fight at the same time that Chelle reappears. After the tamers retreat again and the excitement dies down, Alexia mourns her father in private.

Act 3-3

The Zortroa continue their dogged pursuit of Chevalet Blanc up to The Frozen Lands, with Ragnar imploring Chelle at every opportunity to realize she is being exploited. Piedras Blancas steps onto the battlefield, and Ragnar attacks him with a boomerang. Weisheit suddenly appears and shields him, giving the Zortroa a chance to escape. Upon his defeat, Weisheit's body disappears into light. Edna and Charlton have escorted Katrina to the temple ahead of Chevalet Blanc and are about to initiate the ritual.

Act 3-4

The rebels are ambushed upon arrival at the temple and immediately fight through Martial Guardsmen. Rupert preemptively strikes at Alexia, mistaking her for Clarissa, but she proves the more skilled fencer and chases him away. Edna improperly expedites the ritual, which is supposed to take three days and nights, in order to make Katrina attain the power before Chevalet Blanc can stop her.

Act 3-5

Chevalet Blanc reach Katrina, and Charlton uses a device made by Weisheit to stun and disorient the rebels. Clarissa, who hung back before the trap was set, fires her ARM and destroys the device. In desperation, Edna tampers with the temple's mechanism and tries to force Katrina through the entire ceremony all at once. Katrina becomes possessed and attacks, and Edna further exacerbates her condition until a surge of energy is channeled through the younger princess; Clarissa's ARM protects the rebels again, enveloping them in a bubble of light that transports them elsewhere while Katrina falls unconscious and overwhelmed on the ground.

Act 3-6

The player party find themselves back at the West Wind Guidepost and trek back to Poliasha, which is in the same condition that it was before being destroyed by the Martial Guard. They then return to the Bandits' Forest and, after coming to the rescue of a woman who turns out to be Clarissa's dead mother Melissa, they realize they have been sent back in time several years.

Act 3-7

Clarissa and company meet up with Melissa in Hanigar, where she tells them she is researching the Yggdrasil System and seeks the Legacy Ruins. She later requests that Chevalet Blanc escort her to Elensia City, which they accept. They are on the road to the capital when they find they must once again defend Melissa from bandits on the Path of the Unjust. The rebels attempt to comprehend the continuity of events, and determine that events are playing out as they are supposed to and thus stop worrying about how their actions affect their future.

Act 3-8

The party arrives in the capital and parts ways with Melissa. A parade in honor of the Founding Day Ceremony happens the next day. Chevalet Blanc then catches wind of a plot to stage a coup by "nationalists" -- dissenting members of the Royal Knights -- who oppose the king's new regimes and have a run in with them during a late-night stakeout. They bump into Hrathnir himself after the battle, and Alexia mourns and finds closure as she has one final conversation with her father. The group then resolves itself to find a way back to its proper time for the sake of their future.

Act 3-9

On the day of the parade, Melissa returns to the capital city with her daughter's younger self, and the two princesses are presented, with Alexia's younger self wearing the exact dress as Clarissa and bearing an uncanny resemblance to her. It is just as the king is addressing his subjects that the remaining members of the splinter group disrupt the parade, and Chevalet Blanc must defend the civilians and the royal family. It is just after they have dispatched the dissenters that the Tormenta Triad appears and attempts to assassinate the princesses; at that moment, Clarissa's ARM reacts to the little princess and triggers the collapse of a nearby building onto the children. The assassins retreat, and the citizens come together to help dig the princesses out from under the rubble.

Act 3-10

Chevalet Blanc find themselves transported back to their own time as a result of Strahl Gewehr's reaction -- this time to Weisheit's secret base -- where he reveals his true identity as Kressen to Felius and seeks vengeance against him for foiling his plot to take over their home Belia Lugos in the dimension of Elw Borea and leaving him stranded on Filgaia when his ship Lombardia exploded.

Act 3-11

Felius is briefly separated from the rest of Chevalet Blanc as he enters confrontation with Weisheit, who intends to use his body-swapping ARM to take over Felius' body in order to pilot Lombardia, as the ship can only be operated by those who hail from their home dimension. Felius' comrades arrive shortly and join him in battle, overpowering Weisheit and forcing him to retreat.

Act 3-12

Felius explains to his acquaintances his origins and history, and how his world was once menaced by Belia Lugos, a purported "Lord of Darkness" who was defeated by himself and his former friends Yulia and Kressen. He recapitulates Kressen's betrayal and subsequent defeat and capture, as well as his escape and hijacking of the Lombardia forcing Felius and Yulia to board escape pods that brought them to Filgaia, leading up to Felius meeting the Arwin family and being adopted by them. He then goes onto explain how Kressen became "Weisheit the Death Merchant" by using technical knowledge inherited from Belia Lugos to create war technology such as the black ARMs and profiting from it. Weisheit returns after quick convalescence from the battle and reveals the purpose and acronym behind the ancient ARMs -- Automated Resurrection Machines -- accessing the lost technology to evolve his own inventions, including Asgard, who he then sends to eliminate all of Chevalet Blanc sans Felius. It is during the battle that Weisheit sends reinforcement golems to overwhelm the party, and plans to use the mass-produced golems to invade and take over Elw Borea. He then tells Clarissa that he destroyed all archives of the Yggdrasil System, which her mother Melissa was researching to stop Filgaia from decaying, enraging her and filling her with grief. Chevalet Blanc successfully dispatches the golem army, and Felius swings at Weisheit only to realize the form standing before him is now a hologram and that the real Weisheit has fled the scene yet again.

Act 3-13

Felius proposes to sacrifices himself to protect Chevalet Blanc and Filgaia from Weisheit's ambitions, though his comrades talk him out of it. Another battle with Weisheit's golems ensures shortly after, and Weisheit himself is waiting outside his base to ambush them. In desperation, Weisheit tries to barter with information on the Legacy Ruins and Yggdrasil System in exchange for Felius, an offer Clarissa shoots down without hesitation. Exhausted from battle, Weisheit finally collapses on the ground and his body disappears into light.

Act 4: Searching for the Future

Act 4-1

Chevalet Blanc reaches the town of Santanica on their way back to the capitol, where Labyrinthia elects to take Charlton by surprise. They travel through The Quiet Sands, a path through the desert, where they have yet another encounter with Edna in her carriage, who is being protected by the Tormenta Triad as she is on her way to collect taxes from the residents of Santanica. She slips away yet again while the Triad battles Chevalet Blanc. Meanwhile, Princess Katrina suffers as a result of the botched ritual, hearing voices and becoming deeply agitated. She begs Eisen for help, yet he ignores her pleas.

Act 4-2

Rupert and his Martial Guardsmen intercept Chevalet Blanc on Boot Hill, as he recalls the first time he witnessed Clarissa's mother wield the sword and coveted it for himself. A battle ensues, and Rupert begins to flee as reinforcements arrive. Edna makes it back to the castle, haranguing the Tormenta Triad as they report their defeat by the rebel group to her. After sending them to assassinate the group, a now paranoid Edna considers murdering Princess Katrina.

Act 4-3

Enda confers with Charlton, who sends the Zortroa Kinship to stall the encroaching rebels and intends to use his necromancy to fight them personally. Chevalet Blanc encounters the tribe in The Flatwoods, and Ragnar attempts to appeal to Chelle as the two parties do battle, though she feels she cannot change her way of life. At the palace, Edna comes into Katrina's room with a knife to kill her, moving to stab her when the young girl becomes protected and possessed by a menacing and sadistic entity. Edna begs for her life in a cowardly manner, and Katrina, having a drastic shift in personality, humors her.

Act 4-4

Rupert reports his defeat by Chevalet Blanc to Charlton, with Eisen present, and Rupert relieves him of his command and puts out a warrant for his arrest. Rupert attacks Charlton in retaliation, but Eisen defends the chairman with ease, with Charlton heavily implying that one of Weisheit's inventions is controlling the captain. Edna enters the stage at this moment with Katrina in tow, proclaiming that she has sent the Tormenta Triad to stave off the rebels, and Charlton and Rupert take note of Katrina's aberrant behavior. The Triad does intercept them at Rasalom Keep, creating doppelgangers of themselves for battle, though they are still soundly defeated. Finding themselves at the mercy of Chevalet Blanc, they are humbled when the rebels spare them, retreating after receiving a lecture from Labyrinthia about the flaws in their Darwinian philosophy. Later that evening, Rupert plans to flee the kingdom of Elesius, while recalling the very day he tricked Clarissa as a child in order to get close to her mother and murder her for Iskender Bey.

Act 4-5

Charlton has set in motion what he calls the "Darkness Tear" ritual, which he claims will be complete in another 3 days, while allowing Rupert to get away as a decoy for the rebels. Back at Rasalom Keep, Chevalet Blanc has captured a pair of scouts from the Martial Guard who claim to be deserters. They inform Clarissa that even Rupert has fled, heading to Port Atraige to escape the country. She recalls the day Rupert used his words to trick her and she triggered Strahl Gewer for the first time and, with encouragement from her comrades, they take a detour and catch up to him at the docks. In the following battle, Alexia bars Rupert's escape route and they clash swords; Alexia is momentarily disarmed but picks up Iskender Bey, which she is able to activate and defeats Rupert, who falls into the water and drowns. The Arwin siblings allow Alexia to keep the sword, which she accepts.

Act 4-6

Chevalet Blanc finally returns to Elensia City, where the Zortroa are waiting for them and a battle ensues right away. The remnants of the Martial Guard join the fray, and Charlton is about to activate the ritual that will kill all combatants when Katrina stops him. She wishes to revel in their fear, and briefly appears near the battlefield, using her new powers to disorient the drifters by blinding them. The battlefield becomes full of panic and disorder, and Edna and Charlton prepare to make their getaway. The rebel group advances further into the palace when they are cordoned by the Eisen and the Royal Knights, who are clearly not themselves. Upon defeat, the knights come back to their senses and Alexia proves her identity by sharing sensitive information and disguising it as a lecture. The knights depart in shame, and Alexia addresses the masses from inside the castle, pronouncing her return to loyal and exhilarated subjects.

Act 4-7

A week after Chevalet Blanc has retaken the castle, and peace and stability begin to return to Elesius, the group heads out to track down the remaining members of the Council and find the missing Princess Katrina. Clarissa's party turns to Lefas Corner to ask around and gather information, where they receive a tip about Schnell Ruins, where they find Charlton and Edna hiding out, plotting to attack the capital with an army of the undead. As they fight his horde of zombies, the Royal Knights arrive to lend their aid, and Charlton retreats. The knights then attack Chevalet Blanc, declaring themselves to rebels, and seeking to die in battle as atonement for attacking the Princess while they under Charlton's control. Levin chastises his father for trying to throw his life away, and Alexia reinstates the Royal Knights.

Act 4-8

Further into the ruins, the Zortroa has a final, fatal confrontation with Chevalet Blanc. Ragnar finally gets through to Chelle Chelle, though she collapses, and possibly dies. Piedras Blancas turns into a monster, and Clarissa's group is forced to slay him.

Act 4-9

Chevalet Blanc travels further into the Schnell Ruins, through an underground cave with lava, where they have a final showdown with the Tormenta Triad as their ideals continue to clash. Labyrinthia is able to sway the Triad with her words, earning their respect. The cave begins to collapse, and Labyrinthia's life is saved by the brothers, who sacrifice themselves to save the ones who proved stronger than them. Edna has a conniption over being cornered as Chevalet Blanc begins to close in, and Charlton -- fed up and disgusted with her - throttles her and derides her selfish and cowardly character and pretentions of being a noble. As Charlton exits the room, Katrina reveals to Edna that she could sense how afraid Charlton is of Alexia, which prompts Edna to scheme against Charlton.

Act 4-10

Chevalet Blanc makes it back outside unharmed, where they are greeted by Katrina, where they notice her newly sinister demeanor for the first time. She summons demons to attack her sister and her friends with the intent or terrorizing them. Chevalet Blanc is careful not to hurt Katrina, but she swoons and another, larger monster resembling a black bird is exorcised from her body and attacks. It possesses Katrina all over again, and expresses through her a desire to fill the entire planet with fear before disappearing.

Act 4-11

Clarissa comforts Alexia for a moment before Charlton appears again, fighting Chevalet Blanc before causing the ground beneath them to collapse and trapping them in an underground temple. When they reach him again, he is about to sic another undead army on them when his grimoire suddenly malfunctions. Edna then reveals she tore pages out of his book to sabotage him, gloating about how she is going to expatriate with the stolen treasury while he is busy with Chevalet Blanc and the zombies that will begin to attack him now that he cannot control them. Charlton dies in battle, and his spellbook is destroyed. Chevalet Blanc resurfaces a second time to find a hole in the sky, which Felius recognizes as a dimensional gate.

Final Act: When Flowers Once Again Bloom

Final Act 1

Alexia tries to evacuate the kingdom after the hole has hung in the sky for several days, when Eisen informs her that his Royal Knights found a hideout belonging to Weisheit at Mt. Urartu, located directly beneath the wormhole. They were investigating reports of a dragon-like mechanical ship -- the Lombardia -- when Weisheit used an ARM to control Eisen and the knights. The group determines that Weisheit/Kressen is still alive, and goes to investigate. Chevalet Blanc reaches the Foothills of No Return to find Weisheit waiting for them, and he announces his plan to use the wormhole to link the worlds of Filgaia and Elw Borea together, destroying both. He then demands Felius' body once again, explaining that his own ARM allows him to inject his consciousness into other living bodies and take over their personalities. The party defeats Weisheit again, and Felius delivers what seems to be the coup de grace to Weisheit as he lunges at Felius to try and overtake his body, fading away face down in the snow. The group resolves to help Felius seal the gate and save both worlds.

Final Act 2

Chevalet Blanc advances up the mountain, reaching the Trail to the Summit as tremors begin to shake Filgaia. Monsters begin to mutate and reality begins to fall apart, and Felius dictates that the only way to close the gate is to find his ship Lombardia and use a device onboard to seal the tear. Weisheit has managed to survive yet again, and appears before Edna as she is fleeing for the boarder. He uses his ARM to take over her body, overwriting her mind and basically "killing" Edna.

Final Act 3

Weisheit in Edna's body transports back to Mt. Urartu and goes back on his plan to destroy Filgaia, seeming to have overcome his earlier madness. He is approached by Katrina, who doesn't realize what has happened to Edna and unceremoniously obliterates Weisheit. The player party reaches Silver Peaks at this very moment, and the Fear Clysmian leaves her body to attack Chevalet Blanc. They fought hard, and yet the demon revives, declaring that it will keep coming back as long as it is able to feed on the fear of humanity.

Final Act 4

Alexia opts to cancel out the Clysmian's power with that of the Guardians, attempting and failing to use her mediumship. Clarissa joins hands with the princess and helps her to successfully summon the Guardian's providence together, harming the Clysmian and forcing it to merge with Katrina's body and take on a larger form. Chevalet Blanc slays the creature several times over in response to its constant regeneration, and Tony leaps to protect the group, mysteriously nullifying the Clysmian's power. Baffled by the heroes' tenacity, the Fear Clymian finds itself intimidated, losing its power and dying as Katrina sacrifices herself to save everyone. As the rift worsens, Felius hastens to reach Lombardia, with Clarissa's insisting to go with him. The vessel lifts off into the air, and Felius determines the only way to close the gate is to blow up the ship's generators. He tricks Clarissa into getting into an escape pod and, after a tearful goodbye, ejects her to safety and causes the explosion.

Epilogue

Chevalet Blanc disbands; Alexia abolishes the monarchy, Levin helps his father Eisen to restore peace and stability to Elesius. Labyrinthia becomes a private school teacher, and Ragnar travels the world to give alms to people who are suffering and recovering from war and poverty. Clarissa, with Tony in tow, continues her mother's work researching the Yggdrasil System and hoping to one day see Felius again.

Characters

The Heroes

• Clarissa Arwin: The leader of Chevalet Blanc. She wields an odd, pistol-like ARM as a weapon. She is the pigtailed girl in the game's logo; her hairstyle and outfits change many times throughout the game.

• Felius Arwin: Clarissa's guardian and brother. A blue-haired man who never leaves Clarissa's side.

• Labyrinthia Wordsworth: Formerly the king's magician and tutor for the royal family, she had been branded a terrorist and is on the run by the time Clarissa and Felius meet her.

• Tony: A white, crossbreed dog/wolf owned by Labrynthia.

• Levin Brenton: A master of blade and magic who has a crush on Clarissa, though she doesn't show any interest in him.

• Ragnar Blitz Lebrett: A mercenary, formerly of the Martial Guard. He is determined to 'destroy' Elesius for reasons unknown.

The Council of Elder Statesmen

• Charlton Blunt He is the head of the Council and runs the kingdom while the king is ill. Methodical and logical.

• Edna Warren A member of the Council and Head Abbot of the Church of Elesius. Self-centered and power hungry.

• Rupert Dandridge A mercenary; He is the head of the Martial Guard. Cocky and arrogant. He stole the sword Iskender Bey from Clarissa.

• Weisheit Known as the Merchant of Death and advisor to Charlton. S/he is enigmatic and androgynous.

The Royal Family and Court

• King Hrathnir III and unable to rule the kingdom. As a ruler he tried to male Elesius less aggressive and more peaceful.
• Alexia Lynn Elesius: The eldest princess in the kingdom of Elesius; beloved by the people. Presumed dead.
• Princess Katrina: Younger daughter. Quiet and uncertain. She is unable to understand the concept of fear.
• Eisen Brenton: Leader of the King's Royal Guard and Levin's father. He is bound his own sense of honor and accepts the Council of Elder Statesmen with reluctance.

Other Characters

• Piedras Blancas: Aged leader of the Zortroa Tribe. He has lost his voice and can only murmur.

• Chelle: Aide to Piedras. She understands Piedras and serves as his translator.

• Melissa Arwin: Mother of Clarissa; deceased. She was a researcher searching ancient ruins for methods of restoring Filgaia.

• Yulia: A girl Felius once swore to protect.

• Kressen: A man who is an old advesary of Felius.

• Asgard: A golem under the command of Weisheit.

Gameplay

Wild Arms XF is a 2D turn-based tactical role playing game, creating a gameplay experience somewhere between Dungeons and Dragons and chess. Players are given control of a small squad of characters (six or less) and placed on a grid-based map resembling a geographical location (a swamp, a town, a river), upon which they fight battles to progress through the game. As with most T/RPGs, positional advantage can be critical to victory, and players are encouraged to outmaneuver their enemies as well as outgun them. The game emphasizes positioning and maneuvering by the inclusion of "Formation Arts," which increase attack damage when an enemy is surrounded by your characters in a line, a triangle or a circle. Wild Arms XF is a member of the small subsection of T/RPGs whose battlefields are based around hexagonal tiles instead of squares. "Combination Arts" return from previous Wild ARMs titles, allowing characters to target an enemy in a waiting state and then deliver their attacks simultaneously with the next ally to attack their target. If the player succeeds in executing an uninterrupted series of commands, the damage inflicted upon enemies will increase significantly. On the other hand, the enemy gets the same advantage.

Like most T/RPGs, XF gives the player precision control over the composition and fighting style of their army. The player is given control of several plot-critical characters, and can additionally hire generic "Drifters" to strengthen their ranks. All characters (except one, a dog) have access to the game's "Class system," which allows them to change into different character classes outside of combat; each class comes with various "Skills", which allow them to perform different combat roles (offensive spellcasting, healing, item use, damage-dealing, etc.). Skills consist of a set of "Original Commands," active abilities which require MP to use, followed by a series of passive bonuses which help add character to the class. Drifters have access only to the basic 16 classes, but unique/plot-critical characters also have personal classes. The true depth of the system, however, is that it allows players to mix-and-match Skills. Each battle won provides Experience points and also "Class Skill Points", which allow characters to permanently learn Skills from their current class. The player can then fill each character's Skill Slots with those permanently-learned Skills, no matter what Class that character currently is, allowing (for instance) the item-wielding Gadgeteer to wield an Elementalist's magic spells and/or passive bonuses, or vice versa. The number of available Skill Slots increases with the character's level, allowing a wide variety of customization.

Before battle begins, the player can gather important pieces of information by looking at Labyrinthia's "Direct Event Report". This report informs the player about the current status, the forecast future status, and conditions for victory. Players are allowed to "Give Up" the battle and try again from scratch at any time, and indeed are expected to do so; battles in XF are in some ways more akin to puzzles than straightforward combat, and at least one fan-written game guide provides instruction on a very specific turn-by-turn basis. This is underlined by the addition of a third meter in addition to Hit points and Magic points: "Vitality Points," which are reduced every turn by an amount equal to the "Weight" of the character's equipment and items. Once their VP are expended in this way, the Weight penalty is subtracted from the character's HP instead until only 1 remains. This imposes a time limit on battles, as protracted skirmishes will eventually be reduced to "sudden death" in this way. Furthermore, some battles have turn limits, which yield Game-Overs if the player fails accomplish all objectives within that time; and a few are stealth-based sneaking missions involving pure maneuvering.

Outside of battle, the player can travel around the "world map" of the nation of Elesius, visiting towns and conversing with townsfolk, employing or dismissing Drifters, and purchasing consumable items and weaponry. Existing equipment can be strengthened at "Synthesis" shops, a system which almost entirely replaces the RPG-standard method of the next town conveniently carrying the next-strongest phase of gear. The player can voluntarily fight skirmishes with local monsters for level-grinding purposes. Finally, a New Game Plus feature exists, allowing the player to keep all (non-plot-critical) money, items and equipment; character levels are not retained, but battles yield double their normal amount of Experience points.

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Job Class System

Characters in the Wild ARMs main series have usually had their own unique way of fighting in battle that could be described as a character class. In Wild ARMs XF the class system is more formal and structured. Each of the character carries an ARM that can download various job classes and allow that character instant access to each downloaded class. You cannot switch classes during the course of a battle but are given the oppourtunity to change clases on the world map or in the prepreation phase before a battle. Classes will alter the battle parameters of a character but will not have a perminant affect on their parameters or growth.

Each class has up to four Original Commands and a series of personal skills. Original Commands are skills that can be used in the battlefield such as special physical attacks, magic spells, parameter altering abilities, etc.,. Personal Skills are attributes that are automatically activated during the course of battle such as an increased likelyhood of critical attacks or healing MP when guarding. As the character gains more Class Points (CSP) they will be able to use an amount of these original skills and personal skills while being in different classes allowing for diverse and versitile characters.

Each character listed in the "Hero" section has a unique class that only they can access in addition to the general classes. Drifters hired at bars and inns can only choose from general classes. At the beginning of the game there are only four general classes available but many more are obtained over the course of the game.

Character Exclusive Classes

For full details on a class please see their corresponding pages.

• Dandelion Shot Clarissa only. A class with an unlimited straight-line attack range. Generally better suited to support than attacking, but has attack skills that can prove formidable at times.
• Halberdier Felius only. A class with high attack power and endurance. Dishes out counterattacks more frequently when surrounded by enemies.
• Arcanist Labrynthia only. A class with magic spells useful in a variety of situations. Weak on physical attacks, but has skills to counterbalence that deficit.
• Crossbreed Tony only. Cannot use Originals, equipment or items, but has decent attack, life, and high movement.
• Martial MageLevin only. An agile class capable of moving rapidly about the battlefield. Has Originals which can be highly useful against certain opponents.
• Stormrider Ragnar only. A class suited to battle in wide-open areas. Can easily dodge enemy attacks, and has the ability to attack several times in a row.
• Royal Fencer A class capable of landing powerful hits with certainty, aided by a high rate of skill activation.

General Character Classes

• Secutor A class suited to physical attacks, with high ATK (attack power) rating. Can equip swords, axes and shields.
• Elementalist A class suited to magic attacks, with high MAG (magic power) rating. Can use elemental attack spells.
• Fantastica A class suited to battle support, with the ability to raise allies' and lower enemies' parameters when adjacent. Can use support magic.
• Gadgeteer A class suited to item use. Can equip more items than other classes, and can use items on a wider area.
• Sentinel A class suited to defence against physical attacks, with a high DEF (defence power) rating. Can reduce the movement range of enemies, and has its own special attack abilities.
• Sacred Slayer A class suited to defence against magic attacks, with a hight RES (magic resistance) rating. Can use healing spells and skills that damage undead enemies.
• Excavator A class with the ability to find hidden itesm. Including one in your party can help fill out your item list.
• Geomancer A class that can see ley points (HEXes with elemental properties) and use skills that affect units' positions and elemental properties. Can move without guard to the movement cost of different land types.
• Berserker A class that can use spears to attack two HEXes in a row. Limited to straight-line movement, but has a high MOV (movement range) rating and can charge rapidly into battle.
• Enigmancer A class with high MP that can use wide-area attack magic as well as support spells. Has the ability to prevent allies from being damaged by wide-area attack skills.
• Strider A class with high AIM (accuracy) and CLM (climbing) ratings, which uses bows and arrows for attack. Has the ability to see and disarm traps.
• Grappler A class with high VP that can surivve even drawn-out battles. Can use throwing attacks that gain strength based on the enemey's WGT rating.
• Nightstalker A class with a high RFX (speed) rating, giving it frequent turns in battle. Has counterattack and avoidance skills that can thwart an enemy's attack plan.
• Emulator A class that can download enemy abilities, which can then be used freely. Also has skills with mitigate the high MP cost of enemy abilities.
• Extremist A class suited to evading enemy attacks, with a high EVA (evasion) rating. Has skills that can be used for various effects in battle.
• High Cavalier A class with high HP that can survive almost any battle. Has skills and Orininals that are useful in many circumstances.

Merchandise

Game Guides

Master Guide

Master Guide

Dengeki Playstation published a Japanese-language Master Guide for Crossfire on August 9, 2007 with 223 pages.

Complete Guide

Complete Guide front cover

Complete Guide back cover

On October 1, 2007, Kadokawa published a Japanese-language Complete Guide for Wild Arms Crossfire, containing 655 pages.

Soundtrack

Album booklet cover

The official score for the game was released on August 29, 2007 called Wild Arms XF Original Soundtrack, composed by members of Elements Garden (Noriyasu Agematsu, etc.) in collaboration with series veteran Michiko Naruke. Some arrangement was done by Masato Kouda and vocals were provided by Kaori Oda.

Comic

A five-chapter manga was released, drawn by Karin Suzuragi and containing epilogue of a 11-year time skip and reunion of the members of Chevalet Blanc, including Felius Arwin whose fate was left ambiguous in the game's ending.

References

• Wild Arms XF official webpage (Archived)