Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Moments: Wild Arms 4’s Raquel Finds Something Beautiful
One of the most beautiful stories I've experienced is Raquel Applegate's from the 2006 role-playing game Wild Arms 4. The PlayStation 2 title lets Raquel shine as a strong character; not only is she your most powerful party member, but she is also by the far the most mature of the cast. Raquel is standoffish and mysterious when you first meet her, but soon you uncover why she won't let anybody in.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead from the ending. Read at your own risk.
Raquel has an incurable illness and is slowly dying.
Raquel's sickness isn't why her story is different or emotional. Her attitude about her unfortunate circumstance is what makes her tale so respectable and moving. Not knowing how much time she has, Raquel resolves to find beauty in the world. She wants fond memories to overshadow the cruelty of war's destruction. She may be set on finding beautiful locations to replace her painful memories, but she finds beauty in an unexpected place: By falling in love with her polar opposite, Arnaud. What's most refreshing about Raquel and Arnaud's relationship is how Arnaud changes during the journey because of her. He starts off extremely self-centered, but then slowly becomes a more empathetic and thoughtful person from his interactions with Raquel. Raquel's resistance to let anyone know about her illness and finally open up to Arnaud is well-paced, making the revelation all the more emotional.
However, it's the ending where Raquel's message hits the hardest and features Wild Arm 4's most defining moment. Arnaud and Raquel depart from the group to search for a cure, and we're left to think that maybe there's a shining ray of hope in this sad tale. The timeline flashes forward 10 years and we find out Raquel discovered her pinnacle of beauty: Having a daughter with Arnaud. Then sadly, we learn a cure was never found and Raquel's illness took her.
As her fate flashed across the screen, a poignant feeling rushed over me. So many times in games we see characters overcome the worst of odds, but Wild Arms 4 takes a realistic turn and makes a statement about life. Who knows how much time we have? In the end, Raquel represents accepting life's harsh realities and making the most of it. Not only does Raquel change Arnaud for the better, but she creates a new life by giving birth to her daughter. She also never reacts bitterly about her illness, and her determination to give her life meaning is inspiring. Her story sent such a powerful message, something that rang true to real life. After all, aren't we all searching for beauty amongst life's ugliness?
Watch Raquel confront her weakness with Arnaud’s support:
The ending discussing Raquel's fate, jump to the 2:30 mark:
(Credit for videos: SplitPlaythru)
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
