Wild Arms 2 is a role-playing game that involves the player controlling several characters as they progress through a number of environments, battle enemies, and solve puzzles.

In order to advance, the player must overcome a number of story-based scenarios and sequences that involving navigating through dungeons while fighting monsters and other enemies that appear randomly every few steps.

Progressively more powerful armor and weapons can be purchased for each character from specialized shops in towns throughout the world, and new skills can be learned to help the player complete tougher challenges.

These items are obtained at certain points in the game, and allow hidden areas or pathways to be discovered, as well as destroy objects and solve puzzles.

Tools such as Brad's "kick boots" allow him to move large objects by hitting them, and Lilka's fire wand allows the player to light torches and activate switches from afar.

Tim uses "Pooka", a guide which can unlock secret "medium" powers, as well as Air Ballet and Mist Cloak.

Ashley and Brad, each firearm users, can use powerful attacks based on whatever weaponry the player has collected throughout the course of the game, while Lilka, a magician, can conjure a variety of spells to either aid party members by curing wounds or damage enemies with harmful magic.

Wild Arms 2 is set in the world of Filgaia, a planet with science fiction, steampunk, and traditional fantasy elements such as magic and demons.

Other forms of high technology such as aircraft, motorized vehicles, and radio devices also appear, though some of their usage is attributed to magic rather than science.

The playable characters consist of six heroes (Ashley Winchester, Lilka Eleniak, Brad Evans, Tim Rhymeless, Kanon, and Marivel Armitage) who are called upon by a wealthy benefactor to put an end to the terrorist organization Odessa, the game's principal adversaries.

Irving Vold Valeria, the leader of ARMS, introduces Marivel in the beginning of the game, and her true form is shown at the "Memory Maze", where the Sword Magess Anastasia reveals herself to Ashley.

After accepting, Ashley meets the other two people selected for ARMS: Lilka Eleniak, a girl in training to be a Crest Sorceress, and Brad Evans, an ex-war hero turned criminal.

[6] Eric Bracher of NextGen called it "An adequate title, but one that doesn't have as much to offer as competitors such as Vagrant Story or Alundra 2.

[10] Four-Eyed Dragon of GamePro said, "Wild Arms 2 returns to the classic role-playing style where story and character-building are at the heart of the gameplay.