Wild ARMs 5 follows the adventures of Dean Stark, whose greatest ambition is to become a Golem Hunter. Dean is obsessed with these ancient mechanical beings, leading him to discover a golem arm out in the wilderness. While investigating the arm, Dean discovers that it holds a young girl, named Avril, in its grip. The only thing the girl seems to remember is the name, "Johnny Appleseed." Avril is also in possession of two guns, called ARMs, which she gives to Dean when he agrees to help her find the mysterious Johnny Appleseed.
Though the story never reaches to be anything other than just a story, it is a pretty good one. There are a few clichéd moments, as well as some predictable twists, but it manages to keep your interest and provides just enough motivation that you'll want to keep playing. This is due in large part to the character development, which takes place during cutscenes as well as through in-game chatter.
Gameplay follows the traditional RPG structure; you visit towns, check out a few dungeons and fight off a boss or two before saving the world. The only major departure Wild ARMs 5 takes is its battle system. Dubbed the HEX system, battles take place on 7 hexagonal grids. During their turn, characters can move between grid points and attack nearby grids. Allies can stand on the same grid and combine attacks, though both will also take damage if that grid is attacked. Some grid points are colored, denoting an elemental property that characters gain while standing on that grid.
Dungeons are pretty straightforward, though you will encounter a few puzzles. Most puzzles involve using Dean's arms; sometimes he'll have to push boxes, while at other times he'll have to use specific ammo types. Most of the puzzles are fairly simple, though a few later ones are tricky.
Outside the main storyline, you can pursue a number of extra side-quests, including optional bosses or dungeons.