Baten Kaitos: Endless Creativity and the Lost Franchise.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 8/10 (Great)
Baten Kaitos. I have a lot to say about this game, and I will do my best to explain why this title, this series, is so special. It is one of the most unique examples of its genre out there, and especially for those have become fans of Monolith Soft’s more recent work, absolutely something that should be checked out. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is one of the most boundlessly creative, unique, innovative, charming, and fun role playing adventures I have ever, ever played. It is classic Monolith Soft, and through their collaboration with tri-Crescendo, an example of how incredibly talented and imaginative their worlds can be, a perfect representation of how despite perceptions, they are a team of passionate creatives that would do much better than being chained to Xeno purgatory until the end of time.
The title of Baten Kaitos itself is a symbol of the grand imagination and creativity that makes the series so artful, and a perfect fit for the little Cube that could, where it was released in 2003. Much of the game's world revolves around the idea of a lost ocean, swallowed by an evil god, and iconography of whales who were once guardians of the ocean. The sky islands themselves, the remains of the old world, are also known as Whales. This is because the name 'Baten Kaitos' itself is an Arabic phrase that loosely translates to 'sea beast's belly'. The other aspect of the name is the star Zeta Ceti, otherwise known as Baten Kaitos, in the constellation of Cetus. The game features plenty of star symbolism and icons, including a collectible-based side quest that involves rebuilding a star map. The series also implies the Baten Kaitos games are set in our universe, around the titular star itself, 235 light-years away. If the game reminds you of Chrono Cross, it should! Yasuyuki Honne, who also worked on the models of the Bionis and Mechonis that inspired Xenoblade Chronicles, did the environmental art for both Chrono Cross and Baten Kaitos, and served as co-director on this title too. Masato Kato, writer on Chrono Cross, was also hired to write Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean. Despite the game's age, it has not aged all that poorly due to its linearity, which makes it incredibly hard to get lost for the majority of the game.
The battle system is one of a kind; it was not done before, and it has not been replicated since. A turn based role playing game, it spices things up by combining it with elements of card games. Each attack and defensive item in the game is presented as a card, with each party member having their own customisable deck that the player can optimise and build for the occasion. Complex combos can be assembled by flicking the right stick (C Stick on GameCube) in the direction of a number depicted on the card in order to assemble pairs and straights, which will boost the potency of a player's string. It is so much fun. While some might find issue in the random hands your characters end up with, I believe it enhances the experience, and there are still JRPGs released even today which don't have basic options like a Guard/Defend command. At least here, it is played into. Also, you can use Pac-Man as AN ATTACK! HUH?! BWAH!? The item aging mechanic, where certain Magnus's transform depending on how long they've been in your inventory, can occasionally be frustrating, which I've accounted for.
The music is incredible. It is Motoi Sakuraba's best work on a game in this genre and style, bar none, in my honest opinion. Better than Golden Sun, better than Star Ocean, and miles better than Tales. Every single battle and boss battle track is an absolute delight, and the overworld and dungeon themes are so beautifully orchestrated. Not only is it a top 10 RPG soundtrack, it might be a top 10 video game soundtrack for me, period. The world itself is filled with wonder and creativity, especially the fourth sky island. From a village made entirely of candy, to a location themed around Namco's Tower of Druaga, to a town that looks like it was ripped out of a picture book, Baten Kaitos is filled with fascinating and beautiful locations, with newly redrawn gorgeous HD assets for this remaster. The characters themselves are fun, with Kalas standing out as a highlight, though I really appreciated Lyude's arc. I loved the unique perspective of playing through a self-insert in the most literal sense, as Kalas’s Guardian Spirit. You're encouraged to even name this spirit after yourself, as a breaking of the screen barrier between game and player, further including and immersing the player in the world of Baten Kaitos. The story in its own right, while in some ways simple at least to start with, is well crafted with an amazing twist. I have not yet completed the game, but I have played most of it, and enough to form an opinion on it.
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is an amazing game, and still to this day one of Monolith Soft's most underrated triumphs. It is a game that never ceases to amaze with its endless creativity, and is a shining example of what younger Japanese developers can achieve when given the reins. It is a shame Baten Kaitos continues to remain obscure and underappreciated, even when made available on the (currently) third best-selling console of all time. I am not sure whether to blame Bandai Namco for their marketing (or lack of it), or for most Monolith Soft 'fans' not caring about anything that doesn't have Xeno in the title. I for one would love to see this remaster sell well enough for Bandai Namco to at least be open to talking to Monolith Soft and Nintendo about a third entry, but given the franchise's long absence, continued low sales, and the prior cancellations of Baten Kaitos DS and 3, I'm not holding my breath. I'll admit, and get it out there right away, I did not play the original GameCube releases of Baten Kaitos. I am only able to judge this remaster based on the content as it is presented to me now. Issues with the removal of the low quality English voice acting aside, which I would have liked if it was at least kept as an option, and some slight technical stutters that really shouldn’t be there for remasters of sixth-generation games, the game is still fantastic. I just wish Bandai Namco had done it more justice.
Baten Kaitos remains a hidden gem of its genre, something filled to the brim with pure imagination and love for its craft, and an example of what has made Monolith Soft such a beloved and respected developer, despite the obscurity of their non-Xeno products. There is nothing else like it and there probably never will be. I love this game. I love Baten Kaitos.
Original Score Before Backloggd Rounding: 8/10 (Great)
Baten Kaitos. I have a lot to say about this game, and I will do my best to explain why this title, this series, is so special. It is one of the most unique examples of its genre out there, and especially for those have become fans of Monolith Soft’s more recent work, absolutely something that should be checked out. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is one of the most boundlessly creative, unique, innovative, charming, and fun role playing adventures I have ever, ever played. It is classic Monolith Soft, and through their collaboration with tri-Crescendo, an example of how incredibly talented and imaginative their worlds can be, a perfect representation of how despite perceptions, they are a team of passionate creatives that would do much better than being chained to Xeno purgatory until the end of time.
The title of Baten Kaitos itself is a symbol of the grand imagination and creativity that makes the series so artful, and a perfect fit for the little Cube that could, where it was released in 2003. Much of the game's world revolves around the idea of a lost ocean, swallowed by an evil god, and iconography of whales who were once guardians of the ocean. The sky islands themselves, the remains of the old world, are also known as Whales. This is because the name 'Baten Kaitos' itself is an Arabic phrase that loosely translates to 'sea beast's belly'. The other aspect of the name is the star Zeta Ceti, otherwise known as Baten Kaitos, in the constellation of Cetus. The game features plenty of star symbolism and icons, including a collectible-based side quest that involves rebuilding a star map. The series also implies the Baten Kaitos games are set in our universe, around the titular star itself, 235 light-years away. If the game reminds you of Chrono Cross, it should! Yasuyuki Honne, who also worked on the models of the Bionis and Mechonis that inspired Xenoblade Chronicles, did the environmental art for both Chrono Cross and Baten Kaitos, and served as co-director on this title too. Masato Kato, writer on Chrono Cross, was also hired to write Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean. Despite the game's age, it has not aged all that poorly due to its linearity, which makes it incredibly hard to get lost for the majority of the game.
The battle system is one of a kind; it was not done before, and it has not been replicated since. A turn based role playing game, it spices things up by combining it with elements of card games. Each attack and defensive item in the game is presented as a card, with each party member having their own customisable deck that the player can optimise and build for the occasion. Complex combos can be assembled by flicking the right stick (C Stick on GameCube) in the direction of a number depicted on the card in order to assemble pairs and straights, which will boost the potency of a player's string. It is so much fun. While some might find issue in the random hands your characters end up with, I believe it enhances the experience, and there are still JRPGs released even today which don't have basic options like a Guard/Defend command. At least here, it is played into. Also, you can use Pac-Man as AN ATTACK! HUH?! BWAH!? The item aging mechanic, where certain Magnus's transform depending on how long they've been in your inventory, can occasionally be frustrating, which I've accounted for.
The music is incredible. It is Motoi Sakuraba's best work on a game in this genre and style, bar none, in my honest opinion. Better than Golden Sun, better than Star Ocean, and miles better than Tales. Every single battle and boss battle track is an absolute delight, and the overworld and dungeon themes are so beautifully orchestrated. Not only is it a top 10 RPG soundtrack, it might be a top 10 video game soundtrack for me, period. The world itself is filled with wonder and creativity, especially the fourth sky island. From a village made entirely of candy, to a location themed around Namco's Tower of Druaga, to a town that looks like it was ripped out of a picture book, Baten Kaitos is filled with fascinating and beautiful locations, with newly redrawn gorgeous HD assets for this remaster. The characters themselves are fun, with Kalas standing out as a highlight, though I really appreciated Lyude's arc. I loved the unique perspective of playing through a self-insert in the most literal sense, as Kalas’s Guardian Spirit. You're encouraged to even name this spirit after yourself, as a breaking of the screen barrier between game and player, further including and immersing the player in the world of Baten Kaitos. The story in its own right, while in some ways simple at least to start with, is well crafted with an amazing twist. I have not yet completed the game, but I have played most of it, and enough to form an opinion on it.
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is an amazing game, and still to this day one of Monolith Soft's most underrated triumphs. It is a game that never ceases to amaze with its endless creativity, and is a shining example of what younger Japanese developers can achieve when given the reins. It is a shame Baten Kaitos continues to remain obscure and underappreciated, even when made available on the (currently) third best-selling console of all time. I am not sure whether to blame Bandai Namco for their marketing (or lack of it), or for most Monolith Soft 'fans' not caring about anything that doesn't have Xeno in the title. I for one would love to see this remaster sell well enough for Bandai Namco to at least be open to talking to Monolith Soft and Nintendo about a third entry, but given the franchise's long absence, continued low sales, and the prior cancellations of Baten Kaitos DS and 3, I'm not holding my breath. I'll admit, and get it out there right away, I did not play the original GameCube releases of Baten Kaitos. I am only able to judge this remaster based on the content as it is presented to me now. Issues with the removal of the low quality English voice acting aside, which I would have liked if it was at least kept as an option, and some slight technical stutters that really shouldn’t be there for remasters of sixth-generation games, the game is still fantastic. I just wish Bandai Namco had done it more justice.
Baten Kaitos remains a hidden gem of its genre, something filled to the brim with pure imagination and love for its craft, and an example of what has made Monolith Soft such a beloved and respected developer, despite the obscurity of their non-Xeno products. There is nothing else like it and there probably never will be. I love this game. I love Baten Kaitos.
Buenas ideas lastradas por unos personajes con poca chicha y picos de dificultad muy cuestionables.
Monolith iría a mejor.
Monolith iría a mejor.
I am so, SO glad I took a chance and played this game.
The story, and the way it connects the player with the delightful cast of characters, goes places I have never seen another game go before. My jaw was on the floor with certain a certain plot twist, and it's pulled off amazingly.
The pre-rendered (pre-painted, I believe?) backgrounds give this game a timeless look... Outside of some awkward character animations. The creativity on display is on another level.
The luck-based element of the deckbuilding combat can be frustrating if you get a crap hand at a critical moment, and there's some frustrating bosses towards the end - the remaster's framerate is insanely spotty too - but those issues are waylaid but just how amazing the game looks, the writing, and the satisfaction of kicking you enemy to the curb with the combat system.
Please, PLEASE give this game a chance if you're even remotely curious or enjoy RPGs - you may just find a new favourite, like I did.
The story, and the way it connects the player with the delightful cast of characters, goes places I have never seen another game go before. My jaw was on the floor with certain a certain plot twist, and it's pulled off amazingly.
The pre-rendered (pre-painted, I believe?) backgrounds give this game a timeless look... Outside of some awkward character animations. The creativity on display is on another level.
The luck-based element of the deckbuilding combat can be frustrating if you get a crap hand at a critical moment, and there's some frustrating bosses towards the end - the remaster's framerate is insanely spotty too - but those issues are waylaid but just how amazing the game looks, the writing, and the satisfaction of kicking you enemy to the curb with the combat system.
Please, PLEASE give this game a chance if you're even remotely curious or enjoy RPGs - you may just find a new favourite, like I did.
بطن القيطس
5 star game, but the remaster's performance leaves a bit to be desired. Erratic framerate jumping between 30-60 and at worst below. Some minour graphical bugs and input delays.
The new battle UI looks nice, but also a lil buggy (ailments icons not going away after recoverying) and the main menu for setting magnus cards, equipping etc looks awesome but has its share of unintuitive design choices. Instead of directly swapping cards in your deck you need to manually discard them to add new ones...and for equipping magnus you need to hotkey with the bumpers instead of having the option to select it on the main menu. It's just odd, but the hotkey implementation is quite nice when you get used to it.
The japanese va which is a big prop for this one and then there's the lack of the english..good news for your poor ear drums, and the alcoholic censorship has a lot of charm and creativity with their name alterings. I for one oh love me some of that wheat tea over a brand of beer..
The sound mixing is top notch and unlike the original the creatures all have their own death screams, as well as some environmental sound effects aren't as overly saturated/compressed as the original. By comparance the sound design is a large improvement.
There's also the extra toggles for no encounters, game speed adjustments in and out-battle which are nice for the impatient ones and for the later sidequesting. A instant kill toggle and finally an auto-battle function which is pure memes and doesn't work well at all.
Underneath it all it's the same beautiful game and you should play if want to try something unique in the jrpg genre. I want these games to be supported, but I'd recommend the original over this one unless you want the japanese cast and spot the differences from the original of which there are plenty minour ones.
Then again. The remasters also include new game plus with hard modes so I'll hold on to that for now.
The new battle UI looks nice, but also a lil buggy (ailments icons not going away after recoverying) and the main menu for setting magnus cards, equipping etc looks awesome but has its share of unintuitive design choices. Instead of directly swapping cards in your deck you need to manually discard them to add new ones...and for equipping magnus you need to hotkey with the bumpers instead of having the option to select it on the main menu. It's just odd, but the hotkey implementation is quite nice when you get used to it.
The japanese va which is a big prop for this one and then there's the lack of the english..good news for your poor ear drums, and the alcoholic censorship has a lot of charm and creativity with their name alterings. I for one oh love me some of that wheat tea over a brand of beer..
The sound mixing is top notch and unlike the original the creatures all have their own death screams, as well as some environmental sound effects aren't as overly saturated/compressed as the original. By comparance the sound design is a large improvement.
There's also the extra toggles for no encounters, game speed adjustments in and out-battle which are nice for the impatient ones and for the later sidequesting. A instant kill toggle and finally an auto-battle function which is pure memes and doesn't work well at all.
Underneath it all it's the same beautiful game and you should play if want to try something unique in the jrpg genre. I want these games to be supported, but I'd recommend the original over this one unless you want the japanese cast and spot the differences from the original of which there are plenty minour ones.
Then again. The remasters also include new game plus with hard modes so I'll hold on to that for now.
The thing that stands out to me the most about this game was it's willingness to do new things. The deckbuilding, the card based battle system, the field magnus, the fact that cards age into other cards, SP combos, the list of things this game was just willing to throw at the wall never really stops. I do think it gets a little long in the tooth towards the end, but overall this game just has a really earnest feel to it that I can't help but respect a ton.
I do wish the remastered version had left the english dub in as an option, because I do have to say that, while the QoL features added (no encounters in particular) are nice, nothing beats the original's hilariously bad English voice acting.
I do wish the remastered version had left the english dub in as an option, because I do have to say that, while the QoL features added (no encounters in particular) are nice, nothing beats the original's hilariously bad English voice acting.
I appreciate how different this game is. It tries an interesting setting with fairly unique gameplay. It has some hits, it has some misses, but is overall a unique package that's worth trying out.
The story follows a land of winged people as they struggle to stop an evil empire from reviving a dead god to destroy the world. It takes some twists and turns along the way but is overall a fairly standard scrappy band saves the world story.
Now the gameplay is where this game shines. The card combat system feels unique as its not just a deck builder, but also tasks you with creating poker hands out of the numbers on your weapon/armor cards for extra bonuses while also holding you to a strict time limit to prevent the combat from taking forever while you pick the ideal card combo. Late game is when this system shines as these bonuses become the majority of your damage and you watch the numbers climb ever higher.
Some downsides to this game however are the card aging system that sees all of your healing food items rot after a set amount of time as well as your consumable key items being that both age and expire the same way and must be refreshed for side quests.
For example, a sidequest asks you for yogurt. You can pick up milk at one location and wait for it to age into yogurt, but you must be quick, because it will then age again into cheese before too long. Managing these consumable key items are a pain the entire game as it makes makes clear what is valuable and worth keeping and what is garbage you should throw away to make space for other items from your limited slots.
The lack of backtracking also makes it frustrating to do sidequests across multiple islands as you wont know when you'll be allowed back and by then your items will have aged into something else you can't use.
A lot of the most annoying parts of this game are optional, so it really is up to you how frustrating a time you have with this game or if you choose to ignore all of that and just enjoy the main story and gameplay for what it is.
The story follows a land of winged people as they struggle to stop an evil empire from reviving a dead god to destroy the world. It takes some twists and turns along the way but is overall a fairly standard scrappy band saves the world story.
Now the gameplay is where this game shines. The card combat system feels unique as its not just a deck builder, but also tasks you with creating poker hands out of the numbers on your weapon/armor cards for extra bonuses while also holding you to a strict time limit to prevent the combat from taking forever while you pick the ideal card combo. Late game is when this system shines as these bonuses become the majority of your damage and you watch the numbers climb ever higher.
Some downsides to this game however are the card aging system that sees all of your healing food items rot after a set amount of time as well as your consumable key items being that both age and expire the same way and must be refreshed for side quests.
For example, a sidequest asks you for yogurt. You can pick up milk at one location and wait for it to age into yogurt, but you must be quick, because it will then age again into cheese before too long. Managing these consumable key items are a pain the entire game as it makes makes clear what is valuable and worth keeping and what is garbage you should throw away to make space for other items from your limited slots.
The lack of backtracking also makes it frustrating to do sidequests across multiple islands as you wont know when you'll be allowed back and by then your items will have aged into something else you can't use.
A lot of the most annoying parts of this game are optional, so it really is up to you how frustrating a time you have with this game or if you choose to ignore all of that and just enjoy the main story and gameplay for what it is.
incredible story, good soundtrack, excellent characters, a very interesting and unique world, setting and visuals, however gameplay was annoying as fuck and some dungeons were stupid, i hope gameplay gets better in Origins
Also it's very buggy but nothing game-breaking, at least i didn't stumble upon anything like that in my playthrough
Also it's very buggy but nothing game-breaking, at least i didn't stumble upon anything like that in my playthrough
I really loved the experience of playing Baten Kaitos.
As someone who couldn't played the original, its great to play one of MonolithSoft master works. The beautiful backgrounds and art style in general, the addictive card gameplay and the tales of Kalas and Xelha really make me realised why Baten Kaitos had a name in Gamecube's era.
And that's why I can't understand why this port was done with such haste that has framerate problems, and it's control of choosing the card's number so erratic sometimes (breaking combos and thus making fighting more tedious). Maybe they weren't as confident that the game wouldn't be played by many, but I think this game deserved more care and (maybe) time.
And even with it's flaws, I think this game deserves an opportunity to anyone who want to experience a good time and play something "refreshing" (if you didn't play it!) in the genre!
As someone who couldn't played the original, its great to play one of MonolithSoft master works. The beautiful backgrounds and art style in general, the addictive card gameplay and the tales of Kalas and Xelha really make me realised why Baten Kaitos had a name in Gamecube's era.
And that's why I can't understand why this port was done with such haste that has framerate problems, and it's control of choosing the card's number so erratic sometimes (breaking combos and thus making fighting more tedious). Maybe they weren't as confident that the game wouldn't be played by many, but I think this game deserved more care and (maybe) time.
And even with it's flaws, I think this game deserves an opportunity to anyone who want to experience a good time and play something "refreshing" (if you didn't play it!) in the genre!