Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean

 GameCube
  • Publisher: Namco
  • Release Date: Nov 16, 2004
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 91 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 76 out of 91
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 91
  3. Negative: 8 out of 91
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  1. TheElusivePossom
    Sep 2, 2005
    8
    Baten Kaitos gets a lot of things right: the soundtrack is brilliant, for starters, being a delicious mix of orchestral splendour and power metal. The pre-rendered backgrounds look great, and the character models suit them well. The battle system is certainly inventive and easy to get into, although perhaps unnecessarily involved (I've almost finished the game, and I haven't Baten Kaitos gets a lot of things right: the soundtrack is brilliant, for starters, being a delicious mix of orchestral splendour and power metal. The pre-rendered backgrounds look great, and the character models suit them well. The battle system is certainly inventive and easy to get into, although perhaps unnecessarily involved (I've almost finished the game, and I haven't paid any attention to the run/pairs combo system). The storyline is pretty well thought out and movement not as linear as some other RPGs. However, the voice-acting is unfortunately dire, but this can be turned off. Also, if you're the kind of person who wants to find everything in a game, then be prepared to take a LOT of pictures early on with the camera Magnus, because you'll kick yourself when you lack the essence of the first boss you faced.… Expand
  2. GouletteD.
    Jan 23, 2005
    10
    This is gamecube masterpiece that every gamecuber must have. Unique and very addictive. Stunning visuals and near-perfect gameplay.
  3. AthrunZ.
    Feb 10, 2005
    10
    Loved. Must have.
  4. AustinR.
    Jul 3, 2005
    10
    I loved it....the graphics were amazing,and the gameplay was great......I LOVE THIS RPG!!!!
  5. CarlC.
    Sep 8, 2006
    10
    Near perfect. Best RPG I've ever played.
  6. KatieH.
    Oct 6, 2007
    9
    The only bad thing about this game are the VOICE ACTORS. Oh my god, it sounds like it was recorded in a toilet bowl.
  7. KilioF.
    Dec 4, 2004
    10
    Great.
  8. JosefW.
    May 18, 2005
    9
    Truly a beautiful game. A Master Piece.
  9. Ellix
    Mar 18, 2005
    8
    This game managed to leave a lasting impression on me due to its amazing graphics, and innovative card battling system (which I originally received mixed reviews from). However the flaw to some is that the story and characters are not the greatest, so someone who isn't very patient and expects tons of plot-twisters and action will be affected negatively. However the story didn't This game managed to leave a lasting impression on me due to its amazing graphics, and innovative card battling system (which I originally received mixed reviews from). However the flaw to some is that the story and characters are not the greatest, so someone who isn't very patient and expects tons of plot-twisters and action will be affected negatively. However the story didn't keep me from having a great experience with this RPG.… Expand
  10. KrystalB.
    Oct 3, 2006
    8
    A delightfully epic and original game, though perhaps at times more original than actually good. Overall, though, definitely a must-play.
  11. Billy
    Dec 28, 2004
    10
    Only other rpg that comes close is tales of symphonia. must buy.
  12. YukiS.
    Nov 3, 2005
    10
    Baten Kaitos is an amazing rpg game that I became obsessed with the moment I watched the intro. The score is amazing and vibrant, ranging from slow classical to speedy almost rock. The graphics are spectacular, and the charactor development takes you in to the game. I admit to throwing pillows at the t.v. when a particurally annoying scene came. The card-style fighting system is Baten Kaitos is an amazing rpg game that I became obsessed with the moment I watched the intro. The score is amazing and vibrant, ranging from slow classical to speedy almost rock. The graphics are spectacular, and the charactor development takes you in to the game. I admit to throwing pillows at the t.v. when a particurally annoying scene came. The card-style fighting system is challenging (I still haven't gotton the combo system thing down yet). What really pulled me into the game were the graphics and the settings. The intro is amazing, and really gives you a taste for what's to come. I recommend it to anyone who loves rpg's, and to everyone who isn't a big fan, either.… Expand
  13. JohnG.
    Jan 29, 2005
    8
    I love the battle System in this game! the fact that you get to use the cards to battle is cool.
  14. RyanM.
    Dec 19, 2004
    9
    Compare this to other recent rpg's, and you realize just how awesome this whole game is. graphically it is incredible, and it also has a unique new battle style. don't confuse "card game" with yu-gi-oh. ignorant people will dismiss this game for that point alone. baten kaitos has everything we need in an rpg. if tales of sympthonia didn't exist, then there would be nothingCompare this to other recent rpg's, and you realize just how awesome this whole game is. graphically it is incredible, and it also has a unique new battle style. don't confuse "card game" with yu-gi-oh. ignorant people will dismiss this game for that point alone. baten kaitos has everything we need in an rpg. if tales of sympthonia didn't exist, then there would be nothing comparable to baten kaitos and it would deserve a 10.… Expand
  15. carlsongt
    Mar 16, 2013
    9
    This game has a magical atmosphere that surrounds all. Everything contribute to this. Artwork, story (a bit cliche but charming, intriguing and the most interesting plot twists i've seen in a game of this type) and the (amazing, brilliant, virtuous) music. It's not the typical role game, the battle system is weird, hard to dominate at the end of the game but easy to get into and veryThis game has a magical atmosphere that surrounds all. Everything contribute to this. Artwork, story (a bit cliche but charming, intriguing and the most interesting plot twists i've seen in a game of this type) and the (amazing, brilliant, virtuous) music. It's not the typical role game, the battle system is weird, hard to dominate at the end of the game but easy to get into and very attractive. Also, if you can't dominate it as good as you would want to you still won't get stuck in any part of the game, because of it's difficulty. It's very well adjusted, with some thrilling spikes. The duration of the storyline is about 35 hours, and with all the secrets it reaches 100 hours.This game won't leave you indifferent. You'll probably love it.… Expand
  16. Kazuki
    Mar 17, 2012
    8
    [Spanish] El juego está bastante bien aunque tira demasiado de clichés para los personajes, en algunas ocasiones faltos de carisma, sobre todo Kalas, el protagonista, el juego es bastante preciosista y la verdad es que pese a que su sistema de batallas es algo confuso y deja mucho al azar el juego merece la pena ser probado al menos .
  17. K-Star
    Sep 26, 2013
    9
    This game has all that makes a wonderful game. I was charmed by its combat system that is original, yet easy to understand. The graphics are really good for a game of this generation, and the story is wonderful.
  18. eckerm
    Apr 6, 2017
    9
    Excellent game, and one of my favorites.

    The battle system is unique, but it eases players into it so they don't feel overwhelmed right out of the gate. Battling is handled in a JRPG style, in that overworld navigation and the action take place separately. The combat is turn based, but runs off a timer so the player can't sit around all day thinking about what to do. It does give you    Excellent game, and one of my favorites.

    The battle system is unique, but it eases players into it so they don't feel overwhelmed right out of the gate. Battling is handled in a JRPG style, in that overworld navigation and the action take place separately. The combat is turn based, but runs off a timer so the player can't sit around all day thinking about what to do. It does give you time to rest between turns while you review the outcome of each turn, which keeps the battling from getting too stressful. While grinding can help against some tougher foes, I never found it necessary to succeed. The only real fault I can find is that many enemies are just recolored versions of other enemies, including some bosses. Overall, I feel the combat is excellent.

    Another unique mechanic that the game uses real time changes to your items. For example, healing fruit will go bad and turn into rotten fruit that can be used to poison enemies. Healing bamboo shoots will turn into full grown bamboo that can be used to attack enemies. The changes brought about by this mechanic are generally good and bad in equal measure, keeping it fun and not frustrating. One downside of this, however, is that for completionists looking to collect every item, that task is nearly impossible. Not only does the game have tons of items, but many are rare and can be lost forever if overlooked. The game also has a item crafting mechanic, but the requirements to create these new items are often too complex to realistically achieve. On the whole, it's something unique and memorable that I look back on fondly.

    The game itself is gorgeous. The artwork is very detailed, for both background and foreground work. When in motion, however, it becomes a little less pretty. Overworld models have a very limited number of actions meaning movement can be quite awkward, such as using a character's walking animation when the character is just turning around. The running and jumping animations are also stilted, unnatural, and used fairly frequently. This mixed bag in terms of presentation leaves the player with very memorable moments, for both stupendously good and cringingly bad.

    The plot is your fairly standard "save the world" sort of stuff, but it has just enough twists to keep it interesting. There's one twist in particular, that I won't spoil, the likes of which I can't say I've seen anywhere else. The epic scale of the plot also means that even when parts aren't thematically original, you still feel great doing it. The game is extremely long, one of the few GameCube games to require two disks to play it. This means loads of content and plenty of time to get your money's worth, and the plot stays interesting enough to keep it from getting stale.

    The characters, with a few exceptions, aren't particularly nuanced, but that doesn't mean they aren't enjoyable. The heroes (main character not withstanding) tend to be paragons of virtue and the antagonists tend to be irredeemable. The broad strokes aren't bad, but they're not great either. That said, if one cares to look deeper into the characters, there is personality enough to stay invested in them. There is voice acting, and while some players may get turned off by the quality of it, I personally can't mark the game down for it because the occasionally strange or wooden performances can be hilarious and charming in their own right.

    Baten Kaitos has many successes and shortcomings, but for the most part even its shortcomings are charming and endearing. What true cons it has are brilliantly outshone by its pros, which make it a unique and unforgettable experience. Because people's "it's so bad it's good" meters vary, its flaws may weigh more heavily on some than others. Your mileage may very, but I believe you will find this to be anywhere between a good game and a masterpiece. No matter what I believe you will have a good time, and I can't recommend it highly enough.    … Expand
  19. GamecubeLover
    Jul 25, 2016
    9
    This game has what I expected from Namco. This game has great gameplay but it is a bit overused. The game has great graphics and controls. This game almost has it all.
  20. Tikur
    Jan 31, 2022
    10
    The best role playing game on the gamecube. The look is simply beautiful and it feels so organic, so alive. Many little details and a colorful presentation are the reason, why it still looks great today. Another big aspect of the game which I very appreciate is it's structure. On Disc one the developers are focusing on the world and the relationships the different island have with eachThe best role playing game on the gamecube. The look is simply beautiful and it feels so organic, so alive. Many little details and a colorful presentation are the reason, why it still looks great today. Another big aspect of the game which I very appreciate is it's structure. On Disc one the developers are focusing on the world and the relationships the different island have with each other. The same applies for your characters in your partie. You can see how the relationships developes and I like how the fact, that there is a betrayer in your group changes the dynamic and climate in the group.
    So Disc one focusses on the world, their rulers, your characters and their relationships.
    Disc two however, is the part where the story is clearly the main focus and at this point all storypieces and information you have collected before will now linked togehter. i really like how coherent and clever the story is at the end. The end of the game is a beatiful, emotional highlight.
    Sure you can say the characters are simple cliches and the story itself is nothing extraordinary.
    But on the other side, the characters are all very likeable, even the villans, and the story is filled with intresting and surprising twists and goes deeper than you migtht think.
    However my favourite part of the game and the reason, why I rate this 10 out of 10 ist the battle system. I know a round based battle system with cards sounds boring and annoying. Even I was very sceptical. These negative thoughts disappeared quickly, when I have finished my first fights. The battle system is easy to understand but it never gets bored. The exact opposite is the case. You get a ton of new magnus cards and these change over time, so that they lose their original use of and have to be sort out. In the same way some magnus cards becomes better and better over time. Then are cards you only can get, when you use a certain combination of other cards during the battle. So the whole gameplay focusses on the magnus cards and this in a very motivational way. I like to combat in this game to get new type of cards and the system itself has a unique damage system, which motivates you to cause the most damage to an enemy you possibly could. The little flaws are only the micro management. You have to work on every deck of every character a couple of times and the other flaw is the voice acting. It is not so horrible as other reviewers describe it, but you get an idea on which part the budget was low. Thankfully you can turn it out, so it is not much of an issue. Nevertheless, are these flaws only a tiny black spot on a pure masterpiece, which definetly has far more attention deserved as it gets.    … Expand
  21. ifman13
    Dec 5, 2022
    8
    [Spanish] Juego imprescindible para los amantes del género, a caballo entre un corte totalmente clásico y los estándares actuales.

    La historia tarda mucho en arrancar, pero cuando lo hace merece realmente la pena. El sistema de combate puede provocar rechazo las primeras horas, pero es original y pese a ser un combate por turnos, te hace estar muy pendiente en cada momento para    [Spanish] Juego imprescindible para los amantes del género, a caballo entre un corte totalmente clásico y los estándares actuales.

    La historia tarda mucho en arrancar, pero cuando lo hace merece realmente la pena.

    El sistema de combate puede provocar rechazo las primeras horas, pero es original y pese a ser un combate por turnos, te hace estar muy pendiente en cada momento para lograr buenos combos.

    Historia: 9/10
    Combate: 8/10
    Música: 8/10
    Personajes: 8/10
    Mundo: 6/10

    Su principal fallo son sus escenarios, que resultan algo basicos en sus fases, pese a ser variados.

    [English]The story takes a long time to start, but when it does it is really worth it.

    The combat system can provoke rejection the first hours, but it is original and despite being a turn-based combat, it makes you be very attentive at every moment to achieve good combos.

    Story: 9/10
    Combat: 8/10
    Music: 8/10
    Characters: 8/10
    World: 6/10

    Its main flaw is its scenarios, which are somewhat basic in their phases, despite being varied.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

20
#20 Best GameCube Game of 2004
12
#12 Most Discussed GameCube Game of 2004
18
#18 Most Shared GameCube Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 48
  3. Negative: 1 out of 48
  1. Weekly Famitsu
    78
    8 / 8 / 8 / 7 - 31 silver [Vol 782]
  2. NTSC-uk
    80
    An enchanting tapestry of stylistic design, a deep and unconventional battle system, and fifty hours-plus of rewarding game play.
    Read full review
  3. Eurogamer
    80
    While the story and characters are unfortunately very weak, Baten Kaitos is easy to recommend to anyone looking for an RPG that focuses strongly on gameplay rather than storytelling.
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