Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster

Elaborate expositional lore and deck-based battles are unexceptional today. But when Baten Kaitos and its prequel were released, these constituents were rather uncommon in console RPGs. Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster’s bundling of Monolith Soft and tri-Crescendo’s titles offers a chance to revisit this overlooked GameCube duology and observe developments that would have a significant impact on the genre. Have little interest in role-playing history? Well, there’s about 100 hours of adventure waiting for you.

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster are memorable JRPGs that can finally fully spread their wings in this remastered package. While the systems might cause early confusion no matter which entry you’re playing, they both develop into a masterful adventure. The added quality-of-life features made these titles approachable for any who wish to casually revisit the narrative or experience it for the first time. I’m glad these classics have graced a modern platform for fans, both new and old.

After a disappointing remaster dedicated to Tales of Symphonia, Bandai Namco gives the Baten Kaitos franchise the treatment it deserved, gifting us with a solid remaster of two of the most obscure but also most appreciated GameCube JRPGs.

Overall (and after some post-launch updates) I’m content with the state of Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster. That’s not exactly the tone I was expecting to have during the launch period, so I’m thankful that they fixed it quickly even if I was frustrated that we needed to wait a week at all. These are two very special games that deserved a great re-release, and I’m thankful that I was able to experience them in this fashion. They might not appease every hardcore fan of the original, but I doubt many would be able to deny how good of a steal this is for newcomers looking to experience some cult classics. They are flawed gems, but they’re bound to capture the attention of anyone looking for something truly unique.

RPGs don’t always age well. Things like combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving can change drastically in a handful of years. The Baten Kaitos games hold up pretty well, all things considered. The visuals are great and the combat is excellent. The Remaster also does a great job of smoothing over certain rough patches. There’s a generous autosave system in place, for one thing. The modern combat upgrades also go a long way to making those slow battles feel faster. On the other hand, the story feels very by-the-numbers. I felt like I was running down a checklist of tropes within a few hours of the first game. But if card-based battle systems are your thing, this collection is a godsend. If nothing else, Baten Kaitos I&II provides a fascinating snapshot of a lost era of GameCube RPGs.