"What More RPGs Should Be Like"

Hey all, I wanted to take a break from mega reviews for a while and go back to just plain out regular reviewing. This review will not take up more than one post; I promise :P.

Baten Kaitos

Foreword: Having probably one of the most intuitive battle systems that I have seen in a very long time, Baten Kaitos brings to the table a solid, well thought out rpg that definitely provides some stable footing for a system that was otherwise faltering in the realm of role playing games. Sure, it definitely fails miserably in some key instances, but I'll be really honest when I say that when this game does something right, it really does one heck of a job doing it. It's got a backstabbing story, solid game play mechanics, and an excellent track of music that can even be bought. This is one of the few games out there that I would actually suggest buying the track, as it really is amazing to listen to. Yeah, it definitely does have its problems, but they can be looked upon as meager distractions if you take the time to truly appreciate what this game is. You can most likely find the game for about 10 bucks now in stores, and if you look hard enough you may just find the same deal I found; getting both the track and the game for 10 bucks!

Story
Housing probably one of the most nail-biting stories I have seen in quite some time; Baten Kaitos definitely puts an emphasis on both a good plot and an enjoyable cast of characters that really drive home the points in which they were created to do. I'll say it right here and now; the main character of the game is one of biggest jerks I have ever seen in all of my days, bringing to new heights the level of plain out obscenities that protrude from his being. But that's what is so good about the game. Character development is what truly can make or break a good story, and when you see it to the degree that this game shows it, then you know that a solid basis is set for which a story can flourish. Not to say that it's perfect, as it does take a little bit of time to get started, but once you actually get yourself immersed in the story itself, you won't want to stop. Another thing that they seemed to have mastered from the transition of tales to this was throwing plain out curveballs in the story itself. We all know that tales was a bit clichéd in what it did, but I think that it was a good thing that they chose to learn from it rather than repeat their same failures. One thing that this game definitely mastered was keeping you from establishing a sense of security; and what's really funny about that is that just when you think you know what the story itself is actually going to resolve at they hit you with a bone shattering curveball that throws what you thought to the wind. And it doesn't just do it once either; In fact it did it several times throughout the 60+ hours of game play that allowed the story to expand itself to new heights. Without giving too much away, the story revolves around a reckless youth by the name of Kalas; you as the player are his guardian spirit. (Yeah, we get to guide a jerk XD). The choices you make directly affect the outcome of the story, and to that effect they also effect how often you can use the game's mega attacks. Whether you choose to be rotten are righteous is truly up to you alone, so consider your motives wisely.

Game Play
Baten Kaitos has one big problem when it comes to game play, and that revolves around the fact that its battle system just can't appeal to the masses. Some will definitely like it, but others won't. It is a sad, tough truth to swallow once you have enjoyed the system for such a long time. They really thought it out in the fact that it does really work. It wasn't just slapped together in a period of five minutes. Problem is though that the system is a little unorthodox in its mechanics. Each of your party members has a deck filled with cards, which can be called in the game's terms magnus. Magnus are basically the essence of an object portrayed in the card. These essences can then be used and transported through those cards. So in a sense, they basically are what the game uses as a storage system, only better in the fact that you can fill your deck with a diverse variety of weapons and armor that you would normally be missing out on due to limitations. They do have drawbacks though; mainly in the fact that these magnus can only be used once per shuffle of your deck during battle. That's a big penalty in some cases, and it can really hurt in the fact that your best weapon could end up on the bottom of your deck. Battles themselves are cleverly thought out, mainly in the fact that they take a new outlook on the system itself by splitting your turn into two phases; attack and defense. On your enemies turn, you can use your defensive armor and shields to block out damage. You have to be really quick though on both fronts, as most of the battles are done on a time limit per turn; further forcing you to be on your guard throughout a battle. Combos can be accomplished by stacking weapons with ascending or descending values in order. Your finishers themselves normally require some type of requirement before they can be used.

The worlds in which you explore are varied and diverse in both landscape and inhabitants. While one world may be something out of a picture, another may be a freak show circus gone wrong. I came to appreciate this, as without it you could easily feel as though you were on a boring train ride going to the bottomless pit. Definitely one of the coolest parts of anything that this game has to offer is the ability to find a diverse array of magnus at every location that you visit. I think it's important that they do that, as it eliminates sameness.

The game's difficulty is definitely up there with the best, not to say that it is overly hard, it's just that some challenges in particular are a little too much for someone who doesn't have the patience to last it out. It was worth it in my book though, as I wouldn't have had it any different. Game play these days is seriously a lacking element; so when you can actually make something that is both hard and fun at the same time, you know you have a winner. Even if you don't like difficulty, I would suggest it anyway. The story alone is worth it XD.

Graphics
The graphics of Baten Kaitos can be described as either dull or amazing. Simply put; they can definitely be the best I have ever seen at times, with that even rivaling some of the best. At other times though, they are kind of dull to the core, and I really don't appreciate it. They are either way to dark or just plain out saturated to the point of which it's too much. I personally got used to it over time, and one of the first lessons that I had to learn when I was playing this game to was to play in a well lit room. You should to, as it can hurt the eyes ;). The amazing parts of the game truly rock out when they come and go. From the beautiful CGI that plays at times to the well detailed character portraits that come up every time one of your main characters talks. I really came to appreciate this, as it kind of made me put less of a focus upon the hideous voices that characterized each character. Each environment that you visit, in towns at least, are filled with beautiful backgrounds that truly bring out an awesome contrast to your characters. You can see the sheen on one of the battle ships of the empire, or the fragrant reds of the roses. Dungeons are a little dull though, so just a warning.

Music
I said before to you to buy the soundtrack of the game, and when I said it I definitely meant it. Not only does it boast probably one of the most excellently composed melodic intervals of song, but it is also fully orchestrated by a magical band that never ceased to give the performance of a life time. Take a moment to listen to its wonder during battle; take a moment to listen to its quite, symphonic tunes as you grace the land; take a moment to put yourself into the experience of what could be called possibly one of the most appropriate tracks of the ages. Unfortunately to it, battles can take away from the experience, as you always have to attune yourself to it, but overall, just listening to the pianos and guitar, listen to it; and learn. One thing that is truly stupendous about this its quality of its diversity, not only does it pertain to the moments, but it gives out a feeling of easiness when it is meant. The audio is not perfect however, as the voices themselves are absolutely hideous to have to listen to. It's not the voices of the characters themselves, but the effect that is put into the voices of the characters. I do not know what they were trying to accomplish by adding that almost hollow effect, but it certainly was not for the overall better of the quality.

Replay Ability
Just having to collect the massively gargantuan library of magnus alone is enough to drive any serious player to his or her grave. The story itself can take upwards of sixty plus hours to complete, and that's not counting any extraneous side quests that you might want to try your hand at. I suggest playing the first time for your enjoyment, and then going back to fully comprehend every last detail the game has to offer to those who are diligent.

Family Friendly
Some content in this game is a little bad, but compared to Tales of Symphonia this is like skipping through a field full of roses. Through that I mean language and such, not the actual plot. The actual plot is quite mature; taking a more darkened approach to what could be called character realization. It will not appeal to everyone in your household, so please consider the obvious nuances as you go about choosing this for your library of entertainment.

Guide or No guide
I have yet to find one smidgen of a guide purchasable at my local retailer, so if that is any exclamation of the ability to add a book of caliber to your collection, than that is it. Nintendo Power released a step guide back in one of its issues, and luckily for me I still have kept it, but just o let you all know, there is no other guide to my knowledge that is official.

Finale
In an attempt to make the review smaller, I cut out some of the other subjects of matter that I have gone over in other recent reviews. Please forgive me for that. Now when you take a look at the overall greatness of the age, you seriously can't help but gaze upon what made this game what it was. Good character development, solid story, excellent music, stupendous battling; the list could go on and on. What makes a game what it is is not the size of production values, or the pressure to which to succeed, but the willingness of the crew to which is designing the game to put what they have into the game to make it what it is in retrospect to what they wish to accomplish. When a developer puts creativity on the table and forms it into a masterpiece, you know you have something truly worthy of its name.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/22/06