Baten Kaitos Hands-on

Sep 5, 2006

Looking at the lifespan of the GameCube as a whole, there truly are very little disadvantages the system had over its competitors (aside from the obvious lack of third party support). Nearly every genre out there got more than a few above-average games, and companies like Nintendo and Capcom ensured that there were some quality blockbuster hits to not only sell systems, but also ensured current fans that Nintendo was the right choice this time around. One of those games, an interesting and very innovative RPG, set the standard for GameCube role-playing, as Baten Kaitos delivered an inspired battle mechanic teamed with the story and presentation found only from the Xenosaga team over at Monolith. Baten Kaitos was an awesome addition to the "Cube Only" club, and a captivating RPG.

As we come to the tail end of the GameCube's reign, it would be easy to set the system aside and focus only on Wii. Do that, however, and you'll be missing out on a few amazing titles still set to make sure you got your money's worth with GameCube. Aside from the obvious piece of gaming bliss that is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Monolith is at it again with Baten Kaitos Origins, and if you aren't getting pumped up for this one yet, now's the time to do so. The final English version of the game has arrived at our office, and from the few initial hours we've had with the game, we're happy to report that it's now time to dust off your Cube and warm up your fingers one last time. The GameCube again is holding true to the 2004 slogan - "Games worth playing."

Though this is our first chance to embark on the final English version of the game, Baten Kaitos Origins has been on our radar for over a year. The sequel was announced last September, and our coverage on the Japanese version (found here, and well worth the read) hit earlier this year. The English version is practically identical to the Japanese build we covered, and while there aren't any new developments in the gameplay from our earlier impressions, I figured this was a better time than any to describe the game from the viewpoint of someone who didn't play through the original game (until just recently, that is).

Baten Kaitos Origins follows the story of a boy named Sagi, a spiriter (basically half man, half angel) that has been involved in a murder conspiracy involving the emperor of his homeland. Without going into too much detail about the specifics (spoilers suck), the boy comes in contact with a paramachina (basically a battle robot) named Guillo, and the two of them embark on a quest to prove their innocence and get to the bottom of the conspiracy. Bottom line - you're a guy on a quest, and that's about all you need to know. What makes the Baten Kaitos franchise interesting, however, is the use of a card system to handle item management and commands both in and out of battle. This system has been taken and modified from the original game, and now features two main types of cards, rather than the multiple classifications found in the previous adventure. These cards are used to capture magnus, which is essentially a spirit form of spells and items within the land. When needed, the essence can be transformed from within the card and used as physical items.

The quest magnus cards are used for transporting key items used only for story-specific quests, while battle magnus are collected (think RPG meets customizable card game) and then used to form a deck. The amount of cards in your hand, as well as the total amount in a deck at once is determined by the player's level, so leveling up in Baten Kaitos actually indirectly affects your character's attack or defense. More cards means more options, and since everything from attacks, healing, and overall stat management is handled in-battle rather than out, your assortment of cards will either strengthen or limit your chances for survival. In fact, the concept that all statistics and overall strategy is dependant on a random cards is actually an intriguing idea, and it works surprisingly well.

For starters, the game includes no out-of-battle stats, so players won't have to worry about healing or equipping items between bouts. Your character is simply a means to transport your deck, and it allows a far more specific feel to the game. If you're exploring the overworld, you're only exploring the overworld. If you're in battle, your only focus is stat management and battle tactics. When a battle begins, the parameters are already set in stone, as it's just you and your deck. To keep that feeling the same regardless of location or previous battles, each character returns to full health and standard statistics after battle, so there's no chance that you can catch an unlucky break and be screwed mid-mission.

This is a definite double-edged sword though, as hardcore RPG fans may find it a bit too easy. After all, why include healing cards in your deck if you can just power through a battle and have everyone fine again in a matter of seconds? On the flipside, the fact that all battles have a random feeling to them (you create your deck, but the card order is determined by chance) is more than enough of a reason to simplify the transition from fight to fight, ensuring that players have more control over the flow of battle despite their slight dependence on the luck of the draw.

While we're on the subject, I even hesitate to use the word "luck" anywhere in this hands-on, as it really gives off the wrong impression of the game. The amount of strategy in battles is pretty deep, and the entertaining battle mechanic is actually the reason people will keep coming back for another multi-hour gaming session. The original deck size is started at 25, with no more than four cards available to pick from at a time. All battle cards are assigned a number, and the goal is to plan out which cards to use in ascending order to ensure that the most amount of cards can be used per turn. So if a player has an "armor up" card that has a zero, that can be used first with an attack card of one, two, and three behind it. Numbers can also be skipped over (such as 1-3-4), though there is no back-tracking during a combo, even if the next card to come up would have fit in the gap you just passed over.

Of course combos will take a little on-the-fly work, as players will have to count on discard turns and the random spawning of the next cards in order to pull off massive combos. Start off with an "Attack 3" card, and your chances of getting another card with the number four or higher may take a rub of the rabbit's foot. Likewise, a player that waits patiently to amass a chain of three or four cards will find the payoff to be huge, as the game rewards combo attacks exponentially. As the characters progress, more cards become available, but so does the amount of cards in your hand at one time, so making larger multi-card chains is both more of a reality, as well as an expectation for bigger baddies.

Now what would a complex battle mechanic be without one final wrench thrown into it? Well fear not RPG fans, as things get far more complicated when you add in your little robotic paramachina. To kick off the first few hours of the game, players will be in control of only the main character. After a turning point in the story (a very entertaining one, we might add), the responsibility of managing both characters is handed down, and with multiple characters comes multiple card types. Not only do cards have a number value assigned to them (to determine the order of usage), but they also have a character type to work around. Some cards (such as the basic "Attack 1, Attack 2, Attack 3") can be used by anyone. Other magnus, such as sword elementals or basic armor, can only be used by either Sagi or Guillo, but since they all make up the same deck players will have to decide how many cards go to each character, and which cards to use at any specific time.

Sure, it's appealing to make an "Armor, Attack 1, Attack 2, Attack 3, Super Attack" combo as soon as possible with Sagi, but when the more powerful "Fire Ring" special attack is waiting in the "next card" slot just barely out of reach, the smarter player will leave a few of the more powerful attack numbers for Guillo's next turn just seconds away, resulting in two consecutive offensive attacks with both characters, rather than just focusing on one. Depending on attacks, players will earn more combo points for each of their party members, which in turn bring about level-ups. We've tried numerous deck set-ups, and each of them had their own advantages and disadvantages. How you personally use cards in battle, however, is entirely up to you.

From what we've played so far, Baten Kaitos Origins definitely lives up to the franchise name. We'll be spending many a sleepless nights pounding through the English version, and will have hands-on updates (and videos) to go along with our adventure, with the first batch of English videos hitting the site tomorrow. Be sure to keep checking back for more on Baten Kaitos, as well as the rest of the GameCube fall line-up soon.