Baten Kaitos Origins Official Thread

[Stocka]

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320060509_234853_2_big.jpg
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All I can say is WOW!

[Ray Falling]

Okay I'm gonna start living here now

I think these screens look awesome! Of course the actual game would look even better.

I'm glad they decided to put the HP meter on top now even during an action cause I always forgot to check my HP in the first game n_n (some lame soldier once killed me cause of that and I didnt save the game ehhehe)

And I'm guessing that Assasin is either temporal or someone we know n_~

--Ray

[Eddage]

These screens look great and I've still got the first Batan Kaitos game to play through (once I've completed Skies that is!), I guess if I like the first (can't see myself not liking it!) then I'll definately get this one

[Stocka]

Like.. OMG cutscenes !
http://www.ngcfrance.com/images/news/baten_kaitos_2/art_001.jpg
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Character Art (http://www.ngcfrance.com/images/news/baten_kaitos_2/art_009.jpg)

[chrizkerr2]

Wahey, another Baten Kaitos game, didn't know they were making a second one, apart from the one appering on the DS, but hell iam very excitied about this :grin:

[The-Ironflame]

I hope they fix the problems I with the card system in the first game..

[Ray Falling]

Okay lots of info can be gotten from just these screens. Looks like there was still land and water in this game.

Also in that one screen we see the Children of the Earth (tho they already have the masks)

I'm guesiing this is all before everything went wrong.

Plus, looking at that screenshot of the Empire, I'd say it is just starting to bloom.

Also, it seems that the character (maincharacter maybe?) is training at the Emperial academy.

0_0 I'll get some more thinking done on this.

--Ray

[Cheapshot]

It looks gorgeous!! If think I can safely say it looks better than Final Fantasy X, I'm still skeptical about the card battles - not that i've played the first game, could someone fill me in?

[Ray Falling]

It looks gorgeous!! If think I can safely say it looks better than Final Fantasy X, I'm still skeptical about the card battles - not that i've played the first game, could someone fill me in?

Alot of people seem scared of the card battle system.

But its really quite brilliant. It takes alot of strategy and fast reaction to get the best results. It offer so much more than simply selecting Fire 3 n_n for example.
Alot of factors must be taking into consideration before selecting a card.
Its fast, its intelligent, its new, its cool n_n

I'd say try the first game, but if yer used to most turn based RPGS i cant garantuee you'll like it but to me Baten Kaitos is one of the best games I ever played still, its right up there with Golden Sun, Final Fantasy 6 and Tales of Symphonia.

--Ray

[ShadowV7]

this looks good,if yet to play the first one though,ill pick up the first one soon then get the second,it looks great

[Supergrunch]

Okay, the boy is called Sagi and the girl's called Mirii. That box on the first screen has options of "just right" and "no, wait", so it looks like a return of you as the spirit guardian. That's all I can quickly translate, but I might have a go at the rest.

[Wayne]

Looks very impressive, I'll have to get my hands on the first one sometime before this one comes out. Anyone know of any cheap copies anywhere? (other than eBay if possible).

Wayne.

[Retro_Link]

This looks GREAT!!

Think i'll have to get the first Baten Kaitos sometime and then this one when it comes out.

[Zelda_Rulez]

This looks great! I can't wait for it's release as I liked the first one so much. This one could be even better if they correct some flaws of the first.

[|Laguna|]

There is a gameplay trailer video available over a Gamespot! :)

http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/rpg/batenkaitosii/media.html?gcst=batenkaitos2_gp_gc_091605.asx

[Ray Falling]

There is a gameplay trailer video available over a Gamespot! :)

http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/rpg/batenkaitosii/media.html?gcst=batenkaitos2_gp_gc_091605.asx


ARGHGH!H!!!!! Thats bloody awesome 0_0, quality was abit bad, but the fighting looks so much better and the cutscenes *drool* oh the cutscenes...

I'm gonna keep a watch on Namco's site now
--Ray

EDIT: I'm guessing for an April release... I mean, just out of the blue they announce a BAten KAitos 2, then the next day, no the same day they showed screens, and 2 days later they have footage 0_0;;;

[Stocka]

Video looks promising, I'm so looking forward to it, I always wanted another RPG on Cube. Fire Emblem,Twilgiht Princess and Baten Kaitos II, great way to end a console's life if you ask me.

I predict a march/april release too, if its out in December it must be pretty much done.

[Zelda_Rulez]

The video looked great. I hope it will be great. :D

[Eddage]

That video looks pretty cool, although I have to say the advert for the show "Surface" looked very good, lets hope that comes to the UK sometime in the forseeable future!

[Stocka]

I think I already prefer this new character to Kalas hehe. Kalas is a stubborn bitch :heh:

[Ray Falling]

I think I already prefer this new character to Kalas hehe. Kalas is a stubborn bitch :heh:

Luckily, Kalas wasnt representing us, the player n_n, he's just an egotistical bastard n_n, but has best stats overall anyway.

Hmm Xelha *drool* I think these characters look cool n_n need to see more.

I'm keeping tabs on Namco still, the minute they launch the new Baten site...well...I'll be on that a week later cause I'm always late n_n;;;;

[ShadowV7]

aww i wanted Kalas in the game ,i like him,the battle system is better than having 3 cards at a time,it looks more detailed aswell

[Supergrunch]

The video says the Japanese release is in December. I wonder how much longer it will take to get to Europe...

[guaglio]

i had no idea a sequel was ever menitioned on Gc. When did this happen? anyway its great news!

[RATM_4_EVA]

sweet :yes: i have to pick up the first one now :o

[Android18a]

Will it have good Voice acting and storyline this time?

[Dragonsbane]

i had no idea a sequel was ever menitioned on Gc. When did this happen? anyway its great news!

It is actually not a sequal as far as I know. it is actually a prequel.

What I don't seem to get is that by doing a prequel you only get a different story within the same setting. The problem I have with that is that you only have so many islands in the sky and they are not that big.

I know that from a developers point of view this would be a blessing because you would not have to lose time on creating new worlds and surroundings. Just the better graphics and storyline. the rest are be the same.

I personally would have preferred the story within the "after baten Kaitos ends" setting. From a players perspective it would add to the " I'm playing a new adventure" feeling.

You know how in the end of baten kaitos (those of you who finished it will know) everything changed. From that point everyting will be new. It ads to the world of Baten Kaitos. But with this part it will stay the same. just a different story with mostly if not all different characters

That doesn't mean I won't play it though


:wink:

[Ray Falling]

It is actually not a sequal as far as I know. it is actually a prequel.

What I don't seem to get is that by doing a prequel you only get a different story within the same setting. The problem I have with that is that you only have so many islands in the sky and they are not that big.

I know that from a developers point of view this would be a blessing because you would not have to lose time on creating new worlds and surroundings. Just the better graphics and storyline. the rest are be the same.

I personally would have preferred the story within the "after baten Kaitos ends" setting. From a players perspective it would add to the " I'm playing a new adventure" feeling.

You know how in the end of baten kaitos (those of you who finished it will know) everything changed. From that point everyting will be new. It ads to the world of Baten Kaitos. But with this part it will stay the same. just a different story with mostly if not all different characters

That doesn't mean I won't play it though


:wink:


Hmmm, well but think about this: there could be more islands now OR there could still be worlds on the ground.
Looking at the picture of the Empire, its rather empty compare to BK 1, which means everything is just starting to bloom.

And you say you'd like for it to have continued after the end of BK 1, but then, what would you do?I mean sure the:

****** spoiler********

Land is back to normal and all the evil is gone, so what would you be doing then? Everything is fixed right? n_n

*****end spoiler*****

I think that in this game (since it appears "we" the player) are being trained as Emperial soldiers, we're probably sent out on some mission and thats where everything goes wrong (the stuff we know from BK1) 0_0

Plus, there would be new worlds looking at those screens n_n I never seen that jungle nor the place with the shiny lights n_n

--Ray

[Stocka]

The jungle looks sexy.
By the way this news gives me hope that not only is there a good chance of Baten Kaitos III beign on Rev, but also the likely chance that it will develop into a big series like Final Fantasy. DS one is in development too remember.

[Zelda_Rulez]

I think that in this game (since it appears "we" the player) are being trained as Emperial soldiers, we're probably sent out on some mission and thats where everything goes wrong (the stuff we know from BK1) 0_0
--Ray

Operation Sweep *if that was what it was called* maybe? But I think that was a few years later than 10 years before part 1.

[Ray Falling]

The jungle looks sexy.
By the way this news gives me hope that not only is there a good chance of Baten Kaitos III beign on Rev, but also the likely chance that it will develop into a big series like Final Fantasy. DS one is in development too remember.

Thats a very good point my friend, they could make BK 3 set during the ancient wars when they locked up the God, unless of course thats whats going on in this one (BK2)

The screenshot with them masked people, they look like the ones in the BK1 intro, the people who selaed the god away 0_0

Operation Sweep *if that was what it was called* maybe? But I think that was a few years later than 10 years before part 1.

No i didnt mean operation sweep, but... I mean whatever it was that cause the Empire to get so evil and stuff n_n

[Stocka]

http://www.ngcfrance.com/images/news/baten_kaitos_2/scr_002.jpg

Is it me or does this look like the flashback part in BK in the woods where theres Melodia and Kalas?

[Supergrunch]

Well in the screenshot she's saying something like:

-
Spirits...isn't it?

Don't you think it's your (when talking to Sagi, the boy) legend of the possesing spirit?
-

This must be about the guardian spirit.

[Stocka]

:shock:
I just realised IGN had posted tons of information about it!
Check this out! (I've bolded the really interesting bits)

Fully unveiled in the latest issue of Japan's Famitsu magazine as one of Namco's big Tokyo Game Show unveilings, Baten Kaitos 2 takes place 20 years prior to the start of the original. You play as Sagi, a member of the empire's "Elite" force of fighters. Sagi heads off on a quest to determine the nature of a mysterious change that's appearing in the world.
Actually, you don't play as Sagi like you play as the main characters of other RPGs. You actually play as a spirit that resides within Sagi, an entity that represents Sagi's "true self," and give "advice" to Sagi as the game progresses. The notion of a spirit residing in a character is actually a part of the Baten Kaitos storyline. The world of Baten Kaitos was formed when the living spirits of two separate worlds connected, and people who have spirits within them are considered wise.

With Baten Kaitos 2 taking place in the same world as the original, you might expect to see the original's cast of characters return -- and you'd be right. Gibari returns as a 14-year-old. Savyna is just 5 in Baten Kaitos 2! Also known to return are Geldoblame (25) and Ladekahn (12).( :shock: Savyna when she was 5, lol, should be interesting...)

The cast also has some newbies aside from Sagi. The game's heroine is Miri, a friend of Sagi who joins you from the start of your adventure. Also joining in on the fun is Giro, a strange doll who comes into the picture mid way through the adventure.

The original title was known for its gorgeous world art, and Baten Kaitos seems like it won't break the budding tradition. In fact you can actually count on seeing many of the same dungeons and towns from the original in the sequel, although they now allow for players to explore alternate areas. New areas will also appear in the game, including brand new continents.

Gameplay will feature a return of the card-based Magnus battle system. Details have yet to be revealed, but with Baten Kaitos 2 due for Japanese release in December, we doubt we'll have to wait too long to see more. Stay tuned!

http://cube.ign.com/articles/650/650871p1.html

[Dr Kong]

Will it have good Voice acting and storyline this time?

If it doesn't, you can count me out. Looks gorgeous but the last one was so piss poor because of the awfull plot, shite voice acting and repulsive art style. This looks better though.

[Supergrunch]

:shock:
I just realised IGN had posted tons of information about it!
Check this out! (I've bolded the really interesting bits)

Fully unveiled in the latest issue of Japan's Famitsu magazine as one of Namco's big Tokyo Game Show unveilings, Baten Kaitos 2 takes place 20 years prior to the start of the original. You play as Sagi, a member of the empire's "Elite" force of fighters. Sagi heads off on a quest to determine the nature of a mysterious change that's appearing in the world.
Actually, you don't play as Sagi like you play as the main characters of other RPGs. You actually play as a spirit that resides within Sagi, an entity that represents Sagi's "true self," and give "advice" to Sagi as the game progresses. The notion of a spirit residing in a character is actually a part of the Baten Kaitos storyline. The world of Baten Kaitos was formed when the living spirits of two separate worlds connected, and people who have spirits within them are considered wise.

With Baten Kaitos 2 taking place in the same world as the original, you might expect to see the original's cast of characters return -- and you'd be right. Gibari returns as a 14-year-old. Savyna is just 5 in Baten Kaitos 2! Also known to return are Geldoblame (25) and Ladekahn (12).( :shock: Savyna when she was 5, lol, should be interesting...)

The cast also has some newbies aside from Sagi. The game's heroine is Miri, a friend of Sagi who joins you from the start of your adventure. Also joining in on the fun is Giro, a strange doll who comes into the picture mid way through the adventure.

The original title was known for its gorgeous world art, and Baten Kaitos seems like it won't break the budding tradition. In fact you can actually count on seeing many of the same dungeons and towns from the original in the sequel, although they now allow for players to explore alternate areas. New areas will also appear in the game, including brand new continents.

Gameplay will feature a return of the card-based Magnus battle system. Details have yet to be revealed, but with Baten Kaitos 2 due for Japanese release in December, we doubt we'll have to wait too long to see more. Stay tuned!

http://cube.ign.com/articles/650/650871p1.html

I already said half that stuff... :aww:

[Boka]

Never got the chance to play the first baten... maybe it's possible to get it at a cheap price nowadays. hmmm.

[gorrit]

Lookin' great, I'm almost certain I'll get this ASAP(in english), since I think the first one is one of the best RPGs this console generation.

[Luigi]

All I can say is that this game is looking very awesome. It looks pretty similar to the original...it's not looking like much has changed, but I don't that much. The new main character reminds me very much of Kalas for some reason.

I can't wait for more info on this game.

[Hero-of-Time]

Ok people after looking at the screens im impressed. Now im about to admit something you wont like....I never played the First game. Im sorry please dont hurt me! I always wanted to pick it up but never got round to it. I even said I would on the official topic back on C-E forums. Now being an Rpg fan I really want to get involved with this game so can someone tell me how the whole battle system works and basically how the game plays?

Thanks

[Ray Falling]

Ok people after looking at the screens im impressed. Now im about to admit something you wont like....I never played the First game. Im sorry please dont hurt me! I always wanted to pick it up but never got round to it. I even said I would on the official topic back on C-E forums. Now being an Rpg fan I really want to get involved with this game so can someone tell me how the whole battle system works and basically how the game plays?

Thanks

No problems n_n here goes:

You have two things to take into consideration:

You have your Level and you have your Class.

Leveling up will simply increases your status, such as Attack and Speed etc.

Class up will allow you to hold more cards in your hand and play more cards during your turn. Also increases your deck total.

Starting the game; you find yourself having a deck of 30 cards and you can play only 2 cards each turn.

Now for types of cards: You have your attack cards, and your defense cards and your healing cards. (most important anyway, there are also cards that seem useless but we'll get to that in a minute)

Each character has his/her own special weapon cards or uses magic cards. Each card of course has a certain number of strength. You use these cards obviously during your offense turn.
Some weapons also have defensive power so some can be used during a Defensive turn.
Healing cards can be used by pressing the R button to target your own party instead of the enemy.

Next thing you should know: Cards have numbers on them, playing cards in a certain way will increase the amount of damge you'll deal or decrease the amount of damage yer opponent deals. Or increases the amount you heal.

For example: if you play an attack card which has the number 1 on it, and you play a card that has number 2 on it after that, you will get a small bonus to increases damage.
On the highest Class you get to play 9 cards, if you succeed in making a 1-9 or 9-1 combo you get a 310% (1-9) extra damage bonus or 230% (9-1)not sure.

Pairs: if you make pairs, ya know, play 2 cards with the same number, you'll get an addictional bonus. Sometimes its better to play only 2 cards if you can make a pair rather than playing a 3rd one. (i think, or you wont get the Pair bonus)

As the game progresses, you'll get better cards and they will have more numbers on them, you can use the c-stick to choose a card and depending on the direction, you'll get a certain number. (this will help you get better combos)

Another thing you should know. As you Class gets higher, you get to play more cards HOWEVER, the time to choose cards decreases. From the start you have an invinite amount of time but in your highest class you get a mere2 or 3 seconds to choose a card. (If yer not in time your combo ends.)

Finishing attacks:
There are special cards that strike a powerfull blow, and will also end the attack, so make sure you use that last. Depending on the level of these Special Moves, they cant be used first and the higher the level the more cards you need to play before you can use it. (Which is never a problem really)

Elements:
Like most rpgs this game uses the Elements system. These are the elements:
-Fire
-Water
-Light
-Dark
-Wind
-Chronos
-Neutral (no element)

Now, a thing you should know, playing opposing elements during a turn is a big no no, opposing elemnts reduce damage dealt by previous elemnt cards.
For example:

you play a normal card to deal 10 damage, a fire card that deals 1 damage and 6 Fire damage and after that you play a Water card that deals 1 damage and 7 water damage.
If I'm not mistaking, you attack willnow deal only 13 damage, since the water card nullifies the Fire card completely and thus leaving you with only 1 point of water damage plus 1 regular andanother 1 regular and the 10.

So build your decks so they never contain opposing elements or just dont use opposing elemnets in one turn.

Lets see what else is there; there are also special combo cards. They appear to be useless at first but playing them in a certain order in combination with other cards will get you a brand new card, which you can take a sprice after the battle.
For example: you use a iceblock next use the sculpting knife, and you get an ice sculpture n_n

Thats about it for the battle system, if theres more questions please ask.

--Ray

[Cheapshot]

Oh my god Ray! I'll give you a rep point for taking you're time to do that.

[Ray Falling]

Oh my god Ray! I'll give you a rep point for taking you're time to do that.

n_n thanks Sk8! Much appreciated!

And t'was my pleasure, I actually wanna play the game again now ;_; *finished Prime 2 instead*

[Hero-of-Time]

Thanks Ray that was some great info for me. I have been looking around the net for number 1 but everywhere is either sold out or I have to wait 2 weeks for it so once again fate has stepped in and stopped me playing it when im in the mood for it.

[Ray Falling]

Thanks Ray that was some great info for me. I have been looking around the net for number 1 but everywhere is either sold out or I have to wait 2 weeks for it so once again fate has stepped in and stopped me playing it when im in the mood for it.

Most welcome my friend. Hope you will find a copy anyway. I imported it really early, and I think its now available for half price here oin Holland, though thats no good to you I suppose...

Let me know if you get it

--Ray

[Hero-of-Time]

I have ordered it but I plan on searching for it in a few game stores that are near me so if i get it before the 2 weeks then I will just cancel....I WILL PLAY THIS GAME!

[Deku-Nutz]

I hope they fix the problems I with the card system in the first game..

Eleborate! Geez.. What problems???
I loved the system but I often found it a little annoying when in a defensive turn I would only have NON defensive weps and then would have to get Beat up bad. Then again its all about how you manage your Deck.

Overall though the System is just Frantic, Super Cool! And the best turn based system I have seen for a long time. Its so frantic sometimes it seems close to Real Time.

Baten Kaitos II is just like... the best news right now.
I still haven't completed the 1st yet, but I am nearly there. ^^

[Ray Falling]

Eleborate! Geez.. What problems???
I loved the system but I often found it a little annoying when in a defensive turn I would only have NON defensive weps and then would have to get Beat up bad. Then again its all about how you manage your Deck.

Overall though the System is just Frantic, Super Cool! And the best turn based system I have seen for a long time. Its so frantic sometimes it seems close to Real Time.

Baten Kaitos II is just like... the best news right now.
I still haven't completed the 1st yet, but I am nearly there. ^^

I agree. To me there was nothing wrong with the battle system. And yes I got beat up quite often because I didnt have any good defense cards n_n. Never really died though... yay! for healing!

I had a great save game where all my characters were at level 99 n_n don't need defense cards then. Got a 1-9 combo every turn. Was just training alot in the same place till I got about 30 copies of some of the best weapons n_n

[Zelda_Rulez]

No i didnt mean operation sweep, but... I mean whatever it was that cause the Empire to get so evil and stuff n_n

No I meant that we might be able to witness it in the game. :wink:

I never got my characters to lvl 99 in the first game. It wasn't really necessary as lvl 65 was enough to beat the final boss. I hope we'll get some really tough optional bosses in part 2 so it will be necessary. That was one of the few things that was missing from the first one IMO.

[Ray Falling]

No I meant that we might be able to witness it in the game. :wink:

I never got my characters to lvl 99 in the first game. It wasn't really necessary as lvl 65 was enough to beat the final boss. I hope we'll get some really tough optional bosses in part 2 so it will be necessary. That was one of the few things that was missing from the first one IMO.

Ah okay I see what you mean now eheh sorry my bad n_n;;;

Hmm yeah its not necessary thats true, but I was training to get better weapons and lots of copies of em n_n so yeah I just kept levelling up too.
Its the kinda game you don't want to end, but yeah you'll want to fight the bosss eventually.

And I agree with you, there should be more optional stuff n_n. Like, a dungeon with extremely strong enemies and of course a special boss. Though I loved each character's personal sidequest, that kept me busy for quite a while n_n. (Especially Xelha's 0_0 though that one was cool )

0_0 need..more..info

[Zelda_Rulez]

Yeah those small sidequests where cool but I found them not really sidequests. I can't explain it well but I got the feeling they just belonged to the story because they were a bit forced onto you.

I also hope there will be a lot of extra dungeons in the sequel. Like the book dungeon in TOS (Although I've never done it myself it did sound cool). Or a boss that's really strong like Abyssion in TOS. It would be great if they put that in because it will add a lot to the replay value.

It just crossed my mind that they should add a New Game + option. This way you can complete the Gathering more easily. I always wondered why they didn't put that in in the first one.

[Ray Falling]

Yeah those small sidequests where cool but I found them not really sidequests. I can't explain it well but I got the feeling they just belonged to the story because they were a bit forced onto you.

I also hope there will be a lot of extra dungeons in the sequel. Like the book dungeon in TOS (Although I've never done it myself it did sound cool). Or a boss that's really strong like Abyssion in TOS. It would be great if they put that in because it will add a lot to the replay value.

It just crossed my mind that they should add a New Game + option. This way you can complete the Gathering more easily. I always wondered why they didn't put that in in the first one.


Thats true, they wernt really sidequests as you had to complete them n_n;;;

But yeah I agree with what you said here. Especially the new game + option, ToS has that too it adds alot of fun to new savegames n_n

Plus there are some cards you can only get once and if you miss it its bad luck for ya ;_;.

So yeah n_n

[Zelda_Rulez]

Yeah I don't like missable items especially on RPGs. I just think it's wrong to make that possible to happen, because a lot of people aren't going to play a long RPG another time for just one item. But it's just annoying to know that you have an almost complete file and you're missing just on ething. There's really not a lot of point in making items missable in my opinion.

[Ray Falling]

Thats true, though it adds some to the challenge...and its usually not a very important item but I agree, if you want to have a complete save file its very annoying to find out in the end that yer missing something 0_0

[Stocka]

New scan! :smile:
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051012_132330_0_big.jpg

[Zelda_Rulez]

Nice. I see we will be returning to the lava caves then.

[Mizuti]

Looking good, yeah, looking good.
Will most definately be picking this one up. Just hoping for a fast translation, not 1 and a halt year like the first one took.

[Ten10]

The first one took so long because they weren't going to bother originally.

[Ray Falling]

That one screen looks liek the Cor Hydra 0_0; I find that very disturbing. New screens looking interesting n_n

I wish there was more info on the characters

[Stocka]

Oh I forgot to tell you guys, the japanese release date is December 1st.
Hoepfully we'll get it Feb/March/April with any luck.

[Hero-of-Time]

I just hope they have the sense to release the game especially since it will be one of the last games to be on the cube over here.
*runs off to continue playing number 1*

[Stocka]

I just hope they have the sense to release the game especially since it will be one of the last games to be on the cube over here.
*runs off to continue playing number 1*
I'm sure they will, when was the last time a company released a game in Europe then they made a sequel but didn't see light in Europe?

I wonder if it'll be out before Twilight Princess...maybe even same day?

[|Laguna|]

Hmm, hopefully this mean the first one will go down in price so then gamers can try it for cheap and then buy the second one, so it's like £20 + £40.
Any change of this becoming players choice, in faact when is the next btach of players choice actually coming out? Seems like their haven't been any new games on it for a while....

Not that I'd actually buy them as the crappy silver bit around the edge just looks awful IMO.

[JonSt]

I'm sure they will, when was the last time a company released a game in Europe then they made a sequel but didn't see light in Europe?

ermm, i can remember a series in which the first wasnt released here but the sequel was, parasite eve.

[Stocka]

Not that I'd actually buy them as the crappy silver bit around the edge just looks awful IMO.
Yeah I agree. Perhaps Namco will release a BKI+II pack for £54.99 or something? It would make sense and bring in people who are willing to give it a try.

[Retro_Link]

Any change of this becoming players choice, in faact when is the next btach of players choice actually coming out? Seems like their haven't been any new games on it for a while....

Not that I'd actually buy them as the crappy silver bit around the edge just looks awful IMO.
I agree!

There are a few Players Choice games that i'd like to get at some stage; Resi 0 and maybe Sonic Adventure (I had the Dreamcast version) and maybe some others; but i really don't like the design of them and I'd much rather try and find the original version (something which is near impossible)!

I think Tales of Symphonia will be out as a Players Choice soon; as I think it has been in America for a while now? So maybe there will be a few out then? Does anyone know of any US ones that we haven't got yet?

[Hero-of-Time]

Animal Crossing is one that the yanks have got. Makes sense though as they had it like 10 years before us lol.
Hopefully Baten wont be out the same day as Zelda that would just be cruel. Off topic a bit here but Im on playing through number 1 of Baten and just got to the point where...

Kalas turns out to be a traitor. I would never had guessed it was him. Also I owned the 3-1 fight. I heard it was hard so I levelled up to level 30 with kalas which in turn got my loads of Light Paddles for Gibari. I then went on to destroy Giacomo and his goons.

Awesome game!

[Jayby]

New scan! :smile:
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051012_132330_0_big.jpg

Yeah there's definitely a Cor Hydra and Lave Caves pic, and the guy in the top right looks like Lodekahn (sp?)

[Stocka]

Yeah H-o-T, I would of never guessed it too, and I agree the game is awesome.

[Zelda_Rulez]

The mini-site is online too:

http://www.monolithsoft.co.jp/baten2/index.html

Doesn't show a lot though.

[Stocka]

More more more! :grin:

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143702_22_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143701_19_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143701_20_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143700_15_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143700_17_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143659_8_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143659_9_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143659_10_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143658_3_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143658_5_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143658_6_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051020_143658_7_big.jpg


Wow some of those graphics are amazing for this gen :shock: The reflections are marvellous.

[Ray Falling]

Holy vuc!!! Thats awesome. I love the new camera angles alot. And that one flashback pic is the town near the silly tower with the Children of the Earth 0_0

*drool* Screens are ace, but more actual game info would be great too

[Hero-of-Time]

The game is looking awesome. Cant wait to play it I wish it was out now as i just finishing off getting all the magnus from the first game. Did any of you get all 1000 odd magnus cards?

[Hero-of-Time]

Ok i didnt want to double post and I sent Stocka a PM to post the news here so I didnt have to but guess he hasnt seen it yet so I will anyways.

Seen the news last night that Namco have delayed Baten Kaitos 2 indefinetly. Hopeully it wont be cancelled just a delay thats all....crosses fingers. It was reported on magic-box website and if you check out gamefaqs and goto the Baten 2 boards its all over there.

[Stocka]

:red: Makes you wonder when it will see the light of day in UK

[Hero-of-Time]

No worries about not seeing the PM. Yeah the news is disappointing hopefully the game will still come out over here and if it doesnt then hopefully the US will get it so I can import it.

[Ray Falling]

It better not get cancelled ;_; I was getting so happy about this stuff ;_;

[Stocka]

It better not get cancelled ;_; I was getting so happy about this stuff ;_;
Don't get all daft Ray, of course it won't.

[Ray Falling]

I dont even know what daft means n_n; Anyway, I'll get Fire Emblem today with abit of luck..that should take my mind off things ;_;

[Hero-of-Time]

Yeah im looking forward to playing that. I might aswell pick it up to keep my RPG cravings down to a minimum.

[Stocka]

The Japanese date has been confirmed. 23rd February 2006. Argh, I hope they have already started translating or are going to do all the localization quickly soon because I want it before the summer :hmm:

Oh an apparently this is the final name:
Baten Kaitos: Wings of the Beginning and the Heir to the Gods
..erm....one of the longest game names ever? :heh:

Some new scans:
http://www.jeux-france.com/news13097_baten-kaitos-ii-en-images.html

Info(Babelfish Translation):
The history takes seat 20 years before the history of the first opus and will proceed in the same world. Sagi, a member of elite of the empire, wrongly finds marked murder of the emperor of Alfar and must thus leave to hide with his/her friends Millyard and Guillo. They will meet during their way certain already known characters such as Gibari, Savyna, Geldoblame and Ladekahn, all will be of course younger. They will have to then find together the cause of a brutal change in the world. The system of combat by Magnus charts will be always present. The type-setter Motoi Sakuraba will be back to undertake the musics of Baten Kaitos II.

[Retro_Link]

The Japanese date has been confirmed. 23rd February 2006.!!!!!!!!!! I hope it's released over here!!
Baten Kaitos: Wings of the Beginning and the Heir to the Gods
..erm....one of the longest game names ever? :heh:Yeah, but very cool!

[Calibur]

I can't wait for this game, looks amazing. I always wished they made another tales game as well, like a prequel which goes through the story of the hero Mithos splitting the world in 2.

[Hero-of-Time]

That name is freakin sweet! Very Epic!

[Zelda_Rulez]

Great news. I hope it will be released in Europe as well.

[triforce_keeper]

Wow Im justb playing through the 1st one and its fu***in brilliant!!!!!!!! cant wait for this one!!!

[Stocka]

More screens and art guys! I'm getting so excited for it..
http://www.ngcfrance.com/news.php?operande=0&idx=4461&r=1

Some recognisable characters there, good ol' Gibari :hehe:
http://www.ngcfrance.com/images/news/baten_kaitos_2/art_019.jpg

Some intriguing new characters too...

http://www.ngcfrance.com/images/news/baten_kaitos_2/scr_033.jpg

[quich_delvyn]

this game looks good but i woulda rathered it a revolution game for launch. iam getting the firsr for xmas so ill be ready for this 1

[Zelda_Rulez]

It's looking great. I recognize a lot of characters like Geldoblame and Ladekhan and others in there.

[Ray Falling]

Looks like the block puzzles are back too. Baten 1 had the most amazing block puzzle in the history of block puzzles n_n.

Getting to the bottom of that tower was quite a challenge n_n. But great stuff.

[Stocka]

Got the thread name changed to 'Official Thread' like you can see :smile:

February 23 2006 in Japan...argh ages away.... :cry:

[thomaschung]

I finally completed the 1st one about a month ago and thought it was well brilliant.

I'm not holding my breath for the 2nd though, until we have a firm release date for Europe. I'm very sceptical about it being released here. Unless Nintendo is publishing it themselves.

[Mr. Bananagrabber]

I really didn't enjoy the first one :(
I'll give this 'un a try regardless.

[Stocka]

I'm not holding my breath for the 2nd though, until we have a firm release date for Europe. I'm very sceptical about it being released here. Unless Nintendo is publishing it themselves.
Yeah I'm worried about it too, I mean its not out in Japan till February. I'm sure they'll sell it in Europe though what with Revolution being backwards compatible.

[|Laguna|]

February 23 2006 in Japan...argh ages away.... :cry:

Heh, wise move probably as if it's released after FF XII (March 16) I doubt it will sell much at all.

[Stocka]

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051207_150021_1_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320051207_150021_0_big.jpg

[Ollie]

Why are Japanese magazines so much better than ours?! I haven't tried the first one yet, maybe I'll pick it up after Christmas and see what I think.

[Stocka]

New screens :)
http://www.jeux-france.com/news13643_baten-kaitos-ii-s-expose.html

[|Laguna|]

Woot! Just purchased Baten Kaitos 1 on eBay for £22.50. Excellent, can't freakin' wait.

[Stocka]

Woot! Just purchased Baten Kaitos 1 on eBay for £22.50. Excellent, can't freakin' wait.
Great buy! What condition is it?
I know you're a fan of RPGs so I hope you enjoy it like me :hehe:
It's a fantastic game once you get into it.

[Stefkov]

what exaclty do you do in the game? use cards to fight people?
ive heard lots about this, wondering if i should pick it up

[Stocka]

what exaclty do you do in the game? use cards to fight people?
ive heard lots about this, wondering if i should pick it up
Ever played an RPG? If you have, basically its a traditional one except for the battle system is card based, but its really fast and clever. The battle system gets better as the game goes on, you'll see. Buy it its a great journey. :)

[Sooj]

I played the original Baten Katios game for the Gamecube non-stop. Got 25 hours into the game and I left it for a few weeks. I went back to it and I can't seem to get back into it :(. If I ever complete Baten Katios then I will get this one as well.

[|Laguna|]

Great buy! What condition is it?
I know you're a fan of RPGs so I hope you enjoy it like me :hehe:
It's a fantastic game once you get into it.

:bowdown: Sealed :bowdown:

[Stocka]

Even better buy Laguna!


http://www.ngcfrance.com/news.php?operande=0&idx=4566&r=1
Scroll down and you'll see art of some new characters. http://www.revo-europe.com/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif

[Stocka]

Lovely jubbly.More scans. Many recognisable faces :hehe:
http://pix.nofrag.com/b8/a2/e0779544a8a4b61f1f3b2b2da5cb.jpg

http://pix.nofrag.com/9a/91/dc722b357ffaa64e8ad63335c755.html

http://pix.nofrag.com/f2/bb/aafd5ed52dba8415001164650a40.jpg

[Hero-of-Time]

Just nicked this post of gamefaqs boards so enjoy....

http://img106.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc24&image=a94_Baten_Kaitos2_ND01arex1.jpg
http://img40.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc24&image=fe5_Baten_Kaitos2_ND01brex1.jpg
http://img126.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc24&image=330_Baten_Kaitos2_ND01crex1.jpg
http://img125.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc24&image=9ee_Baten_Kaitos2_ND01arex2.jpg
http://img21.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc24&image=8ee_Baten_Kaitos2_ND01drex1.jpg
http://img105.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc24&image=d1c_Baten_Kaitos2_ND01brex2.jpg
http://img126.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc24&image=056_Baten_Kaitos2_ND01crex2.jpg
http://img103.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc24&image=34611_Baten_Kaitos2_ND02dr.jpg

Better translation:

"Battle system translation:(what I can make of it anyway)

Specific spirit numbers belong to specific types of battle magnus. Cards in a combo can only be dealt from low to high. So you can start the hand you're dealing with any card you want, but the next card will have to have a higher spirit number and the next higher still and so on. There are no cards which stop your combo, so it's even possible to link special moves.

the different cards:

-Item magnus, which heal, let you flee or taunt the opponent have no spirit number. They can't be used in a combo.

- Equipment Magnus will always have a 0, they alter parameters of your characters. There is offensive equipment (str+), defensive equipment (def+), accesories (poison resistance + etc.) and elementals(add elemental properties to your stats).

-Normal attack magnus will always have a 1,2 or 3. use them to make longer, more damaging combos. making longer combos also makes you restore your MP faster.

-Special Moves will always have a 4,5 or 6. If you finish the hand you're dealing with a special move, you can do a relay combo by throwing a card with spirit number 1 or an R on it as first card for the next character. This will make the next character take over the combo immediatly, also leaving the enemy without the opportunity to counter-attack. Special moves cost MP, which can be filled up by using normal attacks, items and equipment magnus. Doing it in combo increases the the speed with which your MP fills up, so relay combos can be pretty nifty for keeping your MP level, besides finishing enemies off before they can counterattack.

-There is no reference to higher spirit numbers, and a little addition about how these worked in the previous game seems to imply there are no spirit numbers higher than 6. (but I seem to remember seeing a picture with an 8 somewhere...can't remember where though, I sure hope there are higher ones.)

Other info:

You only have one deck for your entire party, so you won't have to keep up 6 seperate decks all the time anymore. Cards no longer have multiple spirit numbers on them. In the upper left corner you can see depicted who's turn it is next, which is pretty important if you want to pull off successfull relay combos. To the right of it you can see all character info, their HP, the delay (not zeizei) bar and what item they've gotten equiped at the moment. The delay bar depicts the time left until the next move. To the right of your hand of cards you can see the MP bar, which also has a certain level, but what that signifies isn't touched upon.

Wing dash is initiated by pressing 'b' and it drains your Soulgage. This effects how much MP you have when you go into battle and if it's depleted it causes you to be temporarily paralyzed as the battle begins. "

[Stocka]

Battle system sounds even better.

More screens!
http://www.jeux-france.com/news13939_baten-kaitos-ii-se-devoile-encore.html

And look at this for RPG art goodness
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320060110_183754_10_big.jpg

[|Laguna|]

Hmm, saw these shots on this website of BKII
http://blog.myspace.com/47902422

Wondering about this shot, is it me or does this screen look extremly bad graphic wise in comparison to the others.
http://img2.kult-mag.com/photos/00/00/64/75/ME0000647525_2.jpg

[Supergrunch]

It looks like its made out of plastacine... maybe it's a beta version.

The dialog box just says something about how "being endless is no end" and how thick the grass is- so no clues there.

[Retro_Link]

It looks like its made out of plastacine... maybe it's a beta version.

The dialog box just says something about how "being endless is no end" and how thick the grass is- so no clues there.Yeah it looks to me like a plastercine model with some photoshopped characters!

I'd say that this screen is either a BLATENT fake, which has just got mixed up with the rest of the screens,
OR, Namco has tried something EXTREMELY original with one of the worlds you visit, where-by it's made out of plastercine!! But that's even more extremely unlikely than the concept itself!!

I think that picture is a definate fake!

[Hero-of-Time]

If you have played through the original game then Namco doing something like this is a good bet.........Trust me!

[Stocka]

Yeah, anyone remember the paper like world in the original(sorry if some of you haven't got there yet, I don't see saying that is much of a spoiler though) that looked a lot like this.

[Supergrunch]

However, I don't think they'd be talking about the thickness of the grass if it was made out of plastacine.

[MarioDS]

NEW WONDERFUL SCREENS:

http://blog.myspace.com/47902422

[Stocka]

http://cube.ign.com/articles/681/681288p1.html
According to sources close to Namco, Baten Kaitos 2 is set to hit the US later this year. We unfortunately don't have an exact ship date. However, insiders allege that, like its Japanese parent, Nintendo of America will publish the RPG in the States.

[Stabby]

That probably confirms Europe will get it too. That's a relief.

[Supergrunch]

My guess is we'll get it just before the revolution.

[Stocka]

I'm hoping we get it in time for summer, but its unlikely. I want at least 1 in time for summer! [Zelda and BKII]

[Hero-of-Time]

Yeah summer time would be perfect as there is always a drought of decent games. Hopefully it wont launch too close to the Revo as I want all my attention lavished on one or the other not both.

[Stocka]

WTF :woops:

http://www.rpgamer.com/games/bk/bk2/art/bk2017.jpg

[Hero-of-Time]

Whats the pic Stocka as it aint showing up.

Just checked Videogamesplus.ca and they have it down for pre-order worst part is though its down for 1st August!!! If that is true then who know when we will get it.

[Stocka]

Whats the pic Stocka as it aint showing up.

Just checked Videogamesplus.ca and they have it down for pre-order worst part is though its down for 1st August!!! If that is true then who know when we will get it.
More like if :hmm:
And try this
http://www.rpgamer.com/games/bk/bk2/art/bk2017.jpg ...lol

[vicious77]

I played the original Baten Katios game for the Gamecube non-stop. Got 25 hours into the game and I left it for a few weeks. I went back to it and I can't seem to get back into it :(. If I ever complete Baten Katios then I will get this one as well.

i'm like you although i got to pretty much the end (still going around doing those extra quests before heading to the final island) and then stopped playing it for a while.. I relally should sit down and finish it but just can't muster up the enthusiasm.. plus it's been ages and I hope i don't find it hard to get back into. I did almost exactly the same thing with Dungeon Siege 2.. i was totally hooked on the game for weeks.. took a break for a while to regain some semblance of a social life, and when i finally sat down to play it i just thought it seemed so dumb and pointless.. (wade your way through an army of enemies, get to town, stock up on potions and cool swords, repeat ad infinitum)

[Supergrunch]

More like if :hmm:
And try this
http://www.rpgamer.com/games/bk/bk2/art/bk2017.jpg ...lol

That pic doesn't work; try this (of the same person):
http://www.rpgamer.com/games/bk/bk2/art/bk2016.jpg

And yes, a bit odd...

EDIT: the site doesn't like direct links.

[Stocka]

Apparently the name is Baten Kaitos II: The Start of the Wings and the Heir of the Gods. They love these long names don't they :D

[Stocka]

Video footage!
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ngc/gk4j/movie/index.html
I haven't seen yet as its taking a while to download...

[Supergrunch]

Looks... interesting. And I'm not going to try and translate the Japanese... although I caught the word "god".

[pedrocasilva]

that trailer, looks ace... I'll order the first Baten kaitos and Tales of Symphonia tomorow, since I can't get my hands on Skies of Arcadia, and I need my RPG fix... Baten Kaitos seems to be getting harder to get on stock (although I still know where they have it) let's hope it lasts till tomorow night (yeah... I'm feeling very unlucky).

I'm really hyped about the first Baten Kaitos (more than Symphonia right now)

[Retro_Link]

that trailer, looks ace... I'll order the first Baten kaitos and Tales of Symphonia tomorow, since I can't get my hands on Skies of Arcadia, and I need my RPG fix... Baten Kaitos seems to be getting harder to get on stock (although I still know where they have it) let's hope it lasts till tomorow night (yeah... I'm feeling very unlucky).

I'm really hyped about the first Baten Kaitos (more than Symphonia right now)Yeah I got Baten Kaitos a few weeks ago and so far it's a really great game.

The Sequel made me even more determined to own the first game (and I also felt that I wanted to play it more than Symphonia)!

[Dr Kong]

Main character looks stupid. At least Kalas was sort of cute.

[pedrocasilva]

Yeah I got Baten Kaitos a few weeks ago and so far it's a really great game.

The Sequel made me even more determined to own the first game (and I also felt that I wanted to play it more than Symphonia)!yay, it's coming :D

I already bought it at amazon.co.uk, shame it's predicted to come february 6th to 8th, so no Baiten Kaitos this weekend. :(

The sequel is also looking really good, so what are your thoughts having played the original game, will this one be even better? what could they do to take it for the next level?

discuss, discuss :D

[thomaschung]

is this game annouced for Europe yet. probably not coming

[pedrocasilva]

is this game annouced for Europe yet. probably not comingIt will come, in US it'll be published by Nintendo itself, they know their roadmap for Gamecube is poor now, only with Twilight Princess and Baten Kaitos II worth mentioning, thus they will release in europe...

Otherwise look at Fire Emblem, it wouldn't get out on US and Europe if the console had more killer apps comming out at that moment in time.

[|Laguna|]

Box art for it... how gothicy, it's just come out in Japan if there are any Japanese understanding importers lurking.

http://img2.kult-mag.com/photos/00/00/65/93/ME0000659325_2.jpg

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ngc/index.html

[thomaschung]

it's out in japan, any reviews yet?

[pedrocasilva]

it's out in japan, any reviews yet?last time I checked on gamestats... (like 3 hours ago) No, there isn't any reviews... yet :)

My bet (or rather, what I want) is a 32/40 on Famitsu :wink:

[Hellfire]

Famitsu is really unreliable. They give almost every RPGs high scores and are suckers for something that's from an anime. Not to mention that there have been many cases of bribes in Japanese media.
On topic, I have to get Baten Kaitos before I get this, because prequels are cooler if they're played later :P

[pedrocasilva]

Famitsu is really unreliable. They give almost every RPGs high scores and are suckers for something that's from an anime. Not to mention that there have been many cases of bribes in Japanese media.
On topic, I have to get Baten Kaitos before I get this, because prequels are cooler if they're played later :PMaybe, but that's the only reference point we have till it comes out of Japan, I really don't know any other source for Japanese reviews.

Also, I don't think IGN are more reliable than that.

On the "get the first one" note... I'd really advice you to do it, because it's just so much better than I thought it would...

I played like 14 hours from Monday (when it arrived) to Friday, that's so unlike me... (maybe I was just starved for RPG's, but still it's a really refreshing experience)

[|Laguna|]

Some scans for ya.

Scan 1 (http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/bkii.jpg)
Scan 2 (http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/bkii2.jpg)
Scan 3 (http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/bkii3.jpg)

Didn't want to display them as they're pretty big and I don't want to put off 56k users to what is going to be an amazing game.

[Retro_Link]

Famitsu score;

Baten Kaitos II: Hajimari no Tsubasa to Kamigami no Shishi (GC, Nintendo):
8 / 9 / 8 / 9 - (34/40)

Great!!

[pedrocasilva]

Famitsu score;

Baten Kaitos II: Hajimari no Tsubasa to Kamigami no Shishi (GC, Nintendo):
8 / 9 / 8 / 9 - (34/40)

Great!!Even more than I predicted :D

[Retro_Link]

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean scored;

8 / 8 / 8 / 7 - (31/40)

So according to Famitsu, the sequel (prequel) is even better than the original!! and that's a fantastic game!!

[thomaschung]

excellent. i very much liked Baten Kaitos so I can't wait for this. May have to import the US version.

[Supergrunch]

That's a very good set of scores; all the defining games of their genre tend to get around 34 in famitsu.

However, I hope they aren't simply inflating the scores due to it being an RPG. Mind you, Nihon no RPGs ga dai suki desu! ^_^

[Sarka]

I should really complete #1... I'm at the start of disc 2, then I lost all enthusiasm. I want to get BK2 for some reason.. but I havn't done 1 yet! Arg.

[Stocka]

34/40 WOW! really wasn't expecting that. I'm so excited :D

[pedrocasilva]

There's a whole page of new images for it in IGN:

-> http://media.cube.ign.com/media/772/772298/imgs_1.html

Also... there's a new video:

-> http://media.cube.ign.com/media/772/772298/vids_1.html

looks really awesome.

[Stocka]

Thanks,

WTF is up with the SSBM like background voices, "LEVEL 5!" "You win!!"
You just know thats going to get annoying...

[pedrocasilva]

Thanks,

WTF is up with the SSBM like background voices, "LEVEL 5!" "You win!!"
You just know thats going to get annoying...but the inventory management of cards seems improoved, the time now is pressing agains the player in a pretty readable place, making you fell the rush, and the counts the number of cards you've used, sometimes you can end your sequence before expected because of not knowing how many cards did you use as of yet, that's clearly a help, and a welcome one.

also the animation of the characters(at least in battle) seems better to me, or at least... richer (I really liked the butterfly girl :love: )

[Smalldude76]

Seems like they've made the battle system much faster than it previously was, but I agree with Stocka, that voice would really get on my nerves. Nonetheless, I'm aching to play this game...

I should really complete #1... I'm at the start of disc 2, then I lost all enthusiasm. I want to get BK2 for some reason.. but I havn't done 1 yet! Arg.

Ah! It gets so much better from there! You must progress!

[Hero-of-Time]

Take this news how you will but in the new issue of the Nintendo mag they have it down as November release over here in the uk.

[Stocka]

Take this news how you will but in the new issue of the Nintendo mag they have it down as November release over here in the uk.
Yeah I noticed that. I reckon it won't come out till at least September(same goes for Twilight Princess) and if it comes out at all in Europe that is.

I'm sure it will... I mean I know GC isn't exactly a hot seller in Europe right now :heh: but I doubt they'd give us the first without giving us the second, and Nintendo are publishing it so that makes it even more likely. Also Revo is backwards compatible so I don't see the fact GC sales aren't great being too much of a restriction.

[thomaschung]

not really a surprise if it comes out in November. Somewhat expected actually, but what will we play until then if Zelda comes out then as well. It would be a bit silly to bring them both out in the same month, so maybe they'll shift it forward to October

[Stocka]

Intro movie!
Not a touch on the first one(which is incredible) but I think the main reason is no vocals. Still so very mystical and mysterious! Gorgeous.
http://game.dnip.net/temp/bat.wmv

[pedrocasilva]

Intro movie!
Not a touch on the first one(which is incredible) but I think the main reason is no vocals. Still so very mystical and mysterious! Gorgeous.
http://game.dnip.net/temp/bat.wmv wow, it's a awesome video :love:

I really want this game now... and it gave me the urge to finish (and play) the first one... (i'll have to beat that boss where i'm stuck, even if I have to start over from the beggining :hmm:

everything in the intro looks awesome, from the music to the artwork aproach used, i'm speechless.

[Smalldude76]

Nice artwork, but I preferred the original BK one...gave away story bits you'd never think they'd touch on in an opening sequence and you don't realisee it until it's happened...

Anyone else notice that the main menu has a copyright for Namco instead of Tri-cresendo, Monolith, or Nintendo?

[pedrocasilva]

IGN launched a detailed new preview/playtest/impressions for Baten Kaitos II... looking good :yay:

-> http://cube.ign.com/articles/691/691268p1.html

there's also 18 new screens and 5 new videos in the video section, 4 being gameplay videos and one being the opening video we already saw (sadly... only 320x240) :cry:
EDIT:(...)Anyone else notice that the main menu has a copyright for Namco instead of Tri-cresendo, Monolith, or Nintendo?I think tri-crescendo is making a game for PS3 (or planning to) maybe they didn't have the time to make this one. I think they did the game system or something anyway, namco had the source and evolved it alone, no big deal I guess.

[The-Ironflame]

I might get this but only if they make the card system less frustrating..

[pedrocasilva]

I might get this but only if they make the card system less frustrating..The preview says they made it simpler, less frustrating and easier to get in...

anyway, I've got nothing bad to say about the actual card system, it's one of the highlights of the game, for me.

[Stocka]

Smalldude told me that Nintendo Power claim its being released early June in the US. Considering that the New Super Mario Bros date they claimed turned out to be correct I'd say this is verly likely to be the case. I hope for August/September in Europe.

Watching those videos now, thanks again pedro for letting us know :smile:
Oh how I love Baten Kaitos music.... :awesome:

[Cheapshot]

You think they'll hire proper voice-actors this time around?

[Supergrunch]

You think they'll hire proper voice-actors this time around?

I really hope they have an option for Japanese voice acting. Hardly any games do this; the only ones I can think of are Sonic Adventure DX and Soul Calibur II.

[Smalldude76]

The preview says they made it simpler, less frustrating and easier to get in...

anyway, I've got nothing bad to say about the actual card system, it's one of the highlights of the game, for me.

All drawing from one deck this time around (http://darkzero.co.uk/index2.php?newsid=1860)

I agree though, it was a great battle system in the first one.

[Stocka]

I hear the European release date is November 1st.
:nono:

[pedrocasilva]

I hear the European release date is November 1st.
:nono:lol, that means it's gonna be a Revolution launch title :yay:

[Hero-of-Time]

Here is the 1-up Preview.

2003's Baten Kaitos was an interesting attempt at making a non-traditional RPG. Rather than take the standard route of menu based combat, the game created its own card system that extended beyond battles. Using cards known as Magnus, players would equip elemental armor, clash swords in battle, and even pick fruit off trees. It was a unique experience that was pretty well received by players around the world. Now three years later, Monolith Software and Tri-Crescendo have created another journey like nothing else out there with Baten Kaitos II.

Taking place 15 years before the start of first game, BKII centers around the characters Sagi, Guillo, and Milliard. Sagi, like Kalas of BK, is always connected to a spirit from another dimension (or in simpler terms, the game player). Just as in the original title, BKII does its best to include the player in the actual plot. For instance, whenever the group discusses a matter at hand, Sagi will do his best to include the player in the decision making process. As for the characters themselves, they make up a fairly enjoyable cast. Sagi is a friendly assassin, Guillo is a brutal robot assassin, and Milliard is a headstrong rich girl running away from home. As you can guess, this combination of personalities creates for often-humorous conversations, and hey, who doesn't like a cast of assassins?

If there's one aspect where BKII feels nearly identical to its predecessor, it's in the gorgeous pre-rendered backdrops that set the stage for the game. Each location in the game drips with artistic beauty and, like each screen of the original, is filled with creativity. The game even contains a hidden city made entirely out of clay. No doubt about it -- BKII is a good-looking RPG.

On the other hand, if there's one aspect where BKII feels nothing like the original game, it's in the battle system. Due to some complaints from players feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the original battle system, BKII has completely redesigned how fights in the game work. The only thing that's been left unchanged is the basic flow for attacking. In BKII, players still choose attack cards from their current hand and combo the attack cards with lower values into the attack cards that have higher values. But that's about where the similarities stop. Differing from BK, this time the most import aspect of the battle system is the magic gauge, a meter that fills up slightly each time a card is used. Since each character's high damaging special attack now costs MP, players must constantly push up the MP gauge with normal attacks so they can keep pulling from it to use special attacks. This tug of war system becomes even more complicated when adding in the fact that in BKII all three characters share the same deck and the same single MP gauge. Yes, unlike the first BK where each character had their own individual deck, in BKII players must create a single deck for all three characters.

Strongly connected to this new single deck concept is BKII's relay combo system. By using a level one standard attack directly after a previous character has used a special attack, players will perform a "relay combo." This is basically a combo continuing off the previous character's attack or combo. The overall goal with this system is to string the combos of all three characters together into one long relay combo that deals high damage and gives a high amount of tech points (TP) as a reward. TP is then used for upgrading the characters' card class, allowing them to hold more cards at once and dispose of several cards in one turn.

Furthermore, the new battle system is built around the idea of using "equip" cards. Unlike BK, there are no defensive turns in BKII. Instead players are allowed to equip a single card at any time. These equip cards fall into the category of weapon cards and armor cards. Equipping a weapon changes the attack properties of the next few attacks while equipping an armor card boosts the character's defenses for the next couple of turns. Most equip cards have an endurance value representing the amount of turns the card will last before expiring.

Also new to the series is a Burst Mode that activates when five levels of MP have been built up. During this mode, characters have unlimited MP and can perform non-stop special attacks for a limited amount of time. It's an interesting risk/reward concept that comes in useful during boss battles where it makes sense to play defensively and build up the gauge instead of chipping bosses down with repeated small attacks.

Outside of battle BKII is a much more complete game than its predecessor. When not in battle, the game presents quite a few ways for players to build up their decks in preparation for the upcoming battles. Besides buying and selling cards, players have the option to upgrade current cards when at shops. By combining event cards and battle cards, players can upgrade the stats of various battle cards and even create all new ones. For example, combining a fire card and a sword card results in a flame sword card. Event cards can also be combined with each other (fire + fire = inferno). All in all this gives players all sorts of chances to consistently upgrade their deck.

While journeying through the islands of the world, players can participate in various sub-quests usually consisting of finding items for people. In the first BK remembering where all the people were and what they wanted tended to be quite a hassle. This time around, the game provides a "Quest Log" keeping track of all the sub-quests. Also included to spice things up a bit is a battle arena, where players can duke it out for rare card prizes.

All things considered, Baten Kaitos II is a prequel that does its best to change things up a bit. With a good story, great visuals, and new battle system, the game is sure to please fans of the original and may even win over those who were on the fence regarding the first title. Quite possibly the last pure RPG on the GameCube, Baten Kaitos II does well to give the genre one last hurrah.

[Retro_Link]

Thanks for the preview!

The game even contains a hidden city made entirely out of clay.http://img2.kult-mag.com/photos/00/00/64/75/ME0000647525_2.jpg

So this picture was real after all!
That must of taken quite a long time! Do you think they had to build a whole 3D model 'world' out of clay; mind you, it looks pretty basic from that picture!

IGN preview;

http://cube.ign.com/articles/691/691268p1.html

[Stocka]

2 new videos up at IGN
http://media.cube.ign.com/media/772/772298/vids_1.html
I've decided however that I'm not going to watch any more gameplay footage of the game, as I enjoy games more when I haven't seen too much of them, especially RPGs.

[ShadowV7]

I've decided however that I'm not going to watch any more gameplay footage of the game, as I enjoy games more when I haven't seen too much of them, especially RPGs.
That's what im doing,keeping out so when I play I can go wow and not know what will happen.

[Calibur]

Yeah same here, Thats what i did for OoT and it blew me away when i actually got the game.

[darksnowman]

Ive got the first and I aim to get it finished at the start of the summer period so Ill have a little time to chill out before the next one - I dont wanna sicken myself if I accidently time it that I play them one after t'other. The first is great fun though, no one can deny that the Cube has had many a highlight.

[daftada]

I can't wait for this game, I didn't think i'd like the first one but it certainly grew on me after a while. I only managed to get as far as the 2nd disc before my US gamecube gave up the ghost.

Don't suppose anyone would be willing to send me their memory card (or i send you mine) with a PAL save file around the beginning of the 2nd disc? I can't even remember what level my characters were at but I think Kalas may have been around 28-32. I'd love to carry on the game if I can get it cheap on eBay.

[pedrocasilva]

I can't wait for this game, I didn't think i'd like the first one but it certainly grew on me after a while. I only managed to get as far as the 2nd disc before my US gamecube gave up the ghost.

Don't suppose anyone would be willing to send me their memory card (or i send you mine) with a PAL save file around the beginning of the 2nd disc? I can't even remember what level my characters were at but I think Kalas may have been around 28-32. I'd love to carry on the game if I can get it cheap on eBay.well you can buy a memory card whom you can link to your PC and put in the "downloaded" Saves... there are sites on the web with those aswell.

there should be a save for: "after 2nd disc loads"

[|Laguna|]

First BK II English review of the Japanse game (that i know of)

http://www.planetgamecube.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=11260

Things look good for it:
"In short, Baten Kaitos II is not only a fantastic follow-up to the original game, it exceeds it in almost every aspect. Whoever enjoyed the first game will be enthralled in the prequel, and those who did not will certainly be surprised."

[Stocka]

:smile: Famitsu also gave it an even better score than the first one. I'm really looking forward to it, shame we might have to wait till late autummn/winter, as its out in US in June...

[|Laguna|]

:nono: :mad: :cry:

This is how I feel about the latest news regarding Baten Kaitos II.
The latest ONM has a brief page preview in which it informs you that the battle system has been simplified. A lot.

For example, you know longer have individual decks, but instead one deck to rule them all.

Reading another article online, this new amalgamated deck is a big problem in that frequently another person’s equipment shows up when you're controlling a different character. So it'd be like Kalas constantly being presented with magic cards, which I predict could get very frustrating.

Also, when you get into battle, you are only drawn 2(!) cards. This is because they have completely, and in my opinion, badly reinvented the whole magnus system. Now you just get your two cards and you equip them and then that's your lot, it then plays out like your standard FF or SoAL turn based battle. Plus, this only applies to weapons, gone are the days when in battled you'd be mixing it up with combo ice armour and ice shield.
Also gone are the intracies of the combo system, to get one you need to have numbers running from 0-9 in order. Gone are the reverse straight combos, gone are the days of getting a pair or three of kind combo.

However, one plus I suppose is the fact that your characters now automatically level up, there will be no more of this shrine malarkey, which should make dungeons and such a little easier.

[ShadowV7]

Was there a rough date to when it's going to be released yet? Like what Q?

[Stocka]

Q4 Europe no doubt..if ever.

..Nah being positive its bound to get released what with Rev being backwards compatible.

[Hero-of-Time]

Yeah I keep hearing/seeing the Sept-Nov date battered around. If worse comes to worse I will just import the game from the USA. Ah the genius that is the Freeloader.

[Stocka]

So it got a name change!
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmasters/Images/4490320060509_234853_2_big.jpg
I much prefer it being called this to II as it is a prequel afterall.

Bad news... it is coming out in the US on September 25th, despite originally planned for June. Looks worrying for when we're going to get it :shakehead


And a new trailer:
http://cubemovies.ign.com/cube/video/article/706/706543/GCN_BaitenKaitos_trlr_01_qtlow.mov

Also, as only mods of this board can change the title of the thread (and I'm not) I haven't changed the title yet but I've contacted a mod to do it :awesome:
EDIT: Done now :smile:

[Nintendo Fan]

The name sounds better. September 25th for the US :shock: i was planing on importing this title to play it during the summer. :(

[Hero-of-Time]

Im really hoping that we do get it over here but wit hteh US not getting it til Septemeber they may not bother translating it.

Awesome sig by the way Nintendo Fan.

[Nintendo Fan]

Im really hoping that we do get it over here but wit hteh US not getting it til Septemeber they may not bother translating it.

Awesome sig by the way Nintendo Fan.
Thanks it took me quite a while finding it.
I really hope they release it over or i'll just import like usual :grin: This game is going to be Great.

[ShadowV7]

Nah it will be released here in October I say and it will pass time to the Wii.I say don't get worried.Yea that is a nice sig you have there Nintendo Fan.

[Hero-of-Time]

Nah it will be released here in October I say and it will pass time to the Wii.I say don't get worried.Yea that is a nice sig you have there Nintendo Fan.

What worries me though is the lack of time I will have for this game. I mean Wii will be out around Oct-Nov alongside Zelda noless. I was hoping I would get this game finished before they arrived.

[ShadowV7]

Yea me to.That's why i'm gonna play it more than I did with the first one.Want it done for the Wii and Zelda.I see your point though.We need an estimate for it over here.

[Nintendo Fan]

Nah it will be released here in October I say and it will pass time to the Wii.I say don't get worried.Yea that is a nice sig you have there Nintendo Fan.
Thanks ^_^

If it is going to be released in October then i probably won't import it because i wan to get 'Naruto Clash of the Nijas 2' which will be released in September so i'll be playing that in the mean time :grin:

Edit: Yeah me too i'll play it more than the first one, i'll try complete it before the Launch of Zelda and Wii.

[Ten10]

I just want to know what Chaotic dance 2 sounds like. The soundtrack comes on 3 discs with a total of 61 tracks, a few more than the first. Since the whole level up thing is now done automatically, maybe you'll be able to save when you feel like it.

[Sparko]

I finally got around to gettin Baten Kaitos, and I absolutely adore it! Before I bought it I was worried about the card based system because from reading reviews I didn't really like the sound of it but once I started playing I really enjoyed it. I bought Tales of Symphonia at the same time, found them both second hand and as Gamecube stock is rare nowadays I snapped them both up. Haven't really played Tales too much yet, BK consumes too much time! So I'm definitely looking forward to Origins.

[darksnowman]

Id not even noticed the thread title had been changed, the name sounds good.

I think that the battle system being simplified has improved it if reviews are to be trusted... and sure if the games topping the first one in scores then its bound to be doing something right.

Id be worried about it coming out here and if it doesnt I think Ill definetly resort to lowly importage but Im feeling strangely confident that this Zelda (Ill get it for Wii anyway) but also Super Paper Mario, that new DK game and Kirby and whatevers not coming to mind'll be a pretty great last hurrah for GameCube. With backwards compatibility being all the rage nowadays the game has no excuse whatsoever - and was I dreaming that Nintendo are publishing this too? That surely has to be a promising sign for us malnourished European gamers.

[Supergrunch]

It's been pushed back again... to the 25th of September. (US release date)

[Stocka]

Yeah, November for us at the earliest then probably :hmm:
And there I was hoping I'd have it for the summer...ah well. Been listening to some Baten Kaitos music and its got me really excited for it.

[Calibur]

I just beat Eternal Wings & The Lost Ocean tonight, what a great ending. I always feel a bit of sadness when I finish an epic game like this because i never want it to end, but very satisfied nonetheless.

[Stocka]

I just beat Eternal Wings & The Lost Ocean tonight, what a great ending. I always feel a bit of sadness when I finish an epic game like this because i never want it to end, but very satisfied nonetheless.
Yeah it's sad when they are all waving goodbye to you.

[Hero-of-Time]

I just beat Eternal Wings & The Lost Ocean tonight, what a great ending. I always feel a bit of sadness when I finish an epic game like this because i never want it to end, but very satisfied nonetheless.

The whole ending of the game was the only thing I didnt like. The ending itself was good but it was just the whole thing took ages.

[Calibur]

The whole ending of the game was the only thing I didnt like. The ending itself was good but it was just the whole thing took ages.

Haha yeah i agree with you on that, the ending was bloody long, i had no idea it was gonna be like 45 minutes long.

Can't wait for Origins now.

[Stocka]

Into movie is up at Gametrailers
http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=11308&type=wmv

Don't like it as much as the originals intro movie but it was never likely to be better than that!
The ending is very odd. I'm a bit confused though, how come it says 'Baten Kaitos II' I thought the II wouldn't be in the name now and it'd just be 'Origins' ...

[ShadowV7]

I don't quite like the intro much because of the whole 2-d thing,just doesn't look good.Although what was shown does look interesting and the ending is mysterious.Hopefully we'll get a date soon.

[pedrocasilva]

I don't quite like the intro much because of the whole 2-d thing,just doesn't look good.Although what was shown does look interesting and the ending is mysterious.Hopefully we'll get a date soon.I love the style, but yeah the original in Baten Kaitos opening was better, only the horrible voice acting spoiled it, (I hate the old hag speaking) the original trailer dubbed for E3 was so much better.

[pedrocasilva]

new video preview can be seen at:

-> http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=11349&type=wmv&pl=game

[thomaschung]

This has still not been announced for Europe. Come on Nintendo, you can't do this to us.

I will probably import US version if they don't release it here, but it'd be another kick in the teeth for us europeans.

Honestly, I don't think they will release it in Europe because they don't want to go through all the different european languages which could take a while etc etc.

Gamecube needs a swansong other than Twilight Princess as that's on Wii as well.

I want this game sooo bad

[Stocka]

Baten Kaitos Origins - Whilst Nintendo has confirmed that Monolith Soft's Baten Kaitos prequel will hit the US in the latter months of 2006, decisions are still being made as to whether it should reach Europe or not.

:( They can't do this to us

[pedrocasilva]

:( They can't do this to usYeah, I think that's their way of saying no, I mean... this is a RPG it's full of text, the translation should have began already... they won't make it in time, so it'll be useless after Wii launches, darn them.

*hopes for a australian PAL version*

otherwise I'll really import this one. :/

[Stocka]

With Wii being backwards compatible with GC I really don't understand why it shouldn't get released here, especially if the series continues on the Wii.

[pedrocasilva]

With Wii being backwards compatible with GC I really don't understand why it shouldn't get released here, especially if the series continues on the Wii.I agree, but this is no time to start a translation, I fear for the worst, they might not start it now, it's a little start to begin.

I'd be satisfied with a PAL english-only release though, that shouldn't take too much time considering they are doing a US version...

[thomaschung]

i say don't hold your breath but expect to import from USA. It won't make it here, it's too late in the day, and GC is almost dead here. If they bring it out in Europe they have to consider all the european transalations and I just can't see it happening. It will be a big surprise for sure if they did.

So best not to expect it here, you'll just be disappointed. ah well make use of my action replay again.

[diddy]

i say don't hold your breath but expect to import from USA. It won't make it here, it's too late in the day, and GC is almost dead here.

Yea I agree. I'm not expecting them to release it in Europe. The first Baten Kaitos was hard enough as is to find in shops. Back when i didn't know about ebay, I spent almost a month looking for it. Eventually I found it in a Kmart but the damn game came without the disc holding thing that holds the second disc. Damn you Kmart

Anyway what I'm trying to say is that based on personal experience, the first one wasn't so hot in Europe. So i don't see Monolith wanting to release it in a place where it's not popular.

But I hope I'm wrong...:laughing:

[thomaschung]

the only difference this time is that Nintendo is publishing it, not Namco. So hopefully Nintendo of Europe can surprise us all but I doubt it so i won't expect it.

when's it out in the US?

[pedrocasilva]

the only difference this time is that Nintendo is publishing it, not Namco. So hopefully Nintendo of Europe can surprise us all but I doubt it so i won't expect it.

when's it out in the US?September, I believe.

[ShadowV7]

I just read about BK not being released in Europe,they can't do that to us but i'm still hoping it will get a release here.If they are doing a US then it's stupid them not releasing it here.I don't wanna import it because my Action Replay needs a good few nudges to load.

[Dcubed]

I guess it depends on how popular the game is in the US. If it sells well, then we might see it come out here! (Come on NOE, surely you've learnt from the whole Animal Crossing fiasco!)

The GCN seems to be going out with a bang, perhaps an even bigger one than the PS2! Twilight Princess (Yes I know there's a Wii version as well) Super Paper Mario, Baten Kaitos Origins, DK Bongo Blast and (If it hasn't been moved to the Wii) Kirby GCN

It's not looking too bad for the GCN after all!

[pedrocasilva]

I guess it depends on how popular the game is in the US. If it sells well, then we might see it come out here! (Come on NOE, surely you've learnt from the whole Animal Crossing fiasco!)

The GCN seems to be going out with a bang, perhaps an even bigger one than the PS2! Twilight Princess (Yes I know there's a Wii version as well) Super Paper Mario, Baten Kaitos Origins, DK Bongo Blast and (If it hasn't been moved to the Wii) Kirby GCN

It's not looking too bad for the GCN after all!If this game is not anounced for europe soon, it's getting less and less likely that they'lll bother making a port... and lets face it... BK2 (origins) won't sell much not even in us to start with.

But just for this one they should make Wii region free :blank:

[Blue_Ninja0]

Yeah, if they'r having trouble translating it in every language in time, just english is fine, for me that is. A lot of europeans used to their languages will be left in the "wtf?".

[pedrocasilva]

Yeah, if they'r having trouble translating it in every language in time, just english is fine, for me that is. A lot of europeans used to their languages will be left in the "wtf?".said that... it doesn't meet the european standards for Nintendo published games that Nintendo always seems to follow... either way it's possible that there will another PAL version... that is... the aussie one, just like they got a lot of games before us with just one language, american english, but compatible with PAL (Animal Crossing is a remarkable example.)

The thing is... the cube is more dead there than it is in europe (dificult to imagine, I know)

[Blue_Ninja0]

said that... it doesn't meet the european standards for Nintendo published games that Nintendo always seems to follow... either way it's possible that there will another PAL version... that is... the aussie one, just like they got a lot of games before us with just one language, american english, but compatible with PAL (Animal Crossing is a remarkable example.)

The thing is... the cube is more dead there than it is in europe (dificult to imagine, I know)

Yeah, sorry.

But in Tales of Symphonia they have only one language per copy of the game. But then again, i think they released the other languages in the respective countries.

I didn't know the Aussie's games were compatible with our gamecubes, even if they use PAL.

[pedrocasilva]

Yeah, sorry.

But in Tales of Symphonia they have only one language per copy of the game. But then again, i think they released the other languages in the respective countries.Yeah, good point. I know Nintendo had a helping hand in the translation/localization process, but did they publish it?

If that was published by Nintendo it was probably a first in european home consoles. and yes they did diferent language versions at least a french and spanish one. they had them ready at launch, so a localization for all languages was still done, I doubt they would do a english only release leaving the other countries without a alternative.

Anyway... GC is reaching it's end, Baten Kaitos Origins came out in japan last December and the localization work is being done just in time for the US burrial (before Wii launches) with one language taking around 9 months from the original release, and NoE afirms that the translation wasn't started for europe... They are behing schedule at best. It's a shame, really :(

EDIT:I didn't know the Aussie's games were compatible with our gamecubes, even if they use PAL.They work like a charm. :)

Well... you're portuguese and all... Concentra once imported some RE0 copies from Aussie and sold them for 65 euros on Fnac, I was completly dazzed when I noticed the Aussie age rating in those boxes... why is it? because I had bought my Animal Crossing from australia recently and I remembered that RE0 costed 16 euros+shipping there, perhaps they even got a discount for mass importing... :/

God! I hate those Nintendo representatives... (gotta write other reclamation e-mail to NoE to ease the anger)

[Hero-of-Time]

Well it looks like I will be importing this from America due to the lack of news about a release over here in Europe especially seeing how it was missing from Nintendos dates they gave the other week.

[Hero-of-Time]

This is the first time I have seen the boxart and im not sure if it has been posted already, if it has here it is again. Its looks awesome!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/HolymanHirst/boxart_us_baten-kaitos-origins.jpg

[Stefkov]

What i don't understand abou game stores is hat they can reduce a fairly new game : Odama, Battalion wars, to less than £20, yet they keep this game, and Skies of Arcadia and Tales of symphonia im sure to over £30. if im not mistaken.
But if not then i need this game, under £20

[pedrocasilva]

This is the first time I have seen the boxart and im not sure if it has been posted already, if it has here it is again. Its looks awesome!I hadn't seen it... :)

I don't like the cover much though... I really dislike that Title... "Origins"...

Baten kaitos was "Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean"... and translating this prequel from japanese we'd get "The Start of the Wings and the Heir of the Gods"...

I understand Nintendo US trying to make it more apelative (and getting rid iof the II) but those sub-titles were pure class...

Also the Font lettering chosen looks quite bland to me, compared to the fisrt game (not their fault).

I really like the realistic white wings in the back, but I don't think they fit well with the drawn character up-front... there's a dissonance. (I also don't understand why showing the heroes feet)

On a brighter note, it's much better than the original...
http://img2.kult-mag.com/photos/00/00/65/93/ME0000659325_2.jpg

Image reposted from: -> http://www.revo-europe.com/forum/showpost.php?p=89469&postcount=135

Although I feel the wings blended in better.

[Stocka]

So with Super Paper Mario going to Wii this is the last upcoming GC game I, and most likely the rest of you want.Sad thing to say really, as it makes me reflect back on all the times i've been excited about upcoming games on my Cubey.
It's out in the US on the 25th this month which is good and all, but NO SIGN WHATSOEVER of a european release:( It doesn't look like it could come out at all, yet alone before xmas like I had hoped.

[Hero-of-Time]

So with Super Paper Mario going to Wii this is the last upcoming GC game I, and most likely the rest of you want.Sad thing to say really, as it makes me reflect back on all the times i've been excited about upcoming games on my Cubey.
It's out in the US on the 25th this month which is good and all, but NO SIGN WHATSOEVER of a european release:( It doesn't look like it could come out at all, yet alone before xmas like I had hoped.

I have the US version pre-ordered at VGP due to the lack of PAL news, you are right in saying that it will probably not get a release over here. At least we have the freeloader to get by that problem though.

[triforce_keeper]

woo! I can't wait for this baby. I loved the first one and regret trading it in :(

This wll probably the last game I will play on my gc :(

[Myke Greywolf]

If someone imports it, please let us know how Freeloader deals with it... I'm not going to import unless I'm absolutely sure that it is compatible with Freeloader.

[Hero-of-Time]

Apparently there isnt a strategy guide coming out at all for this game which is very annoying as I like to get everything that I can when playing RPGs.
Still, im well looking forward to play this game and I will post if it has any issues with the freeloader, which it shouldnt.

[Ten10]

Some people copy the strategy guides and post them on g faqs as their own work. So it might not be too bad.

[darksnowman]

So this is definitely not making it to Europe?

[Hero-of-Time]

Well it certainly looks that way. With Cube titles being ported over to the Wii and Baten being an RPG with lots of translation needed I think its safe to say we wont be seeing this game over here in Europe.

[Hero-of-Time]

2 more days til it is released and hopefully I will get it around Thursday/Friday next week. I will post if it does work with the freeloader for thoses who are wondering.

Also, I dont think this has been posted so here

http://www.batenkaitosorigins.com/

Not much on the official site but worth a quick look all the same.

[pedrocasilva]

2 more days til it is released and hopefully I will get it around Thursday/Friday next week. I will post if it does work with the freeloader for thoses who are wondering.I'm still hoping for a PAL version :'(

Seems like a no go though...

*pushes "import" buttom*

[darksnowman]

Hero-of-Time, If I imported it... and maybe pedro could be doing that too, do you think/ know if it would work on the Wii with all this region free talk thats going about?

[pedrocasilva]

Hero-of-Time, If I imported it... and maybe pedro could be doing that too, do you think/ know if it would work on the Wii with all this region free talk thats going about?To early to know, even if wii was region free it could still block region locked GC games from playing (and have it's own region locked ones), but we don't even know if it's region free with all the contradicting there was, but... It seems to be locked.

[darksnowman]

Argh, that was my one remaining ray o hope for this. Can you think of any other ways of getting our mits on this? Lets go and live in the good ol' U.S of A!

[pedrocasilva]

Argh, that was my one remaining ray o hope for this. Can you think of any other ways of getting our mits on this? Lets go and live in the good ol' U.S of A!Freeloader should do the trick :)

[Domstercool]

I'm importing this. I seem to import all the RPGs I can. My Tales of Symphonia and Baten Kaitos are usa versions too, running on freeloader. :)

[Hero-of-Time]

Glad to see a few of us will be importing, makes it eaiser to ask for help when I get stuck :hehe:

[Stocka]

I want PAL and PAL only :(

[pedrocasilva]

Where are the REVIEWS? :shakeheadI want PAL and PAL only :(I feel your pain, but... seems like it's not gonna happen.

[Nintendo Fan]

man i compleletly forgot about Baten Kaitos, i dont no whether to import or wait PAL version if there is going to be one.
(i've been playing WoW for about 3 months now very addictive) however i will most definatly get this ^^

[pedrocasilva]

man i compleletly forgot about Baten Kaitos, i dont no whether to import or wait PAL version if there is going to be one.
(i've been playing WoW for about 3 months now very addictive) however i will most definatly get this ^^two months ago Nintendo Europe still hadn't start the localization progress for the usual 5 european languages, they were late, I don't think it'll happen.

[Nintendo Fan]

two months ago Nintendo Europe still hadn't start the localization progress for the usual 5 european languages, they were late, I don't think it'll happen.

Thx for that Pedro, i guess import it is then. ^^

[pedrocasilva]

Thx for that Pedro, i guess import it is then. ^^Here it is, June 29th 2006:
Spanish website Vandal.net interviewed Nico Wegnez, Marketing Director in Nintendo Spain and one of the men behind the Stars Catalogue, among other things.

About Baten Kaitos 2
Nothing new yet, they’re still thinking if they will be sell it in Europe (I hope so!)http://gonintendo.com/?p=3394

If they were to distribute it they should have said something already. :nono: :angry: :mad:

[Stocka]

Hey nice to see you again Nintendo Fan :smile:

[Nintendo Fan]

Hey nice to see you again Nintendo Fan :smile:

Good to see you to ^^ im taking a long break from wow so i'll stick around, then when i get my Wii no more wow for me.

[Hero-of-Time]

Hey nice to see you again Nintendo Fan :smile:

What Stocka said! I was wondering where you had got to, I thought you may have left the boards.

The IGN review is up now. I have copied the article but heres the link incase you want to read it with all the screenshots.

http://cube.ign.com/articles/735/735314p1.html

September 25, 2006 - When it comes to exclusive "killer aps", GameCube seems to have gotten the short end of the stick this generation. While Xbox and PS2 blazed ahead with games like Halo, Devil May Cry, Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear, and Final Fantasy, Nintendites had to simply confide in a strong line-up of first party games directly from the Big N, as well as a few smash titles such as Twin Snakes and Resident Evil 4 to keep things interesting from third party developers. We've been back and forth on the "quality vs. quantity" debate more times than we can remember, but the simple fact of the matter is that even after a few very solid glory years, the Cube still feels like a ship Nintendo was trying to fly solo. For that reason, games like Baten Kaitos are a serious lifesaver to loyal Nintendo fans. Developed by Monolith Studios and co-published by both Namco and Nintendo, the card-based RPG was received very well by both fans and critics alike. But as a few years have passed and a new system looms on the horizon, is Baten Kaitos Origins destined to have the same impact as the original, or is it "too little, too late" to make a final splash on the old Cube?

To call Baten Kaitos Origins a sequel is a bit inaccurate. While the battle mechanics and overall world are still very similar, Monolith "pulled a Lucas" with Origins, developing a prequel to the original game that outlines how the world became what it was in Baten Kaitos, detailing the rise of heroes and villains alike to better secure the lineage of the game. In Origins, players take control of Sagi, a young spiriter that begins his quest in service of the empire. Due to circumstances outside his control, Sagi is set up in an assassination plot, forcing him to live a life on the run. Rather than going into intimate detail about the story of Origins (something that we'd likely be assassinated ourselves due to spoilers), we'll tackle the question on everyone's mind: Is Baten Kaitos Origins as strong of an RPG as the original? Well, it's an easy question to ask, but a bit of a trick to answer, as Origins makes both additions and sacrifices to the original design in order to deliver something that's both fresh and new, but still familiar to seasoned fans.

For starters, Origins makes use of the same magnus cards to harness the essence of weapons, spells, and items. When it boils down to the basics, Baten Kaitos is a card game with some seriously impressive polish, and much like the original game players will build up decks, find new cards, and do battle against baddies making use of their custom-made collection. As a bit of a change, however, Origins has actually simplified the design, taking out the ability to equip armor or accessories outside of battle. Instead, all magnus are used either for key moments in the game (as solutions to puzzles gathered from virtually anywhere in the overworld), or as "battle magnus" which can be comprised of attack cards, spells, equipment, or attribute boosters.

To keep things simplistic and user-friendly, each character resets to full health and default attributes after a battle, so each bout is self-contained. The lack of multiple magnus classifications will be a bit too simplistic for some hardcore players, but the overall change was for the better, as gamers can worry about each battle as it happens, rather than being paranoid about wasting key items or equipment. If you find the card, it's yours until you swap it out for something better.

At the same time, there's something a bit flawed (or at least annoying) about the entire card battle system as players get farther into the game. During the peak of the game players will have control of three main characters, each making use of generic "attack" cards, but also character-specific special attacks and equipment. Factor in the sheer amount of cards you'll be using (an average deck size is between 50 and 60 cards), divide that between the three playable characters, and then randomly distribute those cards during battle, and you can instantly see where issues begin to arise. Far too often we had power cards or support cards at the wrong time, or began filling our "hand" up with useless resurrection cards that, while needed at a later time, were just taking up space during the opening period of battle. Since the card distribution is entirely random, there will be times when you simply won't get the cards you need, and that can be amazingly frustrating during boss battles or intense areas of the game.

A "discard" function can be used to make card management a bit more simplistic (and actually saves the gameplay mechanic), but when it comes at the expense of what could be a killer blow, it's a tough call to sacrifice a turn just to get rid of a few items you'll most-likely be needing just a few turns later. For some players, this is all part of the game, as a strong deck will have far more "outs" for players to use, where inexperienced players may end up getting themselves in sticky situations based on their deck-building skills. Is it a flawed system? Not really, but it can be frustrating all the same, since no matter how much you plan out your strategy, there's still the luck factor involved.
In fact, nearly every element of Baten Kaitos Origins needs to be handled on a player-to-player basis, as the game is so incredibly niche. You'll either love it or hate it, and the game won't make apologies for what it is. Battles can be amazingly simplistic or entirely ruthless depending on what cards come up, and a good player could take as much time customizing his deck as he does actually exploring the overworld to gain experience. One factor that has definitely helped the formula, however, is the sheer amount of side quests available in the game. We can count over a dozen instances where mini quests were offered in just the opening hours of the game. Some of them we took, and others we didn't. The game is extremely open-ended in comparison to the original, as players can use an air ship to move from world to world, take on fetch quests or "beat the boss" missions to gain new magnus and experience, or simply force their way though the game as fast as possible. Be warned, however, as the game will expect you to do at least a fair amount of nonlinear exploration in order to beef up for fights, and there are a few areas where we regretted skipping over "boring" fetch quests, taking dozens of attempts to beat bosses that, quite frankly, were out of our league. Baten Kaitos is a game that demands coherent players, and has no problem kicking ass when it wants to.

When stacking up to other RPG's on both the visual and audio scale, Origins is again somewhat of a mixed bag, offering some beautiful visuals with some outstanding effects, coupled with a strong musical line-up and boarder-line painful voice acting. On the graphical front, Origins trumps its original inspiration, presenting a beautiful world both in battle and out. It's still far from perfect, as characters still work around scripted movement that looks more robotic than we'd like (walk, pause, turn, walk, stop), but the good far outweighs the bad, as Origins is still visually stunning overall. On the audio front, Origins offers some beautiful symphonic tunes, coupled with the occasional electric guitar riff for boss battles. The mix of classical/modern music could stand to be as hit and miss as the card element itself, but we found ourselves enjoying it on the whole.

The voice acting, however, isn't anything to brag about, and much like the original Baten Kaitos we can see players turning off the speech altogether after a few hours. It has a few great moments, and many of the voice actors deliver solid contributions to the experience at one point or another, but a few of the key players such as Sagi and Milly are a bit too immature in their presentation, making the protagonist players feel more like bickering kids than unlikely heroes. In addition, a two-layered recording is used for Guillo (a humanoid robo-buddy of Sagi), having both a male and female voice talking simultaneously. While some of the lines work well, giving Guillo a haunting sound, the dialogue phases at times, making the character irritating to listen to when the two voices don't quite line up.


Closing Comments
So as with every game we cover, it comes down to the bottom line. Is Baten Kaitos Origins worth the cash you’d be shelling out? Well, we’re leaving that decision to you. The game is visually stunning and holds true to the original, though you’ll either love it or hate it based on the battle mechanic. Origins, like its predecessor, is a card battle game, and it comes with all the ups and downs of mechanic. Fights will feel a bit detached and random at times, while the collection and customization aspects are heightened greatly because of it. This is a game that doesn’t come down to a simple “buy it/don’t buy it” conclusion, as it is entirely dependant on what type of player you are. Traditional RPG fans may not get as much out of this one as they would if it was more conventional, while veterans to the series (or newcomers that love the battle mechanic) will defend it to the bitter end. When comparing it to its predecessor, Origins does the series justice. The adventure is just as difficult, has a better overall story, and delivers more gameplay than the original with 60+ hours of play (factoring in every sub-mission). Battles require serious strategy with a hint of luck, and the deck customization – while cut back a bit from the original game – is deep and involving. A rental may be in order for newcomers that aren’t sure if it’s their cup-o-tea. As for Baten Kaitos veterans; jump on in.

FINAL SCORE 8.3


The game was supposed to be out yesterday but no one has been able to find it, well all those on Gamefaqs anyway. I checked my order at VGP and it says it should come in stock today. *crosses fingers*

[Stocka]

Well as I loved the original I just know I will love it. GRRR I WANT IT

[Hero-of-Time]

Its been shipped now, now I play the waiting game........
*sets up sleeping bag next to the letterbox*

[Teppo Holmqvist]

Its been shipped now, now I play the waiting game........
*sets up sleeping bag next to the letterbox*

Same here. : peace:

[ShadowV7]

You guys order it from VG+?
I want to import before Monday/Tuesday.