Bandai Namco has surprise-dropped two classic Baten Kaitos RPGs on PC via Steam.
Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster are the remasters of Nintendo GameCube role-playing games Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean and Baten Kaitos Origins, both of which launched around 20 years ago.
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean was developed by Monolith Soft and tri-Crescendo and published by Namco for the GameCube back in 2003. Prequel Baten Kaitos Origins released three years later for the same console.
The remasters, first released for Nintendo Switch in 2023, feature enhanced visuals and new gameplay features that help with progression, including eliminating random battles, an auto-battle function, and a 1-hit kill option.
Here’s the official blurb from Bandai Namco:
The Baten Kaitos series features the Magnus Battle System, a unique card-based mechanic where cards are dealt from the deck to determine attack power based on the attributes and combination of cards available. In these real-time battles, players must make quick decisions to claim victory. In this series, players assume the role of the Guardian Spirit, guiding the protagonist and their companions through distinctive adventures in each game.
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean tells the story of Kalas, who, while seeking revenge for the death of his brother and grandfather, meets Xelha as both get embarked on a journey to defeat the Alfard Empire.
Baten Kaitos Origins takes place 20 years before the events of the first game. Sagi, a spiriter that has a connection with Guardian Spirits is part of the Dark Service, an elite unit of Alfard Empire. He sets on a journey to clear his name after being framed and unveil the secrets of the empire.
Bandai Namco released Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster on Steam as a ‘Month-1' edition that includes concept art, character designs, and development documents — but it’s only available until July 17, 2024. After that date the Standard version will be available.
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