Before I start this double review(hopefully the first of many in an ongoing series), I'm going to flat out admit that both of these games are probably in my top 10 favorite games of all time. With that said, I'm going to try as hard as I can to provide unbiased facts along side my very biased opinion of these games. I really hope you guys enjoy this article, and be sure to leave me a comment in the comments section below if you want to see more reviews done like this.
Storyline
Baten Kaitos
The game begins with a little blue boy named Kalas asking you your name. You will be playing the role of this boy's guardian spirit. You soon find yourself in a town and things start to slowly progress as you meet Xelha and encounter new areas and islands to explore.
The lore behind the world Baten Kaitos takes place in, is that a long, long time ago some evil god named Malpercio swallowed the ocean. I know. It's weird, but just go along with it. Even weirder is that human civilization now lives on continents or islands floating above the Earth. Some of these aspects can feel very cliche at times, but most of them feel justified and/or well-explained by the end of the game.
Perhaps the biggest complaint about this game's storyline is its lack of proper character development for the main characters. And although this is generally made up for by exciting, unpredictable plot twists throughout the story, I find the biggest plot twist itself adds to this problem(You'll see what I mean if you play the game). There are also various sidequests near the end of the game, including one for each character in your party, that will aid in explaining the background and history of each character.
The Baten Kaitos story certainly isn't the best I've seen in a game, but comparatively to most other games of the genre, Baten Kaitos fairs well.
Baten Kaitos Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean Score: Above Average 8/10
Baten Kaitos Origins
In contrast to the story of Baten Kaitos, Origins offers a far more diversified and compelling quest, exploring both the hearts of the characters and the world in which it takes place. Once again, the main character is a spiriter, meaning you'll be playing the role of guardian spirit. In some respects, the opening sequence is similar to that of Baten Kaitos, only this time the main character's name is Sagi.
This time around, the story progresses much quicker, even putting you right in the action at the beginning of the game. The only complaint I have about this is that there are only three playable characters in the game, and they seem to join you very early on. This sort of left me hoping there would be some more future party members, and it wasn't until the end of the game that I finally let go. Usually, I would say that three party members really isn't enough, but in retrospect the excellent character development that was put into all three of these members outshines any traces of character development found in the original Baten Kaitos. And for that I am grateful.
The story of Baten Kaitos Origins seems to base itself around the concept of traveling between two different realities: One being the real world and the other within the mind of Sagi. Scattered throughout the game are plot points in which Sagi experiences severe head pain and enters this alternate reality. There he is recognized by others, but not as himself. I know it sounds very complicated, but this is really all the game tells you at first. Thankfully, what is really happening during these sequences is explained through an important plot twist near the end of the game. And it is at that moment you will feel as if everything is connected, and the story really falls into place. The combination of the excellent character development of protagonists and antagonists, the further explanation and exploration of Baten Kaitos' underlying themes, and this concept being masterfully revealed through the best plot twist in gaming history give this story a perfect score in my book.
Baten Kaitos Origins Score: Perfect 10/10
Gameplay
The gameplay of both of these games is very similar. Both games involve a card based combat system, class ups and level ups that occur in a mysterious church, and incorporate the traverse between the different island continents. There are some changes that were made to the combat system when it was transported to Origins, so I'll note those below.
Like I said, the combat system for Baten Kaitos is based off of cards in the game called "Magnus". These magnus are used to trap the essence of different matter and objects throughout the world. Weapons and armor are stored within magnus and used later in battle. In the original Baten Kaitos, using a weapon magnus would attack an enemy, and using an armor magnus would defend from an attack by the enemy. Each character had a customized deck with these weapons and armor magnus available for them to use in battle. In Origins, however, both of these things changed. All three characters shared the same deck, and equipment magnus were far more scarce. The reason for this is that a new type of magnus, the attack magnus, were introduced. Chains of attack magnus would be used sequentially after using a weapon magnus, and each attack magnus represented an attack by that weapon. Personally, I would have rather seen them keep each character having their own deck, but it's not that big of a deal in my opinion.
Overall, the combat system is far too complicated to explain here and near impossible for me to tell you if you're going to like it or not. Personally, I like the innovation behind it but as many RPGs, it can be tiresome at times. If you really want to know about the gameplay you're pretty much going to have to try it and find out for yourself. Just keep in mind that being a card based system, there is some luck and a lot of skill involved. And grinding has almost nothing to do with it.
Baten Kaitos Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean Score: Above Average 8/10
Baten Kaitos Origins Score: Above Average 8/10
Sound & Graphics
The sound & graphics are really were these games shine. Both games have long, appropriately used soundtracks that utilize the orchestral abilities of Motoi Sakuraba. If you really want a good example of the power in the music then watch this video.
Final boss music for Baten Kaitos Origins
The pre-rendered graphics used in both games are also just beautiful. They look as if they were painted right on. The game looks and feels so real. The aesthetics of these games in their entirety are awe inspiring. So much so, in fact, that I don't feel words do it justice. So here's another video.
Just after rewatching those videos again, nothing seems more appropriate other than a perfect score.
Baten Kaitos Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean Score: Perfect 10/10
Baten Kaitos Origins Score: Perfect 10/10
Final Thoughts
Like I said at the beginning, I really love both of these games. The combination of a compelling story and the beautiful aesthetics behind these games always gives me goosebumps. The verdict? I would have to go with Origins. But just keep in mind that Origins couldn't be what it is today without the original.
My overall score for Baten Kaitos Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean: 9.2/10.0
My overall score for Baten Kaitos Origins: 9.5/10.0
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