Combining lush visuals, an innovative battle system, a great story and music, BK: EWatLO is a must-have for GCN owners.
Graphics: 10/10
The graphics of Baten Kaitos are easily the best on the Nintendo Gamecube, using amazing pre-rendered backgrounds and animations to create an unrivaled atmosphere of beauty. Truly awe-inspiring, each new area you explore will make your jaw drop. In one of the first places you explore, trees blow in the breeze, ducks quack and walk about the area, people chat amungst themselves and soft music plays in the background. From the world map to finishing moves, the graphics are top-notch.
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Gameplay: 9/10
Baten Kaitos uses a truly innovative card-battle system. Each "Magnus" card in your characters deck can contain anything from fruit to a sword, each with one to four "Spirit Numbers" in the corners that you must use to create combos to increase the amount of damage you do. For example, using cards with "9, 8, 7, 6" will get you "4 card strait with 9 - + 56%". Its awkward at first, and many people are turned off before they get used to it. But if you're persistent you'll be string together Final Straits ( 1-9 or 9-1) before you know it.
Another thing that makes BK so realistic is the way that cards react. Fruit will rot, weapons will crack and rust, flowers will wilt, and coins will gain value as they age. These are only a few examples of the way that cards age. Grapes will rot, turn to wine, and then to vinegar. Using this to your advantage is the key to collecting all the Magnus in the game.
There are also various combos that you can use to create new items. For example, using a Sculpting Knife and a Bonsai Tree will make a Monkey Carving. There are limitless possibilities to how many things you can create.
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Sound: 8/10
It most places the music is great. Soft tunes compliment the atmosphere of a small town, or a raging symphony plays during a dramatic scene. But occasionaly mis-placed techno beats can get annoying, especially during long boss battles. Don't get me wrong, the music is amazing, just out of place. The Official Soundtrack is included with the game, so if you feel like listening to it outside of the game you can feel free. (CD)
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Value: 9/10
Great. There are a large number of minor and major side-quests to complete, from a star-map to a family tree (that was a tough one....). There are a total of 1022 Magnus cards to collect, some of which are one time only, so if you miss them you can never get them again. (DAMMIT!!!) Many of these have to be obtained from creating combos or completing quests, and some are quite challenging. I currently have logged 123 hours in this game and have managed to finish all the quests and I'm currently colecting Magnus, so you can imagine how time-consuming it can be. Be prepared for a truly immersing experience.
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