http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/rpg/batenkaitosii/review.html

Alright, it's no secret that gamespot can be a little...unfair...at times to japanese rpgs. I'm also going to say right now that I bought Baten Kaitos Origins...during the HUGE time lapse where gamespot was completely ignoring it. At this point, it's one of my favorite rpgs of the currently dying console generation. 7.5 is a good score, I guess...
I'm trying to be mature about this, and NOT explode.
See...if 5 was gamespot's average score...(if it was any game reviewer's average score) we wouldn't have a problem here, or, at least, as much of a problem. But, it seems that we do. Because even games that score a 6.9 are occasionally considered to be bad. So, that means that Baten Kaitos Origins is .6 above being a so-so game? Interesting. Very interesting. It's especially interesting when you see Bethany Massimilla, with all due respect, listing some of the things I personally like about the game as negative traits. It's interesting when a game with beautiful music, graphics, and excellent gameplay is given a 7 in all three categories. (once again, from gamespot, that means just-above-average)
It's especially interesting when the one RPG that dares to offer a challenge is criticized for it. It's interesting that the average review score from users is 9.5...which is probably only a little more than what this game deserves.
It continues to be interesting when you actually read the review. It doesn't take long to realize that the very much respected reviewer doesn't exactly like the battle system. Enemies being hard to avoid, and having to backtrack through those enemies that are hard to avoid are things that the reviewer complains about. She soon finds that she hasn't leveled up enough, or her deck isn't strong enough to handle the boss. Boo hoo. She finds that the puzzles are too confusing, when it's obvious that all she really wants to do is run through the dungeon and get past the parts where she'll have to fight. boo hoo. In fact, she probably just wants to get through the dungeon to finish up her review on this game that she, and the rest of the gamespot staff members, assume no one cares about, so she can do something more important. Well, there's nothing wrong with that, you always want to dig through the trash as fast as possible so you can get to something that matters. I have to say, I feel bad for her. She had to play through this insignifigant game that she 'sort of' enjoyed for hours upon hours, with a level of challenge that she wasn't committed enough to deal with. So, from her impressions: yeah, it's good, but you'd be better off with a game that actually matters.
There's a part of me that isn't surprised. I do love the game, after all. And, as long as I love it, how is it supposed to get the respect it deserves?