It's like playing a game that's still in progress...
From pure merry excitement to real action was the shortest and fastest way I've ever experienced, - From what I usually would say "AHH I'VE GOT IT. FINALLY!!!", suddenly became "OMG WTF HAVE I JUST BOUGHT!?"
I've played many RPGs so far, and many were really awesome and would hold their glory high and bright for many years after, like Xenosaga, The FF series, - just to mentions a few-. However BATEN KAITOS, is far beyond any comparison to any of them.
All in all; It's a poor disappointment!
Don't let the overrating of others (like from Gamespot) fool you! Read on, and you'll get the most interesting stuff to hear from me about BATEN KAITOS, it'll definitely make you change your mind about bying it.
What the reviever of Gamespot (and some other) says about "card-based battling" and "innovative and fun" was to me like; BRO, GOT ANY HOMEWORK FOR ME TO DO?
The game has a splendid opening and introduction, that is. If you take a minute and look at it, youll notice; Story - looks interseting. Graphics - not bad. Sound - Could need some twists. Interface - plain.
The only reason BATEN KAITOS even received 5 in graphics is mainly because there's beutiful rendered background. The polygonic characters are made pretty bad, in some cases, the only way you'll recognise them is by their colorfoul clothing. Their movement, even during battle, doesn't feel very much realistic. However, the artwork of each ones' portraits has been made very well, that I admit, however that's no helping the overall graphical score at all.
In addition to the fact that the game really suffers having such graphics dragingg down the overall experience, there's no real cinematic or cutscenes that mend those tormenting gaps either. You'll most likely feel like playing through a 2D platformer.
THE SOUND in BATEN KAITOS, is not the worst, as long as we're not talking about "THE VOICE ACTING" which suffers tremendously on the sound score. To say it's THAT WORSE is exaggerating, the only thing that really got on my nerves was the voice acting during battles.
It was like "HARDER! HARDER! HARDER! IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?"
Well, urr... if you don't get the wrong idea; it kinda get's cheesy and boring after hearing it a hundreds of times. Which also plays a big role when I'll later refer to the "INNOVATIVE CARD SYSTEM". Some of the tracks were really interesting, but none of them were really good and memorable ones. You got to know, I love such ochestral kind of music. BATEN KAITOS seems to be "still under construction".
THE STORY ( it's the most important part of a game, to me) is the part where the game delivers the poorest experience in all categories. The protagonist is blue haired one winged guy (people in BATEN KAITOS have wings showing their "souls") who's found unconscious in the forest . Soon after he regains some strenght, he set's foot into the "GREAT WORLD" to track down the murderer who killed his FAMILY....
Most part of the story is pretty much predictable and not well delivered, due to the lack of more great environments to explore (like seeing much more of the towns and exploreing and seeking out the story behind those isles . As the main story of BATEN KAITOS happens around floating isle. Since you just get to know the look of the isles and cities and very little background story or any story at all, was to me a very big diappointment that hurt the games pride) and people to talk to and a lot more. Trust me; this is not an interesting story at all. In addition; the story isn't too intriguing, you feel more left outside than pacing along .
THE BATTLES with the collectible magnus cards are very poor and lack any feeling of appeal. Maybe it's "new" , however you'll get bored of it in no time, and since every move of your character will take approximately 5s during battle , and you'll spend like 1-2 minutes to kill a single monster. Where is the fun in doing about the same stuff a hundreds of times?
Despite that the cards are handed mixed, the battles wont warying much, since you have the same cards all the time, until you dcide to change your deck. The only fun part of the game, I guess.
WOW, LOOK WHAT I'VE GOT! A FIRE SWORD! really, the only thing that does change is some flashes here and there. The weapon design remains the same plain boring weapon your protagonists alaways carries around. So what's all about "CATHING THE ESSENCE OF AN OBJECT?" if you can't even experience the change of the flow? This makes no sense of this ESSENCE OF A CARD.
IT'S NOT LIKELY TO REPLAY THIS BORING GAME! Once you've completed the game, there's nothing more about BATEN KAITOS but a boring card based game that lacks some real fast paced action. It's not even worth replaying "THE CRAP" just to get a last glimps of the "BEAUTIFUL ENVIRNOMENTS"as there's too few to please and fill all the gaps and holes in the game.
THE WORST OF ALL IS. This is a DAMN HARD GAME. If you don't get enough trained you'll find yourself suddenly stuck at a boss and can't advance anyfurther, and it's most likely you'll have to do it all over the again. YOU'LL HAVE TO RESTART THE CRAP AND BEGIN FROM THE BEGINNING, GOING THROUGH THE SAME PAIN AGAIN!
CONCLUSION
If you want to waste precious hours playing a not well delivered or specially meated story with lacking graphics, a boring battle system, and some very irksome sounds, then THIS IS A MUST HAVE GAME!
If not, then do yourself good and check out Tales of Symphonia if you don't already have it.