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Baten Kaitos Discussion Thread

S

Shikamaru Ninja

任天堂 の 忍者
This game is really amazing. I am now about 10 hours in, got 4 characters in my party. I do have a few questions.

1. The F does the spirit number matter?
2. Are there any FMVs in the game? Outside of the amazing intro, all I've encountered are real-time cinemas.

The battles are a lot of fun. It really is a nice change from the usual turn-based assembly line JRPG.

The game reminds me too much of Chrono Cross though. Then again, that is not a bad thing.
 
Text-dialogue yes. Speech there is also a lot of. Most of the times the speech is grating and annoying, I usually just press A to speed up the process.
 
Can someone help me out with some sidequests? In the waterfall town in Annuenue, I am suppose to give a woman near the waterfall something, what am I suppose to give her?

In the village of Ahza in Alfard, what am I suppose to give to the three girls who asked me for food, money, and ????. I give them lots of things, but I can't seem to get the reward from the guy to the right of the save point.

1. The F does the spirit number matter?
2. Are there any FMVs in the game? Outside of the amazing intro, all I've encountered are real-time cinemas.
Click to expand...

1. Can you be more specific?

2. I am probably halfway through the second disc, I haven't seen any real-time cinemas, so it's likely only the intro.
 
1. Spirit numbers are pretty important as far as combos are concerned. For ex if the cards that you play are something like 2,3,4,5 (Straight) or 2,2,4,4(pairs) your damage dealt to the enemy will be magnified by a certain percentage

2. I'm 25 hours in and I've never seen a single FMV except for the opening movie!
 
I think the number of FMVs is limited, I haven't seen one yet.

Spirit numbers matter if you want to do extra damage to your enemies or prevent damage to your party members. If you use two offense cards both with the same spirit number, you get a small percentage bonus to your final damage. Same with defense cards, two with the same number will knock off a small percentage from total damage.

The more cards you use of the same number, the higher the percentage. The highest damage I've done so far to an enemy - 800 or so - I did with the help of five weapons with the same spirit number. You can do two pairs and full houses as well.

Same goes with straights - if you use two weapons with one number higher or lower than the other, you get a bonus. Straights can go up or down in sequence, but break it and you don't get any bonuses. 4,5,6,7,8 will get you a high bonus, 3,4,5,6,8 will get you nothing.
Straight bonuses are higher than pair bonuses.
 
And on another note, I'm really enjoying the game - the battles are addictive and it's such a pretty, pretty game.

However, the voice acting is tolerable on its good characters and absolutely horrendous on its bad ones. But that's pretty much my only complaint so far.
 
I found this out on the GCIGN boards: the sound is muffled if you have it set to stereo. Put it on Surround and it sounds normal. If your TV supports surround sound, it's even better.

No more tinny, muffled, cardboard tube voices and sound!
 
Am at the Imperial Fortress

God damn, when Kalas turned out to be the traitor, I was like "WTF?!" It's awesome, how Namco made the main character that "you" control, even though you're actually a spirit, the bad guy. Really, I didn't think it could be Kalas, since you NEVER see THE main protagonist become a bad guy, no matter what. He was the last person I'd have expected to turn out to be the bad guy.
 
GaimeGuy said:
Am at the Imperial Fortress

God damn, when Kalas turned out to be the traitor, I was like "WTF?!" It's awesome, how Namco made the main character that "you" control, even though you're actually a spirit, the bad guy. Really, I didn't think it could be Kalas, since you NEVER see THE main protagonist become a bad guy, no matter what. He was the last person I'd have expected to turn out to be the bad guy.
Click to expand...

Damn, for some reason I got confused in which tab this thread was and accidently read that.

I wish I wouldn't have. :(
 
GaimeGuy said:
Am at the Imperial Fortress

God damn, when Kalas turned out to be the traitor, I was like "WTF?!" It's awesome, how Namco made the main character that "you" control, even though you're actually a spirit, the bad guy. Really, I didn't think it could be Kalas, since you NEVER see THE main protagonist become a bad guy, no matter what. He was the last person I'd have expected to turn out to be the bad guy.
Click to expand...

Interest in game is now officially piqued
 
I love the card combos, i've created some pretty funny crap
 
Yeah, BK is a fun game, the battle system is great. However, I don't know what to do now, I need to find this damn Celestiel Tree seed to get a cookie and I have no clue where to find it. This is the first quest I can't stand...
 
The tree seed is in the queen's bedroom. Go into the palace and turn right, you'll be in her room...explore the mirror (to the right of her bed at least) and you'll find what you need.
 
Baten Kaitos is a MUCH better game that I had heard. It seemed, from the import impressions, that Tales of Symphonia was going to wind up being the signficantly better game between the two, and so far, I do not agree. I think they are both on par with each other, though for distinctly different reasons. That said, I haven't beaten BK yet.
 
Shikamaru Ninja said:
1. The F does the spirit number matter?
Click to expand...
Do you mean the number that goes up or down depending on your spirit answers when the characters ask you questions? The higher that number is, the more likely you are to get the random spirit element cards, which attack for huge damage.
 
I'm about 17 hours into the game so far now. It's really alot of fun. I'm addicted. The combat system is fast paced and entertaining. The story so far is engaging. The game is incredibly beautiful.

And I hope there are FMV's at the end of the game. I don't know why they would make them to put into the intro and not include them in the game. I'd guess that there are FMV's towards the end.
 
Im about 18 hours in Disc 2. At the Empire.

The FMV intro is pretty awesome because it sums up the entire game. As you progress through the quest, the FMV is more meaningful.
 
I still have to review Baten Kaitos...I've got two hours in baby! Seriously, I've been too busy reviewing everything else to play through a 60 hour game right now. But it is good.
 
OH MAN! I just got a Final Straight Sunrise with Kalas (that's a 9 card straight ascending from 1 to 9.) That's a +306% bonus! O_O
 
I just ordered this game. Should arrive tomorrow or Tuesday. It's going to be the first GC game I buy since MGS: TTS.
 
tenchir said:
Can someone help me out with some sidequests? In the waterfall town in Annuenue, I am suppose to give a woman near the waterfall something, what am I suppose to give her?

In the village of Ahza in Alfard, what am I suppose to give to the three girls who asked me for food, money, and ????. I give them lots of things, but I can't seem to get the reward from the guy to the right of the save point.



1. Can you be more specific?

2. I am probably halfway through the second disc, I haven't seen any real-time cinemas, so it's likely only the intro.
Click to expand...

You have to give the guy at the waterfall a secret information magnus, which you get from the right-side room in Corelias palace. One of the maids cleaning the bed gives it to you after you talk to her.

I think you have to give the kids a tuna, which is available in the back room, right before the port in Nashira.
 
Great game. The graphics are beautiful. The screenshots do not do it justice at all. And the battles are fun. Enough to offset most of the negative aspects imo. A good start of a franchise.

But the plot drives me completely insane!

End of disc 1
I think I have a pretty high tolerance for jrpg cliches. The travel to each elemental shrine to defeat a boss one, never really bothered me. It doesn't in this game either.

But god damnit, I HATE it when you travel through a few dungeons, defeat some bosses, just to obtain something, only for it to be snatched away last minute. This has been done so often, and it always irritate me. Never was there a worse perpetrator than Baten.

It was easy to look pass, after the boss in moonguile. It's nothing out of place in a jrpg.
Then it happens again in Diadem. Grrrrr... I was relieved when I actually get to keep the end magnus from the celestrial tree , but then it went and disappear. >_< Just got done with Mira, where the entire party just STOOD THERE and watch Giacomo strolled towards the end magnus and grabbed it. WTF!!!??? They weren't looking at Mizuti, they weren't stunned by spell. They just stood there!

If this happen again in the empire, a vein or two will surely pop.


I heard disc 1 is only 40% of the game? So I'm hopeful the above problem will at least end after the empire.
 
No. The writing in Baten Kaitos is terrible so don't expect too much. The worldview is really interesting but the actual writing is just terrible. Just focus on the good points of BK and you'll be fine (great music, great battle themes, kickass battle system, interesting worldview) don't expect too much out of the plot. BK is a very flawed game with great parts, just make sure you focus on the good parts to avoid ending up hating the game. :D
 
Screw the haters; the story really picks up once you reach the empire. It's kind of like what happens in Tales of Symphonia, after you fight
Remiel


I'm about 70 hours into the game, and just reaching the greater celestial river. This is a long, long game.

Funny thing is, most people estimate that the game takes 45 hours to complete. I guess that's if you don't do any of the sidequests or anything, and just do what you're supposed to. :o
 
GaimeGuy said:
Screw the haters; the story really picks up once you reach the empire. It's kind of like what happens in Tales of Symphonia, after you fight
Remiel


I'm about 70 hours into the game, and just reaching the greater celestial river. This is a long, long game.

Funny thing is, most people estimate that the game takes 45 hours to complete. I guess that's if you don't do any of the sidequests or anything, and just do what you're supposed to. :o
Click to expand...

I am 90 hours and at the end boss. The game is absolutley fantastic. I really love the plot twists.

What characters do you use?

I use

Kalas
Xehla
Savyna

They are at level 87.
Kalas
has 350 in attack :D
 
I'm 40 hours into it and I just got through the
labrynth under the clouds
. And I'm having alot of fun with it.

I'm having trouble working on a few sidequests because of the linearity that the game locks you into at certain points. But I assume the game will open up again later.
 
Deku Tree said:
I'm 40 hours into it and I just got through the
labrynth under the clouds
. And I'm having alot of fun with it.

I'm having trouble working on a few sidequests because of the linearity that the game locks you into at certain points. But I assume the game will open up again later.
Click to expand...

the game will open up totally, and you can do all the sidequests you want.
 
I really don't have a main lineup. I switch the characters up spontaneously.

I guess I prefer Using Kalas, Xhela, and Mizuti.
 
I'm at Mira right now, just about to finish the strange Garden place that has that weird 8-bit videogame area in it.

Its too bad that Namco didn't just re-use the VA cast from Tales here, cause the story's not bad, but the execution of the VA's (who sound like that they're just reading off a script) brings it down.
 
Eric-GCA said:
I'm at Mira right now, just about to finish the strange Garden place that has that weird 8-bit videogame area in it.

Its too bad that Namco didn't just re-use the VA cast from Tales here, cause the story's not bad, but the execution of the VA's (who sound like that they're just reading off a script) brings it down.
Click to expand...
Well, different studios. :/
 
Eric-GCA said:
But isn't Namco USA responsible for the English voice acting in all of the games they bring over.
Click to expand...
good point.

Well, they blew it. :D
 
The ending in BK is very epic and very long. It's around 80 minutes or so, and it contains some shocking details. I really love it! It totally stomps ToS when it comes to the ending.

I can't wait for next Baten Kaitos game.

The name Baten Kaitos makes sense in the end too.


Who could have thought that
Xelha was the ocean!
 
For me, this was a game with good elements and bad elements, but the good was more than enough to overshadow the bad.

The voice director had a Japanese name - I suspect the talent pool was taken from Japan rather than the US/Canada. Still, I guess it's a change from Cam Clarke and Jennifer Hale. But different doesn't always mean better. :P
 
explodet said:
For me, this was a game with good elements and bad elements, but the good was more than enough to overshadow the bad.

The voice director had a Japanese name - I suspect the talent pool was taken from Japan rather than the US/Canada. Still, I guess it's a change from Cam Clarke and Jennifer Hale. But different doesn't always mean better. :P
Click to expand...

what did you think of the end? It's refreshing to see a long and epic ending for a change. It's definitley among my fav endings ever.
 
SantaCruZer said:
what did you think of the end? It's refreshing to see a long and epic ending for a change. It's definitley among my fav endings ever.
Click to expand...
I also enjoyed the ending.

It wrapped up the story quite well - few plot holes (at least what I could see). Although Savyna being a cook? What's that all about?

The return of Geldoblame was a bit FFX-ish (where you're fighting all the summons and winning easily), but it was easy, and it was a chance to break out some powerful cards/combos.

Xelha as the ocean - I didn't see that coming, and was a nice surprise. Xelha returning was a bit cliche, but let's face it, if she had sacrificed herself for the sake of the ocean, that would have been hackneyed too. (I've played too many of these damn games)

The highest damage total I dealt was over 6500, thanks to an enemy with no magic resistance and a Final Sunset (9 to 1, +255%)
 
explodet said:
I also enjoyed the ending.

It wrapped up the story quite well - few plot holes (at least what I could see). Although Savyna being a cook? What's that all about?

The return of Geldoblame was a bit FFX-ish (where you're fighting all the summons and winning easily), but it was easy, and it was a chance to break out some powerful cards/combos.

Xelha as the ocean - I didn't see that coming, and was a nice surprise. Xelha returning was a bit cliche, but let's face it, if she had sacrificed herself for the sake of the ocean, that would have been hackneyed too. (I've played too many of these damn games)

The highest damage total I dealt was over 6500, thanks to an enemy with no magic resistance and a Final Sunset (9 to 1, +255%)
Click to expand...


I had a feeling geldoblame would come back. Giacamo, ayme and folon did comeback, so it was not out of the question. That he was back in the middle of the ending was amusing though.

Xelha couldn't die since they announced a BK game for DS now :P


I did 5000 damage at one turn with xelha without doing the sunrise. I never did it.
 
gunstarhero said:
why does Kalas now have a spinning halo around his head in every battle I fight now? (just got to the Celestial Tree)
Click to expand...

You have the crystal buckle equiped which causes a headache

I still used it though.
 
The towns in this game are wonderful. Mira and Annuenue have some amazing places. There's too much dialogue for me so far, but I like the aspect of you being recognized as some guiding spirit in the game.

The best spirit number combo I've done is a full house. I've answered some questions wrong though and my spirit guardian attacks aren't that common. I keep fortetting the Kalas is another angsty selfish bitch.

I like all the sidequests and creating cards by using two together.
 
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