Article / News

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster Surprise Launches on Steam

One of the beautiful world maps in Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster.

Pick a card, any card! Is this your card: a Steam release of Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster? Whether you had this on deck or not, Bandai Namco just surprise-launched the duology on PC via Steam at an introductory price of $44.99 USD!

Check out the Steam launch trailer for Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster below:

Players who purchase Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster by July 17th receive a free digital art book with the games, though Bandai Namco mentions on the Steam page it may be available again at a later date. The art book, containing art and design documents for Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean and Baten Kaitos Origins, is a separate file and in Japanese only.

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster Steam Overview

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean and Baten Kaitos Origins are now on Steam with improved graphics and new features to aid game progression, making them even easier to play!

Delve into the world of Baten Kaitos as you strategize with the unique card-based battle system in these two immersive RPG masterpieces. Play as a guardian spirit who guides the colorful cast as they struggle against destiny itself.

A long time ago, there was a great conflict between the evil god and the people. After a fierce battle, the people managed to seal off the evil god, but what was left behind was only a desolate land. The people thus chose to abandon the land and live in the sky.

Such fairy tales were passed down as legends. At this time, people had wings called Wings of the Heart and lived a peaceful life. It was an era of long-lasting tranquility. …But the collapse had quietly begun.

When a young man calls your name, the name of the spirit, the story begins to unfold. A story set on a floating continent in the sky, where thoughts and prayers intersect.

Unique Magnus Battle System

In the world of Baten Kaitos, the true essences of all manner of things, including equipment and items, can be extracted and stored inside cards called magnus. A magnus’ contents can be released at any time, returning the magna essence sealed inside to its original form. These magnus form the basis of the Baten Kaitos battle system.

Battles run in real time, so you’ll need to employ quick thinking to select the right magnus for the situation. Strategize against enemies of various elements using elemental magnus of your own, and experiment with mixing and matching different magnus to discover and unlock powerful combo attacks!

Vivid Graphics Remastered in HD

The two titles have been fully remastered in HD, including retouched battle backgrounds, character graphics, and UI. Enjoy Baten Kaitos with even more vibrant visuals.

  • Aspect ratio expanded from 4:3 to 16:9 for play on wider screens!
  • Main character and boss graphics have been completely renewed in vivid detail!
  • All-new menu screens! Enjoy smoother gameplay with refreshed menu layouts, newly added sorting features, and more.

Pre-existing graphics have been used for in-game maps as well as some screens and character models.

New Features for Better Gameplay

Along with improved graphics, the features below have been added to make game progression much smoother!

  • Auto-save feature
  • Help menu containing terminology and hints for progressing through the game
  • New Game+ mode, unlocked after clearing the game once, which starts a new game while retaining all magnus, levels, and ranks
  • New Game- mode, a mode with level restrictions for an extra thrilling challenge

Six new game system options have now been added, including adjustable game speeds and no-encounter mode. Save your settings as a Custom Set and turn them on or off at any time.

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster is also available on the Nintendo Switch. Here’s hoping with the Steam release modders will find a way to re-add the original English voice acting from the original GameCube releases of both titles!

Stay tuned to RPGFan for more card-based RPGs!

Be part of the conversation and join us on our Discord, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Tyler Trosper

Tyler Trosper

Tyler Trosper is a news writer for RPGFan. He has an unhealthy obsession with the Xeno franchise, especially Xenosaga. He runs a podcast about the series in his free time and sometimes works on fan projects. Tyler would die happy if Xenosaga Episode IV was announced. Besides Xeno, Tyler enjoys watching anime, his favorite being Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.