Baten Kaitos

[BreakABone]

Announced back in early May of 2002 during the Namco press for the new StarFox game, Baten Kaitos has pretty much been shrouded in secrecy for the past 15 months or so. Even though, IGN dropped some hints about what the game is, this is the first real details of the game. Which looks to be one of the epic RPGs, but as usually some weird card game on the Cube.

The following is taken from Nintendo Dream magazine in Japan and translated by a poster at IGN.

Title: Baten Kaitos: Owaranai Tsubasa To Ushinawareta Umi
(Baten Kaitos: The Neverending Wings & The Lost Sea)
Release Date: Dec. 2003 (tentative)
Price: Undetermined
Developer: Namco
Platform: GC
Genre: RPG

The basic info, and the release date is of course, Japan.

What is the meaning of "Baten Kaitos"?
-"Baten Kaitos" is the name of one of the stars that makes up the Cetus(Whale) constellation. In Arabic, the expression means "the belly of a whale." Look for "Baten Kaitos" to be a key phrase in solving the various mysteries you come across in your adventure!

Interesting choice for a title to begin with, I wonder if it will keep the name for the States.

-The first to visit this world will be *you*!

-An RPG to mark our generation!

-The curtain opens on an adventure that takes you across five floating continents!

-Work begins on a brand-new RPG series that we will be the first to experience! This isn't a "Part II" or "III"!

-A young girl steps forth to put a halt to an evil plan in motion!

Characters:

"Mi-Mai" (animal)
-Mi-Mai is a mysterious creature known as a "grayson," which is able to expand and contract its body size. Mi-Mai can always be found wherever Shela's food can be found!

"Shela"
-A young girl who travels across the floating continents. Having heard of an evil plan being put into motion, she searches for a way to prevent it from being carried out. But what exactly is this "evil plan"?

Check out the "Magnus"-based battle system!

Battles are fought using cards called "Magnus," which can seal and inhibit matter such as swords and magic. From the looks of things, the combination of Magnus cards you have on you allows you to perform high damage-inflicting attacks as well as combos!

Arrange your deck of Magnus cards and fight away! Adjust your deck to the enemy confronting you at the time and receive the advantage in battle!

And here comes the cards...

-Each of the five continents you visit are varied, with their respective areas all having different characteristics. Check out the city protected by magic and the country dependent on machinery, for example.