Publishers Bandai Namco Entertainment and Developer Monolith Soft have confirmed the release date for Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster, which will be arriving on Nintendo Switch on September 14, 2023. The release date trailer, which was shared on Bandai Namco Entertainment’s Youtube channel, covered the story of the two titles and highlighted the unique quality-of-life features found in the remasters.
An official Q&A by the publishers posted together with the initial reveal of the game reminds would-be players that both games in the remaster will run at 30FPS, and have new options added for auto-battle, skip encounters, auto-save, and skip cutscenes. The remaster collection will only feature Japanese voice acting but can be played with English text options for both games. Oddly, only Baten Kaitos Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean will feature French, Italian, German, and Spanish support.
Early adopters of Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster can pick up a digital artbook that contains art from the original game design doc and visuals. The digital artbook will be downloaded on the Switch as a separate application from the base game through a bonus redemption code included. The offer is available for early physical purchases or digital preorders.
Purchasing Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster on the Japan-exclusive Bandai Namco Online Storefront, Asobistore offers special bonuses on top of the base game. This includes a specially designed A4-size clear file folder and a cute little acrylic keychain depicting Meemai.
A separate deluxe edition of the game is also offered on the Asobistore. The deluxe edition contains a mini art book, Magnus card set, canvas printed illustration, and collector’s edition box. In particular, the canvas art and collector’s edition box sports a unique design illustrated by series artist Nakaba Higurashi. The aforementioned bonuses are also included in this version as well!
▍Baten Kaitos Gameplay
Originally released on Nintendo’s GameCube system and co-developed by Monolith Soft and tri-Crescendo, Baten Kaitos Eternal Wing and the Lost Ocean was a JRPG released in Japan on December 5, 2003, which saw a global release over the following two years. Developed specifically for the GameCube due to its lack of JRPGs in its game library, the game was generally well-received by critics but received comparatively lukewarm sales. Undeterred, a prequel game in the form of Baten Kaitos Origins was greenlit and launched at the near end of the GameCube’s lifespan, to a similar reception.
Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster tells the story of Kalas who, while seeking revenge for the death of his brother and grandfather, meets Xelha as both embark on a journey to defeat the Alfard Empire. Baten Kaitos Origins, on the other hand, takes place 20 years before the events of the first game and involves Sagi, a spiriter that has a connection with Guardian Spirits who is part of the Dark Service, an elite unit of the Alfard Empire. After being framed for the crime of unveiling the empire’s skeleton in the closet, Sagi sets on a journey to clear his name.
The games feature a unique blend of traditional turn-based RPG and card game elements, where magical cards known as “Magnus” are used during battle. Units take turns to attack and defend by quickly playing cards from their pre-built deck. Magnus can also be combined during battle, and when certain Magnus are played together, special combos are formed.
