Baten Kaitos is a series of role-playing games. The first, Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean, was developed by Monolith Soft, and tri-Crescendo , published by Namco and released on November 16, 2004. The game tells the story of a young man named Kalas and his companion Xelha, who live in a land above the clouds where the Earth and oceans have been long forgotten.

The second game, The Start of the Wings and the Heir of the Gods was recently announced as a title for the Nintendo DS.

Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean

The plot of Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is one that is enveloped in the ideas of humanity and what it means to be human. Baten Kaitos takes a very positive look a humanity unlike its cousin, the Xenosaga series. Many speculate that Kalas is the embodiment of the human, while Xelha is the anti-human, or rather a perfect being. Baten Kaitos also looks at the ideas of what it means to be alive and what it means to be dead.

Kalas and Xelha are accompanied by:

• Gibari, a fisherman from Nashira.
• Lyude, an imperial ambassador to Diadem.
• Savyna, an ex-mercenary for the Empire.
• Mizuti, a mysterious creature who is shrouded in mystery.

This game is known for its semi-unique battle system: Magnus cards. Using a hand of these cards, each battle is different.

Baten Kaitos is also the name of a star in the real-world constellation Cetus, the Whale. It translates to "The Belly of the Sea Monster/Whale" in Arabic. The star Baten Kaitos has already though to have become a dead star, though we see it in the twilight of its life. Given the focus of this game upon the oceans that have been lost beneath the clouds, and a whale-god, the choice of name seems quite apt. The art, done by comic artist Nakaba Higurashi has a very arabic feel, which adds to the premise of the game.

The Start of the Wings and the Heir of the Gods

A game that has been annouced for the Nintendo DS. It is thought to be a prequel to the original Baten Kaitos, taking place when the islands were still on the earth and the war with the Gods was still going on. It will be released in Japan later this year.

External links

• Namco's official Baten Kaitos website
• GameFAQs Baten Kaitos information page.