Video game publisher Bandai Namco has shadow-dropped Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster on Steam, and at a temporarily discounted price. Consisting of Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean and Baten Kaitos Origins, the pair of Monolith Soft and tri-Crescendo-developed RPGs - bundled together as Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster - were originally released in 2003 and 2006 exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube, are now available on PC for the very first time. Players can again step into the shoes of Kalas and Sagi on their respective journeys to stop the nefarious Alfard Empire.

News of the remastered cult classic titles first broke in February 2023, when the games were revealed to be re-releasing in the form of Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster. In the months following the surprise reveal, there were leaks that the classic GameCube RPGs were headed to PC, but Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster launched in September 2023 for the Switch only. With rumors of the PC version being scant in the interim, it made the chances for it appearing elsewhere slim, with the recent shadow drop catching many fans off-guard.

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Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster obviously features updated and enhanced visuals, including higher resolution textures, environments, and character models, as well as an expanded aspect ratio for modern monitors. According to the game's Steam listing, numerous quality-of-life improvements have also been made, including a refreshed UI with new sorting features, auto-save, and a help menu. Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster also includes New Game+, which allows players to retain their magnus, levels, and ranks, and New Game-, a level-restricted mode for players seeking a serious challenge.

Although the title may be considered iconic within some gamer circles, last year the original game's director revealed that Bandai Namco didn't originally want the Baten Kaitos name, with the publisher giving some initial pushback. In a series of translated tweets, Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean director Yasuyuki Honne said he first thought of the name when creating an airship for the first game, which in turn helped inform the naming of other things in the first Baten Kaitos. Upper management apparently protested, but eventually approved the unique name.

Classic JRPG Revivals Continue

While the shadow drop of Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster on Steam is likely to be a shock to many, it isn't the only JRPG of note to be recently released in such a way. A pair of Square Enix JRPGs have shadow dropped on Xbox and PlayStation in the form of Octopath Traveler and Octopath Traveler 2, coincidentally another fan-favorite and its critically well-received sequel.

With the first Baten Kaitos game considered to be one of the best GameCube RPGs of all time, PC gamers can finally get a chance to dive into the world of Baten Kaitos.

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster

Bandai Namco's remaster compilation contains Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean and Baten Kaitos Origins, two JRPGs originally released for the Nintendo GameCube. Set for a Summer 2023 debut, the package will be available on the Switch.

Publisher(s)

Bandai Namco Entertainment

Genre(s)

JRPG