Pandora's Box: The Ultimate GameCube Tier List

#5: Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean

Rating: T

Players: 1

Price Range: ~$32 USD

A card-based JRPG.

This...

This is my favorite RPG ever on the system and is the highest game at the top of A Tier, no contest.

Now, that may seem controversial, given that people love Thousand-Year Door so much and that you've probably never even heard of this game before. I'll be up and front and say that this is probably one of the most underrated games I've ever played, and maybe even the best in a while.

First of all, let me explain how my story with this game began.

I first started off with simply watching videos of 'GameCube Hidden Gems', which led to the purchase of some of the games on this list. However, surprise, surprise, this one was one them. So, at a retro game store, I bought it for a cool $20, took it home, popped it in my system and...I...didn't get into it. I then proceeded to shelf it for six months to a year before some videos came up in my recommended about it, in which I then began to get...intrigued. How did this game work? Then, later, after a little bit of research on my end, I clicked the first of the two discs in and to be honest, I sort of fell in love with it. It is so...so good, one of the best and most unique JRPGs I've ever played. It's quite sad that this game and its series didn't and still doesn't get the recognition it deserves.

This game feels like it was made for me. Everybody has that one RPG that just...clicks with them in such a way that it makes it one of the best gaming experiences ever. This...was that game for me, for what I enjoy in a video game is at its peak here.

First of all, the graphics, music, and gameplay are S Tier, no ifs, ands, or buts, no questions asked.

As mentioned in the entry surrounding the game's prequel, the vast majority of the game uses prerendered backgrounds, which, as stated in that post, is a double-edged sword. Besides cutscenes in the battle arenas, which are 3D, there can be no dynamic camera work since the background is a flat image with collision hidden in the picture. However, the tradeoff is that you get these beautiful scenes that have aged shockingly well, avoiding the pitfalls of rudimentary 3D. There are so many beautiful and even whimsical areas that look ahead of their time, showing the power of prerendered backgrounds when executed well.

You have the battle arenas in 3D and even one or two exceptions to the rule, such as Labyrinth of Duhr, where the whole place is a kaleidoscope of different images from various angles, where you have to deduce where you are even going to not only make it out and find secret goodies, but to also avoid monsters. The vast majority of the prerendered areas you travel on are truly a treat for the eyes. Now sure, you have the usual lush forests and such, but you also have many places that are out there, such as the floating island of Mira, which, due to being on a dimensional rift, has many areas that are abstract and incredibly visually creative, such as Reverence, a town that is like a popup book with its imagery with its paper and wooden décor and visuals, or Parnasse, a bustling village literally made out of candy, cake, and other sugary sweets. It's enough to make your mouth water. The other islands are truly gorgeous as well and have their own distinct feel to them. Even with a place like Mira, this world feels truly lived in and differentiated from each other. A great example would be the city of Mintaka on the island of Alfard, which, unlike the lush and beautiful areas of the other islands, is incredibly industrialized and has a central point in the game's plot, which I won't spoil. Instead of greens and blues, we get brown, black, red, and gold, showing just how oppressive the whole place is compared to Diadem or Anuenue. I just love how this game looks and it has some of the best visuals of the whole generation.