If you like RPGs - Snag this one at a Used Game shop while they last

Baten Kaitos is the best RPG I have ever played. The graphics are beautiful. All RPGs should aspire to such scenery. You become anxious to explore new areas simply because you want to see how amazing the next landscape is. On the negative side - the scenes are SO artfully done that it can make the game unnecessarily difficult. For example, every "town" has a store. In some cases however, you cannot even see the entrance. If you are aware ahead of time that the store is definitely there, it should make finding a hidden one easier. The story actually is one of the best that I have come across. One drawback with the story is that it tends to take control of the action... and there's a lot of it! You have to be patient with all of the video clips that they shovel out. They are interesting, but you better not have anywhere to go - you might have to wait half an hour to save. On the same note, there is little freedom in the game. You can complete random sidequests, but there is generally not much to do outside of the main story. In battles, Baten Kaitos has a unique card-based style. You have a certain amount of time to pick your cards - and as you progress, that time shrinks to only a few seconds. This allows you to get comfortable and never really feel like you are in over your head. Another advantage that Baten Kaitos has is that there is very little "leveling up." I have had to retry a few boss battles, but I never had to walk around and level up. As long as you battle enemies as you come across them, you should be prepared for almost any situation. I greatly enjoyed Baten Kaitos. I cannot wait to buy Baten Kaitos Origins to see what improvements were made. I'll let you know how it goes.