Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean is a role-playing game developed by tri-Crescendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in 2003. The game centers on a concept called Magnus — short for Magna Essence — which represents the fundamental nature of all things, from weapons and spells to ordinary food. Physical objects can be captured in Magnus form and stored within cards, then restored to their original state when needed. This system extends beyond the story into nearly every aspect of gameplay: cards serve as the primary mechanic for combat, item acquisition, and resource management, making the card-based structure both a narrative element and a core gameplay system. Battles unfold in turn-based sequences, and the story is conveyed through detailed CG cutscenes. The game shares creative lineage with the Xenosaga series through the involvement of tri-Crescendo's development team.
The existence of Earth, a planet of continents surrounded by deep oceans, has long become a mere legend. People live now on islands which are floating high in the skies. They also have wings - "Wings of the Hearts" - growing on their backs. Kalas is a young man who was born only with one wing - he replaces the second with an artificial wing manufactured by great masters. He is on a quest to find the murderers of his grandfather and his brother. He meets a girl named Xelha, who is out to stop an evil conspiracy that threatens the country, and they join forces against the newly appeared evil.
