THE TIME HAS COME TO EMBARK ON AN EPIC JOURNEY. BATEN KAITOS SHIPS TO STORES

Namco's Newest RPG Now Available

San Jose, Calif., Kalas is awaiting your guidance. Leading video games publisher and developer Namco Hometek Inc. announced

today that their most breathtaking role-playing adventure yet, Baten

Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean, has shipped to North American

retail outlets.

Available exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube, Baten Kaitos takes players

on an intense and innovative epic journey to save a world in crisis. Set in

a civilization on the verge of destruction from a powerful and ancient

conspiracy, players join Kalas and Xelha -- two unlikely heroes -- as they

embark on an uncertain journey in hopes of saving their cherished world.

Unlike the typical card-based video game, Baten Kaitos introduces an

engaging battle and item system, providing more than 1,000 different objects

that players can use to aid the story¹s heroes on their way. Magnus cards

are used to capture the essence of certain objects, weapons, or spells, for

use in solving puzzles, combat, healing, and more.

The game's stunning graphics, brilliant 3D character designs by Nakaba

Higurashi, and its mystical nature set Baten Kaitos apart from other titles

within the RPG genre, said Garry Cole, executive vice president at Namco

Hometek Inc. The overall beauty of the game and the unique Magnus card

battle system are sure to meet the high expectations of RPG fans in the U.S.

market.