Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Snowblind Studios and Interplay are to be complimented for creating one of the best PS2 games of the year. It marries the action gamers have come to expect on the console platform with the role-playing aspects of the Baldur's Gate series. It earns a perfect 5 GiN Gems, and should be a popular addition to any PS2 game collection.

As you first enter the story, this new threat to Baldur's Gate erupts from beyond the grave in three different vast lands, represented in the game by three separate Acts. You are challenged through simple but steadily escalating battles and quests to end both Eldrith's siege on Baldur's Gate and her hold upon the spiritual afterworld. The twisted cliffhanger ending will also leave an opening for even greater dangers in a possible sequel ...

While the game itself is fairly straight forward and a bit shorter than you might expect from and RPG Adventure title, there are quite a few reasons to come back for more action. Along with being able to select from three different characters, and three different levels of difficulty, the bonus level is fun in itself. Playing through as another character is a different experience, as varied techniques are required. Add in the cooperative play, and you have a game with lasting appeal.

This is one good-looking game. Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is powered by one of the best 3D engines yet devised for the PlayStation 2, a feat for which developer Snowblind Studios deserves considerable acclaim. All the Lobotomy veterans on the team are well overdue a fete, considering how little credit they got for the brilliant programming of their Sega Saturn games. Powerslave had a heck of an engine, it was just that nobody played it. That problem shouldn't plague Dark Alliance, though -- it should receive all the success it deserves.

Return to Baldur's Gate - as you've never seen it before! Enter Snowblind Studios (complete with accurate looking and sounding Emperor penguin mascot) and the familiar Black Isle team. This team, the alliance behind the Dark Alliance, recently unleashed a RPG tour-de-force for PS2 gamers everywhere with their newest addition to the Baldur's Gate series. Featuring awe-inspiring graphics, ultra-realistic sound, seamless frame-rates, a masterful rendition of D&D 3rd Edition rules, and insanely addictive game play - there just doesn't seem to be enough words to describe the way this title upped the standards for it's genre in the console world.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is an entirely new action adventure experience opening the Baldur's Gate franchise to a much wider gaming community. This innovative game features a distinctive blend of action and adventure set in the most popular Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, the FORGOTTEN REALMS. Faithful adaptation of the new Dungeons & Dragons rules set, customizable player characters and character development allows for an engrossing gameplay experience new to console gamers. Dramatic new spell effects and powerful new abilities have been included to add to the flavor of the action-packed game and assist the player in combat against the terrifying monsters found in the adventure.

Going boldly where no Baldur's Gate title has gone before, Black Isle Studios’ Dark Alliance makes the leap onto the Playstation 2. Famous for their successes with the Baldur's Gate series (teaming up with BioWare) and other successes on the same basic engine in Planescape Torment and the Icewind Dale series, Black Isle Studios is back. We've come to expect the usual PC role-playing experience from them (ie: Icewind Dale 2) and while Black Isle hasn't particularly been very focused on consoles, they've teamed up with Snowblind Studios to create a brand spanking new game in all regards to what Black Isle's done before.

By the time you finish this one (and see the cliffhanger ending, those bastards!) there's no doubt you'll be clamoring for more. This is really an RPG for the masses as it's not bogged down with excruciating cinemas, 45-minute CGI mini-movies, and crap loads of dialouge. The addition of the co-op mode really sets this one above any other action RPG. The melee action really can't be matched. Plus, it's got blood!!! Lots of blood! Just wait until you see the bosses get hacked up in real time. That should satisy all of the little kiddies who only seem to care about the red stuff anymore. Definitely a game for anyone.

Chart a course between the mindless action of Gauntlet and the RPG elements of Diablo and you?ll find yourself in Baldur?s Gate Dark Alliance. Bearing no resemblance to the series on the PC except for the name, locales and most of the third edition rules of Dungeons and Dragons, Dark Alliance may upset longtime fans at first. The story unfolds as the town of Baldur?s Gate is besieged with a troublesome new thieves guild. Your character seeks to track them down to reclaim stolen gold, but soon realize there is a much bigger problem at hand. A fell shadow is falling over the land and Baldur?s Gate is merely one point in a great upcoming conflict that you are now drawn into.

As a growing fan of RPGs, I’ve invested countless of hours exploring the fantasy world of Morrowind and craving for even more role-playing titles for the Xbox . . . seeing as the PS2 has been getting all the real good ones (Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, etc.). Last year the PS2 managed to squeeze in Dark Alliance from the popular Baldur’s Gate series for the PC and boy was it a great game. Thankfully, the Xbox crowd is getting its chance to experience the Dungeons and Dragons-inspired role-playing action RPG that’s big enough for you to invite a friend over to play along. It truly doesn’t get any better than this.

Eingefleischte Rollenspiel-Fans werden durch reines Hack`n´Slay von Baldur´s Gate: Dark Alliance enttäuscht sein - alle anderen werden das Spiel lieben! Die Snowblind Studios haben ein hervorragendes Spiel abgeliefert, das sowohl grafisch als auch in Sachen Spielspaß überzeugen kann. Leider sind die drei zur Verfügung stehenden Charaktere eine extrem kleine Auswahl, und auch eine etwas längere Spieldauer hätte nicht geschadet. Aus diesem Grund bleibt dem dunklen Bündnis eine 90er-Wertung verwehrt. Es kann sich aber in die Reihe der Spitzen-PS2-Games einreihen. Für alle, die ein Spiel suchen, das sie zu zweit im Coop-Modus spielen können, ist Dark Alliance ein Pflichtkauf.

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance has some problems but is a terrific RPG game for the GameCube.

Those with open minds for a new experience and a penchant for delightfully slicing their enemies apart will find that Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance definitely delivers.

Using Dungeons & Dragons for its rules, and the Forgotten Realms campaign setting as its world, the Baldur's Gate series has dominated the PC role-playing category for years. Long have there been rumors of bringing one of these titles over to console, and personally, I was always convinced it would never work. The games' real-time battles demand the use of hot keys and quick mouse movements that could never translate to any standard controller. Perhaps sharing a similar viewpoint with yours truly, Interplay's first Baldur's Gate game away from the PC is totally unlike what's been done before.

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance is the best console RPG I’ve ever seen. It’s no wonder that it’s made several magazines’ “Top Ten PS2 Games of the Year” lists. If there’s any room for improvement here, it would be to make the storyline/quests a little less linear and extend the playing time. But with the stunning graphics, super-fun co-op mode, and intelligent and seamless interface, you won’t be worrying about the storyline until well after you’ve finished shooting fireballs at the last of the frost giants. If you are an RPG fan or are just looking for a fresh face to grace your PS2, you can’t miss with Dark Alliance.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was an exceptional action/RPG experience on all three major console systems when it was released a couple years ago. It featured visceral hack-and-slash action, a truly memorable storyline, and a fine-tuned character growth system -- not to mention some jaw-dropping visuals and haunting musical orchestrations. When Dark Alliance on the Game Boy Advance was announced I had more than my fair share of doubts that it would retain any of that magic.

Three nights it took us to play this game to completion. But I can say that in the short time that it took us to finish the game we did have fun playing it. Therefore I would have to rate this brilliant but short-lived game down a little, and eagerly anticipate the release of a sequel, which is alluded to in the closing cut scenes of the game.

Along with engaging quests and an inspired multiplayer capability, Dark Alliance is just plain fun to play. Splitting sewer rats in half and lighting bugbears on fire is the perfect way to let off steam after a long day of collating accounts receivable files. The only thing I would have liked to see was more options for setting up your character. Other than that, I would say this game will make a great addition to your PS2 library.

Very few times do I take time out of my schedule to complete a game in one sitting…but with Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, I could not put it down. Games that have a great storyline appeal to me the most, and the D&D Universe certainly has a ton of great tales. BG has the entire package: a great story, beautiful graphics, superb audio, all tied together with gameplay that will keep any action adventure gamer glued to their couch. I was surprised at how easy a few of the intimidating monsters and bosses were to beat, but all in all, there are enough challenges to hold most gamers for many hours. Anyone that is a fan of third person perspective action/adventure games should immediately pick up Baldur’s Gate…no doubt. Though not much hype has been put behind Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, it should not be overlooked.

PlayStation 2 gamers were treated with Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance almost a year ago to the day, but time hasn’t changed the fact that it’s a truly outstanding game. Unlike its PC brethren, Dark Alliance isn’t a complex RPG, but rather a fun dungeon crawler where you fight your way, real-time, through a horde of monsters. You can play as one of three characters: a human archer, a dwarven fighter, or an elven sorceress. As you would suspect from any game following the AD&D rule set, there are many items for you to collect and outfit on your character, plus feats they can learn as they level-up.

Those seeking a worthy action RPG for their Gameboy Advance would do well to pick this game up. It is a game that does its console brethren proud and presents itself in a way that is amusing and will provide gamers with an immensely high-quality product. It plays along the line of the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Return of the King, so fans of those games should find a worthy adversary in Baldur's Gate. Though the overall adventure is a bit short and the amount of items and weapons isn't as great as those found within the console version, the Gameboy Advance version is still a highly polished game and is one that action gamers and RPG fans alike will simply eat up.

Visually, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance for the Xbox isn’t much different than its year-old PlayStation 2 counterpart. The graphics are a little crisper, but you’d be hard pressed to notice any real difference. With that said, character and creature animations are plentiful, with death animations taking the cake, and the effects, weapon and spell alike, are fantastic. Water effects are equally as impressive, although it can be difficult to locate creatures with all the ripples rippling. The audio is right up there with the visuals. The game features an excellent soundtrack that really adds to the atmosphere, and loads of voiceovers that are well acted. The sound effects are spot-on as well. Whether it’s a barrel exploding, weapons clashing or enemies grunting, it all sounds great.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for the Xbox is essentially a perfect port of one of last year's surprise hits. On the one hand, one might argue that the publisher should have pushed for the Xbox version to have some exclusive features in it that weren't available on the PS2 a year ago. On the other hand, Dark Alliance for the Xbox obviously isn't intended for those who've already played it on the PS2. If by chance you've played the PS2 version already, then you already know that Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a great game. And if you either don't have a PS2 or overlooked Dark Alliance amid the holiday rush last year, then you shouldn't miss this opportunity to get what's easily one of the finest action RPGs ever made.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is more or less a direct port of last years hit of the same name for the PS2. The game had you running through dungeons, killing everything in your path, and then moving to the next location. Not exactly rocket science if you know what I mean. Xbox owners now have the chance to play through one of last years best games, but the question is, has anything changed or improved, and is the game still worth your time almost a full year after its initial release?

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance hat nichts von seiner Faszination verloren. Das Gameplay ist nach wie vor unglaublich fesselnd. Auch die grafische Präsentation kann sich wirklich sehen lassen, auch wenn die Ruckler nicht nachzuvollziehen sind. Im Kooperations-Modus macht das Spiel richtig Laune. Aufgrund der miesen Umsetzung bleibt dem Spiel leider ein Hit verwehrt.

So, if you've played the PS2 version, there's no reason to do the whole thing again on the Xbox. If you own both consoles and haven't played it, you can find the PS2 edition for around $20 cheaper. Finally, if the Xbox is your only system, I wholeheartedly recommend Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for the Xbox. It's not serving up anything new, but it's still a grand adventure.

The well-designed control scheme gives you the ability to heal yourself on the fly, although switching weapons can be somewhat awkward. Interacting with characters conveys an interesting storyline, and the voice acting is not bad at all. Ominous music and crystal clear sound effects like creaking doors complete the immersive experience. There are ample save points and a two-player mode to boot. Some may find the action a little repetitive, but there's really not much to fault with this game. If you have a mind for adventure, you can't go wrong with Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance.

Dark Alliance serves up enough tasty D&D stew to satisfy your role-playing urges. It oozes with quality and is genuinely fun. The next time your girlfriend (real or imaginary) breaks your geek heart, grab Dark Alliance and make that saving throw versus depression.

According to popular fiction, when thirty-something women get depressed, they eat ice cream. When businessmen get down in the dumps, they find solace in a bottle of whiskey. And when little kids can't cope, they slurp down a few Prozac and beat up their kid brothers.

Dark Alliance for the GBA is a lot like the "fun size" candy people hand out for Halloween. It’s every bit as good as the full-size version, only smaller. More focused on action than role-playing, Baldur’s Gate is one fun little fantasy (not in the dirty way) title.

Its encouraging to see a game of this quality available on Playstation 2, it shows that the PS2 is finally maturing and developers are starting to create some amazing looking games for it. The graphics engine of Dark Alliance shows up even newer PS2 titles, such as Soul Reaver2.

Si la durée de vie moyenne du jeu et l'absence d'un mode 4 joueurs peuvent être montrées du doigt, Dark Alliance n'en est pas moins un mets de choix. Un gameplay exquis, des graphismes alléchants, le titre de Snowblind est une véritable réussite dans la forme comme dans le fond. Un grand jeu tout simplement. Que l'attente va être longue d'ici la sortie du deuxième opus.

Dark Alliance décevra peut-être les puristes des versions PC, mais il est à prendre comme un nouveau titre à part entière, un titre davantage axé sur l'action mais tout aussi prenant. Les développeurs ne se sont pas trompés en choisissant de recibler complètement le gameplay pour s'adapter à la console plutôt que d'opter pour un portage risqué du jeu original. Un nouveau titre d'envergure pour la PS2.

Three systems later, and the console debut of Baldur's Gate is the same as it ever was - shorter than most platformers, but still a fair bit of fun.

So how does Baldur’s Gate fare against similar games already on the Xbox. Well, it’s far deeper and prettier than Gauntlet, but it supports only two-player co-op versus Hunter: The Reckoning’s (and Gauntlet’s) four-player simultaneous play. Hunter has a better story, but Baldur’s Gate has lots more variety in its replay value. Plus Baldur’s is the only one of the three that has any real pedigree as an RPG.

Console ports on the Game Boy Advance are nothing new, but the releases are usually timed to coincide in a somewhat timely manner. But in the case of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for the GBA, the game's just a little late to the party. But even though console gamers are already romping through the sequel, the GBA port is a damn fine conversion of the original. Even though the design had to be scaled back in the move, it's a great balance of D&D character management and instant-action gameplay that works extremely well on the handheld.

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance for the GBA does a surprisingly good job of capturing the spirit of a big RPG in miniature form. There are three character classes from which to choose: Warrior, Wizard, and Archer; the game features enough weapons, attributes, items, and abilities to sate even the geekiest D&D fan; and the menu system is well organized and doesn’t interfere with gameplay. The controls are intuitive, helping the action flow while still maintaining the intricacy of RPG-style combat. Vivid graphics bring monsters and environments to life, while a host of special effects help you freeze, fry, and otherwise flay those who are unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of your wrath.

Da hätte ich ein bisschen mehr erwartet. Leider ist BA:DA ziemlich kurz und zeigt so manch deutliche Schwäche auf. Trotzdem: Bisher der beste Diablo-Klon auf der Xbox.

Aus der isometrischen Sicht kämpft man sich durch allerhand Dungeons und nimmt es mit etlichen Gegnern auf. Wertet eure Figur auf und erlernt im Laufe des Spiels den einen oder anderen Zauberspruch. Grafik und Sound sind solide, unterstreichen sehr gut das Geschehen und sorgen somit für eine gute Atmosphäre.

The Baldur’s Gate franchise has become synonymous with RPG gaming and Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance takes the series and the genre to unprecedented new heights. After last year’s mega-success release on the PS2 Interplay has finally released this epic quest on the GameCube, and while it suffers from a few mysterious problems and shortcomings it remains one of the best RPG games you can currently play on the Cube.

Si Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance ne marche pas totalement dans les pas de ses prédécesseurs sortis sur PC, on peut tout de même dire que cette version Xbox est excellente même si peu de différences sont à constater depuis la version PS2. BGDA est donc un achat plus que raisonnable pour ceux qui souhaitent découvrir les joies du Hack'n Slash au coeur des Royaumes oubliés et pour les fans d’Enclave fustrés de ne pas avoir eu de mode coopératif.

A mediocre port of a good game is like a bad cover version of a great song. A listener who's not acquainted with the original may think it's groovy as all get-out, but if you love the original, you wince every time the remake comes on the radio. Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a wonderfully entertaining game that doesn't quite -- for no viable reason but apathy or incompetence -- live up to the technical quality of the PS2 original or its Xbox incarnation.

Though I enjoyed Dark Alliance immensely, I couldn't stop thinking about all the things they could have done differently while playing the game, especially when it came to the adaptation of the 3rd Edition rules. I kept thinking how cool it would be to be able to create my own character, roll my own stats, choose my own race, my own class, my own gender and my own name. I also would have liked to be able to interact with the people in the varied locations a little more. As it is, the citizens of Baldur's Gate just provide decoration. I know this would have meant a lot more work (especially artwork) for the developers, but it could have elevated the game to something truly special. Still, I'm not here to judge the game on what it could have been but rather what it is, and what it is is still a lot of fun and just an all-around great game.

Fans of action RPGs should make every effort to play Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance--but ideally not the technically deficient GameCube version.

Enfin un Baldur's Gate sur la petite console aux doux reflets chamarrés. Digne héritier de ses grands frères dont il s'inspire totalement, au niveau du scénario et du principe de jeu, cet opus mérite sincèrement que l'on s'y attarde, de par sa richesse et son univers si addictif. L'aventure à l'état pur, appelant des sentiments bruts de passion et d'action. Il est vraiment bon de revivre une aventure épique à laquelle chacun pourra s'essayer, du fait d'une progression bien dosée et d'une durée de vie acceptable. La Porte de Baldur attend votre soutien.

Dark Alliance is a great looking game with incredible controls that is held back by the essential shallowness of the gameplay and the plot. It's nice to see that developers are still interested in making games like this. If the developers had put as much thought into the complexities of gameplay and creating a compelling story, this would be easily be one of the best PlayStation 2 games so far. Instead, you get a game boasting incredible graphics, excellent controls and addictive gameplay, but also a game that falls short of greatness because of shallow game design and a lack of innovation within the genre.

Console players were introduced to the majesty of Baldur's Gate through a hack and slash version of the one franchise that resurrected Dungeons and Dragons. I remember a time when Advanced Dungeons and Dragons produced great games, but then the first-person shooter came along. Many role-playing titles were caught between showing a first-person vantage point and incorporating so much action that it didn't even seem like a role-playing game anymore (unless you're role-playing Rambo or the guy from Doom). So long was this drought that many thought the genre was doomed. Then Baldur's Gate came and it put respectability into the Dungeons and Dragons franchise again.

Out of all the RPG’s that I enjoy, I’ve always been a big fan of anything that had to do with the Dungeons and Dragons series, including Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, and Ravenloft even from back in the day. One title in particular that I thought was a blast was Baldur’s Gate on the PS2, and despite it’s short lived play time and cliffhanger ending, it turned out to be a fun and visually stunning romp through the world of Forgotten Realms. Needless to say, I was ecstatic over getting this fun title that has now been scaled down to the GBA to take along in your pocket, and overall I have to say that I had fun … even despite some rough patches that couldn’t be overlooked.

It's taken a while, but Interplay has taken one of its best new original properties for the consoles, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and delivered it to GameCube. As a really good dungeon hack-and-slash with some deeper RPG elements and a great story to boot, Dark Alliance is in a class of its own on GCN. However, it comes a year late with a bafflingly destroyed framerate, courtesy of the High Voltage. If can overlook that blunder and have not played it yet on another system, we highly recommend you consider investing in what is one of GameCube's best co-operative games to date.

As a single player game, though, it is a nifty little adventure game that can be completed without much difficulty in under six hours. Recommended by GameCola as a rental at best, because after the game is completed, there is little else to do, unless you are the type who likes to go and max out every single stat about every single character, and gain every single item and every single spell. Then the game might be able to last you a week or two, if you play it sporadically. But for the rest of us a secret character to gain is all of the replay value this game has to offer. For what it is, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is worthy of a rental; it has an interesting plot, gorgeous graphics, and can be completed in a decent amount of time. But not enough exists to make it worthy of a purchase.

Si la durée de vie moyenne du jeu et l'absence d'un mode 4 joueurs peuvent être montrées du doigt, Dark Alliance n'en est pas moins un mets de choix. Malheureusement cette version Gamecube est la moins bonne des trois versions 128 bits avec des ralentissements très présents et des voix trop étouffées. Reste tout de même un très bon jeu, superbe graphiquement et prenant surtout à deux joueurs.

In the end, the game is a pretty fun fifteen-hour romp through some dungeons. Those looking for depth, either in a stat system or a storyline should look to titles like Final Fantasy 10 or Shadow Hearts. Seriously, I finished Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance about three days ago, and I can't even tell you what the plot was about, it is that forgettable. The game engine is great, it just does not get used to its potential. I would recommend this as a weekend rental with a good friend, but 50$ is a high price tag for a game with this little depth.

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance on the Game Boy Advance is an okay game, but that’s about it. For being such a great game on the consoles, I do not understand what the problem converting it into a great GBA game was. With the missing characters, map, and recall potions, it reduces this game from the status of great, to only decent. If you were looking to get into the story of Dark Alliance, I would suggest you invest $20 (or less) into this game for one of the consoles, and only pick this up if you really like Baldur’s Gate.

This game does nothing but make me wonder about how a company could rush production so much. The game has enormous potential, if only they had put a little more time into thinking it out and playing their own game. The good parts of the game are drastically outweighed by the bad and this game is barely good enough to rent. If you like games like Diablo I recommend you check this game out on a rent. Otherwise, leave your money in your pocket.

Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance ist ein technisch perfekt in Szene gesetztes Spiel ohne Ecken und Kanten und vielleicht der richtige Einstieg für Anhänger des ursprünglichen Baldur's Gate in das Genre Action Rollenspiel und vielleicht bietet das Szenario aus den Vergessenen Reichen auch den Hack & Slay Jüngern genug Anreiz, sich mit den anderen Spielen aus der Baldur's Gate Reihe zu beschäftigen. Ich freue mich jedenfalls schon auf die angekündigte Fortsetzung.

With Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II, Black Isle Studios has carried the torch respectably for Snowblind, who have moved on to bigger and better things with Champions of Norrath: Realms of Everquest. In most respects Champions is actually a stronger title, and fans of the first Dark Alliance might consider giving it a try before moving on to Dark Alliance II. The new adventure in Baldur's Gate holds its own, however, and is an enjoyable gaming experience, especially for those playing in cooperative mode. For fans of Forgotten Realms and the world of Abeir-Toril, it may be sad news to hear that Interplay recently traded their rights to the Dungeons and Dragons name, so this will be the last Dark Alliance title to take place in the great port city of Baldur's Gate.

My final thoughts on Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is that it can be improved upon, by making the story less ambiguous and more involving without making it feel like an afterthought. The gameplay aspect could definitely be less tedious and provide more side quests or alternative options instead of its straightforward path and linearity. If you prefer that "action" precede "role-playing" this "Action RPG" might be worth the $30. For those who want a balance of both elements, you're better off looking for another title. This one is too simple for me.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is an average game. It does nothing to stand out against the flood of other mediocre titles. You can get a few hours of fun out of it. More than a few playing with a friend. You may even like the fact that a certain popular Forgotten Realms character is finally playable. The game lacks a polished edge. It shows that this is new territory for the series and is a solid base for future titles. Wait until the game falls down the price scale and pick it up to kill an afternoon. You won't beat it that quickly, but the game “ends” well before you complete it.

To be honest, I did not play Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance all the way through to the end, but the fact of the matter is that I don’t think a change in locale means a change in gameplay. I did not play all of it, but I did play enough to find AI flaws, get bored, and generally not like it at all. You do not have to play all of this game to experience all it has to offer. And that reflects poorly on the designers.

The Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance console games are one of my guilty pleasures. Truly, there is nothing more satisfying than beating up monsters and taking their treasure. When I discovered that the original Dark Alliance had made a quiet debut on the GBA, I knew that I had to rectify the situation and take my hacking and slashing to a portable level.

So why give this game such a bland overall score? If it were released last summer, the game would have clearly dominated any Playstation 2 RPG at the time. However, with the introduction of two strong titles for the console with very superior storylines (Shadow Hearts and Final Fantasy X), Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance stands behind the two by a long ways. For the time being, the game is a sure-fire rental title, but unfortunately for the developers, it is not worth the $50 asking price that many retailers sell it for.