Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Basic Information
Type(s)	Video Game
Developer(s)	Snowblind Studios, High Voltage Software
Publisher(s)	VU Games, Virgin Interactive, Pacific Century Cyber Works, Interplay
Genre(s)	Action, RPG
Media	DVD GameCube Optical Disc
Platform(s)	GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox
Retail Features
Ratings
European Release Date(s)
PlayStation 2 December 14, 2001 Xbox March 21, 2003 GameCube April 25, 2003
North American Release Date(s)
PlayStation 2 December 2, 2001 PlayStation 2 (Greatest Hits) 2002 GameCube November 18, 2002 Xbox November 22, 2002
Japanese Release Date(s)
PlayStation 2 September 26, 2002 PS2 (Best) October 9, 2003
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For the significantly different Game Boy Advance release, see Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (GBA).

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a Dungeons and Dragons based game featuring real-time battles using a wide array of spells including classics like magic missile. It has 3 characters with completely different styles and power so the game can be a different challenge everytime, and with 4 difficulty levels (1 is unlocked later) then even the best players can find a challenge. The game is followed by a sequel, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II.

Story

The character just came into Baldur's Gate and got mugged by thieves. Guards found the character left for dead and bring character to tavern to recover. After recovering the character sets out to recover the stolen stuff.

Gameplay

In the game players can choose to be Vahn the human arcane archer, Adrianna the elven sorceress or Kromlech the dwarven fighter. Player can block, jump, attack, use feats/spells, equip/remove equipment, drop, sell and use items and use points to learn stuff. The game is played from Top-down view killing enemies and on will loot them after killing. Some stuff like barrels can be broken to expose items and chests and weapon racks can be opened and searched. The characters can only learn things related to their class like archer can learn enchanted arrows and sorceress can learn new spells. On cooperative mode the players share the screen. Conversation is limited to few people. In the game you can take quests by talking to people. After completing one experience is gained. Health and magic recovers over time and can be sped up by using points in the appropriate skill. Strength dictates how much character can carry and damage enemies with a melee attack. Every item has their own weight. With charisma the character can buy items at more affordable price. The game is saved at a pedestal with a book which are found in many places. Gamecube version suffers from shoddy porting having frame rate issues and big saves.

Reception

The game has received an average of 78% for Gamecube, 84% for PlayStation 2 and 83% for Xbox.

Trivia

On the PS2 the game was

• Published as Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Limited Edition by Pacific Century Cyber Works in Japan on September 26, 2002
• Published under the "PCCW The Best" branding by Pacific Century Cyber Works in Japan on October 9, 2003