Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

"Not as bad as the reviews say..."

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for the Gamecube is not as bad as the reviewers hype it to be. Experiencing both the PS2 and the GC versions, it was remarkable to see such an effective port in very little time.

Graphics:
This was the big issue in Gamespot.com and IGN.com's reviews. I found the frame rate not as big of an issue as they have made it. The game retains its extreme detail with every monster, their death, the voice lip syncing, and skill/spell effect. The only problem I had was with the town square environment. The frame rate made the rain look extremely choppy. Other than that, the quality graphics are up to par.
(8/10)

Audio:
The quality sound put into the PS2 version remained in the GC version. The music is appropriately moody and the sound effects are superb. The voice acting does its job well. The only disappointment was the removal of the town square track, one of my favorites! But I won't hold it against the programmers.
(10/10)

Gameplay:
The control scheme is excellent. The game controls transfer extremely well to the GC version. The auto-map system and the camera angle control (in most areas) are effective and handy.
The game itself stays true to the D&D theme, though characters are given more strengths to compensate for lack of number. The characters themselves are only customizable in their skills, which may be enough for some, but not others. It would have been nice to choose names...
Hack and slash, shoot some arrows, cast some spells... very simplistic, but it works. The exploitable AI can make the game dull. Also, using a shield blocks off all physical attacks, making the game far more easy. Some skills and weapons are overpowered, further making the game more exploitable. But remember, it's all about killing hordes of enemies easily!
(7/10)

Value/Replay:
Like Diablo, but D&D style, baby! Saying that, it will eventually get old, but that's the value of this game: an empty hack & slash with cool moves and three different characters. The story is too linear and goody-too-shoe for my taste, but that's alright. Replayable in four difficulty levels and three characters, it should last for hours to come.
(7/10)

Summary:
Good, empty fun! The frame rate may annoy PS2 owners, but for GC owners with no RPGs, this one will fill that empty hole for a little while. Enjoy the monsters, spells, and over-powered weapons!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/07/03, Updated 02/07/03