Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

"Enemy at the Gates..."

The majority of my gaming sessions are spent with my friends and family. Sometimes there's nothing better than taking on a horde of trolls, orcs, or anything else that a game can throw at us. I spent several weekends at my friends' houses playing nothing but Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II on the PS2. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to continue a personal single-player adventure due to my lacking of my own PS2 or an Xbox. So I had to settle for the next best thing on my Gamecube: the first Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.

The plotline of this game is the basic skeleton of so many overused concepts in other RPGs. If we take away the setting, the background story of the city, and the individual heroes, we're left with the generic mold that could easily fit any game with the proper adjustments. Luckily for us, the story of Baldur's Gate makes up for its bland plot. You are given the choice of three heroes, each with their own backgrounds and combat abilities. Regardless of whom you choose, you still play as a hero entering the city of Baldur's Gate for the first time. The city is under siege of a hidden evil. Citizens of the great city have been found dead. The townsfolk are starting to fear leaving their homes. Being the young and valiant warrior you supposedly are, you take it upon yourself to gain success by ridding the city of its unknown evil. There is a great chance of finding your fortune within the walls of Baldur's Gate. There's an even greater chance of you getting killed in the process…

All epic settings aside, Baldur's Gate operates on the basic hack and slash style of gameplay. Do you see that gigantic rat over there in the sewer passageway? Go smack it with your sword, axe, arrows, or whatever medieval weapons you happen to be carrying. Don't forget the vast array of equipment, items, and magic at your disposal. Also, you've got a standard set of character stats to consider. Every time you level up, you are given the choice of what ability or stat you want to increase. Does your character need just a little bit more life points to see him through the hordes of enemies? What about his defensive abilities? Can he take a single hit without dying on the dungeon floor? Also, you can fully customize the almost all of your character's clothes, right down to their loincloth undergarments. But remember, this kind of customization is important, if not vital to your success. You'll be facing down countless of hapless minions during your stay at Baldur's Gate, so it's good to be prepared with the best weapons, armor, and stats available to you. But if you're in a tight spot, your hacking and slashing skills can sometimes be your best friend.

But as you're perfecting your hero, don't forget the job at hand. Your basic goal is to navigate through the various dungeons and complete whatever tasks that have been placed under your responsibility. Take you first mission for example. You get to go into the sewer underneath the local tavern and eliminate all the giant rats that have overrun it. How's that for an up and coming RPG hero? No one ever said the road to success would be glamorous. But if you want to progress through the game, you've got to adhere to the instructions given to you prior the start of the mission. Once you've completed your goals, you'll likely obtain some item or information vital to the next stage of the game. The further you go, the more the mysteries of Baldur's Gate start to unravel before your eyes. Eventually, you'll uncover the hidden evil the lies within the city. But you've got to take care of all the little stuff first.
But you don't have to take on the evil of Baldur's Gate by yourself. What makes this game even better is its Co-Op gameplay ability. Remember those rats you have to exterminate? Why not bring a friend along to share the fun? You can spend plenty of quality time navigating the massive dungeons with your best gaming buddy. If there's some boss that you just can't seem to beat, get a friend to tag along and help. Sometimes finishing a dungeon is more fun when there's a team effort involved. And chances are that you'll want a companion once the repetitive hack and slash gameplay starts to catch up with you.

If you don't know how to use a map, there's a fair chance that you'll get lost in the massive dungeons that you have to navigate. But hey, it can be a good thing. While you're lurking around corners and looking for the next enemy to stab don't forget to take a look around and see how Baldur's Gate is portrayed. The camera angle is stationed at an overhead view, which can be either a blessing or a curse depending on your preferences. Nevertheless, you can still see the wonderfully detailed settings that this game has to offer. The bricks, the cobblestones, the characters, everything is portrayed with a great amount of detail with a dedication to realism. The grainy texture of the wood seems like it was just taken off a tree. The protruding bricks of the dungeons make you feel as it you're right there with your character. The barrels and crates are all proportionally correct to everything else. The lighting effects of the torches also create a more realistic and interesting setting. The superb voice acting and dramatic music add even more to an already engaging atmosphere. With such amount of attention placed on detail and atmosphere, we can become drawn into the world of Baldur's Gate.

So, for those of you looking for those elusive Gamecube RPGs, have a look at Baldur's Gate. For you Diablo or Dungeons and Dragons fans out there, this game is right up your alley. Anyone that feels the need for some hack and slash action, look no further. If you're looking for an excellent Co-Op game for you and your friends, this game can offer hours of entertainment. However, if you despise repetitive gameplay and expansive dungeons, avoid this game like the plague. But with such a limited selection of console RPGs, Baldur's Gate serves as the all-purpose RPG. With a wide assortment of character customization, massive levels, and Co-Op multiplayer, this game has plenty to offer to the prospective gamer. It's up to you to give a shot and come knocking at Baldur's Gate.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/07/04