Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II

"Hack and slash at its finest!"

Baldurs gate:dark alliance 2 is a wonderful hack and slash adventure for those who just love to find the best equipment and customize some cool characters. It's light on story and all that, but its heavy on fun and customizing, and that's all that counts.

FEATURES:
-5 characters to customize with many unique skills to each character. (and two secret characters)
-80+ of levels to hack and slash and cast in till your heart explodes. Many different environments and areas to explore.
-New item creation which allows for many different creating abilites to weapons, armor and jewelry.
-thousands of items to find and customize
-4 acts of hack and slash goodness
-2 player co-op

(Gameplay: 9.5/10)
By now you know that the Dark alliance series is all about hack and slash, a la' Diablo, and nothing on story. Dark alliance is the best diablo clone yet. There are many areas to explore, 5 characters to customize, many items to create, find, and wear, and many skills to learn and acquire. This is great stuff for hack and slash fans as there are many things to do.
The game itself is nearly perfect. Go around and start hacking (or casting) at everything that threatens your life. There are many weapons to use, many spells to cast, and many skills to use also to spice up the action. When you kill enough creatures (or get enough exp. from a quest), you will level up and be awarded a some points to use to build your character to your liking. Compared to the first Dark allinace, there are many more things to build up, and more special skills to each character. This causes the opurtunity to create many different versions of the same character, and leads to a much more customized experience. Which is all part of the fun of a hack and slasher.
Story
In terms of story, well there is one, but its just filler to make you go places to hack more baddies and loot more stuff. It's not very original and nothing too amazing, but its not stupid or anything, just don't expect much.

Item creation
A new thing in Dark alliance 2 is a workshop mode, which allows you to add gems and such to a item to make it better and add abilites to your character. This mode is pretty essential if you want the best items in the game, and it costs ALOT! So don't waste all your money on other stuff...

(Sound: 8/10)

I love jeremy soules music. They are some of the best in videogaming (he's done Star wars:KotOR, Morrowind, Neverwinter nights, Icewind dale, etc.), but there isnt enough of it! I guess its best for it to just hear the sounds of battle, which there are many, but the music is great, just not enough of it and too short. But sounds from battle and spells are plentiful and great on a stereo system of any kind.

(Graphics: 8.5/10)

Good stuff for a hack and slasher. Many different areas, nice clean look, many cool spells and wapons effects like fire and ice. It pretty cool in motion and there is no slow down. Plus it has the best water effects in videogames! The only thing is Champions of norrath has already showen (through movies) that it has pushed the much hailed Snowblind engine further than Dark alliance 2. But Baldur's gate is still eye-candy and still looks wonderful.

Overall if your in the slightest into Hack and slash, this is the console game to get. Its more in depth than gaunlets and D&D heroes, and plays better than Fallout:Brotherhood of steel, hunter:The reckoning, and others. This is hack and slash at its best, intill possibly the much hyped Champions comes out, and Diablo 3 make there way.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/24/04