Dark Alliance II

With Snowblind working hard on Champions of Norrath, it was up to Black Isle Studios to create a sequel to Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance. But the original heroes are locked in Mordoc's dungeon, so it's time for a new adventure with new heroes. How does this sequel compare to the excellent first game in the series?

Two years ago, Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance arrived on PlayStation 2 and surprised many with how good it was. Snowblind Studios had taken Black Isle's popular RPG setting and crafted an exciting and attractive hack and slash game in the vein of Diablo or, dare we say, Gauntlet.

The sequel continues right where the first game left of, with a cutscene showing the human archer, elven sorceress and dwarf fighter from the first game captured by Mordoc the vampire king. If none of this makes any sense to you having not played the first game, don't worry - the story, though engaging, is just a framework on which to hang the following action. Yes, during the game characters from the first title make an appearance and previous events are mentioned, but there's nothing really to make the player feel he/she is missing out by beginning here with the second game.

With the usual heroes locked up in the vamp's clink the player has to choose from a new set of adventurers - the human cleric, dwarf rogue, dark elf monk, human barbarian and the moon elf necromancer. Each provides a different set of skills and thus a different game play experience. Barbarians are all about extreme physical violence whereas rogues use stealth and long distance attacks. Clerics and necromancers enjoy the power of magic, whether light or dark varieties depending on which the player chooses. Some players may find after initial play, a particular character does not suit them, at this point, it's work beginning the game again with a character that compliments the player's style.

Be prepared for a digital workout as every button on the controller is put to use. Fighting, using items and potions, casting spells etc. all tax the player's ability to co-ordinate his/her fingers in the middle of a fight. At first, it can seem quite daunting, but after a little practice, it becomes clear that the control mappings for both PS2 and Xbox version are logical enough and just need to be memorised.



Most of the game is based on fighting one's way through a succession of creature-infested levels. The player's weapons and the way they are used has changed slightly since the first game. Single-handed weapons can now be held in each hand, yet there is a penalty for doing so. Changing weapons is a breeze with the use of the D-pad, which is used to switch between single handed, double handed and projectile weaponry. Those players who favour ranged attacks, particularly those playing as a rogue, will find the projectile weapons much more immediately useful in this sequel. The aiming guide from the first game returns but appears immediately rather than being something earned and there are infinite projectiles meaning the player no longer has to buy arrows and the like.

The action is occasionally broken up by other activities such as talking to none player characters, buying equipment and character levelling. That's pretty much the structure of the game - fight and gain experience, level up, buy some new stuff, chat to someone, head off for another fight. During quests, the player often meets characters that share information and sometimes offer side quests. Dialogue is handled with a simple dialog tree that will be familiar to most gamers.

RPG veterans know you can't have a good old quest without the ability to sell all the tat you acquired on the previous level and buy some shiny new death dealing pieces of metalwork. However the shopkeeper isn't exactly on the cutting edge (pardon the pun) of military blade design and often the player will find much more impressive weaponry during the quest. The real super weapons though are made by the player, rather than taken from a fallen foe or found in a dungeon.

In the workshop, players can equip weapons with various stones and jewels, which imbue the weaponry with particular traits. There are a huge number or permutations available to the player and experimenting with different rune stones and gems is one of the highlights of the game. The player also becomes more involved by crafting his or her own unique weapons and armour - making each adventure subtly different.



The original Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was a good looking game a couple of years ago, but one might have hoped for improvements in the sequel. It seems time has stood still in the forgotten realm. There seems to be an overuse of familiar graphics from the first game that means at times certain dungeons give the player a sense of déjà vu. The subtle glows and lighting in the game still look good but despite a smooth framerate, this is an engine that's showing its age. As far as the two formats go, it's exactly what one might expect, with the Xbox being the prettier of the two. But to be honest there's not a whole lot in it other than a few nicer effects and more detailed textures.

One of the flaws of Dark Alliance II is the unfocused design - particularly related to the levels. Many of the Dungeons are bigger than those in the original, but more doesn't always mean better. The dungeon design seems weak and unfocused compared to the strong work that made Dark Alliance a cohesive game. At times it feels like different teams were working on different parts of the game making it feel a little cobbled together.



The sound really does impress though - the score is magnificently powerful. From the menu screen onwards it's a game that provides excitement and emotion through the use of music.

If you have a friend with ten or so hours free, the best way to play Dark Alliance II is as a two-player co-operative game. It really is much more fun working together as a team rather than playing the game solo. It's a shame there's not an option to include four players in the game - not least for those of us who are Gauntlet veterans. Snowblind, the developer of the original Dark Alliance, is putting the finishing touches to Champions of Norrath - a game that will offer four-player co-op play and online action. And that's one of the problems with Dark Alliance II, it hasn't moved on - it's still a fun impressive game worthy of the score we've given it, but at the end of the day, there are similar action RPGs available soon that look set to take this kind of hack and slash RPG-lite to the next level. If you're a real fan of the first game, or the Forgotten Realms universe, then this is a fun, action-packed game that's worth picking up.