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Score: 8.6 / 10

If you’re like me, you hear the words, “Baldur’s Gate” and run screaming the other way.  Maybe you hate RPGs or maybe you think D&D is just too damn geeky or, if you’re like me, you just can’t stand the thought of spending 30+ game hours to finish an RPG.  (Even though I’d highly recommend Morrowind, I still cringe a bit when I figure how many actual hours I’ve put in, let alone game hours.)  Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance (BG:DA) is a light RPG – it has the trappings of an RPG but is largely stripped of the usual complexities and it’s the better for it.

There is still inventory to manage, important purchases to make, gold to find, experience points to earn and spells to cast but it’s way more accessible than your typical RPG.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for the non-fan of RPGs is the initial character creation.  BG:DA is devoid of this.  Instead, there are three characters to choose from that can be outfitted and equipped with skills and weapons as you rove through dungeons and gain experience points.  Hardcore fans will balk, but it makes BG:DA very accessible.

Once you’ve picked your character the story unfolds.

You arrive in Baldur’s Gate and get mugged.  Not relying on the local authorities to get your gold back, you take matters into your own hands but quickly get embroiled in a situation that will leave a bloodied trail of bodies in your wake.

 

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The main story is straightforward and sidequests don’t amount to much.  This means you can concentrate on the action rather than trying to keep track of other quests.  (If you’ve played Morrowind you know all about sidequests.)  And action there is, from beginning to end.

Whether it be giant rats, spiders, the undead, trolls, ice dragons, dark elves or big Jell-O cubes, the flood of viable targets is almost never-ending.  I’m told BG:DA uses characters and creatures culled directly from the 

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D&D bestiary so the various creatures might have more meaning to someone familiar with the Forgotten Realms universe.  (When I describe fighting a giant cube of Jell-O, you know I’m coming from the non-D&D crowd.)  At any rate, the enemies all look good and have their own specific attack patterns, to which you have to adjust your attack strategy accordingly (which can vary quite a bit depending on your chosen character).

Presentation is practically flawless and the animated character exchanges are so good I actually listened to them.  Most times I’ll skip dialogue – it doesn’t matter the genre – for a variety of reasons (poor voice work, bad writing, etc.) but with BG:DA I felt compelled to listen.  It’s like viewing a well-acted cartoon.  The lip synch is some of the best I’ve seen and the body motions are perfectly matched.

The action itself is fun to watch too, especially when you get hold of the more powerful weapons (or if you like to use spells).  It’s smooth too; just don’t count on getting close to the action.  The in-game camera can be rotated (most times) but you can’t zoom in.  This ability would have been welcomed in some of the more cluttered areas where it’s easy to get blocked behind objects.

Control is easy to pick up – after 10 minutes you should be totally comfortable.  I was slightly take aback by the inclusion of a jump button.  Jumping puzzles don’t usually spring to mind when someone says, “RPG.”  Fortunately, BG:DA won’t be remembered for its jumping puzzles, even if it does come in handy during retreats and diving for cover.

Most puzzles come in the form of acquiring a necessary item or defeating a specific enemy before progressing to the next area.  At most, you’ll have to do careful exploring.

Save points seem to be liberal to the point of excessive in some areas.  Most are logically placed before or after major enemy encounters and boss battles (which may be the reason there are so many).  This means you never have to replay huge chunks of the game (unless you want to).  Some might critique this as making the game “too easy.”  I found that it made playing more enjoyable (and in conjunction with Recall and Health potions frustration is at a minimum while still being challenging).

Total game time is well below 30 hours but there’s always the chance to replay with the other characters.

But is it worth the money?  Yes.  Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance manages to walk the line between hardcore RPG and straight action.  It’s fun and it’s polished – definitely worth your time as well.

- Omni

(January 22, 2003)

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