Baulder's Gate: Dark Alliance Review by Hector Cortez
"A darkness is gathering in the sprawling port town of Baldur's Gate. Members of the city watch have been found dead, people are afraid to leave their homes, and there are rumors of a thieves' guild civil war brewing beneath the streets of the city.
Into this deteriorating situation comes the player, the hero of the game, fresh to Baldur's Gate and fresh to the world of adventuring. Down on his luck and carrying little else except a sword strapped to his back, he has come to the big city to earn a few coins. Before his adventures in the city are through, he'll be all that stands in the way of one of the greatest threats ever to strike Baldur's Gate and the Sword Coast.
Spread over 3 acts, this tale of intrigue and fierce alliances pits the player against myriad challenges, each one bringing the player closer and closer to the revelation of truth and the bittersweet realization of vengeance."
That is how Black Isle Studios describes the incredible wonderful game Baulder's Gate: Dark Alliance for Xbox. Lets start off with the game features shall we. BGDA features the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons rule set, a first for an Xbox game. BDGA is a game of magic and fighting. You'r character can perform various moves and spells. You have the option of choosing one of three characters, each unique in their powers, appearances and abilities. Don't feel like playing alone? Invite a friend over and play the entire game in two-player cooperative mode for some serious fun!
BGDA is a mix of action and RPG that will satisfy anyone that picks up the controller. This isn't your random battle RPG, this is a game where you will actually fight instead of going through menus in order to attack. Non-stop action the entire way through will leave you breathless and yearning for more. Do I smell a sequel? You bet your ass! For those intimidated by the word RPG, and for those that automatically think RPGs are long and hard games, fear not because you can choose your level of difficulty in the options menu. Easy, Medium, or Hard, it's your choice.
Black Isle did a phenomenal job with the controller setup. Everything feels so natural that you wont have to look down at your hands for any reason. The only button that seams out of place is the black button that is used for blocking. This happens if you are using the original Xbox controller but if you use the new S controller it should be easier. But for those not satisfied with the default setup, you can customize them to soothe your needs! Selecting weapons is a breeze using the D-Pad while healing yourself is done with the triggers. It shows that Black Isle took their time to carefully develop the default controller setup to make it easy for anyone to pick up BGDA and have one hell of a time.
Onto the graphics now. The only word suitable for this section is WOW! The visuals in BGDA are flat-out beautiful! Characters are modeled amazingly and the voice acting is simply phenomenal. When you talk to a character, their lips will move as if they are really talking. None of that up and down movement, the characters' lips and mouths actually move to the words making the BGDA experience much more believeable and enjoyable. Lush environments surround you all varying depending where you are. Enemies vary from green blobs that look like jello to skeletons to what I like to call Ninja Monkey Pirates. Spell effects immerse you while the water makes you wish you could drink it! Not really much to complain about, Black Isle did a great job in enhancing BGDA for Xbox.
Now for the sound freak in all of us. I touched upon the voice acting in the graphics section but now onto more detail. The voices are by real Hollywood talent not some over the top zany guy trying to be serious. All of the voices go well with the character and their emotions go well with the character's animations. Every noise you make, for example breaking a barrel is perfectly captured. Run through the water and you hear the water flow. When you vanquish a monster their weapons fall to the ground and make the appropriate sound instead of just dissapearing. Dolby Surround sound, real-time sound effect mixing, Hollywood voice talent and an original soundtrack by acclaimed composer, Jeremy Soule. What more could you ask for?
Overall, Baulder's Gate: Dark Alliance is an amazing game that should not be missed! This is definitely a title that deserved to be up there with the big boys and should be in your Xbox library. BGDA is a must buy! You won't be dissapointed by this great game.
Report Card:
Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 9
Audio: 9
Replay Value: 9 Overall: 9 out of 10
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