Baldur's Gate. Dark Alliance :: Education by Design Store

Customer Reviews

My family plays this over and over.....

2008-04-11
The opportunity to play alongside somebody else is SO worth every penny you spend on this game. People may have some complaints about it from a RPG perspective or other perpectives but the advantage of playing with my son or daughter has provided years of enjoyment and common experience. 2 Thumbs WAY up!

Good fun

2007-09-28
This game was fun to play, it was more like hack 'n slash than anything else. Not a lot of real rpg storyline, but the game is fun to play anyway.

Overall = Good

MANY THINGS TO LOVE :)

2007-08-12
FIRST I WILL START OF BY CORRECTING EVERYONE WHO SAID IF THEY BEAT THE GAME ON EXTREME THEY WOULD GET THE FOURTH CHARACTER.THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET DRIZZT IS IF YOU BEAT THE GAUNTLET....ON TO MY REAL POINT NOW,THIS GAME IS REALLY FUN,ADDICTIVE(WARNING),AND A GREAT GAME FOR MULTIPLAYER..MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IS THE ELVEN SOURCERER(DESCRIBED AS MAGE).SHE HAS A GREAT AMOUNT OF INTRESTING AND SUITABLE MAGIC ATTACKS,SHE CAN THROW A BALL OF FIRE,SHOOT AND ACID ARROW,FIRE OF LIGHTINING(WHICH CAN CHANGE TO CHAIN LIGHTINING IF UPGRADED MAXIMUM).SHOOT BOTH A COOL ICY MIST,AND A HOT FIREY MIST FROM HER HANDS(SNOW BLIND,AND BURNING HANDS),SHE CAN SHOOT A MAGIC MISSLE-THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES BECAUSE AS U UPGRADE IT THE MORE SHE SENDS.FOR EXAMPLE WITH EVERY LEVEL SHE UPGRADES THIS SHE FIRE AN EXTRA(FIRST BUBBLE ONE,SECOND 2,AND SO ON).AND THE MONSTER OF ALL METEOR SWARM.SHE CALLS ABOUT 8 METEORS TO STRIKE HER OPPONENT.THESE ARE JUST FEW SHE HAS MANY MORE.WE MOVE ON TO THE ARCHER.HE CHANNELS ELEMENTS INTO HIS ARROWS(FLAMING ARROWS,ELECTRIC ARROWS,ANDMANY MORE).HIS TARGETING IS PERCISE AS WELL AS HIS USE IN THE GAME.THEN WE MOVE ON TO THE DWARF(NO REALLY HIS NAME IS DWARF SOMETHING),THIS CHARACTER IS THE ONLY THING THAT DISAPPOINTED ME IN THIS GAME.HE ONLY HAS TWO OR THREE MAGIC ABILITIES.AND IN THIS GAME MAGIC ABILITIE ARE A PRIME REQUIREMENT.ALL HE IS REALLY GOOD WITH IS CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT,WHICH LEADS TO HIS DEATH SOME TIMES,BUT HE IS GOOD AT WIELDING TWO WEAPONS. BY THE WAY THERE IS A MUCH EASIER WAY TO GET THE EXTRA CHARACTER IN THE GAUNTLET. FIRST USE THIS CHEAT TO GIVE ELF SOURCERESS ALL POWERS: LEFT TRIGGER ALL WAY DOWN,THEN PRESS R,Y,AND A.SHE NOW HAS ALL HER SPELLS(SCROLL THROUGH THEM USING DIRCTIONAL PAD).AFTER YOU ENTERED THE CHEAT SAVE THE GAME,THEN LOAD THE GAME OVER AND PRESS EXIT TO MAIN MENU.PRESS START NEW GAME THEN CHOOSE THE ARCHER PRESS START AND THEN IMPORT CHARACTERS.TAKE THE ELF SOURCERER,SAVE THAT GAME IN THE TAVERN THEN PRESS GO TO MAIN MENU AGAIN.THEN GO TO THE GAUNTLET,YOU WILL PLAY AS DRIZZT.WHEN YOU DIE RIGHT BEFORE IT TELLS YOU TO EITHER QUIT OR TRY AGAIN PRESS START THE IMPORT CHARACTERS AND CHOOSE THE SOURCERES.YOU NOW HOLD CONTROL OVER THE MOST POWERFUL CHARACTER.THEN IF YOU DIE WITH THE SOURCERER,CHOOSE THE ARCHERER FROM IMPORT CHARACTERS,THEN FIGHT IF YOU DIE.DO IT AGAIN IMPORT THE SOURCERES UNTIL U BEAT THE GUANTLET AND HAVE DRIZZT.EVERYBODY SHOULD ENJOY THIS GAME.RPG GAME REALLY OUTDONE ITSELF WITH THIS RELEASE:))) PS.I THINK YOU CAN ONLY GET THE GAUNTLET IF YOU BEAT THE GAME ON EXTREME IF SO,USE THIS CHEAT FOR LEVEL WARP:LEFT TRIGER ALL WAY DOWN,RIGHT TRIGGER HALF WAY DOWN,THEN PRESS Y+A+LEFT STICK,RIGHT STICK,AND START.THIS IS TRICKY IT COULD TAKE TWO PEOPLE TO DO THIS.

it freezes

2007-05-12
i luv this game.. BUT when i get to a certain spot in it it just keeps repeating itselfs.. i cant get past it.. iv tried it on 2 dofferent
x-boxes.. same thing.. i even rented the same game,, same thing.. and now im stuck with the game that wont play. i want to return it!!!

A great hack-n-slash dungeon crawl for the Xbox

2006-08-21
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance has already been released for the PS2 months earlier, but this doesn't mean that the newly, ported version to the Xbox video game console should be ignored. Developer Snowblind Studios has seemlessly ported the PS2 version over to the Xbox and, using the Xbox's higher graphical processing power, made the game look even better. But graphics alone doesn't make a great a fun and great time for a gamer. This Xbox port also includes the great gameplay of the original PS2 version. The intuitive and easy-to-use control scheme remains intact.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance still allows a player to choose between three different types of player characters. One can either choose to be a dwarf warrior, a human ranger, or an elfin sorceress. Each type of character has their own advantages and disadvantages and all three could be used to go through the game and finish it. Though I learned after doing so that the best class to pick would be the elfin sorceress. Her high level of magic spells available to her in addition to being able to have some success using a melee weapon makes her slightly better overall. And for the prurient minded gamers out there, the elfin sorceress could be seen in all her near-nakedness glory in the menu-system.

The 3/4 top down viewpoint of the fight makes it easy for th eplayer not to be surprised by enemies and traps as he goes from one dungeon, cave system and, at time, overland area to the next. Similar to Blizzard's Diablo, BG:DA is pretty much the same game as that hack and slash, but using the 3rd edition rules of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons and its world of the Forgotten Realms. The city of Baldur's Gate and the surrounding region of the Sword Coast are done beautifully by the Snowblind developers. From the deep, underground mine tunnel complexes of the dwarves to the festering, swamp area of Chelimber.

The enemies are designed well and pretty much follows the description of the creatures in the many Forgotten Realms game books and novels. Whether its Umber Hulks, beholders, giants, displacer beasts, etc...the developers did their job well in bringing these varied and dangerous creatures of Faerun to life in BG:DA. Even the many different races introduced and used in the game follows their description in the FR books and guides. The dwarves speak with a heavy Scottish brogue, while elves, both high and dark speak in a high and might English-manner. The voice-acting in this game is also top-notch and I would say some of the best video game VA ever. There's not a false note with any of the spoken dialogue and that just makes the game much more immersive.

Overall, Interplay and Snowblind Studios' Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a great looking and very fun game to play. It's not as deep and rich as the straight-up rpg that the PC games int he series were well-known for. What Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance does bring is the themes and storytelling of the PC games but in a much more simple, hack and slash dungeon-crawl a la Diablo and Dungeon Siege. For those with an Xbox, but not a PS2 then I suggest they go out and get this game. They won't be disappointed.

Suprisingly good, one of the best of its genre

2005-03-10
The Baldur's Gate series redefined and reinvigorated the PC role-playing scene, and now Interplay brings it to the Xbox. Don't be fooled, however, this isn't a traditional role-playing game, but rather a fun, wall-to-wall action hack 'n' slash adventure in the mold carved by Gauntlet and Diablo--one that nonetheless conforms to the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition rule set.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance casts you as one of three basic characters: an elf sorceress, a human archer, or a dwarf fighter. From there, you're set free inside a huge Dungeons & Dragons world replete with dungeons, forests, and ice caves. Naturally, it's all filled to the brim with horrible monsters, wicked traps, treasures, and fabled magical weapons. As you go, you're constantly rewarded with new weaponry, new monsters to fight, and experience points you can put into your character stats to grow even more powerful. You can swap equipment in an inventory "paper doll" screen. Those changes are reflected in your onscreen character, so you'll start with simple weapons and a drab appearance, and you'll end up a big, mean superhero at the conclusion.

The graphics are simply wonderful, and the controls are accurate, responsive, and fun to use--which is necessary for the constant hacking and slashing required. The game is all the more fun when you recruit a buddy and play in cooperative mode. --Bob Andrews

Pros:

Fast, furious fun with great graphics
It's even more fun with a friend!

Con:

Might disappoint PC Baldur's Gate fans looking for something deeper

Excellent - for what it is.

2005-01-15
First, I have to admit that I've been out of gaming since atari and early nintendo 1990's. So I may be easily impressed.

Dark Alliance - the drageons, characters, exploration, buying, etc really appealed to me.

I found this to be an exploration type game and destroy everything you could. Yes, you had to do certain things, but I wouldn't have considered them puzzles. The most difficult part of the game was getting over these floating stone circles.

The ablity to upgrade and tryout new armour, weapons, and powers also drew me into this game. What would this do - burn or turn them to ice! For the scale of the game, the graphics were cool and detailed. However, I would have liked to see this world up closer.

If I had any complaints, it would be that towards the end - you felt like everything became repetative and the ending disappointing. I would have liked more puzzles. And, as I found out - circling your enemies was the easiest way to defeat them. The ending was, well, short - I would have expected some sort of 5 minute clip of celebration, reward ceremony, etc at Baldur's Gate.

Recommendation - I would suspect that hardcore gamers would find this simplistic and I bet they have already buzzed through it. However, being a beginner and moving to controllers with more buttons - its a nice dive into a world that kept me coming back and wanting more.

Not enough campaign time for the money

2004-12-23
I feel sorry for anyone who has spent more than ten dollars on this game. I purchased it for [...] at Toys 'R' Us. Basically a dollar for every hour of campaign time I got out of it.

I'm a huge rpg, particularly forgotten realms fantasy fan, and I was sorely dissapointed in this game. While, the story is missing in detail, the adventuring is fun, heavy hack n slash type, very little to no RP at all. The ending was just that, an ending, a real let down. We went through this game tooth and nail, making sure to uncover every stone, secret and bad guy and it still only took me 8 and a half hours to beat. I was really dissapointed. Just when we thought there was going to be a spectacular plot twist and the game was really going to start kicking, it just ended, promising yet 'another installment' in the Baldurs Gate series. Honestly, instead of purchasing the next game, I'll just pass. I just can't justify paying new game prices for what amounts to the time you would get out of a free community expansion.

If you want to purchase an RPG, save your money and put it towards the NWN platinum pack for the PC. Now there you can waste the hours away!!!

AWSOME

2004-08-02
This game is fun and good for 2 players.It has exceptionaly good graphics.3 diferent levels of gameplay easy,medium, and hard.3 different caracters to choose from:Archer, Dwarf, and scorceres.There is a large solection of weapons including;mourning stars,bows,axes, and warhammers.you can upgrade ur character to make his or hers skills better and more powerful.

Great RPG fun

2004-07-28
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is one of the most fun games i have played in a long time. The hack 'n slash action is instantly addictive and the smooth polished graphics add to the appeal of this excellant game. It is jam packed with different weapons and spells to use while battling in the three extensive worlds. I thouroghly enjoyed every second of this Dungeons & Dragons themed RPG, however i just wish there was more. the game ends rather abruptly, forcing you to by the game's sequel in order to finish the story. that aside this is an wonderful game with tons of replay value and personality to boot.