Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (series)

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Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a series of action role-playing games developed exclusively for game consoles. The first game in the series, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, was developed by Snowblind Studios for the PlayStation 2 in 2001, with versions for the Xbox and Nintendo GameCube releasing in 2002. A Game Boy Advance version of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was also released in 2004, by Magic Pockets. The sequel to the game, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II, was developed by Black Isle Studios for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, releasing in 2004.

Like the Baldur's Gate series for the PC, the Dark Alliance series is set along the Sword Coast and Western Heartlands, two locations from the popular Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting. However, the Dark Alliance series and the PC Baldur's Gate series are often not seen as part of the same universe, as they differ heavily in plot and gameplay. The Dark Alliance series takes place after the PC Baldur's Gate series.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a computer role-playing game developed by Snowblind Studios for the PlayStation 2, and later for the Xbox and Nintendo GameCube, originally released in 2001. The game starts when the player character arrives in the city of Baldur's Gate, after a dangerous journey. Shortly after arrival the player is attacked and robbed, and is brought to an inn by guards to recover. There, the first hints about a great evil hiding in Baldur's Gate are revealed, and the player can choose to discover more.

The player must choose between one of three (or four)characters:
 * Vahn, human arcane archer: archer with magical abilities
 * Adrianna, elven sorceress: spell caster
 * Kromlech, dwarven fighter: strong melee fighter
 * Drizzt Do'Urden, drow ranger: fights with two scimitars (unlockable)

Gameplay is quite different for all three characters: the human relies on ranged attacks and stealth, the elf character can cast magic spells, and the dwarf is an all-round fighter for those who prefer a head-on approach. Additionally, each character has unique side-quests, allowing for replayability.

Character customization, when compared to the PC games, is quite limited. There is no way to change starting stats, and the only stat customization possible is by assigning experience points to preferred skills. There are also relatively few NPCs: the only characters that can be spoken to are those who are part of a quest or sidequest.

Dark Alliance was built on a much more powerful game engine than the PC Baldur's Gate series, which utilized the Infinity Engine - an engine debuting in 1998 which exclusively used sprite characters and static, pre-rendered backgrounds. The Dark Alliance engine allowed for such things as dynamic lighting, real-time shadowing, fully rendered backgrounds and 3d character models. The graphics, in particular, were considered a highlight of the game by many critics.

The battle system is easy to master, but allows for good customizability if wanted. The human archer for example can assign experience points to enchanting arrows rather than to strength, which will result in more powerful arrows. Likewise, the elven sorceress can select between different spells.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II is a computer role-playing game developed by Black Isle Studios for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, released in 2004. Dark Alliance II returned to Baldur's Gate with a new story and new characters. The story begins when the player's previous 3 heroes are taken prisoner by an evil creature. In part 2, the player is one of the many adventurers seeking fame and fortune in Baldur's Gate.

The new characters are:
 * Dorn Redbear, human barbarian: strong melee fighter
 * Vhaidra Uoswiir, drow monk: unarmed and unarmored melee fighter
 * Ysuran Auondril, elven necromancer: spell caster
 * Borador Goldhand, dwarven rogue: able to pick locks and traps
 * Allessia Faithhammer, human cleric: casts healing/protection spells
 * Drizzt Do'Urden, drow ranger: fights with two scimitars, Icing Death & Twinkle (unlockable)
 * Artemis Entreri, human assassin: fights with Charon's Claw and a Defending dagger (unlockable)

Unlike in the original Dark Alliance game, players can create their own magical weapons, armor, and trinkets (for a price) in Dark Alliance II.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance III
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance III was to be the next game in the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance series. Instead, Snowblind Studios continued the game series with the Everquest license, releasing Champions of Norrath, and Champions: Return to Arms. Many fans were disappointed (especially after seeing the teaser trailer for Dark Alliance III at the end of Dark Alliance II) that Dark Alliance III was cancelled.

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