Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (series)

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a popular series of computer role-playing games for game consoles.

The series includes:

Dark Alliance (2001), developed by Snowblind Studios for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox.

Dark Alliance (2004), developed by Magic Pockets (Game Studio) for the Gameboy Advance.

Dark Alliance II (2004), developed by Black Isle Studios for the Playstation 2 and Xbox.

Like the Baldur's Gate series for the PC, the Dark Alliance games are set along the Sword Coast, a location from Dungeons & Dragons's popular 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 in storyline and gameplay.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
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 heads-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 featured an impressive and highly detailed game engine, which still holds up today. Unlike the Baldur's Gate PC games, in Dark Alliance the camera is very close to the player character, allowing for high detail.

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
Dark Alliance was followed by a sequel in 2004, which returned to Baldur's Gate with a new story and new characters.

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)

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance III
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance III was supposed to be the next game in the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance series. Instead, Snowblind Studios continued the game series with the Everquest liscense, releasing Everquest: Champions of Norrath, and Champions Return to Arms.