You start by killing rats in the basement. Classic action RPG Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance still shines despite its simplicity

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Last summer, I discussed how Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel tried, but failed, to bring the Fallout world to consoles. It turns out the Baldur’s Gate series had a similar experience. However, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, a fast-paced action game developed by Snowblind Studios, actually did very well, both creatively and in terms of sales.

This release aims to determine if fans of the original ‘Child of Bhaal’ games and Larian Studios’ recent title will find it appealing.

A Compact Hack-and-Slash

Let’s be honest, *Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance* isn’t as deep or complicated as games like *Diablo* or *Path of Exile*. It’s a fairly straightforward action RPG that most players will finish in around twelve hours. It also features simple character progression, basic inventory handling, and quests that aren’t overly challenging. I’ll go into more detail on the character and inventory systems shortly.

Despite its age, *Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance* was actually very popular with both players and critics. It still has “very positive” reviews on Steam, and the PlayStation 2 version received a score of 87/100 on Metacritic. What made it so successful?

I really appreciate how straightforward and concise the title is. I love action-packed games, but I don’t enjoy getting bogged down in complex stats and character builds to optimize my progress. I feel the same way about gear—I just want to find stronger weapons and armor without worrying about all the details. That’s why I think *Dark Alliance* is the perfect hack-and-slash game for me.

Adventure on the Sword Coast

Players who enjoy creating custom characters might be a little let down by *Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance*. Instead of building a character from scratch, Snowblind Studios offers three pre-made options: my personal favorite is the dwarf warrior Kromlech, but you can also choose the elven sorceress Adrianna or the human archer Vahn. The game begins with your chosen character being ambushed by a group led by a villain named Karne. They manage to escape thanks to the city guards of Baldur’s Gate, and find shelter at a local inn. To repay the innkeepers’ kindness, they agree to clear out the rat infestation in the basement.

Does this story seem familiar? It’s a true classic of its kind. The game begins when the hero discovers a hidden route used by a group led by Karne to enter the city, and decides to follow them. This sets off a three-part adventure, taking you through varied environments like underground tunnels, thick forests, and snowy mountains. As you might expect from a classic, the story unfolds through main quests that advance the plot, alongside optional side quests.

Lights, Camera, Action

The story in *Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance* is interesting, but like most action games, the exciting combat is the main attraction. I played as a dwarf warrior who loves to fight up close, while my teammates preferred to attack from afar. We faced off against a variety of enemies – goblins, huge spiders, and even powerful creatures like dragons and beholders. Winning these battles comes down to quickly pressing the attack button and using a mix of weapons and spells.

As we progress, our characters become more defined by improving specific skills and sometimes boosting their core attributes. They also become more powerful in battle as they acquire better gear.

I want to focus on one particularly frustrating part of the game. It constantly throws a lot of useless items at you – things your character isn’t even ready to use yet. It starts out okay to pick up and sell these items, but soon your inventory fills up with too much stuff, including things like potions, making it hard to carry anything useful. This actually cuts off a way to earn money. Even with this problem, I was still able to progress and finish the game without too much difficulty.

Age is just a number, and appearance isn’t everything

I’m a big fan, and honestly, I don’t think the graphics in *Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance* look *that* dated. Yeah, the characters aren’t super detailed, and the environments could use some love, but it still holds up surprisingly well! Plus, it has local co-op for two players, which is amazing – it’s rare to find that in games like this, and every game should have it!

What happened next?

I absolutely loved *Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance*! It did so well, they made a sequel, *Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2*, which came out in 2004. The original was developed by Black Isle, and after that, Snowblind Studios started working on similar games like *Champions of Norrath*. But we can talk about those another time!

Let’s imagine the 2021 Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance game never existed.

How to play Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance today?

Let me explain why I’m talking about *Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance* differently than the other games in this series. The game was re-released on computers, consoles, and mobile devices in 2021. While it’s not a remake with updated graphics, you can still see its age in things like the cutscenes and character selection screen, which remain in their original resolution. However, this isn’t a major issue and doesn’t detract from the experience.

If you’re looking to buy a used copy for PlayStation 2, Xbox, or GameCube (a different version exists for GameBoy Advance), you can generally find it for around $20 to $30, though the price will vary based on which version you get and how well it’s been kept.

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2025-10-11 21:33