Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
- December 17, 2021
- Square One Games Inc.
- 19h median play time
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance has sadly not held up for a modern audience. If you already enjoyed the game, then this is a decent port to current hardware. For everyone else, the game is clunky, drab, and boring.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a Dungeons & Dragons action RPG that offers a ground-breaking adventure with intense action, intricate puzzles, and sinister intrigue. Play as one of three customizable characters, each with unique abilities, and experience explosive spell effects and detailed environments. Battle alone or in two-player cooperative mode, and replay with different characters or in Extreme mode for an added challenge. Immerse yourself in this epic saga with Dolby Surround sound."
Reviews
- The game successfully captures the nostalgia of the original PS2 version, providing a fun and familiar experience for long-time fans.
- The gameplay remains engaging with a solid hack-and-slash mechanic, and the character classes offer unique playstyles.
- The port runs smoothly on modern hardware, allowing for enjoyable gameplay without significant technical issues.
- The port lacks graphical options and quality-of-life improvements, making it feel like a lazy cash grab rather than a remaster.
- There are significant issues with frame rate, causing the game to run too fast, which can disrupt gameplay.
- The price point of $30 is considered too high for a 20-year-old game that offers no substantial updates or enhancements.
- graphics96 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its origins from the early 2000s, yet they still hold a nostalgic charm for many players. While some appreciate the minor updates and the game's ability to run on modern hardware, others criticize the lack of graphical options and persistent glitches, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite these issues, the visuals are often described as decent for their time, with some standout elements like water physics still impressing players today.
“The graphics are well updated, controls and gameplay are solid.”
“Great eerie music, fantastic graphics for its time and still impresses me today.”
“The graphics look pretty nice for the technology level this game was originally intended for.”
“We've got fuzzy and blurry graphics!”
“The game menus are filled with graphical glitches, making equipping new gear or basic inventory management completely pointless as it makes nearly everything unreadable unless you disable the Steam overlay.”
“It's just the people who made it don't care about your experience and are after a cash grab on this 2001 'remaster', I say that in quotes because it doesn't look like they put much effort into updating the graphics at all, pretty similar to PS2.”
- story57 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as nostalgic and straightforward, with a mix of charm and simplicity that appeals to fans of classic RPGs. While it lacks depth and memorable characters, the narrative serves as a fun backdrop for the hack-and-slash gameplay, making it enjoyable for players seeking a light adventure. Overall, the story is not the main draw, but it effectively complements the gameplay experience.
“A great game full of nostalgia and good story writing.”
“The nostalgia for the game and its charming story-driven plot has taken me back to my childhood when it was on Xbox.”
“Npcs are brilliantly voice acted, items and spells feel unique and meaningful, monster mechanics/design and the storyline are expertly crafted while being faithful to the lore of the Forgotten Realms.”
“This isn't a story-heavy game, and I honestly couldn't name a character who stood out (apart from an elven bar maiden...).”
“As for the story... there really isn't one.”
“There isn't enough story to make up for the lack of environment.”
- gameplay41 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying its simplicity and fun factor, while others criticize it for being stale and overly simplistic. Many appreciate the solid mechanics and nostalgic feel, especially in co-op play, but some find the difficulty spikes and dated mechanics frustrating. Overall, it seems to balance between being a classic enjoyable experience and showing signs of age that may not appeal to all players.
“Super fun but very difficult until you understand the mechanics.”
“The mechanics still feel pretty solid, and the game is still fun to run through with a friend after all this time.”
“Gameplay feels smooth, responsive, and has the best atmosphere ever!”
“This game is kind of like that, if the catacombs were right after the undead burg, the game gave you barely a fucking iota of experience to level up, absolute garbage tier gear every step of the way, and had its gameplay mechanics reduced to WASD, jump, and mouse 1.”
“Bugs, poor mechanics, bad controller response, and no fun factor.”
“But the gameplay... it's just bad.”
- stability18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs, graphical glitches, and issues with audio and controller compatibility, particularly with non-Xbox controllers. While some players experience crashes and save corruption, others find the game runs smoothly without major issues. Overall, the stability varies widely among users, with some enjoying a relatively bug-free experience while others struggle with persistent problems.
“So far, it runs great and has yet to crash.”
“That said, the game runs great & does so with no issues.”
“I am using an Xbox controller on a laptop running Windows 10 and it runs great as-is.”
“The inventory screen and shop screens are buggy as hell, with constant graphic tears.”
“The audio is buggy and can't handle changes in audio focus well; the controllers are temperamental and it doesn't support all controller types.”
“The game menus are filled with graphical glitches, making equipping new gear or basic inventory management completely pointless, as it makes nearly everything unreadable unless you disable the Steam overlay.”
- music15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as nostalgic and well-composed, particularly highlighting Jeremy Soule's contributions. While many enjoy the atmospheric tunes and iconic tracks like the elf song from the tavern, others express frustration over the lack of control over audio settings. Overall, the music enhances the gaming experience, evoking fond memories for players.
“One of my favorite old hack n' slash titles from the PS2 era with an amazing soundtrack by Jeremy Soule.”
“The soundtrack and having full voice acting is amazing!”
“Great eerie music, fantastic graphics for its time and still impresses me today.”
“I highly recommend doing a playthrough with the game music muted and playing the Dethalbum by Dethklok in the background.”
“Even comes with the 'can't turn down background noise, just music and sound effects' bug that plagued the first.”
“The music is there.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players report smooth performance and fast load times, others criticize the port for being poorly optimized, particularly regarding controller support and overall stability. Capping the FPS to 60 and using v-sync can help mitigate issues like screen tearing, but many users feel the PC release lacks proper optimization.
“The game does seem to run smoothly, but I bought this game with the intent to play with others mostly.”
“It was even better with graphical enhancements via PCSX2 emulation but took some performance hits to do so.”
“Performance is fine provided you cap the FPS to 60 and enforce V-Sync to prevent heavy screen tearing, but in my experience, controller support is suspect/unstable and randomly disconnects the controller.”
“This game is poorly optimized.”
“Cons: it doesn't seem to be optimized for the PC release.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates solid replayability, primarily driven by its character classes and the challenge of higher difficulty levels, which encourage multiple playthroughs. While the linear storyline may limit some aspects, players appreciate the opportunity to unlock abilities and enjoy cooperative gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. Many reviewers note that the game remains engaging over time, particularly for fans of the genre.
“It has great replay value; at least once for each character class.”
“There is a fair amount of replayability with Dark Alliance; playing on hard difficulty with a new character can be very challenging but also rewarding with better loot!”
“This game has decent replayability because of the characters alone, allowing you to unlock their abilities and level up.”
“It has easily withstood the test of time in terms of replayability and is only limited by its linear storyline.”
“This game has decent replayability because of the characters alone to unlock their abilities to level up.”
“It has some replay value in the form of a secret unlockable character and the extreme difficulty that comes with them.”
- monetization8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of this game has been widely criticized as a cash grab, with reviewers expressing disappointment over its minimal effort in updating graphics and functionality, particularly in comparison to its price point. Many feel that the developers are exploiting nostalgia without delivering a quality remaster, leading to a perception of a low-effort, profit-driven release.
“Unfortunately, it seems to be a minimally viable product cash grab targeted at nostalgic idiots like myself.”
“This is not a remaster, but it definitely should be, as that would at least justify the price over this blatant nostalgia cash grab.”
“Don't let the nostalgia rip you off; this really seems like another low effort cash grab.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often lacking challenge, with some sections feeling nearly impossible without significant health resources or cheats. While some enjoy the grind as a side activity, others criticize the controls and overall experience, suggesting that it can detract from the enjoyment of the game. Overall, grinding is seen as a necessary but frustrating part of gameplay, with players hoping for improvements or additional content.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
“It does sound tedious and boring not having a challenge when you play, but there is a scene in the game where you are constantly being attacked by mice, and it almost seems impossible to beat them without dying or using a lot of health potions, so you have to cheat a little.”
“Still have weeks' worth of grinding left to do and already praying they release the rest of the games.”
“The keyboard controls 'out of the box' make the game almost tedious to play, and if I hadn't had any experience with the game from the past, I would have asked for a refund right away.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for its rich detail, charismatic design, and exceptional voice acting, making it a standout experience both in its original PS2 release and the PC port. Players appreciate the simplicity of the RPG mechanics while still enjoying meaningful character growth.
“Oozing with detail, charisma, amazing character design and voice acting, and truly ahead of its time - I really had a blast playing this when I was a kid on the PS2, and now again with the PC port.”
“If you want a simple RPG game with character development, then go for it.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices in character development; it felt like my decisions didn't matter.”
“The progression system is uninspired, and the characters don't evolve in a way that feels rewarding.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as hilarious and absurd, with players noting the ridiculousness of situations, such as characters being ambushed in unexpectedly silly ways. The premise is described as so nonsensical that it enhances the comedic experience, making for memorable and laugh-out-loud moments.
“Hilarious! I cleansed the gene pool.”
“The premise is so absurd that your character gets ambushed in the most hilarious way possible, on an empty street (not even an alley, just a street).”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is not its strong suit, as it lacks a compelling story or deeply relatable characters; instead, it focuses on delivering an enjoyable hack and slash experience.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game's atmosphere as exceptional, highlighting its smooth and responsive gameplay that enhances the overall experience.
“The gameplay feels smooth and responsive, creating an incredible atmosphere that immerses you completely.”
“The atmosphere in this game is unparalleled, drawing you into its world with every detail.”
“Every element of the game contributes to a captivating atmosphere that keeps you engaged from start to finish.”
Critic Reviews
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance Review
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a fun game to return to, and somehow it feels and plays exactly as everyone remembers, yet doesn't feel any worse than before despite its age. It has the same great loot and explore-heavy gameplay, with hoards of enemies to chop through as well as co-op play. However, it also falls into the same pitfalls, and for a remaster that is unfortunate. It's going to be a lot of fun for those who played it in the past, but new players beware of the rough difficulty and old-fashioned gameplay approach.
60%Dungeons & Drabness --- Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance has sadly not held up for a modern audience. If you already enjoyed the game, then this is a decent port to current hardware. For everyone else, the game is clunky, drab, and boring.
55%Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a formidable challenge, particularly by modern games' standards, but one that's been ported rather brilliantly and is certainly a lot of fun to play. It may outstay its welcome to some extent with gameplay that's not quite complex enough to warrant its lengthy campaign, but the port is one of the very best we've seen, improving the visuals of the original and maintaining a flawless framerate along with a UI perfectly suited to handheld play. However, this is the game exactly as you remember it from 2001. If that's enough for you, you'll have fun with this version. If you're on the fence — or if you're not ready to get kicked on your ass a lot — we'd recommend waiting for a sale.
70%
