Snow Blind Studios was given the difficult task of bringing the hugely popular PC game Baldur's Gate to the Playstation 2. Those familiar with the PC series will know how deep the experience can be thanks to a well thought out gameplay mechanism and deep team based RPG elements. As the game's development continued through its cycle, we were amazed at what Snow Blind Studios was able to pull out of the Playstation 2. The end result is a very action oriented RPG that is easy to pick up, difficult to put down and enough production splendor to keep you busy for some time.

Snow Blind Studios has done a magnificent job in bringing the D&D world of BG to a console. They have somehow practically maintained the high resolution visuals found in the PC counterpart. The environments have been streamlined to a sequence of sprawling multi-layered dungeons, linking passages and safe areas. Each area is brought to life in tight colourful and sharp visuals. It is clear that painstaking amount of attention has been made to transform a complicated PC title into a highly polished console experience. Character design is incredibly lifelike and smooth in all animations. Enemies throughout the game are highly detailed and sub-bosses and end bosses have sharp features. Couple this with beautiful special effects such as the spells and water which behaves like real water should. We found ourselves walking through it time and time again just to witness the incredibly realistic ripples. Another nice touch is how the carcasses of enemies remain where you hacked them down. Usually enemies disappear from sight after a couple of moments. This attention to detail is staggering throughout the entire game. The only gripe I have with the visual experience comes in the form of the camera angle, which at times can block certain vantage points which are needed during vital battle sequences. From an aural standpoint, BG is wonderfully scored. All sound effects jump off the screen especially if you are fortunate enough to have a 5.1 setup. The voice acting is easily the best we have heard this year and is even in sync with the onscreen actions.

In terms of gameplay, Bladur's Gate: Dark Alliance is best described as a Diablo-style action/RPG. At first sight, it almost resembles a souped up version of Gauntlet but after spending a short time with the game you will see there is more to it than meets the eye. Unlike some of the more difficult RPG and D&D games out there, BG has more emphasis on the action. Once you get into the heart of the story, which does not take long, you will find yourself in nonstop hacking and slashing mode. Although the intricacies that characterize most RPG games are absent, you are still required to build up your character in order to survive as the game progresses. Each enemy possesses unique weaknesses making it necessary to vary your approach each time. While this holds true for most enemies, we found that some of the bosses only required old-school repeated exploitation of a particular weakness.

Dark Alliance has a lot of replay value. At the outset players are able to choose from one of three characters. Taking one character through the entire game will take approximately 15 hours. Then you have the opportunity to take two totally different characters through the adventure again. In addition, various bonuses can be unlocked and your character has further opportunities to build their warrior status. Perhaps one of Dark Alliance's least advertised yet thrilling game modes is the ability to play with a friend in cooperative mode. This two player game is a great opportunity to utilize different classes of warriors to complement one another's weaknesses. Although at times things can be difficult to distinguish in cooperative mode, the pure fun level tops out and is quite enjoyable for all involved.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a great alternative for those who do not like traditional RPG's or are tired of having to play through 50 hours to conclude an adventure. It is easy to pick up yet difficult to put down. While some may argue that the game is a little shallow, this should not stop players from checking this title out. Definitely one of the sleeper surprises this year and worth every penny of your hard earned money.