Baldur’s Gate Dark Alliance series best & worst !

Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance Series, originally released respectively in 2001 and 2004 on consoles.

The versions i am reviewing today are the Steam versions of DA1 (2021) and DA2 (2022).

BALDUR'S GATE DARK ALLIANCE SERIES

So i have spoken above of some of the classic D&D video games, but of course the list was longer...

• The Dark Sun series (2 great video games)
• The Ravenloft series
• Menzoberranzan

Oh yeah and there was a failed attempt in 2001 with Pool of Radiance : Ruins of Myth Drannor... The issue with that game was that it was primarily designed for "Hardcore Fans" only! You know when you were into D&D you would buy several books, to learn about the lore and about the various dungeons that players could discover. And these Huge dungeons or ruins were detailed in depths in some of these books... But between "reading" and "actually exploring them" there is a Gap !

Because the Ruins of Myth Drannor are HUGE ! I don't even remember the amount of subterannean levels you had to explore, but every one of these levels would take hours! Right from the start you would explore a dungeon, which was so big that it was requiring like 30-60 hours to complete it... And it was only one of the dungeons to explore...

So, in the end it was poorly received... I remember having completed the first dungeon and it took me forever... And afterwards i just lost interest into that game. Again it was designed for Hardcore Fans only...

But let's go back to the Dark Alliance series ! And please don't touch to D&D Dark Alliance which is a game released in 2021, mainly designed to play online in Co-Operation with other players... The graphics are really good, but unfortunaly it was repetitive and was lacking the storytelling part. It was poorly received and even removed from Steam.

BALDUR'S GATE DARK ALLIANCE SERIES

Basically Dark Alliance is a kind of Diablo, so a Hack'n Slash but following Dungeons & Dragons rules. Well, let's just say that it takes a lot of liberties with D&D rules 😅 As a small but perfect example, in D&D - at least the rules that i remember from my childhood and we were already playing the 2nd Edition - any Sorceress / Wizard wouldn't be able to wear Full Plate armors ! These were reserved to Warriors or Paladins... Well guess what ? No more! In Dark Alliance you can wear anything 😜

Not that it will make a big difference anyway... My Sorceress finished the game with a whole suite of Full Plate +5, and i was still getting my ass beaten if i was rushing without trying to parry. So again, in Dark Alliance... Rules are not Rules.

little tip : I recommend you to play the Sorceress in Hard mode, it's really challenging (like dark souls difficulty) and will force you to use all of your abilities, and rethink your strategy against certain enemies, especially some bosses.

So as in every RPG you begin without any possessions, but hopefully the merchant at the Inn will sell you some! 🤩

And as in any Hack'n slash, it will all be about "room / monster / treasure", grinding XP and gathering Gold 😁

Speak to every Npcs with a yellow question mark above their heads, that will be the sign of a new quest!

New adventure means doing level 1 stuff... So the first quests will be about Killing Rats, Spiders and Gobelins 😅

At the beginning it's important to be cautious regarding your skill points! Don't spend them in skills you don't need yet. If you're totally okay with Melee weapons, and parrying at the right moment, stay at melee! Do that until... You arrive in a room where you think Bows or Magic could help you! Only in that case spend a point to acquire the new skill 👍

A room filled with gobelins on the left, where I acquired the bow skill! And be careful about the Bosses too!

In Dark Alliance the first episode, there will be several moments where you will have to use a different spell or a different approach. Because your enemies will have different kind of resistances, and what might have worked since some time might not be as useful against someone else. That's why it's important to keep a reserve of skill points at all times! 😮

Then of course if you don't play in Hard mode like me... This recommendation might not apply.

↓ Click! for a Discount ↓

BALDUR'S GATE DARK ALLIANCE SERIES

Dark Alliance will make you explore a lot of different environments, it will make your imagination work!

Of course you'll begin in Baldur's gate cleaning the sewers, the catacombs and even a thieve's guild... Because that's how things begin in Dungeons & Dragons. You begin small, have to complete a few small quests, because you'll have to Grind XP in order to become stronger, more resourceful and in the end face all of the monsters of the Forgotten Realms! 😍

Attacking the famous D&D Gelatinous Cube with Magic Missiles, and Burning Hands on Skeletons on the right!

Spells or Abilities throwing continuous damage in front of you, like the Burning Hands spell acting like a Flamethrower, is really useful through doors and small corridors and pathways, as it will create a bottleneck for enemies.

Remember that especially in Hard mode, Dark Alliance will be unforgiving! So if you need to run to come back later, then RUN! And if you can also trick the computer, DO IT! As some enemies can literally One Shot you or Kill you in like 2 hits.

Running on the left to create some distance and Regen Mana, and Enemies on the right blocked by Wood boxes 😁

Don't be ashamed of blocking a few enemies, and then shoot them from afar... It won't happen that much.

Then Dark Alliance also have its shares of Traps and Platforms... The good thing is... Enemies are also affected by Traps! 😎 So you can lure them out in a pit of fireballs, all you have to do is to play it smart... Otherwise you'll be overwhelmed. And there will be a few "platform puzzles" to do as well... Meaning jumping like Mario to pass a few areas. Fortunately there is a save location nearby these... And if you fall and die, you'll spawn very close to have another try.

Luring a few enemies into their own traps, and using "Burning Hands" on a giant spider from a narrow corridor 😏

↓ Click! for a Discount ↓

BALDUR'S GATE DARK ALLIANCE SERIES

Bosses in Dark Alliance the first episode... ARE Bosses!

At first especially in Hard mode, a few of them will look impossible to beat! That's why again i will emphasize on the need to keep a reserve of skill points! I have seen threads of players cursing on the net, because they played in Hard Mode, but unfortunately had spent all of their points to create a "Certain Build"; and in the end they were completely stuck in front of a specific BOSS... Which was Immune to their way of dealing damage 😮

Karne can be VERY HARD without the right abilities, and he is one of the boss before you reach the mountains on the right.

Again you'll meet many Npcs for quests, and at some point in the game on the right you'll get the Ultimate Spell 😜

Because like in any other games out there, at some point you'll unlock VERY STRONG abilities. Making you nearly all powerful! But fear not... These kind of abilities will indeed make the game easier, but not before having explored a high % of the game. As an example, the sorceress gets "Ball of Lightning" which is basically going to kill in just a few balls, Most of the enemies in game. Still, do not become overconfident... Because there is at least One Boss who is Immune to its effects 😈

Fighting a Deadly Ice Giant with Ball of Lightning, and planning which abilities i'll spend points in!

↓ Click! for a Discount ↓

Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance Series

Some locations are really wide and it's a good way to grind experience, to ensure you'll level up and have enough experience points in case you need to diversify your build. Because just for your information, there is no way in Dark Alliance to Reset your character... Once you have spent a point, it's spent and you'll have to live with that for the rest of the game.

Also the loots you'll find in the chests are most of the time totally random... That means i have also seen players saying they were far into the game, but had never found any real good weapon for their builds. Again on that point, fear not as later in the game... At the onyx tower stage, you'll be able to stuff yourself with the best available gear.

Little Tip : The Onyx Tower which is the last dungeon in Dark Alliance - and it's no secret anyway, so there is no real spoil in saying it - contains the BEST CHESTS in the entire game. So before opening any of them, quicksave, open it and if you don't like what you found... Just quickload! 😏 Any of these chests can give you The best Armors and Weapons in the game, but again it's random ! Just be patient and you'll get all of the best gear you can dream of.

Killing a Big Boss like in the swamp, and here is my gear thanks to the Onyx Tower chests! 😏

So, if we had to speak only of Dark Alliance the first episode, the note would have been for me a Solid 4 stars ! 😍 The game wasn't perfect, armors can feel useless especially when you are wearing a Full Plate +5, and most mobs are still hitting you like if you were still wearing some leather, and a few Bosses could have been easier... Because a few of them look like they have been designed to be killed a certain way, and if you go astray you'll die... 🤨 But still in the end it was a lot of FUN!

The problem is... there was a sequel... Dark Alliance 2...

I have spent 30 hours on Dark Alliance 1, and i loved it! I feared for the life of my character, i didn't know if i was going to prevail, there was that constant stress of not knowing if i would be successful in the end. And i loved all of the environments i have explored, for a D&D Fan like me... Dark Alliance 1 was the perfect hack'n slash! 😍

Now i have also spent 30+ hours on Dark Alliance 2... And from the very first hours i wished it was already over...

Dark Alliance 2 has better graphics than the original... On that we can agree.

But DEVOID of all the good ideas which made the first game so enjoyable.

1. Dark Alliance 2 IS FAR TOO EASY and right from the start.
2. Dark Alliance 2 storytelling looks like the original storyteller had been replaced with a (cheap) TEMU version
3. Dark Alliance 2 is BORING, there is no feeling to be proud about what you're acheving ingame.

Basically Dark Alliance 2 even with better graphics... sounds / feels / looks like a CHEAP version of the original. It's like show me that you guys didn't have anymore ideas or budget without telling me. Very easy... Just Showcase Dark Alliance 2.

If you manage to get killed in Dark Alliance 2 in Hard mode, that means you committed suicide. Apart from one room at the very end of the game where you are "surprised" the first time by 2 Onyx Golems... Dying would just mean you suddenly got alzheimer, and forgot you had the ability to press buttons to fight back, or use all of your health potions.

Bosses are LAUGHABLE in DA2, most of them are easy to kill, and apart from them... Nothing will stop you! 🤨

Actually... the transition from DA1 to DA2 feels to me like going from Robocop 2 to Robocop 3. DA1 felt too hard for some players, and so they decided to remove all of the difficulty making the game absolutely boring in the end. Robocop 2 was considered too violent, and so in Robocop 3 you couldn't see even one drop of blood 🤣 And so it was a Flop!

A Red Dragon ! That i killed in less than 2 minutes 🤨 and the 2 Onyx Golems who killed me by surprise 🥳

Did you know there was also a 3rd episode planned ? Fortunately it will never see the day 😇 No frankly if you have to play to Dark Alliance, only complete the first episode in Hard mode and then do yourself a favor... forget about the sequel.

Now just to finish...

I have heard about the games Champions of Norrath and its sequel Returns to Arms which are using an enhanced version of the DA engine. And it happens that Everquest was the very first Mmorpg i played to, and where i used to sink a few years of my life. So even if these games were only released on Playstation 2, i have acquired the ISO files via the torrents - not going to buy a PS2 just for that 😏- and i'll give them a try using the well known PCSX2 Emulator.

↓ Click! for a Discount ↓

+ Dark Alliance 1 is a great Diablo for D&D Fans.
+ Very Challenging and enjoyable in Hard mode.
+ Fans of D&D will recognize a lot of things
(it will bring back a lot of nostalgia 🥰)

---

- Even a spellcaster can wear Full Plate amors... 🤨
- Dark Alliance 2 should never have been made...
(It totally ruins the experience from the 1st episode)