Wikipedia

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Baldur's Gate: Dark Allianceis a 2001action role-playingvideo game developed bySnowblind Studiosand published byInterplay EntertainmentsubsidiaryBlack Isle Studiosfor thePlayStation 2and theXboxconsoles, withHigh Voltage Softwarehandling the GameCube port, and Magic Pockets developing theGame Boy Advanceversion.CD Projektwas developing a version forMicrosoft Windows,but was ultimately cancelled. In 2021, a 4K port of the game was released for theXbox One,PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Xbox Series X/S,Nintendo SwitchandPC.[5]

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Developer(s)Snowblind Studios[a]
Publisher(s)Interplay Entertainment
Black Isle Studios[b]
Producer(s)Darren Monahan
Designer(s)
Programmer(s)Ezra Dreisbach
Artist(s)John Van Deusen
Composer(s)
SeriesBaldur's Gate
EngineDark Alliance engine
Platform(s)
Release
December 4, 2001
  • PlayStation 2[1]
    • NA:December 4, 2001
    • EU:December 14, 2001
  • Xbox
    • NA:October 22, 2002[2]
    • EU:March 21, 2003
  • GameCube
    • NA:November 20, 2002[3]
    • EU:April 25, 2003
  • Game Boy Advance
    • WW:February 10, 2004[4]
  • PS4,PS5,Xbox One,Xbox Series X/S
    • WW:May 7, 2021
    Nintendo Switch
    • WW:May 20, 2021
  • Windows,macOS,Linux
    • WW:December 17, 2021[5]
Genre(s)Action role-playing,hack and slash
Mode(s)Single-player,co-op multiplayer

The game is set in theForgotten Realmscampaign settingofDungeons & Dragons,and the gameplay is based on the rules ofDungeons & Dragons3rd Edition,which were released in 2000. It is the first video game to implement the real time application of the new rules.[7]It is also the first game in theBaldur's Gateseries released onconsolesas opposed to a PC and/orMac.

Dark Alliancewas well received on all four platforms, with the PlayStation 2 version going on to win theAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciencesaward for "Console Role-Playing Game of the Year"(2002). A sequel,Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II,was released in 2004 for non-Nintendo consoles. A third game was planned, but was cancelled early in development due to legal problems, and the closure of Black Isle Studios after Interplay wentbankrupt.[8][9][10]

Gameplay

edit
Gameplay in the PlayStation 2 version ofDark Alliance,showing Vahn fighting his way through the Marsh of Chelimber. Hishealthandmanameters are at the top left of the screen. The empty meter between them is hisexperiencemeter.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Allianceis areal-timehack and slash/action role-playing gamepresented in a3D perspective,with a rotatableisometricthree-quartertop-down view.[7]

At the beginning of the game,character statsare preset, with the player able to choose from three race/classcombinations; adwarvenfighter(Kromlech), ahumanarcher(Vahn) or anelvensorceress(Adrianna).[11]The player can customize their character's stats through gainingexperience pointsfrom defeating enemies. Every time the character increases in level, points are awarded corresponding to their previous level; i.e. if a character increases to level twelve, the player will gain eleven experience points to spend on the character's spells and feats.[12]For every four levels which the character increases, the player is given one ability point to spend on one of the six coreattributes(strength, intelligence, wisdom, dexterity, constitution, charisma).[13]

Each of the three characters have their own unique fighting style and their own specific set of spells and feats. Gameplay strategy is thus different for each character. As Kromlech is a fighter, his spells and feats tend to focus on increasing his brute strength and ability to resist damage, as well as granting him powerful abilities to aid in melee combat, such as the ability to swing his weapon in a circle or slam it into the ground to damage groups of nearby enemies. As Vahn relies on ranged attacks, his spells and feats tend to focus on increasing the power of his bow and granting him the ability to fire special types of arrows, such as exploding arrows, ice arrows or multiple arrows. As Adrianna is a sorceress, her spells and feats tend to focus on increasing the power of her magic and granting her numerous new spells, such as the ability to shoot ice or fire from her fingers, shoot a ball of lightning or call down meteors on her enemies.[14]

Gameplay is linear, and each mainquestmust be completed in sequence before the story can proceed, although there are some optionalside-quests,which do not have to be completed immediately, but all side-quests must be completed within the act in which they are assigned. There are relatively fewNPCsin the game, with whom only those who are part of a quest or side-quest may be interacted. Weapons, armor and items are only available for purchase from one location at a time, and become increasingly expensive and more powerful as the game progresses. TheHUDfeatures the option to use either a transparent map that covers most of the screen, or amini-map,with the player also given the option to turn the map off entirely.[15]

The game also featurescooperative gameplaywith another player. Both players share the same screen, and are thus limited in how far they can move away from one another. In co-op mode, the player who makes the kill gets 60% of the experience, and the other player gets 40%. Whichever player collects any gold drops gets 100% of the value, with the other player getting nothing.[13]

The game contains four difficulty levels; "Easy", "Normal", "Hard" and "Extreme". Extreme can only be unlocked after the player has beaten "The Gauntlet", a special mini-dungeon unlocked once the player completes the game on any difficulty level. The Gauntlet can only be played withDrizzt Do'Urden.[16]Extreme mode takes the form of aNew Game Plus,and can only be played by importing a saved character from another game.[17]Once the player has completed Extreme mode, Drizzt Do'Urden becomes available to use in the main game.[18]

GBA version

edit

The Game Boy Advance version ofDark Alliancefeatures some noticeable gameplay differences from the console versions, whilst still generally following the same storyline as the other versions. Character creation is more limited, with a human male playable, though the player still has the choice of playing as a Fighter, Wizard, or Archer. After completing the game, a fourth class, Elven Fighter, becomes available on further playthroughs. There is no option to retain a character upon completing the game and play through the story again, and must begin again with a new character. The game is also limited in more technical areas; there is no multiplayer or co-operative mode, forcing the player to complete the game alone. You cannot jump, there are no recall potions, which are utilized in the home console ports to teleport back to a town to sell wares, before going back to the dungeon.

On the other hand, the game has been expanded in ways not present in the console versions. The town of Baldur's Gate is far more interactive, with the ability to talk to NPCs, enter houses and use weapons to open breakable objects, such as barrels. There are additional side quests, and the game can be saved at any point, giving the player flexibility to pause their game at any moment.[19][20]

Plot

edit

Setting

edit

The game takes place in theSword Coastand theWestern Heartlands,areas in theFaerûncontinent of theForgotten Realms.Each act of the game takes place in a different region: Act I takes place in the city ofBaldur's Gateitself; Act II in the Sunset Mountains; and Act III in the Marsh of Chelimber.

Story

edit

The game begins with Vahn, Adrianna and Kromlech arriving in Baldur's Gate, whereupon they are attacked by a group of thieves led by Karne (Michael Bell). The city watch save the trio and take them to the Elfsong Tavern to recover. There, the bartender, Alyth Elendara (Jennifer Hale), tasks them to clear the tavern's cellar of rats. In the cellar, they discover the thieves are using the tavern'ssewerentrance to infiltrate the city. When Elfsong Tavern employee Ethon follows them into the sewers and disappears, they rescue him from thieves, and he directs them to the nearbycrypts,where one of the thieves was headed. There, they encounter Fayed (Cam Clarke), apriestof Illmater, who requests their help in stopping the "Orb of the Undead", which has filled the crypts withzombiesandskeletons.They destroy the orb and discover the thieves, collectively known as Xantam's Guild, placed it there. Ethon introduces them to Jherek (John Rhys-Davies), a member of theHarpers,a group dedicated to protecting the realms from evil. Impressed with the trio, he invites them to join the Harpers and destroy Xantham's Guild. They agree, and Jherek shows them the guild's entrance in the sewers.

After navigating a gauntlet of traps, they face and kill Karne; they then find the guild master, thebeholderXantam (Tony Jay). They fight and kill him, and Jherek asks them to enter a portal which Xantam was guarding. The portal transports them to the Sunset Mountains, whereupon they head to a dwarf mining village, which is oppressed bydrow elves.They light a signal fire atop a nearby mountain, calling for aid from neighboring dwarven clans, and enter the mines to rout the drow. After killing the drow priestess, they rescue a dwarven Harper, who tells them of another portal in the mountains. He also tells them that troops and monsters are planning to use the portals to move from the mountains into Baldur's Gate, attacking the city from within. The adventurers head to the portal, which is guarded by the icedragonCiraxis. They slay him and pass through the portal into the Marsh of Chelimber.

There, they meet Sleyvas (Kevin Michael Richardson), one of the native lizardfolk. He tells them of the nearby "Onyx Tower", and of its inhabitant, Eldrith the Betrayer (Vanessa Marshall), who has sworn vengeance against Baldur's Gate. He reveals that his kin, led by the lizard Sess'sth, are serving Eldrith. The trio fight through hordes of lizardfolk, kill Sess'sth, and cripple the lizard army. Sleyvas leads them to the Onyx Tower, which they enter by taking a detour through the Elemental Plane of Water. Inside the tower, they witness Eldrith's preparations for war and fight their way upwards, through legions of Eldrith's soldiers.

At the penultimate level of the tower, they meet theghostof Keledon (Dwight Schultz), first captain of the company of the Westering Sun. He explains that Eldrith once served Baldur's Gate as its greatest general, fighting a crusade against the Black Horde. After defending the city, she defied orders and led her army in pursuit of the retreating Horde. Trapping them in a ravine, they proved stronger than she had anticipated, and she asked the city for re-enforcements, which never came. Eldrith survived, but her army was defeated, and, furious, she rallied her remaining soldiers to attack Baldur's Gate, but was again defeated. The city's soldiers pursued her and her men to the Marshes of Chelimber, and killed them all, but Eldrith's rage was such that she returned to life, creating the Onyx Tower, which gave her access to the portals. Seeking revenge, she orchestrated the attacks against Baldur's Gate, and created a dark alliance between Xantam's guild, the drow, and Sess'sth's tribes.

Keledon explains that if the trio defeat Eldrith, the Tower will be destroyed, and the ghosts within will be freed. However, as they cannot leave the tower, it will likely lead to their own deaths. They find Eldrith on the roof of the Tower guarding another portal. She reiterates her plans for the destruction of Baldur's Gate. They fight and defeat her, and as she dies, she repents her actions. With the tower crumbling, the heroes enter the portal, not knowing where it leads.

It is revealed that Sleyvas manipulated the heroes to defeat Eldrith for his unidentified master. He tells his master that the heroes have died within the tower and Eldrith is no longer an obstacle. As such, they can now proceed with their plans. Meanwhile, the trio emerge in an unknown forest, and are surrounded by dark creatures.

Development

edit

Dark Alliancewas first revealed in November 2000, whenInterplayconfirmed toIGNthat aPlayStation 2game based onBaldur's Gate IIhad entered production, following the cancellation of theSega Dreamcastport of the originalBaldur's Gate.Little was known at that time other than the fact that Interplay would publish, andBioWare,developers of the originalBaldur's Gate,would not develop the game. Instead, the game was to be developed bySnowblind Studios.[21][22]The game was officially confirmed in February 2001.Black Isle Studios' division directorFeargus Urquhartstated:

We recognize the tremendous demand for aBaldur's Gategame on PlayStation 2. We're totally committed to makingBaldur's Gate: Dark Alliancea completely original experience that both console gamers and RPG fans will enjoy.[23]

Ryan Geithman, director of Snowblind, added:

We are developing the game from the ground up to take full advantage of the sophisticated PlayStation 2 technology. Our goal is to push the hardware to its limits thus creating stunning environmental effects and highly detailed characters never before seen on the console.[23]

Interplay said that if the game was successful, a sequel would enter development immediately.[24]

The game utilized a newgame engine,theDark Alliance Engine,which was built specifically forDark Alliance,and would go on to become the foundation for other games on the PlayStation 2, such asFallout: Brotherhood of Steel[25]andThe Bard's Tale.[26]Graphically, the Dark Alliance engine is a major improvement over the engine used by the original PCBaldur's Gategames, theInfinity Engine.Infinity was only able torender2Dspritecharacters and static environments. The Dark Alliance engine, on the other hand, made use of the PlayStation 2'sadvanced GPU,allowing for such improvements as dynamic lighting, real-time shadowing and3D modelsof characters and environments.

In September, Interplay originally entered negotiations withVivendi Universal Gamesfor an exclusive North American distribution deal, withDark Alliancebeing one of the first two titles.[27]The game was finalised and was originally scheduled with a release date of November 12.[28][29]The game was shipped by Black Isle Studios on December 3.[30][31]

Ports

edit

With the success of the PlayStation version, theXboxport, also developed by Snowblind,[32][33][34][35]was released on October 22, 2002.[36]TheGameCubeversion[37][38]was ported byHigh Voltage Software[39]and released on November 20 of the same year.[40]TheGame Boy Advanceport was developed by Magic Pockets. The port was originally announced in November 2001,[41]but little more was heard of the title until January 2004, when a rumor circulated that the game was finished, and was set to be published byUbisoft.[42]This proved inaccurate, withDestination Softwareultimately publishing the title in February.[19]

Believing the game could also be a success on the PC, Interplay's Feargus Urquhart andDavid Perrycontacted Polish developersCD Projekt.As Poland was known for only developing PC games, Urquhart and Perry believed Projekt would be the perfect team to portDark Allianceto PC. Sebastian Zieliński, developer ofMortyr 2093-1944,which Interplay had published, was placed in charge of the project, with Adam Badowski, a filmstoryboardartist, hired as designer. A PlayStation 2development kitwas smuggled from Interplay's offices in London to Poland, and work on the port began, but almost immediately, Interplay cancelled development.[43]

A reissue ofDark AllianceforPlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Xbox One,Xbox Series X and Series Swas released on May 7, 2021,[44]with aNintendo Switchversion followed on May 20,[45]and forMicrosoft Windows,macOSandLinux(published onSteamandGOG.com) on December 17.[44][5]The reissue supports some additional updates such as4K resolutionsupport on the newer consoles, but is otherwise not a remake of the original game.[46]

Reception

edit

Pre-release

edit

When the game was first shown atE3in May 2001, it gained critical acclaim, with IGN writing that "it almost instantly became one of the most wanted games for PlayStation 2 owners across the country. The game'sgraphicsare as good as anything else on the system. It's as simple as that. Thelighting,shadows,textures,models,water effects, and reflections are all amazing to look at and are a testament to the power of PlayStation 2 and the skills of the developers over at Snowblind Studios ".[62]Commenting on E3 presentation, IGN wrote that "none of the problems that are commonly associated with PlayStation 2 games, such as low-res textures, flickering, or aliasing problems, are to be found here. It's hard to think of a game that pulls off the much-fabled anti-aliasing as well as this game does.Dark Allianceuses a technique similar to what a large number of Dreamcast games did to pull off their clean look: they simply render the scene at a much higher resolution, anti-alias it, then drop it down to a more acceptable resolution for TVs. The result is a beautifully anti-aliased game ".[63]IGN gave a full preview in November, again praising the graphics, and wrote: "This game is running on a rock-solid3Dengine with completely rotatable dungeons, brilliant animation for nearly every interactive element (of which there are many), and first-rate lighting effects of all different kinds [...] In the beginning, simple refined touches are impressive, amid the generally sharp atmosphere of the game (while there is no visible aliasing, the graphics aren't heavilyfiltered,either). Even when all you have to fight are rats, and all you have to fight with is a dagger, you can admire how barrels come apart when you smash them, in realistically shaded pieces and a puff of dust, or all the different limbs you can bloodily excise from your foes ".[63]

Post-release

edit

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliancewas well received on all four platforms.Metacriticrecords all versions as receiving "generally favorable reviews", with the PlayStation 2 version holding an aggregate score of 87 out of 100, based on twenty-nine reviews;[59]the Xbox version 83 out of 100, based on twenty-five reviews;[60]the GameCube version 79 out of 100, based on ten reviews;[58]and the Game Boy Advance version 76 out of 100, based on seventeen reviews.[57]

IGNreviewed all four versions of the game. David Smith scored the PlayStation 2 version 9.4 out of 10, giving it an "Editor's Award" and calling the Dark Alliance engine "one of the best 3D engines yet devised". He dismissed criticisms of the game as a "Diabloclone ", arguing the gameplay is much deeper than such a comparison suggests. His only criticisms were some anticlimactic boss fights and repetitive music. He calledDark Allianceone of the best titles for PS2.[52]Kaiser Hwang scored the Xbox version 8.5 out of 10. He praised the graphics, but was critical that the Xbox version did not add anything new compared to PS2 version released a year earlier.[7]Fran Mirabella III scored the GameCube version 7.5 out of 10, criticizing the game'sframe rateand called it "a downgrade from the PS2 version".[51]Craig Harris scored the Game Boy Advance version 8 out of 10, arguing that although it is missing a few key elements from the original version it's based upon,Baldur's Gate: Dark Allianceworks very well in portable form.[19]

GameSpotalso reviewed all four versions. Gerald Villoria scored the PlayStation 2 version 8.8 out of 10, praising the differences between the fighting styles of the three characters, the controls, the range of enemies and weaponry, and thelip syncing.[15]Greg Kasavin scored the Xbox version 8.5 out of 10, calling it "one of the finest action RPGs ever made" and lauding it as "a perfect port".[48]Kasavin scored the GameCube version 7.6 out of 10, finding similar faults to IGN's Mirabella, also criticizing frame rate issues that are "nonexistent" in the PS2 and Xbox versions and concluded that "the game just wasn't optimized for the system".[47]Frank Provo scored the Game Boy Advance version 8 out of 10, praising the enemyAI,the sound and the graphics, while lightly criticizing the game's generally short length and the concessions the developers had to make in porting the game to the Game Boy Advance.[20]

GameSpyreviewed the Xbox and GameCube versions. Raymond Padilla scored the Xbox version 4 out of 5. Although he called it one of the best titles for Xbox, he was critical of the game having minor visual and aural enhancements in this version, and criticized the lack ofXbox Livecompatibility or any kind ofdownloadable content,arguing that the improvements are only "superficial".[50]Christian Nutt scored the GameCube version 3.5 out of 5, calling it "a wonderfully entertaining game" despite not living up to the technical quality of the PS2 or Xbox versions. He wrote that "the graphics have taken a subtle but damaging hit" and criticized the game's frame rate as "sluggish", but commended gameplay.[49]

In the mainstream press, Victor Godinez ofThe Dallas Morning Newscalled the game "a blast to play".[64]Billy O'Keefe, of theKnight Ridder TribunewroteDark Allianceis "all about action", opining that a pureRPGwould not work on a console, and the additional action elements inDark Allianceimproved playability.[65]John Breeden II ofThe Washington Postpraised "the smaller number of more straightforward quests".[66]Bob Low of theDaily Recordcalled the graphics "flawless".[67]Godinez also lauded the graphics, calling them "breathtaking".[64]Breeden agreed, saying that "the graphics on the PS2 version are eons ahead of the PC series".[66]Low's one complaint was that the game was too short.[68]Breeden echoed this sentiment, arguing that players used to the longer PC games in the series might findDark Alliancetoo brief.[66]

IGN rankedBaldur's Gate: Dark AllianceNo. 7 on their list of "The Top 11 Dungeons & Dragons Games of All Time" in 2014.[69]

Sales and awards

edit

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliancewas a commercial success, selling over one million units across PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube.[70]During the5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards(now known as theD.I.C.E. Awards), theAcademy of Interactive Arts & SciencesawardedDark Alliancewith "Console Role-Playing Game of the Year".[61]It was nominated forGameSpot's annual "Best In-Game Water" and "Best Role-Playing Game" prizes amongconsole games,which went respectively toWave Race: Blue StormandFinal Fantasy X.[71]The 2002 GameCube version was a runner-up forGameSpot's annual "Best Music on GameCube" and "Best Role-Playing Game on GameCube" awards, while the Xbox port claimed nominations for "Best Music on Xbox", "Best Sound on Xbox" and "Best Role-Playing Game on Xbox".[72]It was later listed at No. 66 in IGN's "Top 100 PlayStation 2 Games".[73]

References

edit
  1. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (PS2)".GameSpy.Archivedfrom the original on June 15, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  2. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (Xbox)".GameSpy.Archivedfrom the original on February 3, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 25,2016.
  3. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (GameCube)".GameSpy.Archivedfrom the original on March 5, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 25,2016.
  4. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (GBA)".IGN.RetrievedJanuary 25,2016.
  5. ^abcBeckhelling, Imogen (December 17, 2021)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance".Rock, Paper, Shotgun.Rock Paper Shotgun.Archivedfrom the original on December 17, 2021.RetrievedDecember 17,2021.
  6. ^"Square One Games".s1games.com.Archivedfrom the original on July 15, 2022.RetrievedJuly 30,2022.
  7. ^abcdHwang, Kaiser (October 18, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (Xbox)".IGN.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  8. ^Thorsen, Tor (December 8, 2003)."Interplay shuts down Black Isle Studios".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on June 13, 2006.RetrievedMay 1,2006.
  9. ^Butts, Stephen (December 16, 2003)."Black Isle Closure: The Inside Track".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 7,2013.
  10. ^"Interplay Entertainment Corp 10-K for 12/31/05 EX-10".U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.June 19, 2006.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  11. ^Avellone, Chris (2001). "Heroes of Baldur's Gate".Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance PlayStation 2 Instruction Manual.Black Isle Studios.p. 8. S7145715.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 22,2016.
  12. ^Avellone, Chris (2001). "Spells and feats".Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance PlayStation 2 Instruction Manual.Black Isle Studios.p. 26. S7145715.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 22,2016.
  13. ^abAvellone, Chris (2001). "Character abilities".Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance PlayStation 2 Instruction Manual.Black Isle Studios.pp.20–21. S7145715.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 22,2016.
  14. ^Avellone, Chris (2001). "Active feats".Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance PlayStation 2 Instruction Manual.Black Isle Studios.pp.28–31. S7145715.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 22,2016.
  15. ^abcVilloria, Gerald (November 27, 2001)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (PS2)".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on November 11, 2013.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  16. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Gauntlet Walkthrough".GameFAQs.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedMarch 25,2015.
  17. ^Avellone, Chris (2001). "Controlling your character".Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance PlayStation 2 Instruction Manual.Black Isle Studios.pp.13–14. S7145715.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 22,2016.
  18. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (PlayStation 2) Cheats".GameFAQs.Archivedfrom the original on September 13, 2013.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  19. ^abcdHarris, Craig (January 29, 2004)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (GBA)".IGN.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  20. ^abcProvo, Frank (January 28, 2004)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (GBA)".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on February 24, 2015.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  21. ^"Interplay Confirms Baldur's Gate II".IGN.November 7, 2000.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  22. ^Shahed, Ahmed (November 7, 2000)."Baldur's Gate on PS2".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2017.RetrievedNovember 11,2011.
  23. ^ab"Baldur's Gate Finally Confirmed".IGN.February 15, 2001.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  24. ^"Interplay Talks Finances, The Matrix, and Sequels".IGN.April 7, 2001.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  25. ^Meston, Zach (January 12, 2004)."Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (PS2) Review".GameSpy.Archivedfrom the original on July 29, 2012.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  26. ^Padilla, Raymond (February 15, 2004)."The Bard's Tale (PS2) Preview".GameSpy.Archivedfrom the original on February 5, 2013.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  27. ^"Vivendi to Publish Interplay Titles".September 26, 2001.
  28. ^Ahmed, Shahed (November 2, 2001)."Baldur's Gate PS2 goes gold".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  29. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Is Final".IGN.November 5, 2001.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  30. ^Ahmed, Shahed (December 3, 2001)."Baldur's Gate shipped for the PlayStation 2".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  31. ^"Baldur's Black Isle Ships Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance".IGN.December 3, 2001.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  32. ^Boulding, Aaron (July 11, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Xbox Preview".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  33. ^Torres, Ricardo (May 17, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance officially announced for Xbox".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  34. ^Boulding, Aaron (May 17, 2002)."Xbox and a Dark Alliance".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  35. ^Frankle, Gwen (May 31, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Xbox Hands On".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  36. ^Parker, Sam (September 25, 2002)."Dark Alliance for the Xbox goes gold".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  37. ^Parker, Sam (September 19, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for GameCube".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  38. ^"Baldur's Gate Official".IGN.September 19, 2002.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  39. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance GameCube Preview".IGN.September 25, 2002.RetrievedJanuary 21,2016.
  40. ^"Baldur's Gold".IGN.October 28, 2002.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  41. ^Ahmed, Shahed (November 9, 2001)."Destination Software confirms GBA, GameCube games".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  42. ^Thorsen, Tor (January 15, 2004)."Ubisoft to distribute GBA Dark Alliance".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  43. ^Purchese, Robert (November 7, 2013)."Seeing Red: The story of CD Projekt".Eurogamer.Archivedfrom the original on November 7, 2013.RetrievedNovember 7,2013.
  44. ^ab"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance coming to PS4, Xbox One, and Switch on May 7, PC and mobile in 2021".Gematsu.May 6, 2021.Archivedfrom the original on December 31, 2021.RetrievedMay 23,2021.
  45. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance finally launches on Nintendo Switch this week".Eurogamer.May 18, 2021.Archivedfrom the original on May 23, 2021.RetrievedMay 23,2021.
  46. ^McCaffery, Ryan (May 6, 2021)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Announced for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on May 6, 2021.RetrievedMay 6,2021.
  47. ^abKasavin, Greg (October 28, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (GameCube)".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on May 28, 2015.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  48. ^abKasavin, Greg (October 28, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (Xbox)".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on March 20, 2017.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  49. ^abNutt, Christian (December 13, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (GameCube)".GameSpy.Archived fromthe originalon April 7, 2010.RetrievedMarch 23,2015.
  50. ^abPadilla, Raymond (October 22, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (Xbox)".GameSpy.Archived fromthe originalon January 23, 2013.RetrievedMarch 23,2015.
  51. ^abMirabella III, Fran (November 13, 2002)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (GameCube)".IGN.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  52. ^abSmith, David (December 3, 2001)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (PS2)".IGN.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  53. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (GBA)".Nintendo Power.March 2004. p. 119.
  54. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (GameCube)".Nintendo Power.January 2003. p. 172.
  55. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (PS2)".Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine.January 2002. p. 130.
  56. ^"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Review (Xbox)".Official Xbox Magazine.December 2002. p. 142.
  57. ^ab"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (GameBoy Advance)".Metacritic.Archivedfrom the original on June 17, 2013.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  58. ^ab"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (GameCube)".Metacritic.Archivedfrom the original on July 25, 2013.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  59. ^ab"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (PlayStation 2)".Metacritic.Archivedfrom the original on October 22, 2013.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  60. ^ab"Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (Xbox)".Metacritic.Archivedfrom the original on October 23, 2014.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  61. ^ab"Baldur's Gate Wins Arts and Sciences Award".IGN.March 27, 2002.RetrievedAugust 24,2013.
  62. ^"E3 2001: More Praise for Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance".IGN.May 18, 2001.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedNovember 11,2011.
  63. ^abSmith, David (November 26, 2001)."Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance Preview".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 6,2013.
  64. ^abGodinez, Victor (January 22, 2002)."Electronic adventures: Final Fantasy X appears winded".The Dallas Morning News.Knight Ridder.Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 16,2013.
  65. ^O'Keefe, Billy (January 22, 2002)."Reviews of recent video game releases".Knight Ridder Tribune.Knight Ridder.Archived fromthe originalon February 11, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 20,2013.
  66. ^abcBreeden II, John (February 10, 2002)."Reviews: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance".The Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon March 24, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 20,2013.
  67. ^Low, Bob (September 1, 2001)."Sand Blaster: Games Review".Daily Record.Trinity Mirror.RetrievedJanuary 10,2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  68. ^Low, Bob (January 4, 2002)."20th Sentry Foxed".Daily Record.Trinity Mirror.RetrievedJanuary 10,2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  69. ^Johnson, Leif (November 1, 2021)."The Top 11 Dungeons & Dragons Games of All-Time".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on September 2, 2019.RetrievedJanuary 3,2022.
  70. ^"Dark Alliance II Announced".IGN.March 24, 2003.Archivedfrom the original on January 17, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 7,2013.
  71. ^"GameSpot's Best and Worst Video Games of 2001 ".GameSpot.February 23, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon August 3, 2002.
  72. ^"GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002 ".GameSpot.December 30, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon February 7, 2003.
  73. ^"Top 100 PlayStation 2 Games".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on October 27, 2012.RetrievedNovember 15,2012.
  1. ^Ported to GameCube byHigh Voltage Software.Game Boy Advance version developed by Magic Pockets. 2021 re-release ported by Square One Games.[6]
  2. ^Game Boy Advance port published byDestination Software.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baldur%27s_Gate:_Dark_Alliance&oldid=1273170936"