Baldur's Gate - Dark Alliance is a role-playing game (RPG) from Interplay Entertainment Corp. This is the PC port of the 2001 hack-and-slash game of the same name. Set in the dark fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms, you choose from one of three character presets and travel around the Sword Coast. Battle monsters, level up, and farm equipment and items.

Featuring the familiar Dungeons and Dragons brand of dark fantasy plus Baldur Gate’s signature 3D isometric view, Baldur's Gate - Dark Alliance is a fun addition to the franchise. Of course, you can check out Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Version.

Conquer the Onyx Tower once more

Baldur's Gate - Dark Alliance is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of the larger Dungeons & Dragons universe. You choose from one of three characters: a dwarven fighter, an elven sorceress, or a human archer. The game is divided into three Acts, each taking place in a different region. Your quest to save Baldur’s Gate brings you to the monster-infested Onyx Tower.

It retains most elements of the original, including the full original campaign. The game is linear, meaning missions must be completed in sequence in order to progress. You also have a few side-quests, which are not required to progress the main story. Also, like most modern games, it also features a New Game Plus mode that allows your character to restart the main story with their last level and build.

Apart from its largely linear story and its limited character selection, the game is a fun and challenging D&D experience. However, this port has a couple of optimization issues. You experience hiccups where scenes freeze and play fast forward. Also, converting the controls of the original game to touchscreens requires a bit of getting used to, which could get tricky especially if you play with multiple skills.

An enjoyable D&D game

At its very core, Baldur's Gate - Dark Alliance is an enjoyable offshoot of Dungeons & Dragons. The story and game elements are all there, making it intuitive and immediately enjoyable for fans of the fantasy franchise. It has a compelling narrative, however rigid and linear. The gameplay is enjoyable, although there are a couple of technical glitches in this particular port of the original game.