Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Companies	Snowblind Studios, Interplay Entertainment
First release date	Dec 3, 2001
Original platform(s)	PS2
Action/adventure, RPGlike
Unrelated to the venerated PC RPG diptych, except in setting. A polished, if simplistic Gauntlet-like hack 'n slash, with loot-based and XP-based progression systems that remind more of Diablo than Baldur's Gate. The campaign is brief but well paced and doesn't overstay its welcome or linger in any location too long, and covers a wide variety of terrains including mountains, deserts, sewers, mines, and decaying towers. Graphics and audio are consistently good for an early PS2 title. Co-op play is well implemented and balanced, and neither feels forced nor tacked on.
Key people	Jeremy Soule, Darren Monahan, Chris Avellone