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    Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II

    Don't know if this is appropriately in the 'First play' section but it was news to me.

    Got this on saturday and played it for the weekend solid. It works more or less the same as the first one. Start the game, choose hard setting, pick a character and get stuck in there. There are now 5 characters to choose from and all seem interesting. I've got a game on the go on my own, playing as the barbarian (more or less standard fighter with high strength and decent armour).

    What's really good about this game (as it was with BGA) is the co-operative mode. Me and my girlfriend have been playing this since we got it and we're up to the beginning of the second act. In our co-op game I play the Necromancer (death-wizard) and she plays the Cleric (Crusader).

    It's Gauntlet with a D&D foundation and really nice graphics. The gameplay is solid hack and slash, but with levelling up (and thus, choices to make about how your character develops) Controls are good. Camera can't go wrong (top-down view) excellent map-function. Nice enough story (thoroughly fantasy, but it carries on where No. 1 left off, with a cracking cliffhanger I might add) and decent voiceacting. The baddies have the better voices, but it makes them charismatic enough.

    The only thing it lacks is a constant running score. The game has no music as such, it's mostly atmospheric noises (in Pro-logic II) punctuated occasionally by short orchestral stabs that are moodsetters rather than anything else. Perhaps reactive music would've been better but I think having constant music would've either interfered with the pacing-feel of the game or put you on edge when it was not needed or vice versa.

    Completing any of the modes unlocks an extreme mode you can take your hardened adventurers in. If the first game is anything to go by it will be rockhard.

    To sum up: Solid gameplay, entertaining story, a well crafted product, a lot of longevity. No running music, but for understanable reason. Add to that one of the best co-op modes in console gaming: 9/10 (version played: PS2, Pal)

    #2
    Does the first BG on PS2 have the co-op?

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      #3
      Certainly does, and good, mindless fun it was too.

      I considered picking this up but after hearing how similar it was to the original decided to hold out for Champions of Norath for my co-op fix, although may well give BG2 a chance when it comes down in price.

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        #4
        I agree BGII is more of the same when compared to the the first one, but it has expanded on it also (more characters, and the game seems to be a lot bigger than the first one) I'd say overall it's a much more complete package.

        More of the same, yes. More of something good & great fun in co-op though.

        Champions of norrath?

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          #5
          Champions is basically exactly the same game but set in the Everquest world.

          BG2 is enjoyable, but the lack of 4 player mode is just daft, especially as there are 5 characters to choose from.

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            #6
            Originally posted by Marvelon

            Champions of norrath?
            The core components that make up the game all come together to create an experience that is, across the board, better than the original Dark Alliance and better than any of Champions' current rivals.


            Seems to be a more developed version of BG with online player support ( not sure I'll use that, but it's nice to have the option ), plus I think they tweaked the Snowblind engine a bit for it.

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              #7
              My mate and I greatly enjoyed the first game, but didn't get to play it co-op (we live in different parts of the country). How long does the second game take to play through? We're talking about spening a whole day going through it, but as we rarely meet up, if it'll take 20 hours or more we won't be able to complete it, which would be a shame.

              So if anyone has played through it, let me know! It's between this and FFCC for a lengthy co-op session.

              Thanks

              Matt

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                #8
                I'm not sure how long it actually takes to complete the game, but at the moment I am at the start of Act III of IV, and have around 15 hours on the clock. Each chapter has took around 5 hours each. So I'm assuming it's around 20 hours long. Thats if you do every side quest, some of which are quite easy to miss.

                To be honest I am loving the game. Big improvement over the first and a lot more satisfying. Also it's considerably deeper.

                Running around beating the living **** out of things 8X your size with your fists rules.

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                  #9
                  Me and my girlfriend are a bit further in now (we haven;t gotten to play much because of other obligations (namely D&D round her brother's house )

                  Anyway, her brother and His girlfriend have finished the game on normal using the barbarian and the cleric. When you complete the game an extreme mode opens up. However, when you've completed the game and use those characters to play through extreme mode it's not very challenging. (unlike the first game where you would still have trouble with lv 20 characters on extreme mode) So they started extreme with lv 1(!) characters. They both levelled on the first goblin they killed and had reached lv 11 by the time they arrived in baldur's gate

                  I'm afraid that if you have to tweak the game to make it harder it;s probably too easy. the first game was shorter but ROCK-hard on extreme, BG2 seem to be lacking in the difficulty department.

                  ps. Me and girflfriend are playing through it on hard and have not encountered any significant problems.

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                    #10
                    I dunno mate, for a Solo monk, bits of it on hard have been almost bloody impossible.

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                      #11
                      Well if we can get through it on Normal in 20 hours that would be great We best not set it to Hard purely because the time factor!

                      Cheers!

                      Matt

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                        #12
                        I've got a game on the go where I'm the dwarf Rogue on Hard - it's been challenging sofar, challenging but doable.

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                          #13
                          How is the Rogue?

                          I've kinda stuck to the monk at the moment. I tried a Necromancer on hard, and got reamed, lots.

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                            #14
                            Sofar I've played all but the Monk and the Cleric (But I've seen the cleric in action, controlled by my girlfriend)

                            The Barbarian is hands down the brutalest character. On hard he's very playable by oneself. (use the 'hero arm' feat - allows you to wield great-weapons in a single hand)

                            The Necromancer is good, but only when he uses his undead buddy (think the spell is called 'raise undead') at lower levels the skeleton isn't very powerful but will hold off attackers which gives the necromancer time to use: Enervation (death in large numbers) Drain (death by vampirism) and Fire arrows (Death by lots & lots of fire)

                            The Rogue I've not played with for very long, so i'm not sure of his capabilities. He excels with the crossbow which only really gets good later on when you can upgrade it to do elemental damage. He also has ransack which gives you more loot and he does explosives but i've not unlocked those skills yet.

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                              #15
                              You think the Barbarian is brutal. Wait'll until you see a fully beefed up Monk 0_o. If you put enough points into Death Blow, Critical Hit, and Unarmed, combined with Piercing/Stunning Blow. She is a monster.

                              You can hit anything for around 60-100 at a time (at level 17) with criticals occuring every five seconds for around 200-250.

                              Factor this in with the fact she can easily do a 14 hit combo, and is fast as 'owt, then mass slaughter doth ensue.

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