So, "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance" was released on GOG.

Not that remake they are apparently developing out. I'm talking about
the 2001 game for PS2 and XBox. It's been ported to PC. I wasn't
expecting that.

"Dark Alliance" was one of the first games I bought and played for my
XBox (or was it my PS2). Of course, when I played them they were
considered old and obsolete (which is why I was able to buy them for
pennies on the dollar). It was, one of the first console games I
played start-to-finish, and in many ways helped to erode some of my
feelings of PC elitism; it proved that you COULD make an enjoyable
game on a console (who knew?).

Okay, sure "Dark Alliance" was a shallower game compared to the 'real'
Baldurs Gate games. Sure the gamepad controls were fussy and
uncomfortable. Undeniably the graphics were subpar to anything a PC
could create. Yeah, the gameplay was often grindy and janky. I still
had fun with it.

So seeing it on PC, well, I think that's great. I've no idea how
they've done it; are they using an emulator or have they ported the
game? I couldn't tell you. Apparently all the assets are PS2-era, so
the visuals haven't been greatly improved. But I'm still happy to see
the game on PC at last, especially since it seems to have come out of
nowhere.

It's current price is excessive, though. $30USD for a port of a
20-year old B-list PS2 game that hasn't seen any graphics upgrades is
far more than its worth; if I paid $5 for the game back in 2010, that
was a lot. It'll need to drop in price a lot before I add this version
to my library.

Still, even if I never buy it (and who are we kidding; we all know
that eventually I'll break down and click the "add to shopping cart"
button), I'm happy to see that older titles like this are being given
a chance to shine again... and this time on a PROPER platform instead
of one of those kiddie game consoles ;-)

On Monday, December 20, 2021 at 9:15:41 AM UTC-8, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> So, "Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance" was released on GOG.
>
> Not that remake they are apparently developing out. I'm talking about
> the 2001 game for PS2 and XBox. It's been ported to PC. I wasn't
> expecting that.
>
> "Dark Alliance" was one of the first games I bought and played for my
> XBox (or was it my PS2). Of course, when I played them they were
> considered old and obsolete (which is why I was able to buy them for
> pennies on the dollar). It was, one of the first console games I
> played start-to-finish, and in many ways helped to erode some of my
> feelings of PC elitism; it proved that you COULD make an enjoyable
> game on a console (who knew?).
>
> Okay, sure "Dark Alliance" was a shallower game compared to the 'real'
> Baldurs Gate games. Sure the gamepad controls were fussy and
> uncomfortable. Undeniably the graphics were subpar to anything a PC
> could create. Yeah, the gameplay was often grindy and janky. I still
> had fun with it.
>
> So seeing it on PC, well, I think that's great. I've no idea how
> they've done it; are they using an emulator or have they ported the
> game? I couldn't tell you. Apparently all the assets are PS2-era, so
> the visuals haven't been greatly improved. But I'm still happy to see
> the game on PC at last, especially since it seems to have come out of
> nowhere.
>
> It's current price is excessive, though. $30USD for a port of a
> 20-year old B-list PS2 game that hasn't seen any graphics upgrades is
> far more than its worth; if I paid $5 for the game back in 2010, that
> was a lot. It'll need to drop in price a lot before I add this version
> to my library.

I noticed that when I was trying to hunt down that other free game you
posted, which I didn't get to in time, I think. Either that or I just couldn't
find it.

I played it on PS2, which I just sold along with the game earlier this year.
It was the only BG I ever finished. It was a Diablo clone, with just an
AD&D & Forgotten Realms skin. It was fine. If that sounds good,
pick it up, though I'll agree not more than $5 if it ever goes on sale.

- Justisaur