Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2
Xbox, PS2
Interplay
With “Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance,” Interplay
proved that a successful PC role-playing franchise could be ported
to consoles by transforming it into an action/adventure game.
Instead of an enormous investment in a highly intensive
role-playing environment, players navigated a manageable 10 hour
game that more accurately met their console experiences. But the
sequel, “Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2,” does
not live up to its predecessor.
Graphically, the game does not look nearly as good as the first.
The original “Dark Alliance” was one of the better-
looking games on both Xbox and PS2, but the second installment is
not nearly as interesting. For fans of the Baldur’s Gate
franchise, “Dark Alliance 2” is still approachable, and
players can maneuver their characters through several interesting
hours of gameplay. The game can be an enjoyable diversion, but it
is unfortunately not much better than the many other RPGs available
today.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel
Xbox, PS2
Interplay
“Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel” can be described as
“Mad Max” meets “The Crocodile Hunter.”
Through the first few stages of this uninteresting, futuristic
role-playing game, gamers fight hordes of monsters mutated by the
nuclear apocalypse that has destroyed the world. The game could not
be any simpler or more straightforward if it tried. It is a basic
“wander through the dungeon and destroy everything that comes
across your path” type of RPG.
Unlike the original “Fallout” — which featured
more open-ended game play — “Brotherhood of
Steel” is basically like walking in a straight line and
hitting mutated monsters as they cross the gamer’s path.
Solving the puzzles typically does not take too much thought or
time either, but, then again, the game is very easy on the whole.
Unless you fancy yourself the next Steve Irwin, stay clear of
“Brotherhood of Steel.”
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.
— Charles Paradis