Is this the most underrated game of all time?

>PC audience hated it for its "action-focused" gameplay that differed from the original series
>Console fags didn't buy it because they didn't recognize the name

An extremely well made and good looking twin-stick style ARPG with relatively deep RPG mechanics for its genre.
Drop-in, drop-out co-op mode. Could jump from single player to co-op and back at any time (2nd character literally just walks on screen mid-level) and all the characters were stored separately so your friend could keep his progress just as if he was the protagonist, even across saves.

Variety in locations, variety in enemies, freedom to complete quests in whatever order but still linear enough to always have a clear goal. Large skill trees, varying play styles, lots of loot and gear. Amazing lighting effects.

Why do so few people remember this game?

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Tried replaying it a few days ago on Dolphin.
Hard mode is pretty stupid, got one-shot by gelatinous cubes as Sorceress.
Otherwise it's an overall solid game. Looked damn good for its time too.

>Why do so few people remember this game?
pretty sure general consensus on Sup Forums is that it's an amazing game

I don't remember ever trying hard mode but I did replay it about 3 years ago in co-op with a friend who also remembered it from his childhood. Definitely held up great, wasn't just nostalgia. Obviously the "wow-factor" of the fire spells wasn't there anymore but the graphics were still very atmospheric.

Remember the bar tender's huge boobs bros?

Vintage grade 7-8 boner

How could I forget? Even the teal coloured blouse is burnt into my memory.

What are peoples opinions on the second game?

I hate the first missions in town, but apart from that I loved it. The characters feel so much more fleshed out and individual.

Never played it. Is it still worth picking up without a nostalgia factor?

I can't do that here.

Probably have more hours on this than any other ps2 game. My and my two younger brothers played this all the time. It's fun

If you liked the first one, the second one is similar, but there are 7 characters with a lot more defined skills. Examples being you have a necromancer who can summon and use life draining shit, a dwarven rogue who uses crossbow skills and explosive satchel type shit.

Basically, the way I saw it was that the first one was simpler and hit its pace much faster, whereas the second has a lot more shit to do like weapon customisation. With the more complicated characters too, the second one can be a little slower(or tedious) to get into.

If you've played marvel ultimate alliance or any of the X men arpgs you've played this game.

Difference is this game has better customization

>bought a gamecube in great condition from a friend late last year to replace the one that was stolen almost a decade ago
>came with a copy of Windwaker, Rogue Squadron 2 and Dark Alliance
>picked up a new copy of Melee and Sonic Mega Collection since then
>have yet to touch BG:DA and it's just been sitting on my shelf till I found this thread and started checking out the box

I was gonna check it out eventually. I'm aware of Baldur's Gate but I just never played any of them. Sounds like I scored a hidden gem.

This game, along with the sequel, and the norrath games are all gems. playing that shit on ps2 was glorious. I wish they'd go back to these series

Sounds good. I'd probably be playing it solo so added depth would be nice.
I haven't

Champions of Norrath was better.

Especially RTA

>I'm aware of Baldur's Gate but I just never played any of them.
It has little to do with the PC Baldur's Gate's as far as I know. They mostly share a theme and the fact that both universes abide by the "D&D rules" (which explains how this one has such solid fleshed out RPG mechanics for a game like this) but Dark Alliance is definitely a fast-paced action game unlike the PC games which are slower paced serious RPG's with lots of text.

What are you saying? That Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath are obscure?

Speaking of shit no one talks about, how is Untold Legends? It's like SoE's own unlicensed take on Snowblind's games.

This series and Champions of Norrath was probably my favorite out of everything on PS2, and PS2 had a fucking huge ass library.

I think part of the reason I never touched it was cause I'm really attached to Diablo 2 and nothing else (PoE, D3, Torchlight, etc.) never really did it for me.

Diablo 2's choice of characters were great and the music and atmosphere make it hard for me to move on even if the gameplay is a little dated.

One of these days I can hopefully bring myself to play DA.

Well D2 is a better game than PoE, D3 or Torchlight. Though D3 has gotten significantly better with time. I recently gave it a shot and although I did get bored in 2 days if it had originally released anything like this it would've been amazing.

That being said DA is not a loot game like diablo. It has loot and itemization but it's still closer to an ARPG.

I see, so I'm guessing I should expect more action and stat allocation like a top down Dark Souls?

DS was the game that filled the void of Diablo 3 being mediocre for me.

Comfiest hub ever made.

I was actually going to say the itemization is a lot like Dark Souls. Weapons can be upgraded to be a "Longsword +3" but they can also have an elemental type like in DkS such as "Flaming Longsword +3" but also a quality/rarity bonus for example "Masterwork Longsword +3". Armor works a lot like dark souls too, individual items are part of a set and can be upgraded the same way weapons can.

I mostly played a ranged character so the gameplay was more of a twin stick shooter than DkS. There's also more traditional RPG style customization such as leveling up and using level up points to unlock or power up spells than there is in DkS.

That's real fucking neat, that sounds like I can get into this. One of the things I liked about DS was how the itemization was handled.

Thanks for the info, user.

Classic fapbait

I played this both on PS2 and GBA. The GBA version was actually almost as solid as the console version, only lacking the multiplayer and the story was changed a little bit. Also obviously lacking in details as well.

The water effects in the console version blew my mind at the time, and even today some games struggle to come close to it.

Super sad we never got the teased third one.

>tfw being totally unprepared for the beholder boss

Man, it's been donkey's years and all it took was seeing the box art for it all to come rushing back. Absolutely brilliant game.

I forgot about the water effects. So much time spent just running around in circles.

WHOA FRIEND
I THINK THE SMELL OF THE SEWERS HAS TAKEN A LIKING TO YOU

>pic related

also I remember people talking about baldurs gate like 15 years ago, always wanted to play it kind of but never did. Also if I'm remembering correctly people didn't like the sequel as much or something?

I can't do that here.

THIS ISN'T THE PLACE FOR THAT

THIS'LL teach you.

Those game are so broken.

It's pretty okay. I had a great time couching it with a friend.

I think the pinnacle of this kind of game is LotR: War in the North though. Even if it lacks the isometric camera.

"Baldur's Gate" typically refers to the main series.

>gelatinous cubes
Ive got some repressed memories about those things. Fuck those things.

Sequel to this game wasn't half bad either. Not as memorable, but still good.

>PC fag so I recognized the name
>Console fag so I really enjoyed the coop with my friends

I had no idea Snowblind was bought up and then worked on Shadow of Mordor.

Played this years ago when I was a kid. Was really surprised this game wasn't rated M with all the enemies dying in a pool of their blood, but as a kid I loved it.

Definitely one of my favorite games of that generation.

Sorceress + Ball Lightning = OP

Seeing this thread, I just might have to dust off my gamecube and play it again.

>that sexy elf bartender

It's the console peasant's version of Diablo. It's only worth playing if you can't have access to a pc and that was litterally the purpose of the game. Every feature it has was "the next best thing", it's a lite version of an infinitely superior game.

Not only that, even on ps2 Champions of Norrath was better, and the other hns were of similar quality (its sequel, x men legends, fallout brotherhood). It's neither special nor underrated.

Dark Alliance 2 is the first game I ever preordered and they didn't give me my preorder bonus so I never preordered anything ever again.

I had a PC but I played more Dark Alliance than I ever played Diablo 2 because it had couch co-op. Can't say anything about CoN since I never played it but based on wikipedia it was a spiritual successor by the same devs that came out 3 years later towards the end of PS2's lifecycle. Not exactly surprised if it improved upon the same ideas.

>tfw the zombies in the swamp that throw their rotted spleens at you like 100mph curveballs and kill you instantly through all your armor from all the way across the screen

This was my favorite game for the GameCube of all time

this game and gauntlet dark legacy were my favorite games in my teenage years

>tfw i'll never get my old friends together to play those games ever again

I'd honestly rather have a Dark Alliance 3 over Baldurs Gate 3

I'd have DA3 over HL3

Dark Alliance 2's story ended on a cliff hanger and is easy to continue, whereas Baldur's Gate 2 definitively ended and so cannot continue without shitting on one of the best games ever made so that's an easy choice.

Now i haven't play BG2 in years but doesn't it end with a group of people sitting around a table plotting and setting up for BG 3?

Sadly, i beat both of these amazing games. Is there anything like it? Dark Alliance was just so different to me back then.

...

Dark Alliance series (multiplat)
Champions of Norrath series (PS2)
Untold Legends series (PSP, PS3)
Diablo III Ultimate Evil Edition (PS3, PS4, 360, Xbox One)

Yes I included Diablo III. It's a console game and that's a compliment in this case.

My dad, little sister, and I loved this game and the sequel. If I recall correctly, when we played Dark Alliance 2 I was the necromancer, my sister was the barbarian, and my dad was the rogue. It's just unfortunate that all three of us couldn't play at the same time.

Nah son, it ends with a motherfucking mummy god.

READY MY SUN BARGE.

>tfw you played gauntlet, baldurs gate (taking turns cuz lol 2 player only) and champions of norrath with your little bro, mom, and stepdad growing up.
I should be grateful to have had a family like that, but everything went to shit a few years later so its rather bittersweet. I miss it.

Why you gotta bring up old gems I'll never get to play again...?

While we're all here, I hope someone can clear something up for me. As I recall, and I could very well be wrong considering, there's a level in DA1 or DA2 that has a kind of lizardmen as the friendly locals. Upon greeting them, they say "muthsera". Well that word and the voice actor who says it has stuck in my head ever since, and I was reminded of it when I played Morrowind, and noticed that NPCs would say "sera" as a kind of polite "desu"-esque ending to their sentences. It made me wonder if this "muthsera" and "sera" thing wasn't from the same writer, or some light plagiarism.

Problem was I could never find a reference to "muthsera" anywhere on the internet, and could never replay the DA games to check my memory.

Anyone know what the fuck I'm on about?

youtube.com/watch?v=bt-z8PiENl4

in DA 1 all of the lizard dudes were evil except for Sleyvas, or however the fuck you spell his name. They were all being mind controlled or something. I don't remember if they were in 2. I think Sleyvas might have returned, but I don't remember anything more than that.


Marsh of Chelimber was bullshit though. Between those fucking zombies in the beginning and then the spear chucking lizards afterwards it was a nightmare.

Almost as bad as the crypt.

Can I play with the cute girl on the cover OP?

I loved that game. I played it co-op all the time. I really wish there was a proper PC port.

>Marsh of Chelimber was bullshit though
I don't want to be that guy, but I remember the whole game as being too easy.

yes

ok, sold me to it
I'll get the xbox version
am I set?

this family of games was fucking sweet as.

BG DA 1 +2
FO BoS too

heck, there was even a kickass BGDA version for the GBA which gave you a human(half elf for rules purposes) F/M/T

It was, if you started on normal or easy. I always started my characters on hard, and it was no joke when you did that.

>remembering the LOL BOOBS and not the dead elf girl singing in the attic

>in the ELFSONG tavern

>you will never get your coop buddies back because all your friends became normalfags after finishing high school
>you will never play coop again

What are "friends"? What is "coop"?

Feels bad, man.
Remember that bit at the end of "Stand By Me"? "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone? "
I didn't believe it when I was a kid. I thought it would last forever.

sure, I doubt there's any difference between the versions

no "adult" mods in the pc version?

>mfw my former high school friends still get together and play video games
>mfw I just can't be bothered to attend
>mfw I suggested a full night of co-op gaming a few months back to check out the PS4 co-op library, they did it, and I wasn't there

there is no PC version

There's no PC version, sadly. It's console only.

>be me, age 11
>tons of cousins and family is close so have to go to their houses for birthdays and everything
>would rather be at home playing vidya
>one uncle has a cool game room so birthdays there aren't so bad
>uncle doesn't really care if I play any of his games
>giant collection of PS2 games but somehow none of the games that I had on PS2
>notice BG:DA one time and fire it up
>fucking love it instantly
>uncle comes in and gives me tips
>barely make it into the sewers before we have to leave
>4 cousins here but 2 are twins so go to this house 3 times a year
>uncle keeps his memory cards somewhere else so can't save and have to start fresh every time
>really want to see what's beyond the sewers
>work up courage to ask uncle if I can borrow it
>"oh I don't play that one anymore, you can just have it"
mfw

I played through that shit so many times, solo mostly but a handful of times with friends. Then I realized there was a sequel that ended up being even better. Still depressed about BG:DA3 being canned never to return, especially after that teaser at the end of 2.

oh
alright then
thank you for all the valuable information

I liked 2 better

>>work up courage to ask uncle if I can borrow it
>>"oh I don't play that one anymore, you can just have it"
>mfw
These little moments in childhood are great. And so much better than just writing down the name and asking it for your own birthday or saving up allowance or something.

This was actually my second OG Xbox game after PGR.

I liked it alot.