Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance Ships

Black Isle Studios sent out a press release announcing that Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance has officially shipped. Here’s the scoop on what looks to be an awesome game (wish I owned a PS2):

IRVINE, California, December 3, 2001 – Black Isle Studios, the award-winning RPG (role-playing game) division of Interplay Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ: IPLY) and leading console game developer Snowblind Studios announced today that Baldur’s Gate(tm): Dark Alliance(tm) for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system has shipped to retail. This innovative game features a distinctive blend of action and adventure set in the most popular Dungeons & Dragons® campaign setting, the FORGOTTEN REALMS®.

“Since we started with such a great setting, we were able to spend more time developing a rich storyline and action-packed gameplay for Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance,” stated Feargus Urquhart, Black Isle Studios President. “The game incorporates Dungeons & Dragons elements with fast-moving action which allows for an original gameplay experience that both RPG fans and console gamers will enjoy.”

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance will be an entirely new action adventure experience opening the Baldur’s Gate franchise to a much wider gaming community. Faithful adaptation of the new Dungeons & Dragons rules set, customizable player characters and character development allows for an engrossing gameplay experience new to console gamers. Dramatic new spell effects and powerful new abilities have been included to add to the flavor of the action-packed game and assist the player in combat against the terrifying monsters found in the adventure.

“We developed the game from the ground up to take full advantage of the sophisticated PlayStation®2 technology,” stated Ryan Geithman, Director of Snowblind Studios. “Our goal was to push the hardware to its limits thus creating stunning environmental effects and highly detailed characters never before seen on the console. We feel we have achieved that goal with Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance.”

Played from a third person perspective, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance immerses players in the port town of Baldur’s Gate. Darkness has fallen upon the town and rumors of a Thieves’ Guild civil war brew beneath the streets of the city. Entering this desperate situation, the player finds himself fresh to the city of Baldur’s Gate and new to the world of adventuring. He soon learns that he stands in the way of one of the greatest threats ever to strike the town of Baldur’s Gate and The Sword Coast.

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance is available now for PlayStation®2. More comprehensive information about Black Isle Studios and Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance can be found on the official Black Isle web site, located at http://www.blackisle.com.