Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 Review

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 Feature

• Rid the land of chaos and monsters as you face a new threat to the legendary city of Baldur's Gate
• Five new characters with unique powers and abilities -- they'll accompany you through 40 levels of thrilling action, spread over 4 acts
• Master new skills, weapons and magic spells -- all-new spell effects and more detailed environments will bring the combat to life
• New item creation system lets players create their own unique magical weapons
• Discover hidden areas, secret characters, and hundreds of new items -- from magic potions to magic wands

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance took co-operative action role-playing to new heights on the Playstation 2 console. Alone, or with a friend, you could tackle giant rats, undead monsters, dark elves, and even a white dragon, as you uncovered a plot against the good city of Baldur's Gate. But the ending indicated there was more adventure to come. Fans were worried that the sequel wouldn't live up to original's promise when the original design team jumped ship to work on Sony's Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest. They need not have worried; Dark Alliance 2 is a worthy successor, retaining the weapons, monsters, Dungeons and Dragons action and rules, sharp graphics, responsive controls, and high adventure of its predecessor.

The plot is a bit darker this time, but you're given a wider range of character classes to help face the elevated threats. There's the mighty barbarian, a dwarf rogue, a cleric, the monk (a martial artist), and a necromancer. The quest is huge and there are character-class specific side quests you can embark on--an extra incentive to play again as a different character. The level design tends to be a little too maze-like, and there's lots of boring backtracking, but the annoying jumping puzzles from the first game are gone.

The biggest problem with Dark Alliance 2 is that it doesn't measure up to the competition. It's a 2-player game, while Dungeons & Dragons Heroes (on the Xbox) and Champions of Norrath (on the PS2 and Xbox) allow four-player play. Then again if you plan to play solo, or with a single friend, that shouldn't keep you from coming to the city of Baldur's Gate's aid once again. --Andrew Bub Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II is a return to the addictive hack-and-slash gaming in the world of the Forgotten Realms! Two-player cooperative mode lets both players play on a full screen

Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2 Review

Guild Wars 2 Feature

• Guild Wars 2 provides a massive, online persistent world.
• Free online play. No monthly fee.
• Players have the freedom to play together even if their friends are at a much higher (or lower) level
• Players will be able to engage in organized, balanced PvP (similar to GvG in the original Guild Wars) without needing to first level up characters, find equipment, or unlock skills.
• You will be able to advance your character to the maximum level without ever joining a group if you so desire.

A full 250 years after the original Guild Wars, massive upheavals, cataclysms, and globe-spanning events have changed the world of Tyria. Human civilization is in decline. Other races are rising up, taking control over large portions of the world; the balance of power has shifted. The dragons have awoken.

Diablo III: Standard Edition

Diablo III: Standard Edition Review

Diablo III: Standard Edition Feature

• The Witch Doctor is a new character reminiscent of the Diablo II Necromancer
• The Barbarians will have a variety of revamped skills at their disposal based on the use of their incredible physical prowess.
• 1-on-1' dueling system coming into play.

This world was saved twenty years prior by a handful of unnamed heroes in Diablo II. Warriors that survived the onslaught of the armies of the Burning Hells have gone mad from their ordeals and it is up to a new generation of heroes to face the forces of evil threatening the world of Sanctuary. Players will have the opportunity to explore familiar settings such as Tristram.

Tera

Tera Review

Tera Feature

• Enter the world of Tera as one of seven player races, each with its own history, lore, and point of view. These are the races of the Valkyon Federation, leading the way into a new era of unity as they face a battle for their very existence.
• The eight player classes of Tera each contribute their own style of combat, their own method and approach to tactics, and their own unique abilities in solo and group play. Get to know them here-their fighting styles, their tools, and their talents.
• Tera is a world born of conflict. It's a place where gods scheme, armies clash, and the world can change in the blink of an eye. Thousands of years have passed since the two titans, Arun and Shara, lay down and dreamed the world and its inhabitants.
• Your enemies are many and varied. Some are strong, some are intelligent-all are dangerous. Consider this your pre-mission briefing on beasts and bad guys. Get to know them, where they come from, and how they fight.
• The world of Tera began millennia ago when two titans of unimaginable power, Arun and Shara, met in a formless void. For reasons we can only guess, they fell asleep. And as they slept, Tera took shape around them.

Tera is the first true action MMORPG. What does that mean? Tera provides all the depth of any MMO–quests, crafting, an intricate plot, PvP, and more-combined for the first time with the satisfaction and skill of a console action game. No more are you confined to tabbing and then standing around and eating a sandwich while taking on a boss. You're at the center of the action, hitting where you aim and reacting in real-time to dodge and move out of the way when attacked. In Tera, skill and substance combine for an entirely new MMORPG experience.