<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dark	I-Application
Alliance	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2004	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
the	O
2001	O
game	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dark	I-Application
Alliance	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
campaign	O
setting	O
of	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
gameplay	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
rules	O
of	O
Dungeons	O
&	O
Dragons	O
3rd	O
Edition	O
,	O
which	O
were	O
released	O
in	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	O
Alliance	O
II	O
is	O
a	O
direct	O
sequel	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
game	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
story	O
following	O
five	O
adventurers	O
attempting	O
to	O
save	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
from	O
a	O
growing	O
evil	O
,	O
and	O
ascertain	O
the	O
fate	O
of	O
the	O
protagonists	O
from	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dark	I-Application
Alliance	I-Application
II	I-Application
is	O
a	O
real-time	B-General_Concept
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
presented	O
in	O
a	O
3D	O
perspective	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
rotatable	O
isometric	B-Application
three-quarter	O
top-down	O
view	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
if	O
a	O
character	O
increases	O
to	O
level	O
twelve	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
will	O
gain	O
twelve	O
experience	O
points	O
to	O
spend	O
on	O
the	O
character	O
's	O
spells	B-Application
and	O
feats	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
of	O
the	O
five	O
characters	O
have	O
their	O
own	O
unique	O
fighting	O
style	O
and	O
their	O
own	O
specific	O
set	O
of	O
spells	B-Application
and	O
feats	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Ysuran	O
is	O
a	O
necromancer	O
,	O
his	O
feats	O
tend	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
increasing	O
the	O
power	O
of	O
his	O
magic	O
and	O
granting	O
him	O
new	O
spells	B-Application
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
use	O
shadow	O
magic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
His	O
spells	B-Application
tend	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
allowing	O
him	O
to	O
use	O
a	O
shield	O
offensively	O
,	O
and	O
granting	O
him	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
set	O
traps	O
for	O
enemies	O
and	O
disarm	O
traps	O
intended	O
for	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Allessia	O
is	O
a	O
cleric	O
and	O
has	O
access	O
to	O
many	O
healing	O
and	O
defensive	O
spells	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Weapons	O
,	O
armor	O
and	O
items	O
are	O
only	O
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
from	O
one	O
location	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
a	O
shop	O
in	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
although	O
the	O
stock	O
changes	O
at	O
the	O
commencement	O
of	O
each	O
act	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
weapons	O
increasing	O
in	O
expense	O
and	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
HUD	B-Application
features	O
the	O
option	O
to	O
use	O
either	O
a	O
transparent	O
map	O
that	O
covers	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
screen	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
mini-map	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
also	O
given	O
the	O
option	O
to	O
turn	O
the	O
map	O
off	O
entirely	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
example	O
,	O
a	O
pearl	B-Language
attached	O
to	O
a	O
piece	O
of	O
armor	O
gives	O
+1	O
additional	O
treasure	O
drop	O
,	O
attached	O
to	O
a	O
weapon	O
gives	O
+1	O
"	O
Improved	O
Critical	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
attached	O
to	O
a	O
trinket	O
gives	O
+1	O
Wisdom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
focused	O
on	O
three	O
areas	O
in	O
the	O
Sword	O
Coast	O
and	O
Western	O
Heartlands	O
regions	O
of	O
the	O
Faerûnian	O
continent	O
,	O
the	O
second	O
game	O
is	O
predominately	O
based	O
in	O
and	O
around	O
the	O
city	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
itself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
features	O
five	O
main	O
playable	O
characters	O
;	O
Dorn	O
Redbear	O
,	O
Ysuran	O
Aundril	O
,	O
Borador	O
Goldhand	O
,	O
Vhaidra	O
Uoswiir	O
and	O
Allessia	O
Faithhammer	O
,	O
each	O
of	O
whom	O
has	O
come	O
to	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
for	O
different	O
reasons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ysuran	O
is	O
suffering	O
from	O
amnesia	B-Application
and	O
has	O
come	O
in	O
the	O
hope	O
of	O
finding	O
clues	O
to	O
his	O
past	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
outside	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
Dorn	O
,	O
Vhaidra	O
,	O
Ysuran	O
,	O
Borador	O
and	O
Allessia	O
meet	O
on	O
the	O
Trade	O
Way	O
,	O
and	O
learn	O
that	O
since	O
the	O
collapse	O
of	O
Xantam	O
's	O
Guild	O
,	O
the	O
route	O
has	O
become	O
increasingly	O
dangerous	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
rise	O
of	O
the	O
Red	O
Fang	O
Marauders	O
,	O
a	O
goblin	O
army	O
who	O
prey	O
on	O
travelers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
entering	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
Randalla	O
hires	O
them	O
to	O
investigate	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
murders	O
in	O
the	O
city	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Allessia	O
frees	O
the	O
Church	O
of	O
Helm	O
in	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
from	O
Goreth	O
Vileback	O
,	O
a	O
cleric	O
of	O
Cyric	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mordoc	O
believes	O
he	O
can	O
use	O
the	O
Tower	O
to	O
bring	O
about	O
the	O
downfall	O
of	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
which	O
will	O
please	O
his	O
"	O
allies	O
in	O
the	O
east.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
rescue	O
the	O
trio	O
of	O
adventurers	O
,	O
forcing	O
Mordoc	O
to	O
speed	O
up	O
his	O
plans	O
,	O
and	O
relocate	O
the	O
Onyx	O
Tower	O
into	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
ahead	O
of	O
schedule	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
room	O
with	O
an	O
Ancient	O
Egyptian	O
milieu	O
,	O
a	O
servant	O
tells	O
a	O
stone	O
sarcophagus	O
that	O
Mordoc	O
has	O
failed	O
and	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
still	O
stands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
not	O
officially	O
announced	O
until	O
March	O
24	O
,	O
2003	O
,	O
when	O
Interplay	O
revealed	O
they	O
were	O
working	O
on	O
a	O
sequel	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
only	O
information	O
available	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
was	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
introduce	O
item	O
crafting	O
,	O
have	O
five	O
playable	O
characters	O
and	O
was	O
slated	O
for	O
a	O
simultaneous	O
PlayStation/Xbox	O
release	O
in	O
the	O
winter	O
of	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
E3	O
in	O
May	O
2003	O
,	O
Interplay	O
showcased	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
revealing	O
three	O
of	O
the	O
new	O
characters	O
:	O
a	O
human	O
barbarian	O
,	O
a	O
moon-elf	O
necromancer	O
and	O
a	O
drow	O
monk	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Interplay	O
stated	O
that	O
if	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
versions	O
sold	O
well	O
,	O
they	O
would	O
consider	O
porting	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
GameCube	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
,	O
demos	O
for	O
both	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
versions	O
were	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
18	O
,	O
Interplay	O
denied	O
shutting	O
the	O
studio	O
,	O
claiming	O
"	O
Black	O
Isle	O
Studios	O
remains	O
open	O
with	O
projects	O
pending	O
,	O
the	O
status	O
of	O
Fallout	O
3	O
is	O
under	O
review	O
,	O
and	O
Fallout	B-Application
:	I-Application
Brotherhood	I-Application
of	I-Application
Steel	I-Application
will	O
ship	O
on	O
January	O
13.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
January	O
5	O
,	O
2004	O
Interplay	O
announced	O
that	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
II	O
was	O
complete	O
and	O
would	O
be	O
released	O
for	O
both	O
PlayStation	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
on	O
January	O
20	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
remastered	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
Linux	B-Application
,	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X/S	I-Device
on	O
July	O
20	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
games	O
were	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
game	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
High	O
Voltage	O
Software	O
,	O
Fallout	B-Application
:	I-Application
Brotherhood	I-Application
of	I-Application
Steel	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
II	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
lawsuit	O
also	O
saw	O
Interplay	O
transfer	O
the	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
trademark	O
to	O
Atari	O
and	O
temporarily	O
transfer	O
the	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
trademark	O
to	O
Snowblind	O
;	O
"	O
Interplay	O
hereby	O
grants	O
to	O
Snowblind	O
a	O
security	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
Trademark	O
to	O
secure	O
the	O
investment	O
and	O
expected	O
return	O
of	O
Snowblind	O
and	O
its	O
licensees	O
in	O
the	O
event	O
of	O
bankruptcy	O
of	O
Interplay.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dark	I-Application
Alliance	I-Application
II	I-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
reviews	O
,	O
"	O
with	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
holding	O
an	O
aggregate	O
score	O
of	O
78	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
on	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
forty-four	O
reviews	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
version	O
77	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
forty-four	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	O
Informers	O
Andrew	O
Reiner	O
scored	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
8.5	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
role-playing	O
bliss.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
's	O
Ryan	O
Davis	O
scored	O
the	O
game	O
8	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
writing	O
"	O
Though	O
not	O
as	O
impressive	O
as	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
,	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
II	O
will	O
surely	O
satisfy	O
players	O
looking	O
for	O
a	O
well-crafted	O
,	O
accessible	O
action	B-Application
RPG	I-Application
experience.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
concluded	O
"	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dark	I-Application
Alliance	I-Application
was	O
an	O
RPG	O
for	O
people	O
who	O
did	O
n't	O
like	O
RPGs	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
sequel	O
does	O
a	O
fine	O
job	O
of	O
maintaining	O
that	O
design	O
philosophy.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
later	O
named	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
II	O
the	O
best	O
Xbox	B-Device
game	O
of	O
January	O
2004	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
's	O
Ronan	O
Jennings	O
scored	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
version	O
7	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
writing	O
"	O
in	O
terms	O
of	O
progression	O
,	O
the	O
only	O
real	O
difference	O
between	O
this	O
and	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
is	O
that	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
felt	O
like	O
it	O
had	O
better	O
structure	O
to	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
one	O
hand	O
,	O
it	O
offers	O
more	O
of	O
the	O
great	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
gameplay	O
that	O
no	O
one	O
has	O
emulated	O
properly	O
since	O
the	O
first	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpy	O
's	O
Raymond	O
Padulla	O
scored	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
3	O
out	O
of	O
5	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
And	O
that	O
's	O
how	O
a	O
loud	O
,	O
brash	O
,	O
fun	O
as	O
heck	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
RPG	I-Application
series	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
Forgotten	B-Application
Realms	I-Application
was	O
born	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
's	O
way	O
more	O
Diablo	B-Application
than	O
Baldur	B-Application
's	I-Application
Gate	I-Application
,	O
despite	O
the	O
name	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mitch	O
Vogel	O
of	O
Nintendo	O
Life	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
five	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
ten	O
,	O
praising	O
its	O
gear	O
crafting	O
system	O
and	O
dark	O
atmosphere	O
while	O
lamenting	O
its	O
sluggish	O
combat	O
,	O
drab	O
environmental	O
design	O
,	O
lack	O
of	O
online	O
,	O
low	O
build	O
variety	O
,	O
and	O
high	O
price	O
tag	O
,	O
writing	O
,	O
"	O
While	O
[	O
Dark	O
Alliance	O
II ]	O
was	O
likely	O
once	O
considered	O
a	O
solid	O
and	O
perhaps	O
even	O
a	O
little	O
daring	O
example	O
of	O
an	O
ARPG	B-Application
,	O
it	O
’s	O
now	O
been	O
resolutely	O
left	O
in	O
the	O
dust	O
by	O
more	O
modern	O
releases.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Shaun	O
Musgrave	O
of	O
TouchArcade	O
compared	O
the	O
title	O
unfavorably	O
to	O
modern	O
offerings	O
on	O
the	O
Switch	O
such	O
as	O
Diablo	B-Application
III	I-Application
and	O
the	O
Torchlight	B-Application
franchise	O
,	O
citing	O
the	O
no-frills	O
nature	O
of	O
the	O
port	O
and	O
its	O
high	O
price	O
tag	O
as	O
blemishes	O
on	O
a	O
dated	O
experience	O
.	O
</s>
