Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for PlayStation 2 was, by far, my favorite game of 2001. Snowblind Studios did a masterful job at crafting a different, more console-oriented take on the Baldur's Gate world. Furthermore, I got to live out one of my longstanding video game dork dreams by playing as Drizzt Do'Urden, the infamous drow ranger from The Forgotten Realms. At the time the game offered an outstanding blend of gameplay, graphics, and sound. A year later, it has come to the Xbox. And, while most of what made it great is intact, some aspects of the game show its age.

At its core, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is an action game along the lines of Gauntlet, but there is a healthy amount of Baldur's Gate accoutrements that adds some RPG favor. Compared to most console action-RPGs, this one is far heavier on the action side. The vast majority of the game consists of hacking, slashing, and treasure hoarding. That said, the customizability of the Dungeons & Dragons Feat system will appeal to RPG nuts. All in all, it's a devilishly good time that's served up with superior presentation values -- a hallmark of Baldur's Gate games.