Snowblind Studios

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Nintendo GameCube - Released - November 20, 2002

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance casts the player as one of three basic characters: an elf sorceress, a human archer, or a dwarf fighter. From humble beginnings slaying rats in the cellars of an inn, the adventurer will move on to exploring caves, crypts, and mountain passes. Naturally, it's all filled to the brim with horrible monsters, wicked traps, treasures, and fabled magical weapons. As the game progresses the player is constantly rewarded with new weaponry, new monsters to fight, and experience points to put into the adventurer's character stats to grow even more powerful. The adventurer must eventually unravel the secrets of a dark, new Thieves Guild backed by powerful mages.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Sony Playstation 2 - Released - December 3, 2001

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is a real time hack and slash Action role-playing game presented in a true 3D perspective correct rotatable third person overhead view. The battle system in the game is simplistic but flexible. Character statistics at the game's beginning are preset, and the player may only customize their character's stats through gaining experience points. Experience points are gained by winning battles, and at specific levels the character gains new ability points to spend on enhancements specific to the character class. The ability choices affect the fighting style of the character. Gameplay is linear, and any current quest must be completed successfully before the story proceeds. There are also relatively few non-player characters (NPCs), of which only those who are part of a quest or side-quest may be interacted with. There are not that many sidequests available in the game, but those available - such as for Keaira and Ipswitch - help players to gain experience and level up. Weapons, armor and items are only available for purchase from one location at a time in the current region, and are increasingly valuable later in the game. The game's ruleset is based on a limited set of 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons rule-set; compared to other D&D Games there are relatively few rules implemented in the game. There are four playable classes: Human Arcane Archer, Elven Sorceress, Dwarven Fighter and Drow Ranger. Gameplay strategy is different for all characters: the human relies on ranged attacks and stealth, the elf character can cast magic spells, and the dwarf is an all-around fighter. Through updating each character, the characters go to mimic characters of other classes. A local co-op mode is available, which uses a single non-split screen view. The second player can select one of the unused characters.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

Microsoft Xbox - Released - October 22, 2002

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance is a revolutionary action adventure with an epic tale of intrigue, fierce alliances, explosive spell effects and highly detailed creatures and environments. Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance is a benchmark of technology and gameplay.

Champions of Norrath

Champions of Norrath

Sony Playstation 2 - Released - February 10, 2004

Champions of Norrath is a third-person dungeon crawler based on the EverQuest universe. There are five character classes to choose from (Barbarian Warrior, Wood Elf Ranger, High Elf Cleric, Dark Elf Shadow Knight, Erudite Wizard), each may be male or female. The game spans five acts that cover various randomly-generated locations across the world of Norrath. Up to four people may play on a single console offline using a multitap, and up to four people online - one per console - via a broadband connection using the Sony Network Adapter.

Champions: Return to Arms

Champions: Return to Arms

Sony Playstation 2 - Released - February 7, 2005

The sequel to Champions of Norrath, Champions: Return to Arms is an action RPG that puts players in the EverQuest universe. The evil Innoruuk was destroyed and his remains (shards) have been scattered throughout the Planes of Power. The player must find the shards and choose between good or evil: Destroy them to rid of Innoruuk or collect them to restore him. The game has seven playable races (two new ones from the original) and more online features. Players can import characters from the first game. It can be played single-player or with up to four players (online or with multitap).

Justice League Heroes

Justice League Heroes

Microsoft Xbox - Released - October 17, 2006

Military robots cause havoc in a high tech Metropolis research facility. In Finland, genetically-engineered creatures take over the top secret Deep Space Communications Array. A team of super powered criminals, having never worked together before, seize a Nevada missile base. And deep beneath the surface of Mars, dozens of alien warriors are released from their long imprisonment… These seemingly unrelated events prove to be pieces of a sinister plan, and it will take Earth’s greatest superheroes to stop it: The Justice League! Justice League Heroes is an action game, also for two players cooperatively, based on the popular DC Comics series. Control DC’s most popular heroes: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Zatanna and a handful of unlockable characters like Aquaman, Green Arrow, Hawkgirl, Huntress, Hal Jordan, and Kyle Rayner. In addition, the PSP version features exclusive unlockable heroes: Supergirl and Black Canary. Players battle through famous locations such as Metropolis, S.T.A.R. labs, and for the first time, the Justice League's Watchtower. Many of DC’s greatest villains face against our heroes including Braniac, Killer Frost, Darkseid, and Doomsday. Boss battles are furious and unique, with no two defeated the same way.

Justice League Heroes

Justice League Heroes

Sony PSP - Released - November 22, 2006

Military robots cause havoc in a high tech Metropolis research facility. In Finland, genetically-engineered creatures take over the top secret Deep Space Communications Array. A team of super powered criminals, having never worked together before, seize a Nevada missile base. And deep beneath the surface of Mars, dozens of alien warriors are released from their long imprisonment… These seemingly unrelated events prove to be pieces of a sinister plan, and it will take Earth’s greatest superheroes to stop it: The Justice League! Justice League Heroes is an action game, also for two players cooperatively, based on the popular DC Comics series. Control DC’s most popular heroes: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Zatanna and a handful of unlockable characters like Aquaman, Green Arrow, Hawkgirl, Huntress, Hal Jordan, and Kyle Rayner. In addition, the PSP version features exclusive unlockable heroes: Supergirl and Black Canary. Players battle through famous locations such as Metropolis, S.T.A.R. labs, and for the first time, the Justice League's Watchtower. Many of DC’s greatest villains face against our heroes including Braniac, Killer Frost, Darkseid, and Doomsday. Boss battles are furious and unique, with no two defeated the same way. Superpowers are developed through experience orbs collected from a wide range of enemies such as The White Martians, Brainiac’s assassin droids, and alternate-dimensional creatures. Some special orbs known as “boosts” can enhance superpowers. The boosts range from enhanced damage, efficiency, attack range, luck, speed, and super power duration. Multiple boosts can combine into a single, more powerful boost. Players can allocate their orbs and boosts to customize heroes to best suit their playing style. Special shield icons placed throughout the game can be collected and spent to unlock characters and alternate costumes which affect the heroes' abilities as well their appearances.

The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North

The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North

Sony Playstation 3 - Released - November 1, 2011

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a 2011 action role playing hack and slash video game developed by Snowblind Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. An OS X port was developed and published by Feral Interactive in 2013. It is the first video game based on both J. R. R. Tolkien's 1954 high fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson's film trilogy adaptation released in 2001 (The Fellowship of the Ring), 2002 (The Two Towers) and 2003 (The Return of the King). This is because, until 2009, Vivendi Universal Games, in partnership with Tolkien Enterprises, held the rights to make games based on Tolkien's literary works, whilst Electronic Arts held the rights to make games based on the New Line Cinema films. In 2009, WB Games acquired the rights for both intellectual properties. The game contains narrative elements unique to both the novel and the films, although the aesthetic design is based more specifically upon the look of the films, with characters in the game bearing the likenesses of the actors who portrayed them in the films. The game does not directly adapt the story depicted in the novel and films, but instead depicts a trio of adventurers whose quest runs parallel to the main narrative, occasionally intersecting with it. The story follows them as they attempt to track down and defeat a powerful Black Númenórean named Agandaûr, who Sauron has employed to lay waste to the northern regions of Middle-earth, whilst Sauron himself concentrates on Rohan and Gondor. The game received mixed reviews, with critics praising the graphics and tone, but criticizing the repetitive combat, weak storyline and poor character development. It was also criticized for containing several game-breaking bugs. War in the North was a commercial failure, a fact many critics attributed to the timing of its release - several weeks after Dark Souls, on the same day as Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and ten days prior to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North

The Lord of the Rings: The War in the North

Microsoft Xbox 360 - Released - November 1, 2011

War in the North is an action role-playing hack and slash game played from a third-person perspective. The game features three playable characters; Eradan (a Ranger), Farin (a Dwarf) and Andriel (an Elf). When the player begins the game for the first time, they must chose which character to control. However, they can switch characters during a single play-through either by using the "switch character" option at the end of each level, or by loading a previously saved game and selecting a different character at the character select screen. Each character has their own unique weaponry, attacks, skills and special abilities. Eradan can use a bow, a two-handed sword, a one-handed sword and a shield, or two single-handed weapons. His skill tree is built around stealth.[4][5] His special ability allows him to find the tracks of other Rangers and follow them to secret stashes of items and weapons.[6] Farin can use two-handed heavy weapons such as axes, a single-handed weapon and a shield, or a crossbow. His skill tree is built around melee combat.[7][8] His special ability allows him to detect fissures and weakness in walls and rocks, smashing them open to find money, items and gems.[6] Andriel can use a staff and a shield, or a staff and a single-handed weapon. Her staff also serves as her long-range weapon. Her skill tree is built around offensive and defensive spell casting.[8][9] She can also create potions from alchemy ingredients collected in the field, and her special ability allows her to find secret passages marked with hidden elven glyphs.[6]

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

Windows - Released - November 1, 2011

The plot of Lord of the Rings: War in the North takes place within the time frame of the events experienced in J. R. R. Tolkien's books as well as the series of films from Peter Jackson. While the adventure in this game intertwines with that of Frodo and the Fellowship, it primarily takes place in other areas of the Middle Earth map. The player's character and two companions (which can be either computer controlled or co-op controlled with two friends) serve to support Frodo's grand quest by battling Sauron's "General" and his minions in the north. The adventure and that of the main story from Lord of the Rings overlap at certain points and there is definitely a connection, but the player does not control any of the main characters from the original story. The three canonical character types are available to play, Eradan the (human male) ranger, Andriel the (elf female) mage, and Farin the (dwarf male) warrior. One of the three predefined characters is selected at the start of the game. There is no character creation, but within the game is an option to tweak the look by using mirrors in certain locations. Also at certain locations it is possible to switch to one of the other two characters to control or simply continuing on as the character that was started with. Each character can be played as a range fighter or a melee fighter, or a combination of the two. The events are entirely linear, with the path set out before you with obvious goals and quests. It is not an open world game that can be freely explored and were the given quests can be ignored. The game is segmented into areas that are accessed by clicking on the place name on the map screen. Many of them have central hubs for resting, trading, shopping and acquiring new quests. The gameplay largely revolves around fighting creatures. Each area is filled with orcs, goblins, spiders, trolls, and other minions of Sauron. Melee fighting is handled with a combination of standard hits and special moves. It is also possible to block and dodge (rolling). Range fighting is handled in the same way. The two companions use their own set of skills to assist in the battle and can be instructed by the player in the solo mode. Characters can be upgraded with new abilities through the game and there are often conversations with different options, but with no moral ramifications. Each character class has unique abilities such as mining gems and destroying walls for the dwarf for instance.

Top Gear Hyper-Bike

Top Gear Hyper-Bike

Nintendo 64 - Released - March 17, 2000

Big air. Fast tracks. Snarling competitors. Whether you're into high-flying motocross racing or knee-scraping street bike action, Top Gear Hyper Bike opens the throttle on gritty, two-wheeled fun. Strap on your brain bucket and test these features: Four incredible modes of play, Track Editor to create your own mind-blowing tracks, race on the street and in the dirt using 16 authentic race bikes from Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda, unlock hidden bikes and bonus courses by winning race seasons in Championship Mode.

Top Gear Overdrive

Top Gear Overdrive

Nintendo 64 - Released - November 23, 1998

Smile, you beast. It's the world's fastest multi-player N64 racing, geared for people who love to cheat! Oh yeah. This baby's got it all! Ten wild cars. Five white-knuckle tracks. A beautifully giddy selection of wicked hair-pin turns, roller coaster hills and secret, shifty shortcuts. Plus: 6 full vocal BGM tunes. Challenging Mirror Racing Mode. The world's worst weather conditions. And: IT'S OKAY TO CHEAT! Once you get ahead you stay ahead by forcing the competition into interactive objects like traffic cones and road signs. Waaay cool. The one and only Top Gear Overdrive. Don't get mad. Get evil!

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