More Diablo than Baldur's Gate... and that's not a good thing.
Of course, I was already aware that Dark Alliance didn't follow that same dialogue/quest/party/turn-based form that won me over with the original series, but I didn't expect the game to be this monotonous in structure either.
It becomes evident early on that the whole game will consist of 1) getting a "quest" from some person, 2) buying equipment you can afford, 3) hacking and slashing through 23972568 enemies until the quest is complete and 4) getting to a new area where you return to point 1) with a new person/quest.
Good games manage to break this structure up a little (with an engaging storyline, e.g.), so that everything feels fresh - but Dark Alliance doesn't quite succeed. It's not as dreary and repetitive as the horribly overrated Diablo games, though, and that is much thanks to good level design and slightly bigger variations in opponents to fight.
The fighting itself is smooth enough, and offers some challenges in the beginning, but once you figure out that you can defeat almost every enemy by circling and hitting them because your character has a smaller turning circle, it all gets too easy. WAY too easy.
There is still enough cool equipment you can loot and purchase, and developing your character's skills while leveling up is still fun and satisfying. "Fun" and "satisfying" isn't the same as "thrilling", though - but Dark Alliance never gets too boring either. For the short time it lasts.
7/10