Ultima™ 8 Gold Edition

I first played this game 17 years ago and highly enjoyed it. Yes, it's no Ultima VII but it still oozes atmosphere and it retains the highly interactive world of the predecessor. On top of that, you get a very focussed game that encourages exploration and has plenty to enjoy and love. After Ultima VII, it seems Origin wanted to go back to a "tighter" game design - Ultima VII was pretty complex with all sorts of mechanics thrown together. It did make for a great and huge game, but it was also daunting for new comers to the genre and I believe Ultima VIII was taking a step back to become more accessible to those wanting a purer experience. I can honestly say that I understand why they did this - Ultima VII was very overwhelming for me back then and Ultima VIII encouraged me to persevere with it anyway. Had Ultima VIII come before Ultima VII, people would have loved it plenty ...

Without getting too much into how this isn't even a complete game (multiple unfinished quest lines, dialogue trees that don't come to an ending, unfinished dungeons, no monster variety, half arsed combat system, etc), I'd like to say that Ultima 8 was a scar on the series and didn't come anywhere near where 7 did. The platforming alone in the game makes it a pain in the neck to play, the best I was able to do was add a patch made by some fans that SORT of fixed the horrible jump mechanics, but even then still manages to fail from time to time. Should we get into the plot? Sure, let's go there. Mr. Lord British seemed to be on some interesting plants when he wrote this one, while the plot only makes a little more sense then Ultima 9's, that's not saying much. You're pretty much railroaded into making the Avatar into a giant jerk. It's really very sad. I honestly don't know how people can give this a solid anything stars. You need very thick, rose colored lenses to view this title in anything less then a horrible light. If you want a good Ultima game, go back to 7 / Serpent Isle. The series started to die with this title.

Yes, I bought this a number of years ago when I saw it in a store, after having not paid much attention to the gaming world for a while. I thought "another Ultima! Outstanding!" and looked at the box, which indeed promised a darker side, etc. as you can read in the official description here. I wondered why it was on sale for so little. Soon I found out. The platforming issues were fixed - which had made the original version unplayable - but don't be fooled, this is not a true, quality Ultima game. On the basis of plot, character interaction and everything else that the Ultima series was beloved for, this has no real relation to its predecessors. If you don't actually care about the Avatar's story or the moral "decisions" you are forced to make in this game, perhaps you could enjoy parts of it (although the platforming is still ridiculous). That begs the question of why someone would want to start with this game, however, when there are many, many better standalone RPGs. The story (such as it is) is essentially erased for Ultima IX in any case, so that makes it even less worth a play. I recommend you spend your hours (and money) elsewhere.

I stumbled upon this game as a free extra the accompanied our first family PC. I was unfamiliar with the Ultima series, so was not biased by poor critical reviews from Ultima fans. As a child who loved fantasy fiction, this was an amazing game and to be honest nothing I have played since has measured up. Perfect, I was so guttered when I saw that the next installment went 3D.

I played this game in its entirety when it was new and was eagerly awaiting its release on GOG following the releases of the other Ultimas so far. While many Ultima fans would say Ultima VII Parts I and II marked the high point of the series and I would not disagree with them, this is a good and very fun game too. As you can see on this page, the game's graphics look amazingly good considering its age. Like Ultima VII, this is an oldie that has aged well I would say. The gameplay is a departure from Ultima VII in that you as the Avatar are alone in the world, continuing the Guardian saga. The much maligned jumping puzzles are not nearly so prevalent as the hoopla over them in the past might cause one to think and I never had a lot of trouble with them anyway. I do not have good Mario skills either. It just wasn't a big deal and really didn't detract from the experience in any way significant enough that I even recall it. I would not let stories of jumping put you off from enjoying another great Ultima game. It's a little bit more action RPG which is a nice change of pace from the previous installments. Yet, there is still a large and interesting world to explore with plenty of monsters to meet and defeat. And of course, it is fun to see where the story of you and the Guardian continues to take you. If you enjoyed Ultima VII, I would urge you to give this one a fair shot. I don't think you'll be disappointed. It is in many ways more of the same special Ultima goodness. I know I am sure looking forward to a replay now that I can again after so many years thanks to GOG and EA. You are the Avatar! You must go forth to save Britannia yet again and you shall fear no jumping!