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Okay the obvious answer would be the first game. But are they all equally good? Should X earlier game be skipped for X reason? I really liked games like BG /fallout/avernum series. Over the years ive built a pretty high tolerance level for dated games (picked up the elder scrolls 1 not too long ago and lovd it so much when it didnt crash bc of compatibility)

I like games with good combat on top of the story, I actually never finished ps: torment because of that. The graphics are not a factor to me.
This question / problem has been solved by dtgreeneimage
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LePeureux: Okay the obvious answer would be the first game. But are they all equally good? Should X earlier game be skipped for X reason? I really liked games like BG /fallout/avernum series. Over the years ive built a pretty high tolerance level for dated games (picked up the elder scrolls 1 not too long ago and lovd it so much when it didnt crash bc of compatibility)

I like games with good combat on top of the story, I actually never finished ps: torment because of that. The graphics are not a factor to me.
Ultima 2 is generally considered the worst of the early games, so skip that one. The rest are worth trying, however.

Ultima 1 is rather simple, and it does have a mandatory arcade-style minigame. (One unusual characteristic of this game is that there is no max HP stat; you earn hit points much the way you earn something like gold. Also, the best way to get HP early is to go into a dungeon, kill some enemies, and then leave the dungeon.)

Ultima 3 introduced the party system, and has the most interesting class system in the series.

Ultima 4 is where the series developed its own identity. You have the modern Britannia world map (also used in 5, 6, and 7), the 8 virtues, and it is here that the series starts differentiating itself from other RPG series. (Unfortunately, it's also the game that introduced the need for reagents to cast spells.)

Ultima 5 can be seen as a logical successor to Ultima 4.

Ultima 6 switches to a continuous world (instead of having towns and combat on separate maps), and is also the first game in the series to keep track of things like which townspeople you've killed.

Ultima 7 switches to real-time combat, and the transition did not go well; if you are looking for combat, play the earlier games in the series instead.
I would say the most valuable Ultimas are 4 and 7, and your mileage may vary on the others. I'd say try any of them for a short while, and skip them if they're not your cup of tea.

The games can be vastly different. Ultima reinvents itself once in awhile. Ultima 4 requires you to play virtuously, and keeps track of this. Ultima 7 had a highly detailed world, with conversations that beat out Skyrim's. It also dropped tile-based movement, and switched to real-time combat. Ultima 8 switched perspectives to isometric view, became a bit more "arcadey", (jumping puzzles etc.), and takes place in some new sinister land. And so forth.
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dtgreene: Ultima 2 is generally considered the worst of the early games, so skip that one. The rest are worth trying, however
I cannot second this enough. Woe betide me and my masochistic completist tendencies.


Also, LePeureux, don't forget to mark dtgreene's post as the solution. Because you won't get a better summation anywhere, unless you have access to Lord British himself. (Which for all I know, you might; he lives in Austin, Texas now.)
In my opinion, Ultima VII is the most accessible title for newcomers to the series while also being the richest title in terms of worldbuilding, player freedom and variety of possibilities. It's what today's open world games strive to be like. Even Richard Garriot considers it to be the best of his opus.

Just to clear up something that confused me... Start with The Black Gate, which is what most people refer to when they say Ultima VII. Forge of Virtue is a "DLC" adding an island/dungeon and the most powerful sword in the game. Serpent Isle is actually Ultima VII.5, a completely separate game, but was not named Ultima VIII because Garriot thought each new game in the series should be built in a new engine. Serpent Isle has a stronger story, but weaker open-world aspects, and is unfinished towards the end. So I recommend it only if you liked U7.