Ultima™ 9: Ascension

Just finished Ultima 9 the second time after I bought it for my new 3dfx PC over 20 years ago (those were the times). And as many years and many opinions passed by I have to admit: - Yes, it feels unfinished at a lot of points - Yes, the combat system is a joke - Yes, the story is clumsy if not stupid I also have to say that I didn't play any other Ultima part yet, so I'm not biased in comparing it to other parts or seeing it as part of something bigger or more complex. But from what I read specially about the complexity of older Ultima parts (like part 7) I understand that Ultima 9 must be a slap in the face of players comparing it to these games. All in all I have to say I really enjoyed playing the game. I liked the open world, which was technically top notch at that time. Going from dungeons to the open world without any loading screen was quite impressive back then. I also liked the dungeon and world design (also compared to todays standards), which feels unique to many other games. It is not a masterpiece (could have been if only EA would've given Origin more time), but quite solid in terms of an overall experience and exploration. And in my opinion there is a lot to explore in Britannia and it is not getting boring.

No, not for the characters, and not for the story. Back in the days, i did not have the computing power to run this game, so over the years it has grown on me like a temptress out of reach. Then, when i finally got around to having a good enough computer, the allure surrounding this game sucked me right in, and i was completely immersed. And i still am. This game, despite all its flaws and silly story, still captivate me with its charming graphics and soothing music. I love running around the countryside and the only games doing a similiar immersion to me is Gothic and The Witcher series. Now, i wont go into too much details, because i am downloading this and i am anxious to start playing.

If you like Gothic 1, 2 or 3, or any of the Risen games, then give this one a shot. It's clunky and odd at times, but worth the investment if you make it to the end.

A lot of people complain about this game, but maybe that was all due to expectations (and technical issues). I hadn't any serious problems with it (maybe I was lucky, I don't know) and I enjoyed the game very much. Maybe the one thing what people hate about it was the Ultima name. No, this isn't Ultima7 nor is it Ultima Underworld (both of which I enjoyed very much), so if you looking for something like that, don't get this game. It may not be the best game ever (it isn't), but it isn't as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. I enjoyed it.

I know I'm an oddball but I love this game and Kings Quest 8. They are both similar in that they were really trying to put the player into a believable 3D world full of detail like no other games had done yet at the time. I really get into games like this. The interface is nice as well, and still extremely usable. You won't have too many headaches unlike most older games. I can understand why some people don't care for it but I personally love it.