If you haven't played Ultima 7: The Black Gate, you are missing out on what I believe is the very best RPG in video game history. It features a massive open world like Skyrim, a conversational narrative akin to Mass Effect 1 and 2, and a living, breathing world where every NPC has a life of their own. The sprite-based graphics are colorful and still wonderful, even 22 years later. The music is subtle, almost ambient at times, and fits the emotion and character of each moment, each town, and each environment perfectly. The combat is simple: employing auto-attacks and a handful of AI selections to customize your party's strategy in real time, ultimately keeping the flow of the journey going without turning combat into a chore. And lastly, the story is one of the most memorable in the genre. Both a murder mystery and a discovery of a threatening evil, no other game has such a focused, linear story existing in a completely open, non-linear world. Add to it the massive amounts of side quests and characters in every town that further pull you into a world that you will never want to leave. I can say, without a doubt, that my love for this game is not mere nostalgia. This is a genuine masterpiece of the craft, and I encourage every RPG fan, young or old, to discover the world that is Ultima 7.
