Ultima™ 9: Ascension

When I played Ultima IX in the year 2000, I had not played any of the previous Ultima RPG games (except the 2 Underworlds). And I was amazed at the beauty and massive nature of this game. By this time, the major bugs had been patched and I had no problems running the game at all. I didn't have any preconceived notions of what to expect, and I was truly blown away. For the first time in a 3D "adventure" (which is what I would call the game) the world was alive. Bird, bees, butterflies flitted around. Water flowed, dogs and animals milled around, signs swayed in the breeze. The landscape was incredibly detailed, and not flat at all, but hilly, craggy, mountainous, etc. You could walk from one end of the Isle to the other without ever pausing to reload the game. Then you could get in a boat and sail all around it. It blew my mind with its enormity. There were things I didn't particularly like about the game, but nothing that detracted from my fun nor kept me from completing it. You could walk through a pasture, kill all the beasts, turn around and walk back through and have to kill all the same exact (respawned) beasts again... in fact, the previous instances of their dead bodies were still on the ground! I was also amazed at how the rats you killed managed to store so much gold in their furry little bodies! But I had a great time playing through the game, and loved every minute of it. This game probably has the best "jumping mechanic" of any game I'd ever played, before or since. There is a tiny cursor in the middle of the screen... mouselook to put that cursor on a spot on the ground where you want to jump, and hit the spacebar. You will land PRECISELY on that spot, unless the cursor was red (meaning it was too far away) instead of white. Just move the cursor down (a little closer) and jump accurately! Graphically the game was miraculous at the time. Cities at night were shrouded in mist and glowed in the dark, especially the city of Moonglow (natch!) I enjoyed having to gather the regents to cast spells, saving the land from the calamities involving the 8 virtues. Some 12 years later, I can't wait to play the game again. I understand how disappointing a "series" of games can be when the final game strays so far from its roots. But I think if you can play the game for what it is, instead of what you might want it to be, you'll have as much fun playing it as I did.

I was part of the online community following the development of Ultima IX in the late 1990's. Having played all the previous Ultima games up until then, I contributed a lot to the forums.. I emailed Richard Garriott directly, having guessed his email address. I suggested showing game trailers as ads at movie theaters to show people that a computer game can be immersive. He wrote back and said he loved the idea and then asked how I put a stationary background (ivy) on my email. Lol. I pre-ordered the Dragon Edition of the game that came with trinkets, etc. I was 27 at the time and living with my parents back east, but didn't have a job. This game arrived in a huge box and my dad lost his mind when he saw me open it. So I packed this game in my car, along with all my other few belongings and 500 bucks in my pocket and started driving west. When I got to Arizona, I flirted with a girl at an apartment complex so that I could get a room there for two weeks. I couldn't install the game because my CD drive had stopped working. I called DELL support and they sent a tech and I ended up getting a job with them. That company sent me to Colorado, I met a girl while I was there, we had a kid, and a lot actually happened in my life because of this game, including my career. When I played the game, I had no issues with bugs at all. I played it completely through without issue and believe me when I say that I'm a completionist. I explore every nook and cranny that a game has to offer, and this one was no different. I enjoyed the gameplay, but did find the dialogue to be a bit silly at times. At the time, it was the most beautiful game that I had ever seen. Gorgeous sunsets and sunrises, clouds and weather systems. No other game had this back then. So when you play now, understand that it was a groundbreaking game in many respects. Also, it was a seamless world, so there were no "loading" screens when entering a building or a dungeon... also innovative.

I strongly recommend watching Spoony's review on this one before you decide to buy this game

I bought this game when it came out. The reviews were bad, but the concept was fascinating. And, there were a few who said it was ahead of its time. It required a machine most didn't have at the time. I had great difficulty with trying to install it, to run it. Then they issued a massive patch. They sent out a CD with the patch for free, no shipping or handling, as a sort of apology. I patched the game, and then entered a marvelously rendered and intriguing game world that still looks good today. I just (re) purchased and installed it from GOG. In fact, I've been asking for it on this site for some time. I still have the original manuals, cloth map, and cards. I look forward to exploring Brittania once again, I look forward especially to reacquainting myself with the mysterious Raven. I have to admit I only got three quarters of the way through the game. My kids all beat the thing, through to the final cut scene, which I watched over their shoulders. The game looks blocky by today's standards, but it is a well developed story, somewhat linear but with a good deal of open ended exploring in some of the areas. It is beautifully rendered if you can get by the blockiness. I would strongly recommend the game. Delightful and immersing.

This was one of the first games I ever played on a PC. I was eleven, had never heard of Ultima, but this game was hugely important for me. It sparked my interests in gaming and in philosophy. The importance and symbolism of the virtues in the game's lore intrigued me. I'm a lifetime gamer now, so I'm glad EA took this title and tried to make it mainstream. Sure, I remember all the bugs; the cutscenes stopped working and I couldn't get a blackrock sword. Still, I'm buying this and playing it for the nostalgia. The plot is linear, but there is a lot of exploration you can do in the game and some good treasure for doing so. The magic system has an extensive number of spells. The storyline has deep meaning for those who recognize it (the gargoyles separating themselves from humans and falling from their own pride, teaching knights to remember their lost honor, helping the people of Paws...) I felt a part of this world, I hated having to give up the Gringolet, I understood the urgency of saving Shamino, and I relished the satisfaction of purging the corruption from the runes. Richard Garriott and the Ultima team did a good job. A great job considering how much I still love this game. You people writing these reviews are worse than Trekkies. You are being unjust, unfair, and completely unreasonable. Quit QQing, let go of all the nerd rage that has caused you to hate a remarkable game (for 1999), and let people have their fun.