Ultima™ Underworld 1+2

I know the graphics aren't anything like the cgi in games now...but THIS was groundbreaking when it was released! I played it almost nonstop the first playthrough. Then went back and found so much I'd missed on the first round! For years I have bemoaned the fact that I couldn't play it on current computers.

I was stunned by how advanced this game was when I first played it in 1999, seven years after its release. Since it came out it has been incredibly influential, being a direct influence for The Elder Scrolls, System Shock, Thief, Deus Ex, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Bioshock and even the likes of id software's games, Half Life 2 and Tomb Raider. I only finished it for the first time recently and believe it to be still top of the pile - none of its descendants come close! The game is essentially a real-time, first-person 3d dungeon crawler, and so has elements in common with these. What it brings into the mix is the openness of an Ultima world: you can play it in so many different ways. I think it's possible to be able to complete the game if you kill practically every character... and also if you only kill about two. One of the faster speed runs on youtube clocks in at just over seventeen minutes - the game's so open that you can practically just walk to the end if you know how to get there. Playing if for real will require much conversation, mystery-solving and fighting, making a full play-through more than forty hours long. The fact that this game stands the test of time is a testament to the fact that it wasn't just a tech demo but a masterclass in game design!

Despite how the interface may first appear, this game can be played quite comfortably with a mouse and keyboard in tandem. Right-click and drag on stuff to interact universally, bypassing the archaic verb commands. Compared to other PC games of the time (excluding Doom, which is almost timeless), it has aged fine. The beginning of the immersive sim (see System Shock, Thief, Deus Ex), and a terrific showing for first-person RPGs if you are willing to look past the visual limitations and awkward jumping (use shift-J). The first game has a great atmosphere I wish more games tried, and the second ties more into the main Ultima series and has greater diversity and story. They definitely ask you to take notes yourself (which you can do on the map) and check every nook and cranny, so be prepared to take it slow and use the reference card/manual. This game gives the player a huge amount of freedom, but you can hang yourself with all that rope if you don't pay attention. Personally, I recommend having good magic stats for the utility over limited potions, but neglecting other stats can be deadly. Prepare for a great and challenging dungeon-crawling experience!

I wasn't prepared for how engrossing this game is. 30+ years on and it is still more than capable of evoking a keen sense of mystery and wonder that kept me coming back. It will take a bit to get into for someone who is more used to modern control schemes, but don't consider it archaic: there are benefits to the way this game plays. Managing items and casting spells can be done while moving through the environment, which can alleviate potential frustrations with backtracking. Aside from that, the mouse-centric movement is still novel and fun, even if the execution is a tad finicky. Combat, navigation, and platforming are all more than possible to get good at, and it's satisfying to deftly navigate the depths, so I'd say a stellar job was done considering the pioneering nature of this game. I really appreciated the way the writing tied different floors, factions, and items together in a way that felt believable. Coupled with the thoughtful placement of key (and inconsequential) items, the Stygian Abyss feels more like a real place than I expected. A heavy dose of secrets and hard-to-find clues (some of which are required to finish the game) give the impression that the game world is more far-reaching and mysterious than it probably is. Thorough exploration and use of the map's note feature (and a handy notepad) are all you really need to get through the game, but the manual and hint book are invaluable if you're stuck. Just go into it with an open mind and a willingness to learn and play around, and you'll have just as great a time as I did. This is my first time playing this game and, as someone who is not overly familiar with traditional dungeon crawlers, this has quickly become one of the most memorable gaming experiences I've had in years. I can't imagine what this was like in 1993 - but if it's anything like what it feels like to play now, I can see why this game was so influential. A true masterpiece.

3 words. I LOVE YOU!!! Now bring on the ultima collection, the 2 worlds of Ultima games, and I will die happy.