Origin Systems Games - LaunchBox Games Database

2400 A.D.

MS-DOS - Released - December 1, 1987

2400 A.D.

Apple II - Released - 1987

Metropolis was founded in 2213 A.D. by the United Stellar Council as the capital city of the planet XK-120, a mining planet and center of learning throughout the galaxy. That was the past. In 2315 A.D., Metropolis is invaded by the Tzorg. The new conquerer leave the planet but install a Robot Patrol System to keep the locals in check. Now the only resistance against the Tzorg occupation is a small group of resistance fighters of the Underground network. In the year 2400 A.D. the final hope to overthrow Tzorg rule over the city is to infiltrate the Tzorg Authority Complex through a recently discovered secret route, access the terminals, and shut down the robots; that is, if they had a computer specialist. That's where the protagonist comes in. As part of yet another shipment of miners from other conquered Tzorg lands to replace the 'disappearances' of past workers, the hero has been contacted by the Underground to join their struggle against the Tzorg. The contact leaves instructions: find Spider, contact the Underground, goodbye and good luck. 2400 A.D. is a top-down role-playing game that has similarities to Ultima games, though with simpler gameplay mechanics. The city of Metropolis is divided into five areas: Center, North, South, East, West. All of which are indicated by borders, guarded and patrol by different kinds of robots. Non-player characters also frequent the city. An attempt to communicate with them will open dialog boxes, where the player must type in keywords for further information. Exploration and transportation may be conducted via three approaches: walking, using the "sidewalk" (automated sidewalk), or by using the subway system. The city contains a few merchants where the player may purchase some items. More curious items such as weapons and personal devices, however, are rumored to be sold by the Underground. Throughout the city, there are also power nodes, which allow the player to recharge weapons and other devices. Use of these power nodes are illegal by the Tzorg Authority, prompting a possible robot dispatch to the area, or if any robots are in the immediate vicinity, to attack the character. The main character has four primary attributes: Energy (equivalent to hit points and strength combined), Dexterity, IQ, and Affinity. During character creation, the player may allocate 99 points among these attributes. These attributes will increase during gameplay when the character performs certain actions. Affinity, for example, may increase when the character talks to NPCs. Combat initiates when the player character attacks or is attacked by an enemy robot. Before engaging in combat, the hero must first equip a ranged weapon in the inventory (a maximum of eight items) and recharge the weapon. The character cannot attack if no charged weapon is equipped. Combat flows in real time, pausing when the player selects an attack. The protagonist may only shoot in a diagonal or vertical direction, while robots have the advantage to attack in all nine directions. If the character is hit, all attributes will be decreased. The attributes will return to their original scores over time. If the protagonist succeeds in defeating a robot, he may search the remains and obtain money. Defeat will result in imprisonment and confiscation of items at the Rehabilitation Center, where the protagonist must also register regularly to avoid being thrown into prison. Robots will re-spawn after a certain amount of time.

Autoduel

MS-DOS - Released - 1985

Autoduel is a hybrid game based on Steve Jackson Games board game Car Wars. It incorporates elements of role-playing, driving and action-based combat. The game is set in a futuristic version of USA, where gangs and vigilantes rule the wilderness, and people's only protection are armored cars with mounted weaponry. The player is cast in the role of an average person who must at first earn enough money to buy an own car, and then perform courier missions throughout the country. The game's progression is fairly open-ended: the player is free to visit different cities, explore highways, participate in car Arena battles to earn money, take on gangsters in the wilderness, salvage car parts, etc. A few courier missions must be completed in order to advance the story. The player can construct and customize vehicles using guns, mine-layers, smokescreens, oil slicks, rockets and other accessories, choosing between various body and chassis types for the car. The entire game is viewed from a top-down perspective.

AutoDuel

Apple II - Released - 1985

AutoDuel

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1988

Autoduel

Atari 800 - Released - 1985

Autoduel is a 1985 role-playing video game published by Origin Systems for the Atari 400 and 800, Commodore 64, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, and MS-DOS. It was released in 1987 for the Atari ST and in 1988 for the Amiga. It is based on the Steve Jackson Games series Car Wars. The game is set in a hypothetical future in the Northeast U.S., where cars are a primary means of protection and defense, and the highways are dangerous stretches of land ruled by gangs and vigilantes with armed vehicles. Autoduel is no longer available for commercial sale. However, since the copyright term is still active, Steve Jackson Games has requested that abandonware sites remove it from their archives. IF PLAYING VIA EMULATOR TURN ON NTSC ARTIFACTING to see the game in color.

AutoDuel

Commodore 64 - Released - 1985

AutoDuel is a hybrid game based on Steve Jackson Games board game Car Wars. It incorporates elements of role-playing, driving and action-based combat. The game is set in a futuristic version of USA, where gangs and vigilantes rule the wilderness, and people's only protection are armored cars with mounted weaponry. The player is cast in the role of an average person who must at first earn enough money to buy an own car, and then perform courier missions throughout the country. The game's progression is fairly open-ended: the player is free to visit different cities, explore highways, participate in car Arena battles to earn money, take on gangsters in the wilderness, salvage car parts, etc. A few courier missions must be completed in order to advance the story. The player can construct and customize vehicles using guns, mine-layers, smokescreens, oil slicks, rockets and other accessories, choosing between various body and chassis types for the car. The entire game is viewed from a top-down perspective.

AutoDuel

Atari ST - Released - 1987

AutoDuel

Apple Mac OS - Released - 1988

Bad Blood

Commodore 64 - Released - 1991

A nuclear war has turned the world into a wasteland. The pure-blooded humans have retreated in large cities while mutants live in small villages on the plains where they make a living by hunting the many monsters. Now one of the human leaders, Lord Dominix, wants to start a war to wipe out all the "bad-blooded" mutants. Your village chief has assigned you with the task of preventing this war. Bad Blood is a top-down action game with light role-playing elements. You can not create your own character but have to pick one of the three predefined ones: Varrigg (a strong green mutant who fights with his bare hands), Dekker (a human male armed with a knife) or Jakka (she looks human but can shoot laser beams from her eyes like Cyclops of X-Men fame). The choice you make has only a limited impact on gameplay and storyline. Gameplay consists of exploring the world map, visiting several cities and villages, talking with NPCs, picking up items and new weapons (like shotguns, grenades, Uzis etc.) and lots of real-time combat. Bad Blood lacks character stats and character development. The game has a day-night cycle which influences the amount of monsters on the plains and whether or not you can talk with some NPCs.

Bad Blood

MS-DOS - Released - 1990

BioForge

MS-DOS - Released - 1995

In the far future, a fanatical group of religious extremists known as the Mondites have begun a campaign of galactic conquest. They believe in the evolution of man through machine by cybernetic implants. You are one of the unlucky victims: a prisoner in a Mondite complex on a distant moon, with no memory of your former life. Your body has been turned into a hideous cybernetic nightmare by the evil Dr. Mastaba. It is up to you to explore the complex (abandoned and on the verge of nuclear meltdown), discover the secrets of the Mondites and the mysterious remnants of alien civilization they've discovered, and get out alive from this moon. BioForge is an action game with puzzle-solving, technologically similar to Alone in the Dark, featuring polygonal (and textured) characters over pre-rendered backgrounds. The adventure elements involve the hero collecting items and figuring out puzzles in order to get to new places and discover the secrets of the complex. The action elements involve combat against foes robotic and alive, both with melee weaponry and with guns, though some enemies require trickery rather than force to defeat. Numerous journals, documents and diaries are found throughout the game; these are all recorded and can be re-read at any time.

Caverns of Callisto

Atari 800 - Released - 1983

You are an astronaut on the moon of Callisto and mutants have stolen the panels from your spaceship along with its ion drive. You must explore the caverns of Callisto, recover all the panels, find the ion drive and escape alive. This is a fast paced arcade shooter, in which you fly on your jet-pack through the maze-like caverns, avoiding all the aliens and attempting to find your missing ship parts. Your jet-pack has a limited amount of fuel which must also be collected on your way around. You are equipped with a unlimited ammo gun which kills all aliens in one hit, but this overheats if used too much, leaving you temporarily defenceless. The game is divided into 5 sections each of which contains 8 missing panels, and either a key to get to the next level or the missing ion drive.

Caverns of Callisto

Apple II - Released - July 29, 1983

Crusader: No Regret

MS-DOS - Released - September 10, 1996

Crusader: No Regret is a direct sequel to Crusader: No Remorse, its events starting 46 hours after those depicted in the previous game. The protagonist of the game, a silencer known as the Captain, manipulates his escape pod into a WEC freighter heading towards the moon. There, WEC has established itself as the sole power, overseeing mining procedures and using the moon as prison for dissidents. The Resistance members are forced to work for WEC, extracting a precious radioactive component, Di-Corellium. The powerful corporation is not happy to see the Captain on the moon, and he has to use all his wits and skills to survive as WEC, led by Chairman Draygan, is trying to hunt him down. The game looks and plays very similarly to its predecessor, being an isometric shooter in which the Captain can also jump, run, roll, and kneel to avoid enemy attacks. A few new weapons and death animations have been added. The game's structure is somewhat more straightforward compared to the previous installment. In No Remorse, the Captain was limited to carry five weapons; in No Regret, this limitation has been removed.

Crusader: No Remorse

Sony Playstation - Released - December 31, 1996

As No Remorse opens, a trio of Silencers—enigmatic super-soldiers—are returning from a botched mission in which they disobeyed an order to fire upon civilians who were (mistakenly) believed to be rebels. They are ambushed by a WEC mech, and two of the Silencers are killed. The remaining one, a nameless captain, (whom the player plays as), joins the Resistance, where, as a significant symbol of the WEC's military power and political philosophy, he meets with resentment, distrust and outright hatred. However, he uncomplainingly undertakes dangerous missions, often with substandard equipment, and his continued success gradually earns the respect of his fellow Resistance members. The Captain eventually uncovers secret plans for a WEC space station, the Vigilance Platform, which can attack any location on Earth from space, meaning cities with a known Resistance presence can simply be annihilated at the leisure of the WEC. All such cities are threatened with orbital bombardment unless they surrender. Concurrently, the player's Resistance cell is betrayed from within, and almost all the non-player characters are killed. Despite these setbacks, the Captain infiltrates the Vigilance Platform and destroys it. The traitor is also on the station, guarding the lifepods, and challenges the Silencer to a duel over the access card for the last pod. As the Vigilance Platform is exploding, the Captain is contacted by Chairman Draygan, who swears vengeance against the Silencer.

Crusader: No Remorse

Sega Saturn - Released - December 20, 1996

You are a silencer, the elite of the elite soldiers of World Economic Consortium. You are used to orders of hunting down the Resistance, a ragtag band of rebels committing sabotage and other acts of terrorism against the WEC, but slowly, you realized the WEC is not quite what it appears to be... then one day you and two other Silencers, your best buddies, were ambushed by a WEC mech patrol when it was supposed to be a routine mission. You alone survived. It is clear that the Silencer is being silenced... and the only place to turn is the Resistance... Crusader: No Remorse is the first in the series, which is best described as a 2D isometric shooter. Your silencer can roll left, roll right, kneel, jump, run, and perform other acrobatic moves. You get plenty of different weapons, from assault rifles and shotguns to grenade launchers and lasers, to really exotic weapons like microwave cannon, EMP discharger, and even plasma cannons. You're up against the full military might of the WEC, from simple guards to full-fledged Guardmechs and elite forces (though none are quite as good as you). You can find supplies and money off of killed enemies (if you left a body, that is, and some of the extreme weapons don't). You'll often need to bypass traps, open doors, disable alarms, take out security cameras, and more. The action is intense, and there's usually a bit of puzzle involved. It's often a matter of exploring the map to find a switch or a terminal with the code that'll let you access another part or another level of the map. Between missions you can chat in the Resistance base and/or buy/sell weapons. You can also find recharge stations to replenish your energy and health (you can also find batteries and first aid kits too). The missions range from simple sabotage to rescue.

Dangerous Streets & Wing Commander

Commodore Amiga CD32 - Released - 1994

A two game compilation that came packaged with the Amiga CD32 system. It includes the 2D one-on-one fighting game Dangerous Streets, and the futuristic space-combat simulator Wing Commander (in an AGA-enhanced version only available in this compilation).

Exodus: Ultima III

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1986

After the defeat of the evil wizard Mondain and his mistress Minax in the previous two Ultimas, peace has returned to the land of Sorsaria. Times passes and eventually geological disruptions and a resurgence of the monster populace occur, and it is soon learned that Mondain and Minax had conceived a child named Exodus before their death. Now that child has become an adult with the power to avenge the death of his parents. Obviously, it falls upon the hero from Earth to find and stop him. The third title in the Ultima series was the first to feature a party of adventurers instead of a single player character. The party is created at the beginning of the game by assigning various class combinations and determining the characters' attributes. The game has larger and more detailed towns, populated by NPCs the protagonist can converse with to obtain clues. Like in earlier Ultima games, exploration is divided between top-down overworld locations and first-person 3D dungeons. This installment introduces separate combat screens where player-controlled party fights multiple monsters in a turn-based tile-based system.

Kabul Spy

Apple II - Released - August 19, 1981

Kabul Spy is a color graphic adventure game where the player must type VERB NOUN commands. The game has a save/restore feature that allows you to return to your game. The player gains points by solving puzzles, to a maximum of 700 points. The player can lose points through various non-fatal mistakes including shooting innocents. When the player makes a fatal mistake, they receive a score which shows how much of the game they have completed. You are a Western agent, whose goal is to rescue Professor Paul Eisenstadt from Afghanistan, where he is being held hostage by the KGB. You start in an airport in Pakistan and must move towards Bahawalpur, Pakistan, and then towards the Afghanistan border near the town of Quetta. There, you meet with Hisrin, who smuggles you across the border into Afghanistan, where you then proceed to the town of Kandahar. You must eventually travel through the Afghani wilderness to a prison outside of Kabul. Here, you find the professor, and must bring him to an airport outside of Kabul. You force your way into the airport, and abscond with a MiG jet, flying yourself and the professor to safety.

Knights of Legend

Apple II - Released - 1989

Knights of Legend is set in the fantasy land of Ashtalarea. The evil Pildar has captured the ruler of the land, known as the Duke, and a warrior named Seggallion, who has fought and defeated Pildar in the past. The player controls a party of adventurers whose quest is to rescue the prisoners, and eventually vanquish Pildar. The player can create a party of adventurers, choosing between the traditional races of humans, dwarves, and elves, as well as a new race called Keldar, who possesses the power of flight. The game world is explored from top-down perspective. Turn-based combat takes place on separate screens. The combat system in the game is quite complex, including various types of attacks, parrying and dodging, as well as the possibility of targeting individual body parts of enemies. The player also selects commands for a defensive round, trying to anticipate the opponent's move.

Knights of Legend

MS-DOS - Released - 1989

Knights of Legend

Commodore 64 - Released - October 1, 1989

Moebius

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1988

Khantun is traditionally a peaceful land, with no army or wars. Former leader Kaimen has turned to using his powers for evil, and the land has not withstood his aggression. The Holy Ones have been kidnapped, the land instead ruled by an evil group of monks. It is down to the player to vanquish Kaimen and restore the path of righteousness. The game combines top-viewed role playing elements with combat action. The player explores the lands, but when encountering unfriendly people the player must fight, using swords or martial arts moves, as well as long-range missiles and magical powers.

Moebius

Apple II - Released - August 24, 1985

Moebius: The Orb of Celestial Harmony

Atari ST - Released - 1987

Moebius: The Orb of Celestial Harmony

MS-DOS - Released - 1987

Ogre

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1986

Ogre is a 2D turn-based strategy game, and a direct computer conversion of Steve Jackson's board game of supertanks going against conventional infantry with howitzers. It plays exactly like the board game - on a hex-based board one player controls ordinary military units (soldiers, tanks etc.), and defends against the second player, who controls a supertank named "Ogre" - Ogre is very powerful, and can easily destroy normal weaponry and ground forces.

Ogre

Atari 800 - Released - 1986

Ogre

Apple II - Released - 1986

Ogre

Apple Mac OS - Released - 1987

Ogre

Atari ST - Released - 1986

Ogre

MS-DOS - Released - 1986

Ogre (Origin)

Commodore 64 - Released - December 16, 1986

Omega

Atari ST - Released - 1989

Omega casts the player into the role of a cyber-tank designer and programmer. The goal is to design a powerful tank capable of defeating opponents within the frames of a limited budget. A successful completion of this task grants the player character a higher security clearance and a large budget. Combat plays little to no role in the game; the gameplay is dedicated to designing the tanks themselves. The player programs tanks by using a built-in text editor. It is possible to assign different artificial intelligence script commands that control various aspects of the tank, as well as enable communication between several tanks in a group. The player must take into account the equipment of a tank and its attributes in order to design a vehicle that would prove successful in combat.

Omega

Commodore 64 - Released - 1989

Omega

MS-DOS - Released - 1989

Omega

Apple II - Released - August 26, 1989

Omega is a computer game developed by Stuart Marks and published by Origin Systems in 1989. The game puts the player in the role of a cyber-tank designer and programmer. Given a limited budget, the player must design a tank that can defeat a series of ever more challenging opponent tanks. Each successful design yields a higher security clearance and a larger budget, ultimately resulting in an OMEGA clearance and an unlimited budget. The focus of the game is not on the combat but on game programming the tank itself. Tanks are programmed using a built-in text editor that allows the player to use various artificial intelligence script commands, similar in structure to BASIC. These commands permit control of various aspects of the tank, and also allows teams of tanks to communicate and coordinate actions. While commands exist that enable a range of control over the tank, successful designs tend to be automated. Decision making is an important part of the design process, as the programming must reflect the equipment placed on the tank. Code was cross-platform, so Apple, Commodore, and IBM users could compete against each other. Origin operated a bulletin board system for Omega owners.

Omega

Apple IIGS - Released - 1990

Omega is a computer game developed by Stuart Marks and published by Origin Systems in 1989. The original game came on 5¼" floppy disks.

Omega

Apple Mac OS - Released - 1989

Omega (Origin Systems)

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1989

Pagan: Ultima VIII

MS-DOS - Released - March 15, 1994

Ultima VIII: Pagan begins where Ultima VII: Part Two - Serpent Isle ended. The Guardian banishes the Avatar to the land of Pagan, a world under his control. Stranded in this unknown land, without his companions to help him, the Avatar's goal is to find a way back to Britannia. He has to confront four Titans in this world who are embodiments of the four elements, as well as master different styles of magic and fight many opponents on his way. The gameplay is significantly more action-oriented in this installment than in the previous Ultima games. The Avatar is able to jump and climb, and some puzzles are based on these abilities, adding platform-style elements to the game. There are no companions to help him in battles; combat is action-based and relies on the player's dexterity. The game also abandons the leveling system of the previous entries, utilizing instead a training-based approach, similar to the one implemented in Quest for Glory games: the character's parameters are increased by continuously using correspondent actions (e.g. the Avatar's strength gradually increases as he swings his weapon). Magic occupies an important place in the game, also departing from the style of the preceding games. The player still needs to gather reagents for spells; however, the exact preparation and casting of the spell differs depending on the elemental school it belongs to. There are four different magic schools in the game, and mastering their spells bears plot-related importance as well. Like in the two previous Ultima installments, the game features physical interactivity with the environment: the player is able to take, drop, and move most objects from place to place. As opposed to the topic-based dialogue style of the earlier games in the series, Pagan uses conversations with selectable responses. It also reduces NPC interaction, focusing more on exploration of a hostile world and combat.

Ring Quest

Apple II - Released - August 27, 1985

Ring Quest is a fantasy text based adventure game which also has pictures of most of the locations. It contains about 100 locations and 80 illustrations. The Ring of Chaos has enslaved the noble sorceress, Lisa, and all space-time is threatened by its destructive influence. As bearer of the Ring of Order, your mission is to free Lisa before reality is disrupted beyond retrieval. Ring Quest is the nominal sequel of The Quest. Ring Quest returns you to the magical land of Balema, accompanied once more by Gorn, your water-swilling strong-arm. Far to the north is your ultimate goal, the sorceress's mountain citadel. As though its shield of green lightning were not adequate, you soon encounter other obstacles, including trolls, manticores, amorous ogresses, and greedy seers.

ShadowCaster

MS-DOS - Released - 1993

Living in a peaceful land with a man he called grandfather, Kirt has always thought he was just an ordinary human. One day, following a storm, the old man told Kirt that he was the last of The People - an ancient race that possessed the ability to shapeshift into magical creatures. Kurt's parents and the rest of The People were slaughtered by followers of the outcast god Malkor - former renegade shapeshifters who got corrupted by his promises of power. Now, Malkor's minions are after Kirt, and he must recall the techniques of his race to defeat evil. ShadowCaster is a 3D first-person fantasy-themed action game with light role-playing elements. Utilizing an engine similar to that of Wolfenstein 3D, the game adds to it the abilities to jump, swim, and (under certain circumstances) fly. The game's stand-out feature are Kirt's shapeshifting abilities. Throughout the game, he will be able to transform into magical creatures, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, which must be taken into account during combat and exploration. These include a four-armed cat who can see invisible things; a leprechaun who can fit into tight spaces and unleash a swarm of insects; a dragon who can fly, breathe fire and attack with his tail, and others. Some of Kirt's forms can use magic, which requires magic points to cast. The CD-ROM enhanced version features enhanced redbook audio narration, two new levels, and 3D rendered cutscenes.

ShadowCaster (Demo Version)

MS-DOS - Released - October 1, 1993

The demo version of ShadowCaster includes a short scenario that is not part of the retail version release. The player controls the protagonist Kirt, who at the start of the demo receives a cryptic objective to "restore the crown of [an obelisk's] brother-in-flames to establish [his] heritage". This involves travelling from one obelisk to another at the end of the demo in a mostly linear fashion through several differently themed areas (open, underwater, underground), showcasing a few of the game's monsters, traps and other mechanics. Three morphing forms are available that should help the player bypass the obstacles on their way. Saving and loading is not available in the demo.

Space Rogue

Commodore Amiga - 1990

Space Rogue is a hybrid game that combines space flight and combat simulation with trading and RPG elements such as interaction with characters and a quest-based structure with a main plot line. Space flight takes place in two different modes: Cruise Flight, which is ideal for travelling quickly, and Newtonian Flight, which works best for combat and precision flying. There are also three different camera views for the 3D exploration and combat. Each planetary system has a variety of destinations and obstacles to travel through via a top-down navigational map. Traveling to an outpost, a space station, or any other location with the star system can be done simply by selecting it and charting a course, or in real-time 3D flight mode.

Space Rogue

MS-DOS - Released - 1989

The Princess Blue was a trading vessel. While cruising through space, it happened upon a derelict ship floating in space. Only one crew member was allowed to investigate the abandoned ship. Suddenly, Manchi raiders appeared on the viewscreen. The Manchi managed to ambush and destroy the Princess Blue. The only surviving crew member from the Princess Blue swears revenge and is determined to do everything in his power to defeat the Manchi. Space Rogue is a hybrid game that combines space flight and combat simulation with trading and RPG elements such as interaction with characters and a quest-based structure with a main plot line. Space flight takes place in two different modes: Cruise Flight, which is ideal for travelling quickly, and Newtonian Flight, which works best for combat and precision flying. There are also three different camera views for the 3D exploration and combat. Each planetary system has a variety of destinations and obstacles to travel through via a top-down navigational map. Traveling to an outpost, a space station, or any other location with the star system can be done simply by selecting it and charting a course, or in real-time 3D flight mode. Interstellar travel between systems, is done by finding a Malir Gate and using it to reach hyperspace. While in hyperspace, the game becomes a simple 'tunnel' game where the player must manually control the ship not to hit any of the walls. Also hyperspace travel eats away at the ship, so the faster the player can get through them, the more armor the ship retains. While traveling in space the ship may get attacked, or the player may opt to assault any other ships first. It is also possible to buy and sell various goods, earning money and spending it on outfitting the ship with weapons and various upgrades, such as for example a device that allows it to move more stealthily through space and avoid detection by hostiles. The player character has a reputation rating with various factions such as the Imperium, the pirates, and others. This rating is affected by the player's actions towards them and can be raised or lowered by helping specific factions fight others. When docked at outposts or stations, the view shifts to top-down, and the player navigates the protagonist through the location in an adventure or RPG-like fashion, examining objects and talking to characters. Conversations may have multiple choices, and a few instances require the player to type in keywords, though for the most parts responses are selected from a menu. The game has a main plot line that requires finding, talking, and performing tasks for characters, as well as sub-quests that may result in various rewards such as money or ship upgrades.

Space Rogue

Apple Mac OS - 1989

Space Rogue

Atari ST - Released - 1989

Space Rogue

Apple II - Released - October 6, 1989

Space Rogue

Commodore 64 - Released - October 1, 1989

Strike Commander (CD-ROM Edition)

MS-DOS - Released - December 1, 1993

The CD-ROM release of Strike Commander includes the following: - Strike Commander - Strike Commander: Tactical Operations - An additional opening cinematic and menu to choose between these two products - Digitized speech for every character, a feature which expands on what was available in the Strike Commander Speech Pack Following the collapse of Soviet Union, USA began to dominate the politics of the Commonwealth of Independent Nations. Islamic countries started a global jihad against the Western world, and as a result, petroleum has become an even more rare and valuable resource. In a chain of events, Alaska declared independence, and major powers of the world began fighting over its oil-rich territory. Japan turned into the world's most powerful nation, while United States and the Catholic Church were weakened; by the year 2011, humanity's dreams of unification have become completely shattered, and the fate of the world was decided by mercenary organizations. Similar to Wing Commander in gameplay style and visual presentation, Strike Commander is a flight simulator with action-oriented combat. You lead a rag-tag mercenary fighter squadron known as the Wildcats, trying to make a living in a dangerous, chaotic world. Somewhat simplified dogfights in your blackmarket-purchased F-16s are supplemented by interactive cutscenes where you converse with your teammates, or go into town to buy new contracts.

System Shock

MS-DOS - Released - September 23, 1994

The year is 2072. A hacker from a Saturn colony breaks into computer system of TriOptimum Corporation and gets arrested. He is taken to the Citadel Station, where he's offered a full pardon as well as grant him a valuable neural implant, if he agrees to hack into SHODAN, the AI that controls the station. The hacker removes the AI's ethical constraints and undergoes the promised implant surgery, after which he is put into a six-month healing coma. System Shock is a first-person shooter with puzzle-solving and light role-playing elements. The gameplay incorporates gradual exploration of the Citadel's ten levels, interaction with the environment, problem-solving, fulfilling objectives, and combat. Thanks to the hacker's implant he is able to install various pieces of hardware into his body, such as a booster which makes him go faster, or a head lantern to bright up dark areas. As the player progresses in the game, higher versions of existing hardware are found, which are more effective and useful. The story of System Shock is mostly told through e-mail messages the protagonist received, and electronic diaries (logs) left by various characters (as well as SHODAN herself), which are scattered around the space station. The game features separate adjustable difficulty settings for combat, mission objectives and puzzles. The CD version of the game includes full speech for e-mails and logs, as well as higher-resolution, more detailed graphics.

Tangled Tales

Apple II - September 11, 1989

Tangled Tales: The Misadventures of a Wizard’s Apprentice is a computer game developed by Origin Systems in 1989 for the Apple II, MS-DOS, and Commodore 64. In Tangled Tales: The Misadventures of a Wizard’s Apprentice, the player is a young apprentice wizard without friends, spells, or money, about to go out and learn the wizard trade. The player makes new friends from various fictional universes, such as a werewolf, a surfer, a snowman, Goldilocks (a thief), and Isaac Newton, each of which can help the player reach wizard status. The game consists of three separate scenarios, each must be completed before going on to the next, but the player can always go back to an old area in case something is missed.

Tangled Tales

Commodore 64 - Released - 1990

You're a wizard's apprentice whose Master has taken access to your spells. To get them back, you need to complete three quests. Create your character by assigning points to Strength, Intelligence, Speed and Charisma, before setting off. This role-playing title is specifically aimed at younger people and non-hardcore roleplaying gamers. The screen display is split into a text window, a graphical window and a movement window. A comical mish-mash of characters ranging from knights to surfers await, each with their own part in solving your quests. You must learn new spells and fight when required, also recruiting people and spending money at many stages of the adventure, which takes in over 100 screens. Tangled Tales: The Misadventures of a Wizard’s Apprentice is a computer game developed by Origin Systems in 1989 for the Apple II, MS-DOS, and Commodore 64.

Tangled Tales

MS-DOS - Released - 1989

Times of Lore

Apple II - Released - 1988

The Kingdom of Albereth was under attack of barbarian forces. King Valwyn drove the barbarians away, but was wounded in battles. Searching for a place where he could rest and restore his strength, he left the city - but never returned. Now, a new hero must rise and defend his homeland. Times of Lore is an action game with light role-playing elements, which follows the adventures of a young warrior (strong barbarian, armored knight, or quick valkyrie) to assist a weakened kingdom from various threats, and to recover special Artifacts that once made the kingdom strong. Gameplay consists of moving the protagonist in real-time (day and night) through various terrains, like forests, towns, and dungeons. The player character gathers basic items, like health and magic potions, and increasingly powerful weapons as he completes tasks and advances the plot. Conversations are handled through key phrases. Battles involve a few types of creatures (skeletons, orcs, rogues) of which there can be various flavors.

Times of Lore

Atari ST - Released - 1989

Times of Lore

Amstrad CPC - Released - 1990

Times of Lore

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1988

Times of Lore

MS-DOS - Released - 1988

Times of Lore

Commodore 64 - Released - January 1, 1988

Transland

MS-DOS - Released - 1996

Not being a kid any more and with a desire to explore the galaxy you pop down to the spaceship sale and get yourself a bargain. After take off something goes wrong and your ship explodes, you crash land safely in your combo escape pod/scooter unit on a strange world. The goal of the game is to restore the communications hub. Transland is a short 3D action game with light role-playing elements. It is played from a first-person perspective and it is reminiscent of Shadowcaster. The player gets to explore the environment freely and there are four worlds to discover. Starting in Waterville there are three houses, each with a character inside and a quest that needs to be completed in the correct order. First the player has to go through a maze in Hedgeville to retrieve a jump unit. Once it has been found, the player gets to access Waterville. There, the jump unit is used to press buttons high up in the air to turn on fans. Enemies can be shot but initially only the Lame Gun is available. In this world a more powerful gun can be found, but with limited ammo. The final world is Iceville where a panel remover has to be located. It consists of different areas where the ice has been split into island. Once the item has been located, communications can be restored and the game is completed. Collected items are stored in an inventory.

Ultima I

Apple II - Released - 1986

Ultima I is a remake of the classic RPG Ultima from 1981. You must travel to another world and save the land Sosaria from the evil wizard Mondain. The game features tile based top-down overworld graphics and first person perspective pseudo-3D dungeons. The original Ultima was re-programmed using assembly language, with updated graphics, minor changes in towns' and people's names, and some different puzzles.

Ultima I

Commodore 64 - Released - 1986

In the realm of Sosaria, a land divided by a thousand years of agony brought about by the malevolent sorcerer Mondain, a lone hero capable of turning back the tides of darkness has finally emerged. That hero is you. Your mission, a slight variation on the standard kill-the-evil-wizard theme, is to assemble a time machine, go back in time before the evil wizard developed unstoppable power and, then, of course, eliminate him. Ultima I is a remake of the classic RPG Ultima from 1981. You must travel to another world and save the land Sosaria from the evil wizard Mondain. The game features tile-based top-down overworld graphics and first-person perspective pseudo-3D dungeons. The original Ultima was re-programmed using assembly language, with updated graphics, minor changes in towns' and people's names, and some different puzzles.

Ultima I

MS-DOS - Released - 1987

In the realm of Sosaria, a land divided by a thousand years of agony brought about by the malevolent sorcerer Mondain, a lone hero capable of turning back the tides of darkness has finally emerged. That hero is you. Your mission, a slight variation on the standard kill-the-evil-wizard theme, is to assemble a time machine, go back in time before the evil wizard developed unstoppable power and, then, of course, eliminate him. Ultima I is a remake of the classic RPG Ultima from 1981. The game features tile based top-down overworld graphics and first person perspective pseudo-3D dungeons. The original Ultima was re-programmed using assembly language, with updated graphics, minor changes in towns' and people's names, and some different puzzles.

Ultima III: Exodus

Apple II - Released - 1983

Ultima III: Exodus is the third game in the Ultima series. Exodus is also the name of the game's principal antagonist. Released in 1983, it was the first Ultima game published by Origin Systems. Originally developed for the Apple II, Exodus was eventually ported to 13 other platforms, including a NES/Famicom remake. Exodus featured revolutionary graphics for its time, as one of the first computer RPGs to display animated characters. Also, Exodus differs from previous games in that players now direct the actions of a party of four characters rather than just one. During regular play the characters are represented as a single player icon and move as one. However, in battle mode, each character is represented separately on a separate "battle screen" and the player alternates commands between each character in order, followed by each enemy character having a turn. Thus the player must understand weapons and magic commands and employ rudimentary tactics in order to overcome each opponent. This differs from the two previous games in the Ultima series in which the player is simply depicted as trading blows with one opponent on the main map until either is defeated. Enemies on the overworld map can be seen and at least temporarily avoided, while enemies in a dungeon may appear randomly without any forewarning.

Ultima III: Exodus

Apple Mac OS - Released - 1993

Ultima III: Exodus

MS-DOS - Released - 1985

Ultima III: Exodus

Commodore 64 - Released - August 23, 1983

Ultima III: Exodus

Atari 800 - Released - 1983

Ultima III: Exodus

Atari ST - Released - 1986

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Atari ST - Released - 1988

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1988

The fourth game in the Ultima series features an improved game engine, with color graphics and enhanced character interaction: the player can have conversations with non-playable characters by typing names of various topics. However, the main difference between Ultima IV and its predecessors in the series (as well as other role-playing games) lies in the game's objectives and the ways to fulfill them. Instead of building up a character by any means possible in order to face a villain in the end of the game, in Ultima IV the player is trying to become the Avatar, a role model for people. This means upholding the Eight Virtues, basically trying to become a better person. Making morally conscious decisions and helping other people is not done expecting a material reward, but because it is the actual goal of the game and the main focus of its gameplay. The game frowns on behavior typical of most other RPGs, such as backstabbing fleeing enemies or picking up everything that isn't nailed down even if it does not belong to the protagonist. This different approach established the game's reputation as the first "true" Ultima, influencing the design philosophy of later installments and the overall spirit of the series.

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Atari 800 - Released - 1985

Following the defeat of the evil triad in the previous three Ultima games, the world of Sosaria changed beyond recognition: continents rose and sank, and new cities were built, heralding the advent of a different civilization. Unified by the reign of the benevolent monarch Lord British, the new world was renamed Britannia. Lord British wished to base people's well-being on the ethical principles of Truth, Love, and Courage, proclaiming the Eight Virtues (Honesty, Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice, Honor, Spirituality, and Humility) as the ideal everyone should strive for. The person who could accomplish full understanding and realization of these virtues would serve as a spiritual leader and a moral example for the inhabitants of Britannia; he alone would be able to obtain holy artifacts, descend into the Stygian Abyss, and access the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom. This person is the Avatar. The fourth game in the Ultima series features an improved game engine, with color graphics and enhanced character interaction: the player can have conversations with non-playable characters by typing names of various topics. However, the main difference between Ultima IV and its predecessors in the series (as well as other role-playing games) lies in the game's objectives and the ways to fulfill them. Instead of building up a character by any means possible in order to face a villain in the end of the game, in Ultima IV the player is trying to become the Avatar, a role model for people. This means upholding the Eight Virtues, basically trying to become a better person. Making morally conscious decisions and helping other people is not done expecting a material reward, but because it is the actual goal of the game and the main focus of its gameplay. The game frowns on behavior typical of most other RPGs, such as backstabbing fleeing enemies or picking up everything that isn't nailed down even if it does not belong to the protagonist. This different approach established the game's reputation as the first "true" Ultima, influencing the design philosophy of later installments and the overall spirit of the series. Character creation is done by choosing responses to morally ambiguous questions. Each of the Eight Virtues corresponds to a character class; by determining the player's personal priorities in the virtues, the game assigns a class and a starting location for the Avatar. After emerging in Britannia, the player is free to explore it in various ways (on foot, moongate teleportation, on horseback, by ship, etc.). Certain items must be collected in any order to enter the Stygian Abyss and complete the game. The Avatar also has to reach the highest level in all virtues. This is achieved by various means: donating blood increases Sacrifice, not fleeing from combat increases Valor, etc. The process, however, is not irreversible: should the Avatar overpay a blind seller, he gains Compassion points; should he, on the other hand, cheat the seller by underpaying, his level in several virtues would decrease. These unorthodox features of the game co-exist with plenty of traditional RPG elements, such as dungeons to explore and hostile monsters to kill. Enemies are encountered on the world map as well as in dungeons; combat takes place on separate top-down screens, allowing player-controlled and enemy parties freely move on them. Characters accumulate experience points and level up, gaining higher amount of hit points and access to stronger magic spells. Like in the previous installments of the series, world map, town exploration and combat are presented from a top-down view, while the dungeons are pseudo-3D and are explored from first-person perspective. Ultima IV also introduces several new gameplay features to the series and role-playing games in general. A number of initially non-playable characters living in various areas of the game world are able to to join the party and fight alongside the hero, replacing traditional player-generated characters or mercenaries and adventurers available only in special locations. Additional new elements include buying and combining reagents in order to cast spells, puzzle rooms in dungeons, and others. The FM Towns version, while identical to the others in gameplay, introduces upgraded graphics similar to those used in next installment of the series.

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Commodore 64 - Released - September 16, 1985

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

MS-DOS - Released - 1987

Following the defeat of the evil triad in the previous three Ultima games, the world of Sosaria changed beyond recognition: continents rose and sank, and new cities were built, heralding the advent of a different civilization. Unified by the reign of the benevolent monarch Lord British, the new world was renamed Britannia. Lord British wished to base people's well-being on the ethical principles of Truth, Love, and Courage, proclaiming the Eight Virtues (Honesty, Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice, Honor, Spirituality, and Humility) as the ideal everyone should strive for. The person who could accomplish full understanding and realization of these virtues would serve as a spiritual leader and a moral example for the inhabitants of Britannia; he alone would be able to obtain holy artifacts, descend into the Stygian Abyss, and access the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom. This person is the Avatar. The fourth game in the Ultima series features an improved game engine, with color graphics and enhanced character interaction: the player can have conversations with non-playable characters by typing names of various topics. However, the main difference between Ultima IV and its predecessors in the series (as well as other role-playing games) lies in the game's objectives and the ways to fulfill them. Instead of building up a character by any means possible in order to face a villain in the end of the game, in Ultima IV the player is trying to become the Avatar, a role model for people. This means upholding the Eight Virtues, basically trying to become a better person. Making morally conscious decisions and helping other people is not done expecting a material reward, but because it is the actual goal of the game and the main focus of its gameplay. The game frowns on behavior typical of most other RPGs, such as backstabbing fleeing enemies or picking up everything that isn't nailed down even if it does not belong to the protagonist. This different approach established the game's reputation as the first "true" Ultima, influencing the design philosophy of later installments and the overall spirit of the series. Character creation is done by choosing responses to morally ambiguous questions. Each of the Eight Virtues corresponds to a character class; by determining the player's personal priorities in the virtues, the game assigns a class and a starting location for the Avatar. After emerging in Britannia, the player is free to explore it in various ways (on foot, moongate teleportation, on horseback, by ship, etc.). Certain items must be collected in any order to enter the Stygian Abyss and complete the game. The Avatar also has to reach the highest level in all virtues. This is achieved by various means: donating blood increases Sacrifice, not fleeing from combat increases Valor, etc. The process, however, is not irreversible: should the Avatar overpay a blind seller, he gains Compassion points; should he, on the other hand, cheat the seller by underpaying, his level in several virtues would decrease. These unorthodox features of the game co-exist with plenty of traditional RPG elements, such as dungeons to explore and hostile monsters to kill. Enemies are encountered on the world map as well as in dungeons; combat takes place on separate top-down screens, allowing player-controlled and enemy parties freely move on them. Characters accumulate experience points and level up, gaining higher amount of hit points and access to stronger magic spells. Like in the previous installments of the series, world map, town exploration and combat are presented from a top-down view, while the dungeons are pseudo-3D and are explored from first-person perspective. Ultima IV also introduces several new gameplay features to the series and role-playing games in general. A number of initially non-playable characters living in various areas of the game world are able to to join the party and fight alongside the hero, replacing traditional player-generated characters or mercenaries and adventurers available only in special locations. Additional new elements include buying and combining reagents in order to cast spells, unique items such as grapple to pass through mountains, puzzle rooms in dungeons, and others.

Ultima IV: Quest of The Avatar

Apple II - Released - 1985

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar, first released in 1985 for the Apple II, is the fourth in the series of Ultima role-playing video games. It is the first in the "Age of Enlightenment" trilogy, shifting the series from the hack and slash, dungeon crawl gameplay of its "Age of Darkness" predecessors towards an ethically-nuanced, story-driven approach. In 1996 Computer Gaming World named Ultima IV as #2 on its Best Games of All Time list on the PC. Designer Richard Garriott considers this game to be among his favorites from the Ultima series. Ultima IV is among the few computer role-playing games, and perhaps the first, in which the game's story does not center on asking a player to overcome a tangible ultimate evil.

Ultima Online: The Second Age

Windows - DLC - 1998

The second edition, and first expansion to, the massively-multiplayer game Ultima Online. Added the Lost Lands, new landmass for players to explore, as well as various new game features such as a chat system.

Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds

MS-DOS - Released - January 11, 1993

Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds takes place one year after the events of Ultima VII: The Black Gate. To celebrate the defeat of the Guardian, Lord British invites the Avatar and his companions to his castle. However, in the night of the feast the Guardian attacks again, encasing the castle in a giant gem of blackrock. Deep in the sewers of the castle, another blackrock gem is found, created as an aftereffect of the attack. This gem is a teleporter to other worlds controlled by the Guardian. Now the Avatar must travel to these worlds in order to free the castle from the Guardian's spell. This sequel to Ultima Underworld plays almost exactly as the original, with its 3D world, action-oriented combat, magic system and multiple-choice conversations. The player creates the character of Avatar, choosing gender, class, and initial skills. These range from weapon proficiencies to social abilities such as diplomacy and bartering. Some of the skills can be increased during the course of the game by visiting trainers. After having accumulated a sufficient amount of experience points, the Avatar levels up, and his hit points and mana are increased. Like its predecessor, the game features an interactive world: many objects can be manipulated and physically moved. The game's storyline is more connected to the main Ultima series than that of its predecessor, and the game world is larger and has more variety: besides the usual castles and dungeons there are such diverse locations as an ice world, an alien place called Talorus and the enigmatic Ethereal Void. Graphics and sound have also been improved: the size of the viewing window has been increased, there are new monster graphics and the game now features digitized sound effects.

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss

MS-DOS - Released - March 1, 1992

After having brought peace to Britannia during his previous journey there, the Avatar returns to our world. However, he is haunted by ghostly dreams that warn him of a great danger in Britannia. The Avatar decides to travel there once again. Upon his arrival, he witnesses the kidnapping of Baron Almric's daughter. Found guilty of the crime, the Avatar is thrown into the Great Stygian Abyss with the choice of either finding the girl or rotting in the dungeon. On his journey he will have to get along with the many inhabitants of the dungeon, who are survivors of a failed colony, and eventually find out that there's much more to this kidnapping than meets the eye. Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss is commonly considered the first role-playing game with fluid first-person movement in a real 3D environment. Unlike earlier first-person RPGs such as Dungeon Master or Eye of the Beholder, the player can move in every direction and the graphics are updated continually. The player is also able to look up and down with the press of a key, jump, and swim. The dungeon is not made entirely of corridors and rooms arranged in a rectangular fashion, but has a lot of variety: slopes, stairs, bridges, underground rivers, and more. The game's combat system is action-oriented. The player has to draw his weapon, aim at his opponent, and hold the cursor over the game screen to inflict damage; the longer the player holds it, the stronger is the attack. Some weapons have different types of attacks, depending on where the cursor is held: for example, jabs are executed when the cursor is near the bottom of the screen, while slashes are performed with the cursor in the middle. In the beginning of the game, the player chooses the gender, the class, and the initial skills for the Avatar. Skills include various weapon proficiencies, lockpicking, bartering, and others. They can be increased by reciting mantras at special shrines after having accumulated a sufficient amount of experience points. Leveling up also increases the Avatar's hit points and mana. The magic system is based on runes that can be found in the Abyss. If combined in the right order, they produce a magical effect. As the Abyss is populated by more than just monsters, there are various conversations the Avatar can conduct with non-playable characters. The player can also make choices regarding the Avatar's behavior towards these characters. Game progression is largely non-linear: the player is able to explore most of the Abyss in any order, though several specific tasks must be accomplished in order to complete the story. An auto-map displays all the locations the player has explored previously, and also allows the player to make notes on it.

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny

MS-DOS - Released - October 5, 1988

The Avatar, the embodiment of the Eight Virtues and the hero of Britannia, is called back to deal with a grave threat. Lord British, the country's benevolent monarch, has disappeared, and a man named Blackthorn has usurped his throne. The tyrant rules the land by enforcing the virtues upon the will of the people, corrupting their meaning in the process. His fundamentalist visions led him to create a police state, where failure to adhere to the virtues is punishable by death. Behind Blackthorn are the three Shadowlords, anti-thesis to the three principles of Truth, Love, and Courage. The Avatar must understand their meaning and origins, find a way to defeat them, rescue Lord British, and restore the former ethical principles of Britannia. Ultima V uses the basics of the Ultima IV engine, an overhead perspective for the map of Britannia and its towns, and a rosette-compass 3D view for the dungeons. The battle system also resembles that of the previous game, with separate battle screens and navigation of character icons in turn-based style. Many of the game play elements of the predecessor return, including the complex spell system (reagents must be bought in order to cast spells), recruitable party members, moon gates that teleport the party between locations, various means of transportation (horses, ships, etc., with the notable addition of a magic carpet), and so on. Character creation based on morally ambiguous questions and basic leveling up system have been preserved as well. In comparison to the predecessor, the classes have been reduced to four. Additional challenges include navigating characters through the Underworld, a vast underground area containing many hazards; random presence of Shadowlords in the cities, which influences the behavior of their inhabitants, making them run away, steal from, or attack the Avatar; inscriptions in a runic alphabet that must be deciphered by the player, and others. The game has a noticeably more detailed world than any of its predecessors; the towns are much larger, with many unique buildings and objects represented graphically. Ultima V introduces physical interaction with the game world: many objects can be pushed or pulled, the main character can sit down on a chair (which is graphically shown), etc. It also incorporates a day/night cycle and schedules for non-playable characters: for example, it is impossible to shop at night because the shopkeepers are sleeping. Dialogues with NPCs have been enhanced, featuring more unique and detailed conversation topics.

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1989

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny

Commodore 128 - Released - June 15, 1988

Enter the realm of Britannia: a world rich in history, adventure, and intrigue. Lord British, the benevolent ruler of Britannia, has been lost on an expedition to explore the vast reaches of a newly discovered underworld. Panic erupts in Britannia when the sole survivor of the expedition returns with dread tales of their fate. To restore peace, the trusted but ambitious subject, Blackthorne seizes control of Britannia. His fanatical devotion to order ultimately transforms him into a self-righteous tyrant. Now, Britannia's destiny depends on your ability to discover the fate of Lord British and to unseat the merciless Blackthorn.

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny

Apple II - Released - 1988

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny (1988) is the fifth entry in the role-playing video game series Ultima. After having mastered the eight Virtues, attaining Avatarhood and retrieving the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom in the previous game, the Avatar is summoned back to Britannia by his old comrades Iolo and Shamino using a magic coin, which was included as a trinket in the game's box. Upon arrival he is greeted by Shamino but they immediately come under attack from the three powerful beings known as the Shadowlords. Warriors of Destiny featured much more polished writing (earlier games were riddled with some spelling errors and uneven vocabulary) and considerably greater detail than previous games. It was the first Ultima to implement a time-of-day system in which the sun rises and sets, and non-player characters follow daily routine schedules. This game has been lauded as realistically portraying a culture living under a dictatorial regime; its tone is much darker than that of Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar.

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny

Commodore 64 - Released - 1988

Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny

Atari ST - Released - 1988

Ultima VI: The False Prophet

Atari ST - Released - 1992

The final entry in the age of enlightenment trilogy, Ultima VI has you playing as the Avatar who must deal with the unexpected ramifications of his actions from the previous games all the while stopping an invasion of gargoyles from taking over Britannia. However not everything is quite as it seems and what results is an epic fantasy adventure.

Ultima VI: The False Prophet

Commodore 64 - Released - 1991

Ultima VI: The False Prophet, released by Origin Systems in 1990, is the sixth part of the role-playing video game series of Ultima. It was the last in the "Age of Enlightenment" trilogy. Several years after having restored Lord British to his rightful position as the monarch of Britannia, the Avatar is captured by demon-like creatures and placed on a sacrificial altar. His friends Iolo, Shamino, and Dupre appear just in time to save him. In the Britannia castle, the Avatar learns that his abductors were gargoyles, a race of enigmatic creatures who have recently invaded Britannia and occupied the shrines of Virtue. As the Avatar embarks on a quest to liberate Britannia, he begins to gain insight into the gargoyles' true motives, and realizes that it is his duty to achieve peace and understanding between the two races. Ultima VI is notable for having a fully continuous world. There is no "world map" in the game; all the locations are seamlessly connected to each other, turning the game world into an open environment. Compared to the previous installments in the series, the game focuses more on quests and exploration rather than on combat. The latter no longer involves separate screens; battles occur during exploration, without any transitions. The turn-based system from the previous games has been preserved. The interface has been re-designed, the original key-bound commands co-existing with selectable command icons and mouse-based interaction. The game world is more detailed than in the previous games, with a large number of various objects that can be manipulated or added to the inventory. Conversations are more extended, with a wider selection of topics, including many personal ones unique to specific characters. The player is also able to conduct extensive conversations with the Avatar's companions, as well as split the party and control the characters separately. Some important topics may be highlighted during text display, to facilitate further dialogue, which requires the player to type the desired conversation topics. Like in the predecessors, the player is free to explore the game world from the beginning of the game, and visit locations in any order. Following the main quest and obtaining specific items and information is necessary to complete the story; however, the player can also opt to bypass a large part of it by using previous knowledge of the game or outside help. The FM Towns version has full voice acting for all the conversations, in English and in Japanese.

Ultima VI: The False Prophet

MS-DOS - Released - 1990

Several years after having restored Lord British to his rightful position as the monarch of Britannia, the Avatar is captured by demon-like creatures and placed on a sacrificial altar. His friends Iolo, Shamino and Dupre appear just in time to save him. In the Britannia castle, the Avatar learns that his abductors were gargoyles, a race of enigmatic creatures who have recently invaded Britannia and occupied the shrines of Virtue. As the Avatar embarks on a quest to liberate Britannia, he begins to gain insight into the gargoyles' true motives, and realizes that it is his duty to achieve peace and understanding between the two races. Ultima VI is notable for having a fully continuous world. There is no "world map" in the game; all the locations are seamlessly connected to each other, turning the game world into an open environment. Compared to the previous installments in the series, the game focuses more on quests and exploration rather than on combat. The latter no longer involves separate screens; battles occur during exploration, without any transitions. The turn-based system from the previous games has been preserved. The interface has been re-designed, the original key-bound commands co-existing with selectable command icons and mouse-based interaction. The game world is more detailed than in the previous games, with a large number of various objects that can be manipulated or added to the inventory. Conversations are more extended, with a wider selection of topics, including many personal ones unique to specific characters. The player is also able to conduct extensive conversations with the Avatar's companions, as well as split the party and control the characters separately. Some important topics may be highlighted during text display, to facilitate further dialogue, which requires the player to type the desired conversation topics. Like in the predecessors, the player is free to explore the game world from the beginning of the game, and visit locations in any order. Following the main quest and obtaining specific items and information is necessary to complete the story; however, the player can also opt to bypass a large part of it by using previous knowledge of the game or outside help. The FM Towns version has full voice acting for all the conversations, in English and in Japanese.

Ultima VI: The False Prophet

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1992

Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle

MS-DOS - March 25, 1993

The events of the game take place eighteen months after those described in Ultima VII: The Black Gate. Batlin, the leader of the Fellowship has disappeared, as well as Iolo's wife Gwenno. A map is found that points to the Serpent Isle where the Guardian is still planning to destroy Britannia. Lord British sends the Avatar and his companions to this new land. Once there, the Avatar discovers that a great imbalance is upon the isle and it is up to him to fix it. To do so, he must learn the philosophies of the original inhabitants of this land, who worshipped giant serpents symbolizing the principles of Order, Chaos and Balance. Serpent Isle uses virtually the same game engine as the first Ultima VII, with some slight modifications in inventory management and NPC portraits (which are now digitized images of actors). The story, however, is more linear and also more extensive. Unlike earlier Ultima games, many tasks have to be accomplished before the player is able to advance to a different area. There are also many scripted events that advance the plot, though the free-roaming is still retained to a large degree, with a vast amount of locations to visit, items to collect, and NPCs to interact with. Combat is handled similarly to the previous game, with a simple real-time point-and-click management of the Avatar's actions, while his/her party members are being controlled by the AI.

Ultima VII Part Two: The Silver Seed

MS-DOS - DLC - 1993

The Silver Seed expansion adds the Silver Seed story arc to the game, in which the party visits a subterranean keep in the ancient civilization of Serpent Isle (centuries in the past, during the war between the two sects of Ophidians). The Avatar is given an amulet by the Xenkan Monks when he or she first visits Monk Isle (either by death or by physically going there), and after using this amulet at one of the Serpent Gates, the subquest begins. Powerful magic items, including a keyring, a ring of unlimited reagents, a magic axe and an enchanted belt can be found in this area and in nearby dungeons. In later releases of the game, the expansion pack was included, and both games and expansions were released as The Complete Ultima VII.

Ultima VII: Forge of Virtue

MS-DOS - DLC - September 1, 1992

Forge of Virtue was an expansion pack that adds a quest to Ultima VII in which the Avatar must pass a series of tests to revalidate himself in the three principles of Truth, Love, and Courage, and destroy the last remnants of Exodus. With the expansion, an earthquake takes place at the beginning of the game. After speaking to Lord British about the tremors, the player will be given free use of a ship called The Golden Ankh, and can visit the Isle of Fire to begin the expansion subquests. The Isle of Fire was previously the site of Castle Exodus in Ultima III, and reappears only during this game. The main plot of the subquests involves destroying the Dark Core, which contains the last remnants of Exodus. In order to do so, the Avatar must obtain three talismans of Truth, Love and Courage, by passing their respective tests.

Ultima VII: Part Two: Serpent Isle: The Silver Seed

MS-DOS - DLC - 1993

The Silver Seed is an add-on disk for Ultima VII: Part Two - Serpent Isle. It adds a new scenario with five quests, in which the player has to go back in time to find the silver seed which would heal the lands. In order to fit in with the original story line, these quests need to be completed before finishing the original game. This add-on also contains a few useful items such as a keyring for storing the many keys found in the game world, as well as a few interface improvements such as new hotkeys. These items and changes carry over to the main game.

Ultima VII: The Black Gate + Forge of Virtue

MS-DOS - DLC - 1992

Ultima VII: Forge of Virtue is an add-on disk to Ultima VII: The Black Gate that adds new areas and quests to the game. Once the disk is installed and a previous game is loaded (or a new one begun), an earthquake shakes Britannia, signalling the rising of the Isle of Fire from the oceans. The Isle was last seen in Ultima III, serving as the stronghold of Exodus. And while Exodus was destroyed, some of his essence remains in the Dark Core, which must be destroyed to rid Britannia of his evil once and for all. To accomplish this, several tests of virtue must be passed, originally designed by Lord British as part of the Quest of the Avatar. The rewards of completing the add-on's quests are plentiful and can make the main game easier: the Avatar's stats will be raised to their maximum and a new, powerful weapon will be made available, able to vanquish even the most dangerous foes with a single strike.

Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams

MS-DOS - Released - 1991

Following the events depicted in The Savage Empire, the Avatar and his friend Dr. Spector receive a book that contains the knowledge of time traveling. They are taken to the year 1893, witnessing Percival Lowell prepare a space cannon not unlike the one described in Jules Verne's works, with the intention of sending humans to Mars. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the cannon is fired during the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, with several famous people of the time on board. The Avatar and his companions follow, only to be transferred into the mysterious and dangerous world of the Martian civilization. The second entry in the Worlds of Ultima series is very similar to its predecessor visually and gameplay-wise. Like the first game, it utilizes the Ultima VI engine, and is a top-down role-playing game set in a seamless graphical environment and featuring turn-based party combat. Conversations with characters, interaction with the game world, and acquiring crucial items occupy a significant portion of the gameplay. Many supporting characters are famous real-world figures from the depicted time period, such as Marie Curie, Sigmund Freud, Nikola Tesla, and others. ---- Explore the Red Planet and save history before it’s too late! The year is 1893. The World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Astronomer Percival Lowell's colossal space cannon is poised to hurl a huge bullet-ship to Mars. Then disaster strikes! The cannon discharges a day early with dozens of history's leading figures aboard. Unprepared for the rigors of Mars, the accidental space travelers have little chance of surviving. You must rescue the stranded expedition or history will be forever changed! Martian Dreams is the second in the Ultima Worlds of Adventure series, taking you, the Avatar, to exciting new worlds of science fiction, mystery, historic exploration, horror, time travel, espionage, and fantasy. Time and space, past and future, fact and fiction--all are are yours to explore in Ultima Worlds of Adventure! Solve the mysteries of the Martian canals, steam-powered factories, radium-driven mechanical men, and other artifacts. Interact with some of history's most renowned men and women, painstakingly researched and accurately portrayed. Meet and learn about Sarah Berhardt, Nellie Bly, George Washington Carver, Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, Sigmund Freud, Emma Goldman, William Randolph Hearst, Vladimir Lenin, Grigori Rasputin, Theodore Roosevelt, Nikola Tesla, Mark Twain, H.G. Wells, and dozens more! Conquer the eerie Dreamworld by confronting your own subconscious fears and desires.

Windwalker

Apple II - Released - 1989

The sequel to Moebius, Windwalker combines role-playing with side-view beat 'em up gameplay. You are accompanied by Moebius on a quest to master the martial arts. Hostile persons including thieves, guards and assassins will be encountered; you fight them in real time using moves such as cartwheels and flying kicks. This can be played either as a continuous battle, or with short breaks to catch your composure. The role-playing elements eschew the Ultima-style plan view in favor of a pseudo-3D system. Deism and Shamanism are just some of the included magic disciplines. Magical vehicles help you get around the 100 landscapes more quickly, although you spend much time on foot. The game takes place in a fully active universe of characters such as villagers and giant beetles, all getting about their business within a day/night cycle and variable weather.

Windwalker

MS-DOS - Released - 1989

Windwalker

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1990