So much of Ultima IV is learning what to ask people about, that losing the text entry keywords really changes the game at a fundamental level. The simplified dialog system is a big loss though. The smaller party size ruins a bit of the thematic aspect of gathering a party representing all the virtues, but the full party in the original game became unwieldy and two of the characters were useless in the final dungeon, so it's hard to care too much about that. The simplified game mechanics (such as the removal of food and wind, and the lack of needing to premix spells) are disappointing, but not a big deal. The NES version of Ultima IV is ok on its own merits, but I feel like you lose a lot of what makes it an interesting game in the conversion. What I am most curious about is what are significant differences between the PC versions of Ultima III and IV versus the NES Ports in terms of content? I don't mind subtle changes to dialogue and whatnot but just curious how radical a departure from the original design did they go?Īlso curious to hear opinions on what the best way to experience Ultima III/IV is in modern-times. I've been tempted lately to re-explore these two games that started my journey for me through Ultima, and frankly been leaning much more heavily towards replaying the NES versions rather than the PC ones since it's very hard to get into them due to the dated control mechanics (and the joys of DOS emulation). I'm not sure if there's a good quality remix/remaster done by fans of this game with Quality-of-Life improvements or not available, I know such projects exist just don't know how faithful or quality they are. Still, fast forward a bit of time, I now own Ultima III and IV on PC (thanks to GoG) but never got around to playing them in this version just because they are so radically different, with much cruder graphics even compared to NES, and a much less streamlined user interface/control scheme. it's actually quite an improvement in my eyes. I recall a Nintendo Power magazine being critical of the graphics in Ultima IV but compared to the original version where everything's black. These are the versions I know and love, and I later moved on to try other games in the series, particularly VI, VII, and VIII. I then acquired Ultima III which I also enjoyed and it felt very different from IV since you could create your own party, and see enemies on the world map (IV was random encounters I think, except for ships). I played Quest for the Avatar first and between me and my dad, beat it several times as different characters. When Vincke puts it like that, it sounds less like Ultima VII, and more like the kind of perfect game a friend would make up on the playground.Growing up, my introduction to Ultima was not as a PC game, but through the NES ports by FCI and Pony Canyon. That strong motivation to do things because there's a storyline driving me forward, and that agency to impact all the denizens of that world." That sense of entering a world where anything is possible, limited only by my own creativity. "I only remember the things it did really well. "Ultima VII did a whole bunch of things badly," he admits. "'Well, you could do it in Ultima VII, I don't see why you can't do it with your team today.'"Ĭrate staircases aside, though, Vincke isn't looking to recreate the mechanics of Ultima VII – rather the platonic ideal associated with it. "Players should always be rewarded for their exploration: it's a lesson that we teach our designers today." Vincke sometimes sees those designers playing Ultima VII – a younger generation trying to understand the relic their boss never stops going on about. "Maybe it's my imagination that exaggerates it now, but I remember scouring every single screen trying to find clues, and often there were," he says. The studio has found critical acclaim and commercial success without compromise ![]() Even now, with Baldur's Gate III, the studio is still squeezing in features from Ultima VII-such as the stackable crates that can be climbed between different levels, like clumsy staircases. ![]() Satisfaction still eludes Vincke, though-who believes that Larian's games have yet to match his inspiration's unrestrained freedom. By holding up Ultima VII as a guiding light, the studio has found critical acclaim and commercial success without compromise. Since kickstarting Divinity: Original Sin, however, Larian has built and expanded its own engine, enhancing its systemic capabilities with each new game.
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