The first game in the Ultima series was initially released for the Apple II in 1981 by California Pacific Computer and was later completely re-coded and re-named as “Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness” for a re-release through Origin Systems. The 1987 MS-DOS re-code – shown here – is still available to buy as part of an Ultima 1+2+3 package on GOG.com (at the time of writing).
Tag Archives: American
Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness, Commodore 64
Although the first Ultima game was an Apple II original, the Commodore 64 version of this early RPG is arguably the best-known. Re-made and released in 1986, the C64 version of Ultima [one] features colourful graphics and absorbing gameplay that is pretty much identical to the Apple II remake.
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Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness, Apple II
This first game in Richard Garriott‘s Ultima series was initially released for the Apple II in 1981 by California Pacific Computer and was originally called just “Ultima“. It was later re-named as “Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness” when it was re-made and re-released by Origin Systems in 1986. This 1986 re-code features improved graphics and gameplay, with a number of significant changes made to bring the game up-to-date with market conditions in the mid 1980s, and that is the version I’m featuring here. If you want to see the original 1981 version (and an explanation of how to play the game), click here.
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Ultima, Atari 8-Bit
Released in 1983 by Sierra On-Line, Ultima on the Atari 8-bit is more archaic and frustrating than the original Apple II version. And it looks pretty awful too, with a real lack of colour – especially in towns where the game is in monochrome unless you play on a machine (and monitor) that supports “artifacting“. In artifacting mode the dungeon and town graphics look similar to Apple II graphics, but they don’t really take advantage of the Atari‘s superior graphics capabilities.
Ultima, Apple II
The original 1981 Apple II version of Richard Garriott‘s Ultima was the first version of Ultima ever released. It was published by California Pacific Computer and is a stripped-down version of the more widespread re-release version put out by Origin Systems in 1986 (which can be seen here).
Shantae: Risky’s Revenge – Director’s Cut, PC
Shantae: Risky’s Revenge originally came out on the Nintendo DSi in 2010, and the “Director’s Cut” – shown here – is a remake for the PC that was first released on Steam in 2014. It was developed and published by WayForward Technologies.
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Law of the West, Commodore 64
Law of the West was developed and published by Accolade in 1985 (it was distributed by US Gold in the UK and Europe), and is a ‘Wild West’ style action game where you play as a sheriff in the frontier town of Gold Gulch.
M.U.L.E., Atari 8-Bit
M.U.L.E. (meaning: Multiple-Use Labour Elements) is a classic business-based strategy game that mixes turn-based and real-time gameplay, and supply-and-demand economics, with multiplayer competition for up to four players. It was designed by the late Danielle Bunten Berry of Ozark Softscape and first published for Atari 8-bit computers by Electronic Arts in North America in 1983. Later, Ariolasoft published the game in Europe, and Bullet Proof Software published the game in Japan. M.U.L.E. was also converted to a number of other systems and has become something of a cult hit since its original release.
Fallout: New Vegas: Lonesome Road, PC
Lonesome Road is the fourth and final story-based DLC for the classic RPG/shooter, Fallout: New Vegas, and was first released in September 2011. It’s meant for players who are level 25 or higher and begins with you being contacted by the original Courier Six – a man called Ulysses – who promises to tell you important information about the Platinum Chip and why he refused to deliver it.
Fallout: New Vegas: Old World Blues, PC
Old World Blues was the third story-based DLC to be released for Fallout: New Vegas and first came out on 19th July 2011. It is definitely the weirdest and funniest of the FNV DLCs and contains some hilarious dialogue, bizarre enemies, and strange settings, and it is considered by many Fallout: New Vegas players to be the best of the DLCs (I’d disagree, though – I think Dead Money is better).