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: Monsters
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).
Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon, Game Boy Advance
Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon is a 2004 handheld remake of the Megadrive/Genesis game Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention. It features an expanded plot, three new playable characters, three new battles and various other tweaks to the gameplay.
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Rastan, ZX Spectrum
This ZX Spectrum conversion of the 1987 scrolling hack and slash arcade game from Taito was developed by Icon Design and published by Imagine Software in 1988. And it’s not bad, but it’s not great either.
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).
Fallout: New Vegas: Honest Hearts, PC
One of six DLCs released for Fallout: New Vegas, Honest Hearts was initially released in May 2011 and sees The Courier setting out on a trading expedition to Utah’s Zion National Park with the Happy Trails Caravan crew.
The King of Grabs 