Tag Archives: pioneering

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, 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).

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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.

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Castle Master II: The Crypt, PC

The sequel to Castle Master continues where the first game left off: you’re still trapped inside Eternity Castle and must escape to finally complete your quest.

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Castle Master II: The Crypt, ZX Spectrum

Castle Master II: The Crypt was the final Freescape game to be released for the Spectrum (or any system it found its way on to), and was only made available as a double pack with the original Castle Master, not long after the first Castle Master‘s release in 1990. It was again developed by Incentive Software/Major Developments and published by Domark.

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Castle Master, ZX Spectrum

I’ve written about a variety of Castle Master versions on this website (Amiga, PC, Amstrad CPC, and even Commodore 16/Plus4), but I haven’t yet covered the original ZX Spectrum version, which was developed by Major Developments (an internal team at Incentive Software) and published by Domark in 1990.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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