sealed NIB New In Box
Deviating from their traditional top-down game design, Origin Systems,
with the help of Looking Glass Studios, presents the latest Ultima entry
as a full 3D adventure, complete with a first-person point of view seen
in many non-RPGs like Doom. The change of perspective hearkens back to
the early Ultima dungeon designs, which were first-person wire frame
based labyrinths.
At the beginning of the adventure,
the Avatar is accused of kidnapping the daughter of an important man. In
order to prove his innocence and identity, he must descend into the
Stygian Abyss, rescue the maiden in the 3D catacombs and then escape.
Along the way, several types of peril impede his progress including a
myriad of monsters marauding throughout the dungeons, several puzzles --
many deadly if handled improperly -- and traps.
At
the core of the game is the traditional Ultima design. Combat, though,
is different from previous games as the speed and power of swings is
determined by various actions performed and the type of weapon wielded.
The magic system is familiar to any gamer who has played other Ultima
adventures with the reagent system and runic aspect mostly
unchanged.
Whether a burst of fire or a cold stone
wall, the game display utilizes VGA graphics in a 3D environment. To
keep up with the new graphic design, support for the Sound Blaster
series of sound cards (with MIDI support) is available in addition to
digitized sound effects. The Avatar, as in other Ultima games, possesses
the abilities necessary to complete his quest and escape the Stygian
Abyss alive but your own skill in navigating the new 3D environments
will make or break his chances.