Review Ultima 6 Project Review

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Ultima 6 Project

<p>RPGWatch reviewed the <a href="http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=157&amp;ref=0&amp;id=36" target="_blank">Ultima 6 Project</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Nostalgia is essentially a hopeless attempt to recapture an emotion and deluding oneself into thinking that previous times were better than current times.&nbsp; Even if we could recreate those times and they were as good as we remember, we're not the same people we were back then and we'd never be able to feel that way again.&nbsp; That's the primary message of Thomas Wolfe's novel and at the end George Webber finally realizes that and gives the title by stating "You can't go home again."<br /><br />The <em>Ultima 6 Project</em> is a phenomenal game, with a few minor flaws and annoyances that provides players with dozens of hours of entertainment.&nbsp; The story will draw the player in and make him keep rushing back to play until finished.&nbsp; At the end, the feeling of conquest and accomplishment will most likely be tingled with the sadness that comes from knowing that, once again, that emotion has moved into the past.&nbsp; Players will have a hard time finding a game that has the level of depth that <em>U6P</em> can provide.&nbsp; It's worth it to track down a copy of Dungeon Siege just to play this game.&nbsp;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.rpgwatch.com/#15481">RPGWatch</a></p>

 

[Silellak]

Unfortunately as of this writing, I have not made it to the Gargoyle lands, but I am anxiously waiting to see them.

That's a shame, I was hoping to see how they implemented the Gargoyle side of the world. Also sort-of figured the reviewer would complete the game before posting a review, especially given that it's a free community-made project and not a retail title.

The story is extremely detailed and neatly woven together, in a manner not often found in games. U6P is simply, in my opinion, in the top-10 games stories ever written.

Wow, big words. Especially since the reviewer hadn't actually completed the game yet.

I was hoping for a bit more comparison with Lazarus too, but all of that being said, the review was a good read. I just wish the author had finished the game before posting it.

 

[denizsi]

New players may also find the idea of food to be a bit obscure. Feeding your party is an important part of the game. In the original games, I remember fondly trying to determine if I had enough food for a foray into one of the dungeons, especially if I ran into food-thieving gremlins. There were many times that after an ambush of gremlins, I got the dreaded **STARVING** message.

Unfortunately, in U6P, food is really not much of a concern. From food that is both free and respawning in some of the most visited locations, to herds of sheep that spawn like rabbits, I never once have found my party even remotely close to starvation. Even encountering gremlins no longer causes the pangs of fear it did in the original. The player usually ends up with the same, if not more, food after the engagement. If it was going to be this easy to feed the party, it might as well have been left out of the game in my opinion.

Dumbing down for the masses. No thanks. I'll go back to the original some day.

 

[Turok]

Unfortunately as of this writing, I have not made it to the Gargoyle lands, but I am anxiously waiting to see them.

That's a shame, I was hoping to see how they implemented the Gargoyle side of the world. Also sort-of figured the reviewer would complete the game before posting a review, especially given that it's a free community-made project and not a retail title.

The story is extremely detailed and neatly woven together, in a manner not often found in games. U6P is simply, in my opinion, in the top-10 games stories ever written.

Wow, big words. Especially since the reviewer hadn't actually completed the game yet.

I was hoping for a bit more comparison with Lazarus too, but all of that being said, the review was a good read. I just wish the author had finished the game before posting it.

He know the story of U6...

 

[Jaesun]

Parts of this "review" are utter bullshit. The food thing.

I actually ran through the original U6 (just to have it fresh in my mind so that when playing U6P I'd see what the differences were). The author of this, I am quite convinced is a pure troll, and basically a fucking idiot. Food in U6 was so fucking plentiful. Like the original there were spawns of creatures you could either get loot or money from, then head to the local tavern (with the Orb of the Moons) and buy food. OMG SO COMPLEX! There is the addition of finding food on tress (which was NOT in U6, but was also present in Lazarus).

Next the author states:

I don't know if this was a limitation of the DS engine, intentional by Team Archon or simply something that could not be completely by the release date, but it is, in my opinion, a glaring weakness. Using the peering gems to show your location on a map, which if memory serves right they did in the original games, would have been extremely helpful.

YOU START THE FUCKING GAME WITH SOME PEERING GEMS ALREADY IN YOUR INVENTORY (after you find your loot LB had hidden away for you)!

There are more inaccuracies with this review that really, someone who also has played the U6P should have worked with this reviewer and just checked some basic fucking facts.

Anyways.... I AM VERY ANGRY ABOUT SHITTY INACCURATE REVIEWS FOR U6P!

 

[Silellak]

Unfortunately as of this writing, I have not made it to the Gargoyle lands, but I am anxiously waiting to see them.

That's a shame, I was hoping to see how they implemented the Gargoyle side of the world. Also sort-of figured the reviewer would complete the game before posting a review, especially given that it's a free community-made project and not a retail title.

The story is extremely detailed and neatly woven together, in a manner not often found in games. U6P is simply, in my opinion, in the top-10 games stories ever written.

Wow, big words. Especially since the reviewer hadn't actually completed the game yet.

I was hoping for a bit more comparison with Lazarus too, but all of that being said, the review was a good read. I just wish the author had finished the game before posting it.

He know the story of U6...

Except that the section was largely about what U6P added to the original Ultima 6 story.

Anyways.... I AM VERY ANGRY ABOUT SHITTY INACCURATE REVIEWS FOR U6P!

Sounds like someone should write their own.

 

[Jaesun]

Anyways.... I AM VERY ANGRY ABOUT SHITTY INACCURATE REVIEWS FOR U6P!

Sounds like someone should write their own.

I actually might do that, but it's a fucking LONG ass game (just like Lazarus) SO I haven't finished yet. :/

 

[Silellak]

Anyways.... I AM VERY ANGRY ABOUT SHITTY INACCURATE REVIEWS FOR U6P!

Sounds like someone should write their own.

I actually might do that, but it's a fucking LONG ass game (just like Lazarus) SO I haven't finished yet. :/

I'm holding off on playing U6P until I *twitch* finish my LP. I wanted to do a Lazarus LP first, too, but that would probably take too long.

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

less talk, more action (review-wise)

 

[Sceptic]

I actually might do that, but it's a fucking LONG ass game (just like Lazarus) SO I haven't finished yet. :/

Unfortunately as of this writing, I have not made it to the Gargoyle lands, but I am anxiously waiting to see them.

Clearly that has never stopped any self-respecting gaming journalist

 

[Jaesun]

To be fair, the author is NOT a Professional Gaming Journalist™, and never claimed to be one either. IIRC He/She/It is a forum member on RPGWatch.

 

[Serious_Business]

Anyways.... I AM VERY ANGRY ABOUT SHITTY INACCURATE REVIEWS FOR U6P!

Yeah, write a review my gay friend. You have the rage, summon it for the greater cause.

I was about to say that rpg watch > rpg codex for putting up this review and giving attention to this project, but after reading it I had my suspicions when it said he didn't finish the game - not sure how it can be a review if he didn't finish it... so yeah, this needs a proper article by the fine local nerd elitists

 

[Carlos' Bitch1]

I just noticed that, apart from many years ago, only 3D real time games get reviews at the Codex. If the game is hated by the majority, then it seems to get even more reviews! Dragon Age = 2 reviews, Fallout 3 = 3+ reviews!

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

What a phenomenon! You can review some older games if you wish.

 

[made]

RPGWatch sucks so naturally the review sucks as well.
I'm all for the gay man writing a proper Codex review. I'd do it myself but can't get past the introduction. Oldskool games too hard.

 

[RoachKiller]

Hmm. I was going to say this got no heart and doesn't sing the blues but like someone pointed out there was a fuckton of food in the original. It was very hard not to be constantly swimming in money and magic as well, and the abuse ultima 6 and abuse ultima 7 sites were some of the funniest things ever.

I am pretty fucking disappointed by all the sort of fan projects in general, though. Even when shit does get done it's like it was designed specifically to torment you by forcing you to experience every single way your memories and hopes can be raped.

 

[mindx2]

I am pretty fucking disappointed by all the sort of fan projects in general, though. Even when shit does get done it's like it was designed specifically to torment you by forcing you to experience every single way your memories and hopes can be raped.

Have you actually played Lazarus or U6P yet? Go play Lazarus then start talking....

 

[Silellak]

Go play Lazarus then start talking....

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

I just noticed that, apart from many years ago, only 3D real time games get reviews at the Codex. If the game is hated by the majority, then it seems to get even more reviews! Dragon Age = 2 reviews, Fallout 3 = 3+ reviews!

Yeah, it's kinda weird. There should be more reviews of good/decent classical style cRPGs and more topics about them and more criticism of them. Next-gen games are unfixable anyway.

 

[Jaesun]

I just noticed that, apart from many years ago, only 3D real time games get reviews at the Codex. If the game is hated by the majority, then it seems to get even more reviews! Dragon Age = 2 reviews, Fallout 3 = 3+ reviews!

Yeah, it's kinda weird. There should be more reviews of good/decent classical style cRPGs and more topics about them and more criticism of them. Next-gen games are unfixable anyway.

I too would like to see some in depth reviews of the older classics.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

Well less talking and more doing. Faggos.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

I just noticed that, apart from many years ago, only 3D real time games get reviews at the Codex. If the game is hated by the majority, then it seems to get even more reviews! Dragon Age = 2 reviews, Fallout 3 = 3+ reviews!

Yeah, it's kinda weird. There should be more reviews of good/decent classical style cRPGs and more topics about them and more criticism of them. Next-gen games are unfixable anyway.

I too would like to see some in depth reviews of the older classics.

I thought more about modern cRPGs that try to continue the old traditions:
Eschalon Book 2, Geneforge series after Geneforge 2, Avernum series after Avernum 3, etc.
I think that games that actually try to appeal to codexian tastes should be more visible.

 

[RoachKiller]

I am pretty fucking disappointed by all the sort of fan projects in general, though. Even when shit does get done it's like it was designed specifically to torment you by forcing you to experience every single way your memories and hopes can be raped.

Have you actually played Lazarus or U6P yet? Go play Lazarus then start talking....

No, it sounded stupid the way they did the spells. U5 I can see a desire to update the graphics to EXTREME but for u6 on it's really unnecessary. The interface for those games is pretty good and it's probably harder to get dungeon siege to run than to get the originals to run at this point.

So pretty much no matter how it got handled, this is about the stupidest idea ever for a total conversion.

Maybe I will remake falcon 3.0 using the infinity engine. That sound p. cool.

 

[Silellak]

I am pretty fucking disappointed by all the sort of fan projects in general, though. Even when shit does get done it's like it was designed specifically to torment you by forcing you to experience every single way your memories and hopes can be raped.

Have you actually played Lazarus or U6P yet? Go play Lazarus then start talking....

No, it sounded stupid the way they did the spells. U5 I can see a desire to update the graphics to EXTREME but for u6 on it's really unnecessary. The interface for those games is pretty good and it's probably harder to get dungeon siege to run than to get the originals to run at this point.

So pretty much no matter how it got handled, this is about the stupidest idea ever for a total conversion.

Maybe I will remake falcon 3.0 using the infinity engine. That sound p. cool.

I actually don't disagree with you; I wasn't sure why they decided to remake Ultima 6, besides just their love for the original game. Ultima 4 could've used it for the same reasons Ultima 5 did - not so much the graphics, but the fact that the dialog length of NPCs was greatly limited by the time period. Look at NPC dialog trees in Ultima 4 and 5 compared to Ultimas 6 and 7 - it's painful. The games had great stories to tell, with great characters in a great world - but all of those were held back by the limited memory in the computers of the time.

That, I think, was the biggest thing Lazarus added to Ultima 5. 3D graphics, I could care less about - though the Dungeon Siege engine did a pretty decent job - it was what Team Lazarus added to the story and characters that really made it 'special' in the realm of fan projects.

Oh, and the music was fucking awesome. This concludes my bi-monthly Lazarus Fanboy Rant.

 

[made]

So I managed to beat the intro once I realized there are like 5 different stone circles (huh?) and I was messing with the wrong one initially. Can't say I like what I saw so far.

Textures are ugly, camera randomly zooms down to the floor and has to be adjusted constantly, UI is messy and plagued with various issues. I picked up a book and got a tutorial popup explaining something about books so I clicked it away and the book had disappeared and was nowhere to be found... or I equipped a shield, turned out it blocks me from casting, unequipped it but the char still kept holding it in his hand... Went on to explore the castle, got seriously annoyed with the camera, decided to leave and check out the town, talked to Geoffrey and... was instantly teleported to the first shrine. Raged because THATS NOT HOW IT WAS IN THE ORIGINAL and gave up on it.

Now I really liked what they did with U5L. They managed to keep the spirit of U5 intact while expanding the dialogues, adding interactivity to the world. Even the dreadful DS engine didn't bother me because the atmosphere felt right. But this... just feels wrong on too many levels.

Anxiously awaiting Codex review, I probably won't be playing this for now.