Ultima V - Warriors of Destiny

History: Ultima 5 is the last tile-based Ultima and also the last one which was actively programmed by Lord British and his trusty Apple IIgs. In later games, development moved to the PC platform and Richard Gariott became the head designer. A wise choice? Well, in the commercial sense perhaps. New details in the Ultima 5 engine include a better combat system, the concept of circles and syllables in spells, and most important: Day and night cycles. In fact, every NPC in the game has a daily schedule.

A snapshot from the colorful introduction sequence.

Three small villages now surround Castle Britannia.

Background: Much has changed in Britannia. A vast underworld of caverns was discovered. Lord British was lost there during an expedition. Three wraiths, the Shadowlords terrorize the cities. Another noble, Lord Blackthorn climbed the throne but he became corrupted by the Shadowlords and rules now with an iron fist. The former Avatar companions have become outlaws. The Avatar is called back to Britannia to clean this mess up.

Fighting some orcs with an improved targeting system.

The shops look better now, each with its own sign of trade.

Recommended Version: The original box version of Ultima is available for 8-bit computers with 128K and for 16-bit. It includes a cloth map, manual, reference card and a coin with the sign of the codex. The 16-bit versions of Ultima 5 all look alike, but only the Atari ST version has the full sound track. The Amiga version plays only one song during the whole game and the PC version has no music at all. However, there is another upgrade patch for the PC version. It does not modify the EGA graphics of the game but it adds music - the full soundrack plus the Amiga theme. If you have a powerful PC and the Dungeon Siege engine, you also have the option to install Ultima V Lazarus, the only 3D remake of an older Ultima which has been finished so far. This will add greatly improved graphics and sound, more NPCs and conversations with character portraits. The only thing which is missing is the flying carpet due to limitations in the Dungeon Siege engine.

The dungeons are still 3D with occasional 2D rooms, but much better drawn.

A dungeon room.

Statistics:

Party with 1 created character and up to 5 NPCs.
3 character classes
45 different magic spells
Introduction of syllables and spell circles
Dungeons 3D (2D in rooms), Outdoors/Buildings 2D
On-Screen-mapping: Yes
You can transfer the Avatar from Ultima IV

The graphics in the Lazarus remake are "slightly" better than the original version.

Crossing an underground river in Ultima V Lazarus.

Morale: Ultima 5 is one of the best and most realistic Ultimas for me. Governors who turn insane and use the time of a national crisis to establish a regime of control and oppression? Laws and virtues which are perverted until they are a pure mockery? Ruling with an iron fist? Propagating hate, falsehood and cowardice? Another spanish Inquisition? We all know that this cannot happen in the real world, don't we? There is a Black Thornbush in every well-kept field, along with hundreds and thousands of creepers and vultures who just wait for the opportunity to make the life of others as hard as possible. So just say 'no', join the resistance if necessary and have no scruples to use their own dirty methods against themselves.

Britannia