Computer + Video Games - Commodore Is Awesome

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depicted in the game as
an individual person, who
wanders about from town
to towwn. If you get into a
combat situation you are
quickly whipped off the
screen and replaced by a
contains your party plus
the opponents you are to
fight. You then have three
options. reatreat, fight or
die.
The combat system is
somewhat put in the shade
however by the realistic,
living world that surrounds
you. The game is all about
exploring and putting little
pieces of information
together, so that you get
the whole picture. As you
travel the world you will
come across towns.
settlements and individual
huts. Depending on the
time of day, the people in
the towns will react
differently. If you approach
shop keepers as dinner
time or closing time, they
will rudely tell you to come
back when they ore open.
What makes the game
for me is the role playing
angle. You see, in Lfitima V
you can talk to near
enough every character
you meet, and this alone
means over a couple of
thousand people!! All have
something to say and their
conversation can range
from the release of Ultimo's
next product to where you
can find a holy shrine.
Some characters, like
yourself, can cast magic
spells. A wise player only
casts well known spells in
battle or dire
consequences may occur.
Spells range from the
useful "Negate Poison", to
the very useful "Great
Flame", in which a great
ball of fire smashes into the
victim, doing immense
damage.
There is a great deal of
humour in the game. I met
a magician who was
looking for a talking horse.
and would reward me if I
found it, a demon who had
renounced evil and was
working for the forces of
good, another magician
who had turned himself
into a mouse via a magicol
accident and a farmer,
plus several other people,
who were in the mysterious
"resistance", but would
only let me in if I knew the
password. Oh, there was
also the farmer who was
bored with his lot and
wanted to be a fantasy role
playing author!! He gave
me all kinds of information
on Origin's next product.
Turning to the negative
aspects of the game for a
moment, I wasn't too
impressed with the
graphics. Both your party
and the monsters look like
matchstick men who have
been on a four week Arnie
Swartzenegger body
building course, and the
colours of the countryside
were pretty lurid.
Furthermore, the sound is
nothing more than a series
of bleeps and clicks.
Dungeonmoster the yard
I
IP.- GRAPHICS 7
I 1
1 VALUE
1I
PLAYABILITY
1-
LP.- OVERALL
5
8
8
8
UPDATE
S
O
UIBM
PC and Commodore
N64
versions of Ultima V will
Dbe
on sale at the end of
August. An Apple version
Is already available and
ST and Amiga versions will
be launched in October.
ke
5 From Nowhere, smokg
loye _ w i s p s of clouds begin to
form IN the clear, moonlit
,
u
sky. IN a few short momeNts
the sky is filled
- - 1 1 1 w i t h dark, ominous clouds
that completely' block lbe MOON'S pale light. Your bedroom
IS bathed in quiet darkness as you lie sleeping liglitivs
m
,
m
stick by which all computer
Fantasy Role Playing
games are judged, would
slaughter this game in that
respect. However, in return.
Uttima Vwould leave
Dungeonmoster standing
when it comes to interaction
with characters, combat
tactics and strategy. The
game is also nicely
packaged and it contains
the usual Origin freebies.
This time you get the
obligatory tea towellmap
plus a large coin that is
supposed to be the codex
of Ultima wisdom. I only
wish it was!!
Uttima Vis a marathon of
a game. One of the best
computer RPG's I have
played.