The Reason I Became a Gamer: Ultima IV
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With Ultima IV, creator Richard Garriott designed a game that offered a true hero's quest that forced you to find your spiritual center. But don't think of Ultima IV as being some sort of preachy endeavor. It's the first game I can recall that gave you the freedom to walk across an entire continent. The game was massive for its time (and came with a swank cloth map). I honestly can't remember most of the quests I completed or the artifacts I discovered, but what stands out are the dozens of hours I spent awestruck as I wandered the world, battled monsters and encountered new people. And all of this was done back in 1985.We need more Ultima articles. They bring back such fond memories.
I loved Ultima IV when I was younger. And there's no question that it made me seek out other games. I doubt I was the only one. And yet, in discussions about the best games of all time -- even the best PC games of all time -- Ultima IV seems to rarely come up. I'm here to put an end to that. Stand up and notice. Ultima IV isn't just one of the best games of all time; it's one of the most important in the progression of Western role-playing games. Nearly 25 years after its initial release, Ultima IV has rarely been topped. Though many modern RPGs have taken inspiration from its design, few have ever taken the risks or advanced the genre to such a great degree.
