How CRPGs Warped My Brain, Part Two
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Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar This one had everything the Ultima III had, and more. And better. And exceeded. It was a far more satisfying experience that Ultima III. But my mind had already been blown by its predecessor, so my expectations were already high, and I guess I was somewhat inoculated against the full brunt of its awesomeness. But besides reinforcing my experiences with the third game, Ultima IV taught me that conversations with NPCs could be an interesting part of an RPG; that progressing through the game by maxing out virtues could be almost as fun as kicking butt; and that a non-combat conclusion could be just as satisfying as offing a Foozle.
Not every CRPG I played in this time made quite an impression on me. I remember playing a couple more (like Gateway to Apshai, one of the many early action-RPGs that game reviewers and designers alike tend to forget existed prior to Diablo) that were fun and entertaining, but I don't really think they made any kind of lasting impression on me.
And after this, I left the Commodore 64 behind. In Part 3 will continue with my training in the School of Hard Dungeons with the early 90s, and three more Ultima games that shaped how I view all RPGs now, and the appearance of (Real) Dungeons & Dragons on the PC.
