Summary

• Release Year: 1994
• Genres: Role-playing game (RPG)
• Platforms: DOS
• Developers: Origin Systems
• Publishers: Origin Systems

Ultima VIII: Pagan (1994)

Ultima VIII: Pagan is a role-playing game developed by Origin Systems and published by Electronic Arts in 1994. It is the eighth installment in the Ultima series, and the first to be released for the 3DO console. The game was also ported to MS-DOS, Mac OS, and Windows.

Ultima VIII: Pagan is set in the fictional world of Pagan, a parallel dimension to Britannia, the setting of the previous Ultima games. The player takes on the role of the Avatar, a hero who has been summoned to Pagan to defeat the Guardian, an evil entity that is threatening to destroy both Pagan and Britannia.

The game world of Pagan is vast and open-ended, with a variety of different environments to explore, including forests, mountains, deserts, and swamps. The player can travel freely between these environments, and can choose to follow the main storyline or explore the world at their own pace.

Ultima VIII: Pagan features a real-time combat system, which is a departure from the turn-based combat of previous Ultima games. In real-time combat, the player can directly control the Avatar’s movements and attacks. The combat system is challenging, and requires the player to master a variety of different weapons and spells.

In addition to the main storyline, Ultima VIII: Pagan also features a number of side quests and optional challenges. The player can choose to complete these quests at their own pace, and can earn rewards for doing so.

Ultima VIII: Pagan was a critical and commercial success, and is considered to be one of the best role-playing games of all time. The game was praised for its vast and immersive world, its challenging combat system, and its engaging story.

Gameplay

Ultima VIII: Pagan is a role-playing game in which the player takes on the role of the Avatar, a hero who has been summoned to Pagan to defeat the Guardian. The game world is vast and open-ended, with a variety of different environments to explore. The player can travel freely between these environments, and can choose to follow the main storyline or explore the world at their own pace.

The game features a real-time combat system, which is a departure from the turn-based combat of previous Ultima games. In real-time combat, the player can directly control the Avatar’s movements and attacks. The combat system is challenging, and requires the player to master a variety of different weapons and spells.

In addition to the main storyline, Ultima VIII: Pagan also features a number of side quests and optional challenges. The player can choose to complete these quests at their own pace, and can earn rewards for doing so.

Setting

Ultima VIII: Pagan is set in the fictional world of Pagan, a parallel dimension to Britannia, the setting of the previous Ultima games. Pagan is a world of chaos and darkness, where the forces of evil are constantly at war with the forces of good.

The game’s story begins when the Avatar is summoned to Pagan by the Guardian, an evil entity that is threatening to destroy both Pagan and Britannia. The Avatar must travel across Pagan, defeat the Guardian’s minions, and ultimately confront the Guardian itself.

Characters

The player character in Ultima VIII: Pagan is the Avatar, a hero who has been summoned to Pagan to defeat the Guardian. The Avatar is a powerful warrior and spellcaster, and is able to use a variety of weapons and spells to defeat their enemies.

In addition to the Avatar, the player will also encounter a number of other characters during their journey, including:

• Iolo – A bard who joins the Avatar’s party. Iolo is a skilled musician and fighter, and provides the Avatar with support in battle.
• Shamino – A mystic who joins the Avatar’s party. Shamino is a powerful spellcaster, and can teach the Avatar new spells.
• Dupre – A thief who joins the Avatar’s party. Dupre is a skilled thief and lockpick, and can help the Avatar to access areas that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Reception

Ultima VIII: Pagan was a critical and commercial success, and is considered to be one of the best role-playing games of all time. The game was praised for its vast and immersive world, its challenging combat system, and its engaging story.

The game was also praised for its groundbreaking graphics and sound. Ultima VIII: Pagan was one of the first games to use 3D graphics, and the game’s visuals were highly impressive for the time. The game’s sound was also highly praised, and the game’s music is still considered to be some of the best in the series.

Overall, Ultima VIII: Pagan is a classic role-playing game that offers a vast and immersive world to explore, a challenging combat system, and an engaging story. The game is a must-play for fans of the Ultima series, and is also a great choice for anyone looking for a classic role-playing game experience.

Review Score

7.5/10

Art

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