[ Retro Scan of the Week ] Tiny Pocket Ultima
January 7th, 2013 by Benj Edwards
Ultima: Runes of Virtue for the Game Boy
I’m not a huge fan of Ultima: Runes of Virtue for the Game Boy. However, its sequel, Runes of Virtue II on the SNES (which was also released on the Game Boy) is quite an interesting action RPG to me — despite its general clunkiness. It feels sort of like a Zelda title set in the Ultima universe with Ultima VII-style graphics.
Just a small administrative note: I’m moving the Retro GIF of the Week column to Fridays. So expect the next entry in that column this Friday.
Discussion Topic of the Week: If EA made a new core Ultima game today (think Ultima X — and no, not the failed MMO), would you buy it?
January 8th, 2013 at 1:50 pm
I bought Runes of Virtue 2 for Game Boy back when it came out; it was one of the first times I legitimately regretted buying a game.
January 8th, 2013 at 5:38 pm
Would I buy it? I probably wouldn’t go “all in” on a deluxe box like I did with Ultima IX (which vexed me even more after I read the interviews with the developers). It’s hard to say, really, since we’re talking hypothetical situations. I loved Warriors of Destiny and The False Prophet. I quickly transitioned to U7, and even liked the minutiae in Pagan (and the little jabs at TSR when you bothered to read the in-game books).
Ascension was such a…letdown.
Would I like to see a game that recaptures the atmosphere and gameplay of the first 7 installments? Absolutely! Will I see that? Probaboly not outside of Lazarus or the U6 Project giving well-trod territory a new facelift.
Besides, the shift in digital distribution means the neat things we grew up with (cloth maps, coins talismans, high-quality printed alchemy books, etc.) will only be an added cost, and not many people will go for it.
Yes, I want a new (and good) Ultima; but the probability of getting a new installment is very slim.