The Ultima series is a collection of open-world fantasy role-playing video games developed by Origin Systems and created by Richard Garriott. Since 1992, Electronic Arts has owned the Ultima brand. By 1997, the series had sold more than 2 million copies.
Along with Wizardry and Might and Magic, the Ultima series helped create many standards for the computer role-playing game genre. Some games in the series are considered very important to their genre. Many of their early ideas were often used by other games.
The Ultima games are mostly based in the fantasy fiction genre but also include science fiction elements. Most of the games take place in a world called Britannia. The main character is first called the Stranger but becomes known as the Avatar starting with Ultima IV and retains that name in later games.
Games
The main Ultima series includes nine games (with the seventh game split into two parts) divided into three groups called "Ages." These are: The Age of Darkness (Ultima I-III), The Age of Enlightenment (Ultima IV-VI), and The Age of Armageddon (Ultima VII-IX). The last group is sometimes called "The Guardian Saga" because of its main villain. The first group takes place in a fantasy world named Sosaria. During the events of The Age of Darkness, Sosaria is destroyed, and most of it disappears. The remaining part becomes Britannia, a land ruled by Lord British. Most later games in the series take place in Britannia. The main character in all the games is a person from Earth who is called by Lord British to protect Sosaria and later Britannia from dangers. At first, the character is called "the Stranger," but by the end of Ultima IV, the character is known as the "Avatar."
In Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness (1981), the Stranger is called to Sosaria to defeat Mondain, a wizard who wants to take over the world. Mondain is protected by the Gem of Immortality, which makes him invincible. The Stranger finds a time machine, travels back in time to kill Mondain before he creates the Gem, and breaks the incomplete artifact.
In Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress (1982), Mondain's student and lover, Minax, tries to get revenge. When Minax attacks Earth, she opens doorways to different times and places in Earth's history and brings monsters to those places. The Stranger finds a weapon called the Quicksword, which can harm Minax, and defeats her at Castle Shadowguard, the beginning of time.
In Ultima III: Exodus (1983), it is revealed that Mondain and Minax had a child named Exodus, described as "neither human nor machine" in later games. Exodus is shown as a computer and acts like a self-aware artificial intelligence. After Minax's death, Exodus attacks Sosaria, and the Stranger is called again to destroy it. This game was the first in the series to include a system where players could team up with other characters, a feature used in later games.
In Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985), the series changes to focus on a system based on the Eight Virtues, which are combinations of the Three Principles: Love, Truth, and Courage. Although Britannia is peaceful under Lord British's rule, he is worried about the spiritual health of his people and calls the Stranger to become a spiritual leader by example. The Stranger's choices in the game determine how close he gets to this goal. If he achieves all the Virtues, he gains the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom and becomes the "Avatar," representing Britannia's virtues.
In Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny (1988), the Avatar returns to Britannia and finds that Lord British has been lost in the Underworld. Lord Blackthorn, who rules in his place, is corrupted by the Shadowlords and enforces a twisted version of the Virtues. The Avatar and his companions rescue Lord British, defeat Lord Blackthorn, and restore the true meaning of the Virtues.
In Ultima VI: The False Prophet (1990), the Avatar and his companions must fight Gargoyles invading Britannia. The game explores themes of racism and xenophobia, showing that the Gargoyles have reasons to hate the Avatar. The Avatar must understand and reconcile the differences between two cultures.
In Ultima VII: The Black Gate (1992), the Avatar is involved in a plan by an organization called the Fellowship (inspired by Scientology) to create a gateway for an evil entity named the Guardian to enter Britannia. Richard Garriott, the game's creator, said Ultima VII was the first game where he planned future games in the series. An expansion pack called Forge of Virtue added a volcanic island where the Avatar had to destroy a piece of Exodus's data and create a powerful weapon called the Black Sword.
In Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle (1993), the game used the same engine as Ultima VII, so it was not given a new number. The storyline was shortened due to time constraints, and parts of the original plot remain in the game's database. After defeating the Fellowship, its leader, Batlin, flees to Serpent Isle, which is a piece of the old world Sosaria. The game reveals Serpent Isle's history and explains events from earlier in the series. Magical storms show the world is dying, and the game has a sad mood, including the death of a companion named Dupre. At the end, the Avatar is captured by the Guardian and taken to another world for the next game.
An expansion pack called The Silver Seed allowed the Avatar to travel back in time to plant a seed that balances Serpent Isle's forces. This expansion had a side quest unrelated to the main story but gave the Avatar powerful items.
In Ultima VIII: Pagan (1994), the Avatar is exiled to a world called "Pagan" by the Guardian. In Pagan, the Britannic Principles and Virtues are unknown. Pagan is ruled by the Elemental Titans, who serve the Guardian. The Avatar defeats the Titans with their own magic, becomes a demi-god, and returns to Britannia. A planned expansion called The Lost Vale was canceled after the game did not sell well.
In Ultima IX: Ascension (1999), the final game, Britannia is conquered and its Virtues are corrupted by the Guardian. The Avatar must cleanse and restore the Virtues. The Guardian is revealed to be the evil part of the Avatar that was separated when he became the Avatar. To stop the Guardian, the Avatar must merge with it, destroying himself as a separate being. A version of the game had a more apocalyptic ending where the Guardian and Lord British are killed, Britannia is destroyed, and the Avatar ascends to a higher plane of existence.
Akalabeth: World of Doom (1979) is sometimes considered a precursor to the Ultima series. Sierra On-Line also made a game
Packaging
Ultima game boxes often included special items called "feelies." For example, starting with Ultima II, each main series game came with a cloth map of the game world. From Ultima IV onward, small items like pendants, coins, and magic stones were added. These items, made of metal or glass, were similar to important objects found in the game.
Richard Garriott did not like how games were sold in plastic bags with only a few printed pages for instructions. He wanted Ultima II to be sold in a box, along with a cloth map and a manual. At that time, Sierra was the only company willing to agree to this request, so Garriott joined the company.
Copy protection measures
In the Atari 8-bit version of Ultima IV, one of the floppy disks had a track that was not properly prepared. Without this track, players would lose every fight. This issue was not immediately obvious as a copy protection method, as players might think it was due to lack of experience or poor equipment. The copy protection was hidden well enough that the German distributor, who originally provided Atari 8-bit packages with regularly formatted floppy disks, did not notice. These regular floppy disks caused players to lose every battle, as if they were using unlicensed copies of the game.
In Ultima V, the game included one or two instances where information in the accompanying booklet was needed to answer questions from characters in the game. The game also used runic script in some areas and a special language for spell names. Translation guides and explanations for these were included in the booklet. Additionally, a journal describing Lord British’s failed expedition into the underworld was included with the game box. During the game, players later discover they must retrace the expedition’s path to retrieve an important item. These features can be seen as copy protection measures, designed to blend with the game’s historical and fantasy themes so casual players would not recognize them as such.
In Ultima VI, copy protection was used more systematically through in-game questions. Players could not progress if they answered incorrectly. This method continued in Ultima VII, where players had unlimited attempts to answer questions correctly. Answers could be found in the manual or cloth map included with the game. However, the manual released with the Ultima Collection included all copy protection answers for every game.
In Ultima VII Part 2: Serpent Isle, copy protection was slightly changed. Players faced questions at two points in the game. If they failed to answer correctly after two attempts, all non-player characters (NPCs) would say nothing but altered versions of famous quotes. The game would also display the word "Oink!" and become unplayable. From Ultima VIII onward, copy protection questions were no longer used.
Common elements
Originally, the world of Ultima had four continents. These were Lord British's Realm, ruled by Lord British and the Lost King; The Lands of Danger and Despair, ruled by Lord Shamino and the King of the White Dragon; The Lands of the Dark Unknown, ruled by Lord Olympus and the King of the Black Dragon; and The Lands of the Feudal Lords, ruled by the lords of Castle Rondorin and Castle Barataria.
After Mondain was defeated and his Gem of Immortality was destroyed in Ultima I, a big disaster changed the world. Three of the four continents seemed to disappear, leaving only Lord British's realm. This remaining land was later called "Sosaria." The Lands of Danger and Despair were later found again as the Serpent Isle, which had moved to another dimension or plane, suggesting the other two continents might still exist. Ultima II shows Castle Barataria on Planet X, meaning the Lands of the Feudal Lords may have become this planet. Ultima Online: Samurai Empire suggests the Lands of the Feudal Lords were transformed into the Tokuno Islands after the disaster.
After Exodus was defeated in Ultima III, Sosaria was renamed Britannia to honor Lord British. Serpent Isle stayed connected to Britannia through a gate near the poles. The Fellowship leader, Batlin, fled to Serpent Isle after the Black Gate was destroyed in Ultima VII, stopping the Guardian's first invasion. Ninety percent of Serpent Isle's people were destroyed by evil Banes released by Batlin in Ultima VII Part 2.
In Ultima, the player controls the Avatar, who represents eight virtues. This system was first introduced in Ultima IV, shifting the game's focus from traditional role-playing to an ethical framework. Each virtue is linked to a party member, a city in Britannia, and one of eight other planets in Britannia's solar system. Each virtue has a mantra, and each of the three principles has a word of power the player must learn. The eight virtues are Honesty, Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice, Honor, Spirituality, and Humility. These are based on the three principles of Truth, Love, and Courage, which come from the One True Axiom, a combination of all Truth, Love, and Courage called Infinity.
The virtues were first used in Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985), where the goal was to practice them and become a moral example. Variations of the virtues appear in all later games. Richard Garriott created the system to encourage players to think about their choices. He was inspired by Hinduism's ideas of purification and by characters from The Wizard of Oz, such as the Scarecrow (truth), Tin Woodsman (love), and Cowardly Lion (courage).
The virtues became a major theme in later Ultima games. In Ultima V, Lord Blackthorn turned the virtues into strict laws, which unintentionally caused their opposites to happen. In Ultima VI, the Avatar was challenged to consider if his actions were truly virtuous. In Ultima VII, the Fellowship replaced the virtues with a different belief system, causing chaos in Britannia. In Ultima IX, the virtues were turned into their opposite anti-virtues.
The virtue system in Ultima was groundbreaking and became a standard in game design. It influenced games like Black & White, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and the Fable series. Unlike other games that allow players to choose evil actions, Ultima can only be won by being virtuous. Mark Hayse praised the system for its subtlety, as it left players to decide what was right without clear rules.
Early Ultima games called the player the Stranger, allowing players to complete quests through theft or violence. After Ultima III, Richard Garriott received criticism from parents for allowing immoral actions like theft or murder. He also faced claims about Satanic content due to the antagonist in Ultima III. After learning about Hinduism and the concept of the Avatar, Garriott created the eight virtues for the Avatar in Ultima IV.
The Avatar first appeared in Ultima IV, where his goal was to follow the virtues and retrieve the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom from the Great Stygian Abyss. In Ultima V, the Avatar defeated a repressive regime in Britannia. In Ultima VI, he brought peace between humans and gargoyles. In Ultima VII and VIII, the Avatar fought the Guardian, destroying both himself and the Guardian in Ultima IX: Ascension.
Except for Ultima IX: Ascension, players could choose the Avatar's name. Ultima VIII: Pagan fixed the Avatar as a blond-haired, blue-eyed male, while other games allowed players to select the Avatar's race, gender, and appearance. From Ultima IV onward, players used single keywords to activate the Avatar's speech until Ultima VII and Ultima Underworld allowed full conversations. Ultima IX added digitized speech to accompany the text.
The Avatar was designed as a blank slate for players to reflect their own personality. The word "avatar" was first used in this context, representing a player's identity in a virtual world. The Avatar allowed players to choose the protagonist's race and gender, making it one of the first games to let players reflect on their actions. Over time, the Avatar took on a more specific appearance and character.
Lord British is the ruler of Britannia and represents the game's creator, Richard Garriott. His nickname came from friends who thought his way of saying "hello" was British. The "Lord" title was added when he played the dungeon master in Dungeons & Dragons games.
Reception
By 1990, the first five Ultima games had together sold over 470,000 copies for home computers in the United States. In Japan, sales of Pony Canyon's Japanese versions of the Ultima series reached nearly 100,000 copies for home computers and more than 300,000 units for the Famicom (Nintendo Entertainment System) by the same year.
In 1996, Next Generation ranked the Ultima series as the 55th best game of all time. The review stated, "Even though the graphics and gameplay change as technology improves, the series has remained the most reliable source of role-playing excitement in history." In 1999, Next Generation placed the Ultima series at number 18 on their "Top 50 Games of All Time" list. The review noted, "Most PC role-playing games focus on fighting enemies and exploring dungeons. The Ultima series, however, always centers on a world where a character's virtues are as important as their armor class in achieving success." In 2000, Britannia was listed by GameSpot as one of the ten best game worlds. The review described it as "the oldest and one of the most historically rich gameworlds."
Impact and legacy
The early Ultima games, especially Ultima III: Exodus (1983), introduced many ideas that later became common in role-playing games (RPGs). These included using tile-based graphics, having a group of characters fight together, mixing fantasy and science-fiction themes, and using time travel in the story. Some of these ideas were inspired by the game Wizardry, which also used group combat. Exodus was also special because it used written stories to tell more detailed and complex plots than most games at the time. Many other games, including earlier Ultima games and Akalabeth, focused mostly on fighting without much storytelling. In Ultima IV, Richard Garriott added a system where players were tested on their actions to see if they followed a code of chivalry and good behavior. This was different from other games, where players usually did not face consequences for their choices.
Ultima III was later released on many other platforms and helped create games like Excalibur and Dragon Quest. Many people believe it was the first modern computer RPG.
On June 30, 2020, Garriott said that EA refused to help him restart or remake the Ultima series.
Garriott’s new company, Portalarium, made an RPG/MMORPG called Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues. This game is described as a spiritual successor to the Ultima series. On March 8, 2013, Portalarium started a Kickstarter campaign to fund the game. Forsaken Virtues is the first of five parts in the Shroud of the Avatar series and was designed as a "Selective Multiplayer Game," letting players choose how much they wanted to play with others, from full online multiplayer to single-player mode. The first part was planned to release in 2017, with the next parts coming each year after. However, it was released on March 27, 2018, and received mixed reviews. The other parts have not yet been released.