To me, this is just the coolest setup for a game story ever. The hero of the people is banished to another world--a dark, forsaken land shrouded in mystery and danger--and must find a way to return to his own world in order to prevent the destruction of all he loves. The lore, the atmosphere, the music, the backstory and the characters... It haunts me to this day. I fantasize about some day recreating this, or using the same general idea for a unique hybrid RPG/Adventure game of my own. I loved this game, flaws and all. But with a polished system that doesn't involve 10 million bugs and awkward controls, I can't even imagine how awesome this game would be.
***** I think the most amazing aspects of Ultima 8 was the complexity of creating magical stuff! You had to gather a lot of ingredients, put them in a pentagram in the right spot, with different color variation of candles and say the right magic words. To create those things was an extraordinary experience, wasn't it? Even the characters were amazing. Mythran was amazing
Daniel Gouw I agree 100%. U8's sorcery is still the coolest magic system I've ever seen in a game. The runner up is the rune system from the dungeon master games. And yeah, Mythran was a badass. I loved how he was the quintessential example of reclusive genius like Newton or Turing. He was brilliant and cock-sure of his own judgements. I also thought Bentic's comments about him were very amusing. Glad to see someone else appreciates this amazing game.
***** That was the first "rpg" pc-game I played in DOS. I even learnt english (i'm brazilian) playing Pagan. I will never forget that intro, nor the execution in the beginning of the game. Imagine if Bethesda could take this title and turn it into a remake with Skyrim style graphics? With the sorcery system, the complex story of Pagan and the Titans... It would be sick!
That DOES sound pretty cool. While you're at it, do a reboot of Ultima 9, with all of the bugs (story, controls, plot holes, etc.) modified. That game even horrified The Spoony One.
for me this is so nostalgic... this was one of the first games that I played as a kid, I was 12 years old at that time... now i'm 23 :S Ultima 8 was a great game, so interesting and so mysterious
This was one of the first games I tried in a MS system, years ago and I was excited with it. Ultima, a legendary game series. Everything ended when EA bought Origin..
And this, waaaaaaaay back in the mid nineties, was the first I saw of Ultima. I thought U8 was absolutely the bomb... So I purchased the seventh game, and that was, in comparison, absolutely A-Bomb !
@GetY0urAssToMars Because we were a lot younger then (I'm 34 now, and I started with a C=64, I know I'll never enjoy a game today as much as I enjoyed them then). These games were first of their kind and everything impressed us. The lack of technology also left a lot of room for imagination....
@technoshamanarchist @technoshamanarchist You are so right! Its like the thing with books: If there is less input like audio and video your imagination is given room for fascinating experiences. I like media of today, but that old stuff is something very special and magical.
I don't have the ending cinematic, but it's not much to look at. A bunch of walking around as new Void tempest (or whatever) followed by arriving in Brittania only to see the pillars sticking up that are a big part of Ultima 9.
Does anyone remember UDIC (Ultima Dragons Internet Collective)? I was a member of that! Loadstone dragon. That brings back memories, and I can't believe that was 18 years ago.
Yes! Naithol Dragon. A friend hinted me on this one, he was also one of the Dragons, Maelstrom Dragon. We're both from Poland. 18 years ago, you wrote 7 years ago, that would be 25 ya. Can't be so far back in time. Remembert i joined UDiC round 15 years ago. So sad how time flies.
@technoshamanarchist You are so right! Its like the thing with books: If there is less input like audio and video your imagination is given room for fascinating experiences. I like media of today, but that old stuff is something very special and magical.
one of the best games ever. I really don't get why this is not very highly regarded compared to the earlier ultima. the ambience in this game is above anything I've seen since then. the music was also pretty awesome.
@@suchiuomizu Wow I got a reply 15 years later!! Yes to hardcode Ultima fans it might have been awkward but to me somehow the game did pull me in. I also liked the music.
@@josephmueller3752 haha ... or maybe I spend too much time in front of my PC. 16 years later since my original comment and 30 years since I played the game and I still love it
It have interesting story premise but the game was poorly executed and implemented. Also, Pagan is not even fit as "Ultima 8". It should been its own spinoffs. Maybe, "World of Ultima: Pagan" or better be "Ultima Underworld III: Pagan"
the guardian is normal size, well he is 9 foot tall. but he can dip his hand into the ether via sorcery or some unknown black magic and drag the avatar into another Universe.
@Psychlonic He can't just toss you to another world whenever he wants. At the end of Serpent Isle the Avatar was caught by the Guardian in the Void. Otherwise he couldn't have pulled it off.
I remember playing this in the mid-90s on a PC that didn't have a soundcard and being fascinated with the intro animation. Still had fun with it even with no sound! I think it was a 486 33 MHz PC
@Rakknar I like 7 most, because of all the secrets and large world. And the music, and the interactivity. Never got to play this one, so can't really say anything about it.
exactly which is also why the guardian didn't kill Batlin till after he opened the wall of lights, the guardian can only use his powers in a world he is not present in psychically when there's a connection to the void present
wow, nostaligia trip. This game came bundled with my dads penitum 60mgz when I was like 10. This game had a really dark, unique vibe. I loved it, even though I didn't get very far. Shame about ultima 9....
@yousini lol! Same i never really played any others except for 7, which people said was the best, but i perfered pagan more over 7. Loved the gameplay, graphics, story, mood, pretty well everything. It was a big change from the other series
CLASSIC, This game was overwhelming for a lot of people. It did not hold your hand. some of the spells you had to perform had to be done in the magic circle much like real life spells and herbs had to be placed on the ground. A lot of long time Ultima fans hated this game but as tedious and confusing as it was sometimes. I loved it. Many nights staying up late with siblings and exploring the catacombs and other locations.
exactly! Ultima 8 has such a deep place in my heart. I learned my English because of this game! And the booklet with awesome drawings....THE BOOKLET! I still have it somewhere...
8 was most interactive and had most little leveling part, im great fan of 8 and 9 even though 9 is small, but all ultimas by Lord British own. First ones are crazy health maxing games though ;p
Never cared for previous ultimas, but pagan owned. Hell, ya had pentagrams, candles.. only goat slaughtering was missing - perfect magic system in a game heh. Story and characters were also pretty sweet for its time, and the dark setting.
@Rakknar Well, I don't think I would like this one as much as 7, just because I like that "literally lost" feeling that 7 gives me. But even so, I have been thinking of buing this game sometime soon :)
@TheTWF Nah i loved 4 and 5(ive still got 4 boxed)but i liked the dark feel of 8 and then excellent music and art,ofc it was buggy and some parts were bad,but i did enjoy this when i wasnt drowning in the water.
You should really try it, but make sure you get the patch first. I think it's abandonware now, though I'm not sure. Even if it's not, it can't be more than 5$. I've tried 7, but got intimidated, I guess, by how big it was. I literally felt lost. That's the same reason I could never get into Planescape: Torment...
U8 is not even fitting to be in main series. It would be make sense to be another Underworld game, given the story premise of Pagan is darker and gritty and how make sense this intro, alone, if Pagan been a 3rd Ultima Underworld game. If Origin wanted to implement a lot of ambitious stuff, including the ridiculous platforming level, then Pagan should be design and translated into 3D engine element like Underworld so then it could be way more accessible & playable. Develop Pagan to be in isometric without a feature like free flowing camera adjustment & rotation (that already exist at the time like Syndicate Wars as an example) are painful & unplayable in some certain area like the platforming thing, etc, etc, eventhough the jumping mechanic was there. Not to mentioned, U8 also had a lot of creepy dungeon exploration level. Imagine if we do a dungeon quest and explore the cave & catacomb level in 3D, then it would be mind blowing and ultimate horror ultima experience. So I think if Pagan been re-considered as "Ultima Underworld 3: Pagan" and been developed as 3D Ultima, after the first 2 Underworld, it would make sense and different beast of the game in its own.
PleasantGuitar Hell yes. This game left me with some of the most memorable impressions in my childhood. The great difficulty coupled with the dark and forbidding atmosphere always gave me this anxious feeling of struggling against a cold, indifferent world. Each time I conquered a challenge or unlocked another area I was rewarded with a real sense of accomplishment and a feeling of ever increasing mastery over the hostile unknown. Personally, I think that's good for a kid.
I have to disagree, 7 (parts 1 and 2) were the most 'interactive,' and my personal favorites. Ultima 9 splattered the canon to hell and back, because of EA winching the deadline and the departure of key team members at Origin.
@technoshamanarchist You are so right! Its like the thing with books: If there is less input like audio and video your imagination is given room for fascinating experiences. I like media of today, but that old stuff is something very special and magical.
@technoshamanarchist You are so right! Its like the thing with books: If there is less input like audio and video your imagination is given room for fascinating experiences. I like media of today, but that old stuff is something very special and magical.
