[net.micro.mac] Macintosh game endorsements requested Possible Spoiler!!!!

mark@mrstve.UUCP (Mark Smith) (01/03/86)

In article <3891@ut-sally.UUCP>, bulko@ut-sally.UUCP (Bill Bulko) writes:
>      For example, I've heard that Wizardry and the
>      Ultima series are supposed to be different and good.  Is this true?
>      (Any Wizardry/Ultima fans out there?)  No Hitchhikers or Transylvania
>      replies, please.


   This review was originally intended as mail but it bounced back so fast it
   broke the time barrier.  Threfore I am sending my comments via the net.
   These are my opinions alone, and I am relaying them only because Bill asks.
   So if you disagree with any or all of what I'm about to say, please don't
   flood my mailbox with hate mail.  I'm having enough problems with E-mail
   as it is.     Thank you... and now for the review...

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	 Ultima and Wizardry are probably the 2 best adventure games ever made
    for a micro computer.  I have all 4 Ultima's and all 3 Wizardry's.  They
    are very well put together with a good story line, graphics, and general
    playablility.  While I haven't conquored Ultima 4 or Wizardry 3 yet (I just
    go them), here is what they are like:

    Ultima 1:  While written in BASIC and not very well structured at this point
	      in the evolution of Ultima, it is a superb game.  Excellent
	      graphics and a space scenario with full Star Wars graphics, hyper-
	      space, tie-fighter combat, etc. make this a real cool game.

    Ultima 2: Stepping up the scale, Ultima 2 provides a world which you can
	      adventure in during 4 time periods, ranging from 19,000,000,000 BC
	      to 2112 AD, complete with spaceships, KGB agents (who kick ass),
	      and bi-planes to tool around the country side.  When you do make
	      it to outer-space, you find it to be structured like our own 
	      galaxy with all the planets.  Using your trusty spacecraft, you
	      can vist each planet which has a world map, castles, dungeons,
	      alien cities, and full planetary adventures so you really are
	      getting 13 games for the price of one.  If you're wondering
	      where I came up with that number, 9 Planets, 3 additional Time 
	      Periods on Earth, plus the mysterious Planet X, which is very well
	      hidden and very crucial to the completion of the Quest.  One 
	      planet even sports a computer camp complete with counselors,
	      campfires, and a nasty cook.   This game has several "glitches"
	      which don't really ruin the game.  In fact they can even help.
	      One of these "glitches" is the ship cloning.  I won't tell you
	      how its done, but in one of my time periods, I have the ENTIRE
	      oceans of the world covered from shore to shore with my fleet.

    Ultima 3: Another progressive step upwards.  Ultima 3 uses the phases of the
	      moon plus other astrological voodoo bullshit (pardon).  Combat
	      graphics and the animation have been improved 100% plus you can  
	      now run a party of characters.  Of course this means you fight
	      parties of monsters though.  Ship to ship combat has been greatly
	      improved and additional spells have been added.  The only thing
	      really wrong with this game is that to solve the puzzle you
	      really need to find your cluesm hints, etc fomr outside sources.
	      I would have never won the game if I hadn't read a "spoiler" in
	      one of my computer journals.  While the game is good, I think
	      the clues should be accessible from within the game.

    Ultima 4: I haven't even got a good start on this one yet.  I think they
	      ran out of ideas for a plot and visual enhancments so they
	      just got plain nasty when they made this.  Ultima 4 relies
	      mainly on you character's starting alignment.  The ONLY way to
	      actually win the game is if your character or characters have
	      played the game to its ending AND have never strayed from their
	      chosen alignment.  This means if your character is good, and you
	      steal, rape or pillage just once, quit and start over.  Oh well.
	      Maybe it gets better after I get into it more.  I can let you know
	      if you're interested, but the first 3 are excellent and should
	      take you at least 6 months to a year to complete them all.

   Wizardry and the 2 additional scenarios are probably the most advanced games
of their kind.  Multiple classes, a multitude of spells, a wide range of 
monsters, all displayed in hi-res color graphics, makes this game a real winner.
The way Wizardry is set up using a complex database, there are things which will
only happen once during your entire lifetime.  Your characters may advance to
higher and more complex levels and classes including the deadly Ninja, or    
perhaps a Knight or Samuri.  I never get tired of playing Wizardry, because its
never the same game twice.

   Here's a wrap up:
	  
	  Game             Scale (1-10)
     =====================================
      Ultima I                 7
      Ultima II                10
      Ultima III               8
      Ultima IV                5 for now.  I think they're beating a dead horse.
      Wizardry                 10
      Wizardry  Scenario 1     10
      Wizardry  Scenario 2     10
     =====================================


     Well, I hope I didn't this wasn't "too" long, and I hope this helps you in
     making a decision.  Good Luck...





-- 

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  May the Quest for the ElfSword be
  your ultimate goal in life...
					  Mark Smith
         		GM          	  "The Software Wizard"
					  ihnp4!pur-ee!pur-phy!mrstve!mark
     
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mykes@3comvax.UUCP (Mike Schwartz) (01/08/86)

I am extremely fond of Wizardry and the Ultima series, but I found a
computer game along the same lines that is head and shoulders above the
others: QUESTRON by Strategic Simulations.

QUESTRON paid a fee to Lord Brittish to license the "look" of Ultima, but
added much much much more depth to the game, and actually made a real nice
ending, when compared to Ultima III.  The game continuously changes as you
become more experienced.  Just when you think you have seen all that there
is to see (this happens pretty quick in Ultima and Wizardry), a new challenge
comes along and gives your characters more objectives.  On a scale of
1-10, if  Ultima III is an 8, Questron is a 16!

I have played questron on the C64 and Atari 800, and I am sure it is
available for the Apple II, too.  I do not know about other machines,
except that it isn't available for the Amiga or ST.

If you can find the game, you won't be disappointed.

/mykes