Look, EA, when I said I’d like a new Ultima game, I meant a new Ultima game. Not… this.
Meet Lords of Ultima, a “game where you build your own unique city and play with thousands of other players”. It’s been developed by Phenomic, the team behind Battleforge, and while I have no idea how it plays (the beta servers are currently full), I know one thing.
EA needs to stop this.
Ultima is not a house-hold name. It’s well-known in PC circles, yes, but as a role-playing game. So why dig it up only to completely misuse it? It is, like Wing Commander, a nostalgic indulgence. People remember the series for what it was, and for what it did around the time of its release.
Lords of Ultima could be great, I don’t know, I haven’t played it. But I know that, as an Ultima fan – surely the type of person EA is trying to appeal to by using the brand name – I don’t much care for the way a cherished brand is being plastered over something completely unrelated.
Greg
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 7:01 AMthe Ultima games were overated
Nstac
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 11:03 AMI totally agree with the author on this one, such a waste. As a mad fan i will check it out anyway. The ultima universe or ‘Brittania’ is so well layed out you know theres a reason everygame came with a cloth map. Origin creates worlds.
Ultima VII and its expansions are the greatest games i have ever played. Underworld I & II where also great deep games. Check out ‘Exult’ its kind of like scummvm for ultima VII you can play it in high-res with graphic enhancements providing you have your own legit copy of the original.
Rook
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 11:44 AMGive us a new Ultima Underworld instead. Get your Crytek engine license cranked up and just do it.
steve
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 12:12 PMi was one of the heretics who started on ultima 8 and went backwards – and dare i say it, i still find ultima 8 the best ultima.
although then again i am partially retardedly homosexual.
Luke Burdack
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 6:10 PMThere is a reason I have the Ultima 6 cloth map in a frame hanging above me right now. And it’s not so people can try to shift some shitty web-based game.