EA Launches Ultima-Based Browser Game 106
On Monday Electronic Arts launched Lord of Ultima, a free-to-play, browser-based strategy game that's based on the Ultima universe. Quoting VG247: "Set in the new world of Caledonia, players start the game as conquerors raising an empire, and then move from developing a village to evolving it into a highly customized capital. Players can be peaceful merchants by trading resources over land or sea and using diplomacy, or become feared conquerors using armies of knights and mages to crush their enemies one by one in maniacal glee."
[long_no] (Score:5, Insightful)
As someone, who was with the series from the very beginning (Yep, Akalabeth and all the spinoffs too.), I think I speak for all fans of Ultima when I say...
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
That said, I feel this particular title should stay buried under hazy, but beautiful memories, as one of the precursors of RPGs, and a very good series of games. Reviving this as anything other than an RPG game dilutes it's essence - it's amazing storyline, great set of characters and innovative approaches to quests.
Yet another clone (Score:3, Insightful)
Yet another clone of Hamurabi [wikipedia.org]...
As to the claim that the player can expand "peacefully"? Yeah, right. If it's like other games of its ilk, the only way to be peaceful is to have the biggest, baddest army around or by being part of the biggest, baddest alliance around. Otherwise, you're just meat.
"We Create Worlds" (Score:4, Insightful)
Quick review... (Score:5, Insightful)
I have been playing this game for a few weeks now since the closed beta.
I can safely say that the game at this stage is no where near release ready.
Its definitely forced out of beta by some bean counter.
Heaps of bugs, even more then your average EA game.
No trading system. You can send resources but you have to trust the other party to send back what he promised. And you can't trade gold at all.
Graphical glitches galore.
Buttons to buy "power items" with real money everywhere.
The artificial restraints put in place to encourage you to buy power-ups are way to strict.
The ranking system only takes the amount of buildings you have into account. Nothing about army size.
Poor graphics that are not much better then place holders.
Having said all that, the game is still quite fun to play if you are in to this sort of game.
After you have your cities set up, a 15min gaming session twice a day is enough to keep playing.
So its perfect game to play on your lunch break.
If you want to play, don't make the mistake of building a castle in your first city.
You will get ripped apart by a large army within a day if you do.
Re:Sorry but... (Score:3, Insightful)
EA games - truth in advertising (Score:3, Insightful)
EA games, where computer franchises go to die.
EA games, milking the last drop out of a franchise near you!
EA games, if it makes a buck who cares about lore or canon?
EA games, We Destroy Worlds(tm). (thanks thylordroot)
Free to play, not to compete (Score:4, Insightful)
Why should we expect anything to be different with Lord of Ultima? In this sort of game you can spend months building everything up, and someone else can destroy it in a week, so people are going to feel compelled to buy competitive advantages if they are available.
Free to start but expensive once you are addicted, this is becoming such a common business model it needs its own word.
Re:They want you to pay real money for resources. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Free to play, not to compete (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Free to play, not to compete (Score:3, Insightful)