The fourth game in the now well-established Ultima series featured an improved game engine, with color graphics and better character interaction (you could now have actual conversations with NPCs). But what really makes Ultima IV shine is its radical departure from any other RPG made before or since in terms of the story and goal. Instead of building up your character by any means possible in order to face the Ultimate Evil in a big bang up showdown, in Ultima IV you were trying to become the Avatar, a role model of sorts for the people of the land. This meant upholding the "eight virtues" and basically trying to become a better person. In most RPGs you chose to be a just/nice hero because the people you'd help would usually provide you with some nice equipment for your services, but in Ultima IV you helped people not for a reward or to advance the plot but simply because it was the "right thing to do". The game actually frowns on behavior that was typical of most other RPGs, such as backstabbing fleeing monsters or picking up everything that wasn't nailed down even if it didn't belong to you. The game keeps track of all your actions, so if you went about killing and looting like in most RPGs, you'd never finish the game.This VERY different approach to the game's ultimate goal is what makes Ultima IV famous so many years later, and became the sort of design philosophy that made all the following Ultimas so unique in their genre. Of course, the game still has plenty of traditional RPG elements such as dungeons to explore and hostile monsters to kill, as well as a typical final "Holy Grail" type quest where you had to find the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom to complete your transformation into Avatarhood.

Overall 9    Graphics 8    Sound 6    Addictive 7    Story 7    Depth 8    Difficulty 4

A vast RPG world where your actions, good and bad, are always under scrutiny   endings
The quest of the Avatar. No, not the blue cat people and nature. Further back. No, not the Nickelode...
  Graphics 8   Sound 6   Addictive 7   Story 7   Depth 8   Difficulty 4
      Review Rating: 4/5     Submitted: 08-07-14     Review Replies: 2

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nysteve 09-29-14 - 04:42 PM
 alt+enter also works for turbografx and turbografx cd games too!
xseed 07-28-13 - 07:24 PM
 This is a snes game correct? Then to make it full screen you press ALT+ENTER. It may take a few tries(mine does) this trick ONLY works on snes games(for some reason)
Benner86 12-20-10 - 08:10 AM
 lukas xD du hast es gezockt^^ ich spiels grad an :D Bizzgeburt sucks a bit and tries to be a crappy hero and hes almost my neighbour anyway
ScottPentek 12-13-10 - 05:56 PM
 how do u make fullscreen/
Bizzgeburt 10-30-10 - 07:56 AM
 I just startet playing. I don't know the serie's, but they say, it's the 4th Part of it. Grafic's are real detailed for a nes-rpg, but i played one's with better music so far. I'm excited, what soundtracks are up to come in this one ...