Ultima II

Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress, released in 1982, is the second installment in the Ultima series of role-playing video games. Developed by Origin Systems and published by Sierra On-Line, it was designed by Richard Garriott, who is also known by his alter ego, Lord British. The game builds upon the concepts introduced in the first game, Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness, expanding the gameplay and world.

Gameplay

Ultima II features a mixture of top-down perspective and tile-based graphics common in early role-playing games. Players control a character who embarks on a quest to defeat the enchantress Minax, a pupil of the evil Mondain from the previous game. The game is notable for its expansive scope, including time travel and exploration of different planets.

Players interact with the environment through commands to engage in combat, explore, and interact with characters and items. The game introduced improvements over its predecessor, such as a larger world map and more complex quests and character interactions.

Plot

The story of Ultima II revolves around the revenge of Minax, the apprentice of Mondain. Following the defeat of her mentor, Minax escapes to a different time period to orchestrate her revenge against the protagonist and the world. The player travels through various time periods, from the distant past to the far future, to gather the tools and knowledge needed to confront and defeat Minax.

Development

Developed by Richard Garriott and his company Origin Systems, Ultima II was one of the early games to be published by Sierra On-Line, marking a significant collaboration in the gaming industry at the time. The game was developed using the Apple II platform but was later ported to several other systems, broadening its accessibility and audience.

Reception

Upon release, Ultima II received positive reviews for its ambitious scope and improved mechanics compared to its predecessor. However, it also faced criticism for some of its more complex and less intuitive gameplay elements. Over time, it has been recognized as a classic and influential title in the role-playing genre.

Legacy

Ultima II set the stage for subsequent titles in the Ultima series, which continued to innovate and expand the boundaries of role-playing games. The series has been influential in shaping the development of RPGs and has maintained a dedicated fan base.

See also

• Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness
• Ultima III: Exodus
• Richard Garriott
• Origin Systems