Blackrock Sword wise, Forge of Virtue was released ~5 months after Black Gate and about the same before UU2, probably they were already signficiantly through development to try and include the expansion content. Maybe not even working off a complete or final script for BG since they'd have overlapping development. If you came to it later (even I got the Ultima 7 complete edition with both games and expansions) you'd never entirely know that FoV was not originally part of the game.
Enjoyed this greatly back in the days. Both as a continuation to UW1, U7 and a mid chapter in the fight against the Guardian. While it certainly has holes with continuity regarding Black Gate, it serves few nice teasers towards future, Serpent Isle and Pagan. Especially the Blackrock Serpent Statue. Only learned years later how to obtain it. It's backstory has connection to both U7:P2 and U8, which sadly never got addressed due plot cuts. Top of all, Looking Glass was forced to release this game in less than a year so it was rushed slightly and some corners were cut. Even today no idea what was cut but it seems nothing as severe as Serpent Isle, Pagan and U9 went through. Good job once again.
Actually the Guardian's blackrock gem spell is kind of explained when you figure out how to reverse the spell that made it: Someone (likely Patterson, but using Mors Gotha's spellbook somehow, or otherwise bringing her there to do it since the portal gem didn't exist yet) cast a spell in the Throne Room that opened that gate for the Guardian in the middle of the night. It's also why Patterson is late to the initial meeting in the Throne Room at the beginning of the adventure, he'd slept in. While that's still kind of handwaving, it certainly makes more sense than just assuming the Guardian could just conjure up blackrock from nowhere interdimensionally.
This one is definitely the 'red headed step child' of the ultima series. I loved it when it first came out and thought traveling to all the different worlds was really neat. I always thought Mors Gotha was a cool antagonist being a anti avatar.
I’ve played this game so many times since it was first released during my Packard Bell 25mhz PC. Not sure that GOG includes all files the original game had, but I used to rename the lights file to lightz. It took away some of the darkness. Also, as my last comment - remember to destroy your scrolls and potions and then put the remains back in your bag to use them infinitely.
Yeah i loved UU2, though i didn't understood the dimension crystal as a young boy and only played i think three worlds. I knew i missed something but i didn't got it. So still 999137 views from now, when Nightdive is announcing UU1+2 remake.
I had the bargain rack combo disc of Ultima Underworld I+II The one where Ultima Underworld I had a game-breaking bug and if you didn't have internet you were not patching / finishing it.
As much as I do hold UW2 deer in my heart. When I replayed it recently I did notice that the loot in the game feels so underwhelming. Without a lot of user facing stats to be able to judge the efficacy and dmg of a weapon. You'll be hard pressed to compare your jeweled magical hand axe, with another let's say magical shortsword. There's very little information given to the player to be able to make any kinds of decision with the gear. Apart from, bigger usually better. Or Leather Vs Plate. I managed to loot the vault at he magical academy. And apart from some gold and gems, there was one magical axe I think. Suposedly a really good one. But again, hard to tell in combat. :/
Great review. Tried to play Ultima Underworld 1 but found the controls and gameplay too frustrating, like driving a Mars rover and constantly needing to switch interaction modes for every action. Is the gameplay any better in 2?
Thanks. Controls have aged quite a bit, but with the interactions you can use right click to interact/pick up items. Maybe one day it'll get a Nightdive treatment.
UU2 tweaks a few things but the UI is mostly the same. But look up the mouselook patch for both games, it modernizes the UI some (also adds additional hotkeys and a few other things).
A shame not more of the Underworld games were made, I always found them to be more enjoyable and well crafted than the mainline ones. More nteresting mechanics as well and a style of gameplay much more befitting of the quest. Wonder what would have happened if more Underworld games were made? Could we have seen an Underworld 3 where the Avatar time travels or goes into space like Ultima 1, facing off against the cyberized Guardian in Underworld 3 : Space Shock or something? Would have been neat. A shame no other game or series continued what Underworld did and the space it occupied for gaming, that of a fantasy dungeon crawler with many proto-ImSim elements. The only thing in recent years that comes to mind is a bad kickstarter game that couldn't deliver on its premise at all. And I miss those out-of-game secrets, hidden in the manuals that came with the games back in the day. Nice amount of hints and worldbuilding, a shame those are lost art these days, when devs could have continued their legacy with digital manuals. PS : So at 05:55 we have official confirmation that every japanese guy out there is using the Ultima rules when it comes to powers, powerlevel grinding and power transference in (modern) Isekai stories. Amazing, Ultima's legacy truly lives in Japan, still.
Arx Fatalis comes close to being an Underworld successor, even was influenced by it. It was actually my first dungeon crawler. Still an old game but there you go. And yeah I heard Underworld Ascendant didn't deliver, unfortunately. 💀
@@VoidbrandGallery So that's what the name was, Underworld Ascendant. Arx Fatalis was the title Arcane developed right before Dark Messiah, right? Dark Messiah was great but it wasn't a dungeon crawler; still I'll check Arx Fatalis.
@@RiderWithTheScarf I'm not sure but that might sound right. That also reminds me I should replay Dark Messiah soon, since it's been forever. Really great game but yeah it's no Underworld or Arx.
Played this as a teen way back. No internet, no guides. I remember completing each level as a major achievement. Seems silly now. The whole Guardian opus was pretty cool, shame they sort of let it die on the vine, along with Origin systems. Atleast, some of the people stayed in the industry, giving us System Shock and Bioshock. I finally got around to playing Prey right now, so some of that DNA is still around. At least it was 5 years ago.
Hopefully the new System Shock remake does gangbusters and we can see a return to 1990's style game design. We've gone backwards to accommodate console kiddies and casuals and I am not a happy camper over it.
@@talesofgore9424 Yeah, I hear ya. The only thing, i don't think the youngins will ever experience going from no games, no computers, to the wonder of the first games and then how they got better year after year. And its like Christmas every day. Then suddenly we got the console plateau of the 2000s-2010s, very little innovation, less story each time and just better "graphics." Then the loot box apocalypse. And now? Maybe Zuck is right, we need a proper holodeck for people to get excited again. Til then, yeah, I wish they would just make some decent RPGs before I kick the bucket.
Thanks. I loved this game. The collapsing world blew my mind
Would've blown my mind if I played this back then.
Great video. The game is often super frustrating but it definitely has its merits
Thanks. I like the game a lot, but it does have its quirks.
Been looking forward to this one, Ultima Underworld 2 doesn’t get nearly as much coverage as the first game which is surprising
That's too bad. It's as good as the first game at least.
Thanks for the videos, always nice to see a new one in my feed.
You're welcome, thanks for watching. 💀
Excellent review, as usual
Cheers as well, thanks. 💀
Blackrock Sword wise, Forge of Virtue was released ~5 months after Black Gate and about the same before UU2, probably they were already signficiantly through development to try and include the expansion content. Maybe not even working off a complete or final script for BG since they'd have overlapping development.
If you came to it later (even I got the Ultima 7 complete edition with both games and expansions) you'd never entirely know that FoV was not originally part of the game.
Enjoyed this greatly back in the days. Both as a continuation to UW1, U7 and a mid chapter in the fight against the Guardian. While it certainly has holes with continuity regarding Black Gate, it serves few nice teasers towards future, Serpent Isle and Pagan. Especially the Blackrock Serpent Statue. Only learned years later how to obtain it. It's backstory has connection to both U7:P2 and U8, which sadly never got addressed due plot cuts. Top of all, Looking Glass was forced to release this game in less than a year so it was rushed slightly and some corners were cut. Even today no idea what was cut but it seems nothing as severe as Serpent Isle, Pagan and U9 went through. Good job once again.
Hey Voidbrand, I really appreciate your content! Keep at it , I hope you get more recognition soon.
Thanks a bunch. 💀
Actually the Guardian's blackrock gem spell is kind of explained when you figure out how to reverse the spell that made it: Someone (likely Patterson, but using Mors Gotha's spellbook somehow, or otherwise bringing her there to do it since the portal gem didn't exist yet) cast a spell in the Throne Room that opened that gate for the Guardian in the middle of the night. It's also why Patterson is late to the initial meeting in the Throne Room at the beginning of the adventure, he'd slept in. While that's still kind of handwaving, it certainly makes more sense than just assuming the Guardian could just conjure up blackrock from nowhere interdimensionally.
Good review. Liked your other vids too.
Thank you. 💀 Happy you liked them.
Gonna love this channel content. It remind me of good old ggmanlives channel but more for RPG content, especially like Ultima. Done subscribed 👍
This one is definitely the 'red headed step child' of the ultima series. I loved it when it first came out and thought traveling to all the different worlds was really neat. I always thought Mors Gotha was a cool antagonist being a anti avatar.
I’ve played this game so many times since it was first released during my Packard Bell 25mhz PC. Not sure that GOG includes all files the original game had, but I used to rename the lights file to lightz. It took away some of the darkness. Also, as my last comment - remember to destroy your scrolls and potions and then put the remains back in your bag to use them infinitely.
That's a crazy trick.
Yeah i loved UU2, though i didn't understood the dimension crystal as a young boy and only played i think three worlds. I knew i missed something but i didn't got it.
So still 999137 views from now, when Nightdive is announcing UU1+2 remake.
One can only hope. 💀
Thanks for the quality video as always!
And thanks to you for watching, sir.
I had the bargain rack combo disc of Ultima Underworld I+II
The one where Ultima Underworld I had a game-breaking bug and if you didn't have internet you were not patching / finishing it.
daddy Voidbrand blessed us again
As much as I do hold UW2 deer in my heart. When I replayed it recently I did notice that the loot in the game feels so underwhelming. Without a lot of user facing stats to be able to judge the efficacy and dmg of a weapon. You'll be hard pressed to compare your jeweled magical hand axe, with another let's say magical shortsword. There's very little information given to the player to be able to make any kinds of decision with the gear. Apart from, bigger usually better. Or Leather Vs Plate.
I managed to loot the vault at he magical academy. And apart from some gold and gems, there was one magical axe I think. Suposedly a really good one. But again, hard to tell in combat. :/
rad vid
Great review. Tried to play Ultima Underworld 1 but found the controls and gameplay too frustrating, like driving a Mars rover and constantly needing to switch interaction modes for every action. Is the gameplay any better in 2?
Thanks. Controls have aged quite a bit, but with the interactions you can use right click to interact/pick up items. Maybe one day it'll get a Nightdive treatment.
UU2 tweaks a few things but the UI is mostly the same. But look up the mouselook patch for both games, it modernizes the UI some (also adds additional hotkeys and a few other things).
Man, Spoony did NOT do this game justice...
I didn't play it at the time, but I was surprised he didn't mention the other worlds you visited. Just the sewers.
Awww yeah
A shame not more of the Underworld games were made, I always found them to be more enjoyable and well crafted than the mainline ones. More nteresting mechanics as well and a style of gameplay much more befitting of the quest. Wonder what would have happened if more Underworld games were made? Could we have seen an Underworld 3 where the Avatar time travels or goes into space like Ultima 1, facing off against the cyberized Guardian in Underworld 3 : Space Shock or something? Would have been neat.
A shame no other game or series continued what Underworld did and the space it occupied for gaming, that of a fantasy dungeon crawler with many proto-ImSim elements. The only thing in recent years that comes to mind is a bad kickstarter game that couldn't deliver on its premise at all.
And I miss those out-of-game secrets, hidden in the manuals that came with the games back in the day. Nice amount of hints and worldbuilding, a shame those are lost art these days, when devs could have continued their legacy with digital manuals.
PS : So at 05:55 we have official confirmation that every japanese guy out there is using the Ultima rules when it comes to powers, powerlevel grinding and power transference in (modern) Isekai stories. Amazing, Ultima's legacy truly lives in Japan, still.
Arx Fatalis comes close to being an Underworld successor, even was influenced by it. It was actually my first dungeon crawler. Still an old game but there you go. And yeah I heard Underworld Ascendant didn't deliver, unfortunately. 💀
@@VoidbrandGallery So that's what the name was, Underworld Ascendant. Arx Fatalis was the title Arcane developed right before Dark Messiah, right? Dark Messiah was great but it wasn't a dungeon crawler; still I'll check Arx Fatalis.
@@RiderWithTheScarf I'm not sure but that might sound right. That also reminds me I should replay Dark Messiah soon, since it's been forever. Really great game but yeah it's no Underworld or Arx.
Ultima Underworld and World Of Ultima. They are so great spinoffs of Ultima series.
sweet
Played this as a teen way back. No internet, no guides. I remember completing each level as a major achievement. Seems silly now.
The whole Guardian opus was pretty cool, shame they sort of let it die on the vine, along with Origin systems. Atleast, some of the people stayed in the industry, giving us System Shock and Bioshock. I finally got around to playing Prey right now, so some of that DNA is still around. At least it was 5 years ago.
Hopefully the new System Shock remake does gangbusters and we can see a return to 1990's style game design. We've gone backwards to accommodate console kiddies and casuals and I am not a happy camper over it.
like I'm legitimately buttmad that Daggerfall has more depth than modern elder scrolls titles
tf?
@@talesofgore9424 Yeah, I hear ya. The only thing, i don't think the youngins will ever experience going from no games, no computers, to the wonder of the first games and then how they got better year after year. And its like Christmas every day. Then suddenly we got the console plateau of the 2000s-2010s, very little innovation, less story each time and just better "graphics." Then the loot box apocalypse. And now? Maybe Zuck is right, we need a proper holodeck for people to get excited again. Til then, yeah, I wish they would just make some decent RPGs before I kick the bucket.