Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar Retrospective | Reimagining the RPG

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  • Опубликовано: 13 июн 2024
  • After the release of Ultima III: Exodus, the members of Origin Systems would pack up and move across the country to the chilly town of North Andover, Massachusetts. Here, they would buckle down and create the follow-up to the much lauded Exodus. Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar would represent a sea change in the trajectory of both the Ultima series, and CRPGs in general. This video chronicles the story of Ultima IV's development, while also taking a close look at what makes the game so enduringly special.
    This is the 4th video in my Ultima Retrospective series. Watching earlier parts isn't necessary to enjoy this video, but it is recommended. They can be found here:
    Akalabeth & Ultima I: • Akalabeth & Ultima I R...
    Ultima II: • Ultima II: The Revenge...
    Ultima III: • Ultima III Retrospecti...
    Thank you to Lazarus De Lis for creating the landscape used in the thumbnail! You can find Laz here:
    / lazarusdelis
    Links:
    / majuular
    / majuular
    Music used in this video (with timestamps):
    pastebin.com/8Tb4Hd18
    Running list of sources used in the Ultima Retrospective:
    pastebin.com/Nri8p0jy
    00:00 - A Fresh Start
    6:27 - Reimagining Ultima
    9:50 - Collaborators & Concerns
    13:50 - Ports & Preamble
    16:16 - A Whole New World
    22:27 - Character Creation
    25:10 - Conversations
    28:24 - Embodying the Avatar
    32:05 - Halting the Minmax
    34:26 - Virtues & Principles
    39:34 - The Problem With Virtue
    42:48 - Exploration
    49:01 - Magic
    53:01 - Companions
    56:43 - Combat
    1:00:34 - Runes, Mantras & Shrines
    1:09:34 - Dungeons & Stones
    1:20:08 - The Final Treasures
    1:25:00 - The Stygian Abyss
    1:27:19 - The Codex of Ultimate Wisdom
    1:36:28 - The Impact of Ultima IV
    1:39:48 - A Changing Industry
    1:45:31 - Credits
    Various Credits:
    Hand Model - scribbletoad
    Rose Model - Artem
    Low Poly Sword - Fermin Morales
    Key Sprites - BizmasterStudios
    Large Key Sprite - CarmenMCS
  • ИгрыИгры

Комментарии • 888

  • @tswan137
    @tswan137 Месяц назад +307

    Please never get rid of this intro. It makes me so happy.

    • @DemonLordSparda
      @DemonLordSparda Месяц назад +32

      It honestly feels like the perfect encapsulation of fond nostalgia. It's excellent.

    • @ntrefz
      @ntrefz Месяц назад +5

      What’s it from?

    • @chucklebutt4470
      @chucklebutt4470 Месяц назад

      @@ntrefz This youtube video you watched. You ok? lol

    • @tswan137
      @tswan137 Месяц назад +12

      @@Cartograph176 I've never heard an objectively wrong opinion before. :)

    • @HappyRatKaiser
      @HappyRatKaiser Месяц назад

      @@ntrefz You can find the video on RUclips under "1980s Amiga UK TV Computer Advert." Now, what I've always wanted to know is where the song comes from!

  • @5000Seabass
    @5000Seabass Месяц назад +537

    I think this guy might be the 100% best retro “RPG” RUclipsr to ever do it.

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +95

      That can't be true, but thank you nonetheless :)

    • @ThommyofThenn
      @ThommyofThenn Месяц назад +9

      ​@@Majuulardefinitely not bad and a very high quality

    • @5000Seabass
      @5000Seabass Месяц назад +38

      @@Majuular It’s your cadence my man. You’ve got the passion, voice, personality, and your writing is like you’re remembering something fondly the whole way through, like you’re not even writing.

    • @lliamthrumble
      @lliamthrumble Месяц назад +2

      "Rpg"

    • @bogbastard4243
      @bogbastard4243 Месяц назад +3

      @@lliamthrumble fix the attitude

  • @Cottinmouth
    @Cottinmouth Месяц назад +167

    Ah yes. My favorite. A feature length film about a game that I have not played and have never thought of before.I can’t wait to watch it all.

  • @sashamorvan2172
    @sashamorvan2172 Месяц назад +566

    You know someone's content is gold when you immediately click on a new video as soon as it drops

  • @manhattan2003
    @manhattan2003 Месяц назад +301

    Dude you dropped this at 10:30 PM EST on a Saturday like we ain't got responsibilities, now the kids gotta starve tonight cause Daddy's too busy learning about Ultima

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +143

      Kids are excellent scavengers, they'll find a way to make it work.

    • @anonymoose2341
      @anonymoose2341 Месяц назад +25

      Do you usually feed your kids after 10:30 PM

    • @kyon813
      @kyon813 Месяц назад +18

      ​@@anonymoose2341As long as it's not after midnight

    • @ens0246
      @ens0246 Месяц назад +18

      ​@@anonymoose2341what a multilayered post. First he explicitly tells us of his willingness to be a bad parent. But dig a little deeper and we see within the subtext the further unconscious ways in which he is a terrible parent.😂

    • @nilus2k
      @nilus2k Месяц назад +8

      @@ens0246Not to mention a good parent can learn about Ultima IV while making dinner. 😂

  • @just-mees
    @just-mees Месяц назад +14

    My mom once said she had a client who said he loved video games, and when she asked him which ones he liked he said he mostly plays ultima 4 and that she should tell her children about it, so that they'll be happy playing it for months. This wasn't in the 90s or the 2000s this was last month. I don't know what he was thinking but I respect his swagger

    • @NovelWeapons-tn1jl
      @NovelWeapons-tn1jl 3 дня назад

      He probably dresses like a pirate and has crippling social anxiety but he is definitely the man

  • @GeorgGreat_GameReviews
    @GeorgGreat_GameReviews Месяц назад +306

    For about 3 years my analysis of Ultima IV was the second most popular video about it on RUclips. It hasn’t yet, but, in a short while, this video will surpass mine… And I couldn’t be happier.
    Ultima IV is a very special game. The experience of playing it 3 years ago is one that had a tremendous impact on me. If this excellent video brings greater attention to it - far greater than it had in decades - there will be more people giving this game a shot and… maybe at least one of those people will discover in this game the same treasure I had.
    So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this video.
    Thank you for keeping Ultima alive.

    • @Ellebeeby
      @Ellebeeby Месяц назад +57

      Absolute Chad move right here.

    • @neurohack9038
      @neurohack9038 Месяц назад +5

      Snooze ya lose.
      Get back to finishing ultima videos. NOW

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +126

      Humbled to see a comment like this. I've had more than a few people recommend your Ultima IV video to me since I started this series. I've put it off due to a personal rule where I CAN'T watch extraneous media about a game UNTIL I'm done making my video, for fear that I might subconsciously absorb other people's thoughts & feelings. Now that this video is out, I'm looking forward to taking a look at your Ultima IV analysis :)
      RUclips can be a competitive place, but almost everyone in this space (whatever that means) seems to be on the same wavelength: it's all about the games. Cheers Georg!

    • @RustyShackleford-hq2mr
      @RustyShackleford-hq2mr Месяц назад +2

      I've been eyeing the series for weeks now because of these videos and IV is the one that stood out the most to me.
      I'll probably get a copy after watching this tbh; have me and cozy Sunday afternoon.

    • @The24thWight
      @The24thWight Месяц назад +9

      Georg.
      OP of this thread. Makes pretty damn good videos.
      I'd recommend them.

  • @craftycatgirl3939
    @craftycatgirl3939 Месяц назад +125

    Just got off work, had a long shit ass grinder of a day, and this hits literally the minute I clock out.
    Thanks, king.

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +44

      I made Saturday night my deadline for this reason. Take it easy and enjoy the video!

  • @Isrieri
    @Isrieri Месяц назад +74

    Never have I asked the question, "I wonder if Rich Evans has ever played Ultima?" but that's the magic of a Majuular video, boyos.

    • @dc9662
      @dc9662 Месяц назад +13

      50/50, but I'd like to believe that he finished it just before the Tums Festival from eating that juicy Shaq meat.

    • @jasongarrett768
      @jasongarrett768 Месяц назад +5

      His acid resistance has to be through the roof by now.

  • @tracidvoyager
    @tracidvoyager Месяц назад +46

    I'm truly impressed by the amount of footage and background info you've managed to find and gather for this series for the developer history parts, you're like a one man documentary crew. Bits like the Roe R Adams nod are invaluable gaming history, and things like that are often in risk of being lost to time when chronicling the 70s - 80s, early to mid 90s game history. Maybe you and Matt Barton could team up one day

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +25

      Thanks so much for the comment. I couldn't do it without folks like Matt interviewing and archiving. His book 'Dungeons & Desktops' was actually the inspiration for this Ultima series in the first place.

    • @cybercop0083
      @cybercop0083 Месяц назад +1

      @@MajuularMay I ask, where you got the japanese magazine scans concerning Mr. Adams?

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +9

      @@cybercop0083 Yes, you can find them here:
      cronotripper.substack.com/p/roe-r-adams-iii-una-invocacion
      Hopefully that posted okay. I know RUclips is weird about links sometimes.

    • @cybercop0083
      @cybercop0083 Месяц назад +1

      @@Majuular Thank you! Much obliged 🤩🤩🤩

  • @spiderwebsoftware1
    @spiderwebsoftware1 Месяц назад +12

    Terrific video. I played this game an enormous amount when it was new, and it helped inspire me to write RPGs for a living.
    Two notes.
    1. The Apple version I played had a cheat code which showed your levels in each virtue, a number from 1 to 100. 100 was full Avatar status. However, I found that if you were penalized in a way that dropped your level to exactly 0, it wrapped around to 100 and you got full Avatar status. I was speedrunning this game in 1986.
    2. There WAS a clue to the final answer, infinity. When you got full avatar status at a circle, you briefly saw a single rune. If you wrote those runes down and translated them using the docs, you got letters that spelled "infinity."

  • @TheFuzzyJacket
    @TheFuzzyJacket Месяц назад +64

    New Mangojuular on a Saturday night? Excellent indeed.

    • @ValkyrieTiara
      @ValkyrieTiara Месяц назад +3

      It's juice! JUICE!! Mango JUICE!!!

  • @SupremeKaioshin
    @SupremeKaioshin Месяц назад +24

    Thanks for giving me a glimpse into a world I knew nothing about. It’s interesting to see how some of the ideas in this game reappear in so many RPGs decades after.

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +5

      Thank you for caring despite your lack of prior investment in the subject. That's always my hope when I make these videos.

  • @metaleggman18
    @metaleggman18 Месяц назад +25

    Just wow. Near the end I couldn't stop being teary eyed, both hearing how Ultima IV affected people and how it affected the industry, as well as remembering Akira Toriyama, may he rest in peace, both for his contributions to the arts, and for lending his creativity to video games. While I DEARLY want to hear about how you cover the less fortunate Ultima titles, this was truly a remarkable piece Maj. Thank you for making it.

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +3

      Thank you very much :)
      I tried to bring a lot of Ultima IV's positivity, optimism & innovation into this video, as we will need fuel for the journey through the less fortunate Ultima games.
      Thankfully, we've still got a ways to go.

  • @ThommyofThenn
    @ThommyofThenn Месяц назад +23

    I think the biggest appeal of these videos is the history lesson as well as gaming lore. The contemporary footage adds a lot of vibes, especially the nice blizzard footage. Anyway, learning about the developers and where they were at while making the game, adds to the game section of the video so much. So often ive played a game and found myself wondering "what were they thinking?!," sometimes happily, sometimes with bemusement and sometimes even anger. I've seen the making of DOOM and the guys at id, including transdimensional weigher of souls, John Carmack. This is a lot like those videos but about way nerdier guys making weird fantasy rpgs

  • @kevinfishburne
    @kevinfishburne 24 дня назад +3

    Boolean Dragon here and a lot of this was obscure and/or new to me. Great editing and understanding of specific times and the connectedness of the shown games. I've seen a lot and this is top quality. All my respect.

  • @n.i.834
    @n.i.834 Месяц назад +6

    This was my father’s favorite game ever. Love every minute. Thank you. He passed while on the last mission of Mass Effect Andromeda without finishing it. I’ve so many childhood memories of playing Ultima IX with him and so many others.

  • @davideil.
    @davideil. Месяц назад +13

    Thanks for doing Ultima justice. My favorites are 4 for the lore, 5 for the perfection of Ultima mechanics, and 6 for nostalgia of my childhood. Ultima Online gets an honorable mention for introducing me to the existence of the series.

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +5

      Thanks very much for the super thanks! There's definitely some games I'm looking forward to in the series, but 5 is particularly interesting to me. It's like the bridge between old Ultima and new Ultima. And the vibes seem impeccable.

  • @WretchedRedoran
    @WretchedRedoran Месяц назад +66

    Yooo, just as I plopped my plate of supper upon my desk, this video dropped its way into my recommended!

    • @xBINARYGODx
      @xBINARYGODx Месяц назад +6

      "my plate of supper upon my desk" such comfy words

  • @asterblaster2099
    @asterblaster2099 Месяц назад +5

    I think the documentary of the development of the game and the process that went into making it may be my favourite part of these Ultima videos. A game I've only heard the name of and I have been captivated by it's creation and the way you tell it's story. The market of game creation was such a fascinating place in the early days of the pc, and I had no idea how magical it was. An incredible documentary of a legendary game that only now I know of.

  • @NeonVistas
    @NeonVistas Месяц назад +22

    Sneaky Maj participating in a video game / video game essay trivia and dropping an Ultima vid on the same day! You’re spoiling us all!!! 🎉

  • @cardrave
    @cardrave 22 дня назад +2

    Hoping the algorithm is picking up on this guy for everyone else like it is for me. This channel's ripe to explode, super high quality stuff with way less attention than it deserves

  • @AuspexAO
    @AuspexAO Месяц назад +15

    Just got home from my D&D night and this dropped. Thanks Majuular. This one is my favorite. I remember trying to explain balloon navigation using the wind change spell to my buddy when we were kids, ha ha.

  • @WhipLash42o
    @WhipLash42o Месяц назад +18

    I'll be honest and say I really like "Majuular story time" at the start of every video. I'm a brainlet that uses youtube to eat dinner, and the history recap at the beginning is pretty fun stuff.

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +4

      Those are my favorite parts to write!

  • @aivokallo77
    @aivokallo77 25 дней назад +2

    Started watching this, and quickly got that it was really high quality content. By the time the Avatar yelled "Serenity now!", I subscribed.

  • @demoneyesrakka
    @demoneyesrakka Месяц назад +22

    New Majuular AND new Red Letter Media....some times good things do happen.
    Thank you for the awesome, high quality videos. So much history.

    • @TriforceElder08
      @TriforceElder08 Месяц назад +8

      Oddly enough, they reference 90s FMV point and click in the new RLM video lol

    • @drinkycrow705
      @drinkycrow705 Месяц назад +5

      ​@@TriforceElder08it's like poetry, it rhymes

    • @demoneyesrakka
      @demoneyesrakka Месяц назад +3

      @@TriforceElder08 and then I wasn't expecting them to be used here. I clapped.
      But in all seriousness, great work on this series, it's a wild ride with all the design choices and to see where we are now.

    • @lolusuck386
      @lolusuck386 Месяц назад +2

      ​@@TriforceElder08specifically Darkseed, which makes it a crossover episode I think

  • @arcuslux516
    @arcuslux516 Месяц назад +39

    You know it's good content when youtube's notification actually works and notify you of an upload

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +7

      This is an immensely reassuring comment 😅

    • @just-mees
      @just-mees Месяц назад +1

      It didn't for me lmao

  • @animerpgfan2370
    @animerpgfan2370 Месяц назад +3

    The revelation at the end of the game, where the '8' is a subtle clue for infinity and then the codex sign opens up to the infinity sign, was jaw dropping for me. I can only imagine how a teenager or college student, bareknuckling through the game by themself in the '80s, must have felt seeing that for the first time.

  • @peterkorisanszky2950
    @peterkorisanszky2950 Месяц назад +4

    I came up playing Ultima 7 in the early 90's when I was like 9-10. RPG's were tied for my favorite genre, and Ultima 7 was the defining game of that genre for me. This stayed true for me until maybe Baldur's Gate. In 2005 I decided to go back and play all those old games I missed because they just weren't available. Games which were important historical context for the ones I loved, but games I didn't expect much from. I played Catacombs Abyss, Wasteland 2, Wizardry 1-5. Stuff like that. I did them all blind with no walkthroughs. I figured that people didn't have that stuff back then, and I'd judge these games based on how they held up playing them as close to intended as possible. Once again, I didn't expect much.
    A lot of these games held up better than I thought they would, or kind of matched my expectations. When I played Ultima 1 and 2, it was right in line with what I thought I was getting into. Ultima 3 was the first Ultima game I enjoyed. Then I played Ultima 4, and my mind was blown. I couldn't believe what I was experiencing. This wasn't just the best of these old dated games, this was a game that was actually better than the game I was trying to give context to. Ultima 4's graphics, dialogue, and combat are dated. But the gameplay loop of exploration, clue hunting, note taking, and experimentation was so rewarding I was delighted the entire time. This old crappy game I played just to see the DNA of the good stuff that came later has ended up being one of my favorite games of all time.
    Ultima 7 presents better, and has more doodads to mess around with. But it is in every other way either a sidegrade, or a downgrade on the gameplay Ultima 4 has to offer. Ultima 4 gives you a big checklist of objectives, and sends you out to follow a couple dozen small breadcrumb trails at your own leisure, with a few others to stumble across along the way. You get a steady drip of satisfaction as you find the things you're looking for, and find your objective getting closer and closer, the checklist smaller and smaller. If you get frustrated with one trail, you have the freedom to go do others for a while to ease the friction. The result of all this is so satisfying that it's hard to think of a more modern comparison. I don't think I really recaptured the feeling of playing Ultima 4 in 2005 again until Elden Ring in 2022.
    I don't think Ultima 4 is the best RPG ever. But I do think it's the best Ultima game. A lot of love clearly went into it. I'm glad they had the courage to see their vision through. It demonstrated the truth of games as art at a time where that wasn't clear. I can honestly say it was an honour to play a game they must have sacrificed so much to create. It wasn't a spiritual experience or anything, but I have the humility to admit their valorous effort resulted in a game which did justice to the medium. If you have enough compassion to overlook what is dated about it, I think you'll find some wisdom in it too.

  • @MorningAndEveningStar
    @MorningAndEveningStar Месяц назад +7

    Loved this. Ultima IV videos are instant clicks for me. As are Ultima V videos. So excited to hear you talk about how the Avatar gets PTSD. But in all seriousness, Ultima is one of those series whose impact on video games is nearly impossible to overstate. Would you consider doing a Wizardry series retrospective in the future? Or at least for Wizardry 6, 7, and 8? Your videos are always excellent, and this level of research and discussion would enrich many viewers' knowledge about such monumental titles in RPG history.

  • @dpm305
    @dpm305 Месяц назад +6

    I think the most interesting thing about Ultima IV is that it represents a unique path RPGs never really embraced. You have some elements of being put into a living world like a life sim, but have more of a clear goal in mind than in the genre while also not having a clear objective or end goal in a more typical CRPG. You aren't fighting a present physical threat or swept up in events larger than yourself, you're simply someone who embarks on a quest to solve abstract problems and become a role model for others to follow.
    I'm sure there are a few art games out there where your quest is to solve abstract problems afflicting the world, but you'd be hard pressed to think of other games like it. Even other games in the Ultima series have you dealing with more concrete and material problems. The closest example I can think of is in Mount and Blade you could RP as someone who recognizes the horrors of war brought about by Calderia being divided and embark on a quest to unify the land however you see fit, which wouldn't be entirely out of place given the writing and openness of the game.

  • @daanthedoctor
    @daanthedoctor Месяц назад +2

    I've never actually thought much of the ultima games until now, but wow is it awe-inspiring seeing how much it paved the way for so many ideas used in thousands upon thousands of games since... and the morality of the game is wonderful too! I do love a simple game where I just beat people up, but games and stories in general that speak to the goodness inherent in people and the world always have such a soft spot in my heart....

  • @georgefrankly
    @georgefrankly Месяц назад +3

    I don't want to dismiss the classics but I've watched the spoony retrospective a dozen times over the last 15 years and yet immediately this video was full of things I didn't know

  • @yakcm123
    @yakcm123 Месяц назад +14

    I started following you just because I wanted someone to talk at me about ultima, and fell in love with your content generally, so imagine my hype at seeing the greatest ultima video pop up

    • @yakcm123
      @yakcm123 Месяц назад

      having just finished, I appreciate your inclusion of Scorpia's article. Hope to see her Ultima VIII review pop up in that video, it's delightfully brutal

  • @PaxtheDreamer
    @PaxtheDreamer Месяц назад +17

    You have NO idea how excited I've been waiting for this video. Your retrospective on Ultima has been VERY well researched and I know you'll keep the standard up for the video on one of the greatest and most influential CRPGs, if not most influential video game PERIOD, of *all* time.

  • @1951jam
    @1951jam Месяц назад +62

    Seeing one of the creators of Ultima with a T-shirt of Bank of Brazil is a crossover of universes I was not prepared for.
    Not even the writers of marvel could come with something so wild

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +21

      The circumstances of that picture led to me quintuple checking that it was in fact Steve Jackson when I finally dug it up.

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +29

      Okay, in case anyone else is curious, here's the scoop:
      The picture is from August of 1993, taken at the first annual EIRPG tabletop convention in Sao Paulo, in which Steve Jackson was the guest of honor. It looks like the convention space itself was a Banco do Brasil location in a mall nearby Ibirapuera park. My assumption is that special guests and staff were given the yellow bank t-shirts for recognizabilities sake. Mystery solved (I think)

    • @Mateus_Carvalho
      @Mateus_Carvalho Месяц назад +5

      Wouldn't be surprised if Banco do Brasil sponsored it in some way. It also makes sense to be at São Paulo, it's probably the "no brainer" location when it comes to something you'd consider niche 'round these parts.

    • @j.2512
      @j.2512 Месяц назад +3

      ‼HOLY FUCKING SHIT‼‼‼‼ IS THAT A MOTHERFUCKING BRAZIL REFERENCE??????!!!!!!!!!!11!1!1!1!1!1!1!

  • @Hardworlder
    @Hardworlder Месяц назад +7

    Yo dawg, you're producing feature length (and quality) documentaries at this point. Good job! edit- I have to admit, I'm really just watching and waiting for the RLM reference in each episode. You never let me down.

  • @franciscobrisolladeoliveir9596
    @franciscobrisolladeoliveir9596 Месяц назад +6

    3:56
    As a Brazilian fan of yours, that photo hit me like a steel chair in the back
    Wishing you a ton of luck, Majuular. Love your channel and hoping to see you cover other series like Might And Magic and Wizardry in the future

  • @Arkangel630
    @Arkangel630 Месяц назад +3

    Your coverage of the ultima series is incredible, thank you for giving this series the coverage it needs

  • @noah4822
    @noah4822 Месяц назад +56

    "The raven sing,
    The raven saw,
    and in the corn
    he sayeth *'CAH'* "
    just beautiful

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +17

      Singsong's Bob Dylan era

    • @kingcole5977
      @kingcole5977 Месяц назад +2

      Quoth the Raven... “CAH!”

    • @lionocyborg6030
      @lionocyborg6030 Месяц назад +3

      Quoth the farmer after the raven ate all the corn: “Nevermore.”

  • @arsmagicaintotalis
    @arsmagicaintotalis Месяц назад +22

    Just when I finish every Majuular video another appears, life is good.

  • @thebuddhasmiles
    @thebuddhasmiles Месяц назад +2

    Your coverage of Ultima IV and Koudelka left me in tears.

  • @Kanezeran
    @Kanezeran Месяц назад +4

    Remember when we thought Spoony's retrospective was the gold standard for Ultima? Thank god for this seris.

    • @lionocyborg6030
      @lionocyborg6030 Месяц назад +2

      We didn’t think that: it literally was. Now this series can take the mantle too, possibly even surpass it.

  • @ProsperoCh
    @ProsperoCh Месяц назад +6

    Thank you, John Madjoler. With this video, you have saved my life.

  • @Moogleboy29
    @Moogleboy29 Месяц назад +12

    Listening to this while doing laundry and I hear "statue of Babe the big blue ox in Brainerd" and as a Minnesotan I had to sprint back to my PC to make sure I hadn't misheard you. What an esoteric pull, I love it.

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +10

      As a Manitoban whose parents loved road trips, we've got least 4 family photos in front of that damn ox.

  • @swillion8849
    @swillion8849 14 дней назад +1

    Your description of the codex onward through the numerological and spiritual ties to 8 (roughly 1:31:34 onward) was really phenomenal. Your cadence, choice of imagery, build up of music genuinely gave me chills. Please, keep making your work!

  • @storytellerrex3635
    @storytellerrex3635 Месяц назад +10

    Mom My favorite yt series is back. Keep up the good work man

  • @KingOfHeartsTANK
    @KingOfHeartsTANK Месяц назад +3

    I find your retrospective's on the Ultima series is endlessly even infinitly fascinating and entertaining to me, I don't have the patience or research skills to focus on finding all this information and having it digestable in a video series through a well spoken, well researched voice.
    I can't help but see the influence on all FF and DQ games, or RPGd on the whole that Ultima inspired, it's so interesting to hear so many things I've known FF to pioneer, to be found in Ultima.

  • @foxyfoxington2651
    @foxyfoxington2651 Месяц назад +2

    "Ho eyo he hum!" indeed... There's a lot to unpack there.
    I also can't help hearing "YOLO the Bard" which fits with most Bard players I know.

  • @youtubeletmeintoyoutube4580
    @youtubeletmeintoyoutube4580 Месяц назад +5

    WHOA a new ultima vid just dropped. Take THAT, random commenter in the other vid who said it was never gonna happen!

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +5

      That commenter is CLEARLY not familiar with the intrusive Ultima-related thoughts I wake up with every day.

  • @larsrikardsen4964
    @larsrikardsen4964 Месяц назад +5

    Was just thinking to myself how I can’t wait for the next ultima video and here we go

  • @nocturnalnights27
    @nocturnalnights27 Месяц назад +5

    Great video Majuular, you always were a kidder

  • @Zero_Tester
    @Zero_Tester Месяц назад +4

    Finally the Ultima IV,Ultima is one of my favorite series alongside the Wizardry series,good job on this one👍

  • @radthepaisley
    @radthepaisley Месяц назад +2

    I've never played any of the ultima games, but between your and (back in the day) Spoonys own break down of the series, I feel like i know everything about the games, lore and dev cycle.

  • @antonpreacher2900
    @antonpreacher2900 Месяц назад +2

    Fantastic video sir ! The little node to King Crimson was the icing on the cake for me :) you research and great narration and images makes for quality content. I’ll totally be there for the next one :)

    • @unclewilly3288
      @unclewilly3288 Месяц назад +1

      A friend of KC is a friend of mine.

  • @cobbil
    @cobbil Месяц назад +2

    The first Ultima I ever played was VI. So I'm excited to go through the Avatar trilogy like this. Thanks you for your hard work!

  • @GreatistheWorld
    @GreatistheWorld Месяц назад +1

    This is the episode I was waiting for, absolutely worth the wait. Encountering Ultima IV for DOS as a kid was a powerful experience and it’s satisfying having this richness of context for it

  • @MrXtr1
    @MrXtr1 Месяц назад +1

    Majuular, you did it again, you madlad. This video breathed pure quality. Thanks for being a real one yet again :)

  • @SkyBlueFox1
    @SkyBlueFox1 Месяц назад +3

    I finish watching one video, go back to the homepage, and see this. Perfect timing! :u
    Really excited to hear your experiences/thoughts on IV. I played it, 5 and Underworld 1 almost a decade ago, but despite their age and clunkiness, the experiences are still stuck in my mind, all these years later.

  • @2x_negative
    @2x_negative Месяц назад +3

    This is the perfect thing to watch on a very long and very boring 12-hour shift. Cheers for making my night much less boring!

  • @DetectiveOlivaw
    @DetectiveOlivaw Месяц назад +1

    These videos are seriously incredible. The amount of research you do, focusing not just on the game or its quality or archaic nature, but on the people who created it, on their lives, on the history and the state of the industry when it came out… these are super professional, even with the occasional gag or meme thrown in. You’re one of the best media historians on this platform and I hope you keep at it!

  • @Mogrim27
    @Mogrim27 7 дней назад +1

    Behind the scenes on game development is always so interesting.

  • @Arizona-kj4yp
    @Arizona-kj4yp Месяц назад +2

    You've become my favorite channel, love your videos man.
    Great blend of humor, information, and love for the topic.

  • @sprocket2566
    @sprocket2566 Месяц назад +5

    I was thinking about when the next one of these would drop earlier today. Nice.

  • @violetisgaylmao
    @violetisgaylmao Месяц назад +15

    Oh boy, another Majuular video about a game I've never played! My favorite!

  • @mahkhardy8588
    @mahkhardy8588 Месяц назад +1

    The amount of detail you put into these videos is just awesome. Thank you.

  • @MountCleverest
    @MountCleverest Месяц назад

    I’ve never played an RPG, I’m in my 40s with three kids and I’m probably never going to play one. But, man, your writing is incredible and love listening to why an aficionado like yourself loves (or doesn’t) these games. Keep it up, sir.

  • @FurTheWorkers
    @FurTheWorkers Месяц назад +2

    I dropped what I was doing to come watch this as soon as I saw the title. This was my favorite Ultima game.

  • @ballisticus1
    @ballisticus1 Месяц назад +2

    fun tip: if you let a monster drop a treasure chest on the Mandrake swamp spot. you can then stand there and never worry about getting poisoned

  • @estrogenated194
    @estrogenated194 Месяц назад +4

    🫡thank you bro perfect end to my week of hospitalization and work

  • @personaslates
    @personaslates Месяц назад +3

    You once again warm my dusty old bones full of green dust. 1:48:08 long video! Such a treat, been looking forward to the next Ultima Retrospective. Love yer content Maj!

  • @gortiamas
    @gortiamas Месяц назад +1

    This was the big one! Thanks for covering this fantastic game and giving a new generation of people a look at it.
    I was introduced to Ultima 4 back in high school (almost a decade ago!) when one of my teachers gave it to us as assigned reading. It was used to explore the Hero's Journey in narrative works beyond literature and film. It was a bit daunting, but I was one of two students in my year to actually finish the game.
    Despite this, my strongest memory of the game is the time when I managed to delete my ship by exiting it in the middle of the ocean to fight some foes, which spawned a treasure chest under me, which deleted my ship, which left me softlocked in the middle of the seas of Brittania. I also suffered through the game as a shepherd on my first (and so far only) playthrough.

  • @ZekeAxel
    @ZekeAxel Месяц назад +2

    Loving this retrospective so much. And dreading when he gets to 8 and 9

  • @StarsAndSticks
    @StarsAndSticks Месяц назад +1

    You're knocking it out of the park on this series. When I'm halfway through a long two hour video, but I immediately drop whatever I'm watching when a Majulaar vid comes out.

  • @tonygonk
    @tonygonk Месяц назад +5

    I was pumped for this one

  • @deadbr0ke117
    @deadbr0ke117 Месяц назад +4

    was just digging for a video essay, thank god

  • @joshwaymire733
    @joshwaymire733 Месяц назад +2

    Why yes I’d like to listen to a near two hour video on fantasy video games as told by the velvety smooth timbre that is Majuular

  • @ipnade
    @ipnade Месяц назад +1

    Hope this isn't weird, but I've been putting your videos on at night lately before bed, i love long game essays and retrospectives so your videos have really been scratching the itch. Thank you and keep it up brother, you're doing a great job!

    • @jesse.qua.
      @jesse.qua. Месяц назад

      Not weird at all, you aren't the first person to say they do this. The Xenogears video is a popular one to fall asleep to, it seems

  • @Dahras1
    @Dahras1 Месяц назад +2

    I honestly don't know how you are doing it, Majuular. The idea of putting out a video like this, beating a game that takes dozens of hours to play, doing research on the background of the game itself, writing a script that must be tens of thousands of words long, recording nearly 2 hours of commentary, editing it all together, and doing it all at this level of thoughtfulness and rigor... Even doing this twice a year would be wild. Doing it once a *month* feels nearly mystical.
    All I can say is that I really love the work you're putting out and I hope that however you're doing it, that you can keep yourself healthy and sane (and wealthy too) doing it.

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +4

      Thank for your kind words!
      I was fortunate to be at a point where I could seriously invest myself into this channel. Playing, writing, researching... I love this stuff. It blurs the line between work & recreation for me, even if it's not always *fun*. Certainly there are times where I go a little too hard, but thankfully I have a girlfriend & family who can keep me in check even when I can't.

    • @Dahras1
      @Dahras1 Месяц назад

      @@Majuular That's great to hear! It's obvious how much care and passion you put into the work, and I'm glad you've got people backing you up. Stay well, I'm looking forward towards you next video!

  • @hemangchauhan2864
    @hemangchauhan2864 19 дней назад

    They virtue breakdown near the end is just beautiful.
    I'm consistently amazed by your analysis.

  • @ReverseOcto
    @ReverseOcto Месяц назад +2

    Im about to do crisis core reunion Trophy hunting , i open youtube , and im blessed with a maju upload. God bless you sir.

  • @matthewdyck5503
    @matthewdyck5503 Месяц назад +5

    More Ultima. LETS GOOOOO!!!

  • @williamford4306
    @williamford4306 Месяц назад +2

    Man I cannot wait for you to get to Ultima VII.

  • @TriforceElder08
    @TriforceElder08 Месяц назад +2

    Bro I get so hype when you drop a fresh baked SNACK for the RUclips boys

  • @spannerturnerMWO
    @spannerturnerMWO 17 дней назад +1

    Never played IV, but V for many years. This was very interesting. Looking forward to your Utima V video.

  • @enirya
    @enirya Месяц назад +1

    thanks for making these videos, i've been going through a rough patch and watching your videos has really helped

  • @Cleanurself
    @Cleanurself Месяц назад +2

    A new Majuular vid, all is right with the world

  • @Sharkspartan6548
    @Sharkspartan6548 Месяц назад +4

    Babe wake up, new Madjuular video just dropped.

  • @ErichWK
    @ErichWK Месяц назад

    Your Ultima Retrospectives are my favorite way to get blasted and fall asleep to. Very calming and interesting

  • @christophermiller8132
    @christophermiller8132 Месяц назад +3

    thanks so much for all of these man, its been wonderful having these games so readily accessible. this really feels like it captures the experience I'd have if I'd have the time. :)

    • @Majuular
      @Majuular  Месяц назад +3

      Awesome to hear, that's at least partially the goal :) thanks for the comment.

  • @CoinOpTV
    @CoinOpTV Месяц назад

    excellent job dude - enjoying your Ultima series - brought back my childhood! I would like to add that when the game begins - the town you spawn in is related to your character class so not everyone will be on an island. Also - not sure if you take requests but Questron was another great old school RPG game!

  • @radhinkabagaskara5595
    @radhinkabagaskara5595 Месяц назад +2

    New Majular, lesgoo

  • @TheCheeseMovesSideways
    @TheCheeseMovesSideways Месяц назад +1

    Just as i was one day before coming back to college after weeks worth of day off Majuular uploaded a masterpiece.
    I can't ask for a better end of my day off than this, thanks Maj

  • @musiclover01ization
    @musiclover01ization 7 дней назад +1

    This video is great. While the Ultima games don't really seem like my cup of tea, I like learning about the lore, development and ideas that helped create this game.

  • @jasongarrett768
    @jasongarrett768 Месяц назад +1

    God I love seeing Japanese art for old Western developed RPGs. Much like how Japanese cover art for beloved fantasy novels is always a fascinating treat. I’m honestly hyped for the subject of Ultima’s adaptation there even if it’s way down the line.
    This has been a wonderful series of videos. I know it’s been mentioned that it doesn’t bring in the numbers as something from From Software but the care and passion going into this comes through with a comfy vibe that’s greatly appreciated.
    (I was wondering why Skara Brae sounded so familiar despite never playing Ultima...)

  • @operator8014
    @operator8014 Месяц назад +2

    Gariet bumping and grinding on a literal wall of text in a puffy white turtle-neck and beatles haircut.
    Gariet concluded that he would need "HELP help".

  • @zachsfoodreview2296
    @zachsfoodreview2296 Месяц назад +1

    Just finished my worst college finals season ever and opened up RUclips to this, it's going to be a good night

  • @younousyoutoube
    @younousyoutoube Месяц назад +1

    This was a deeper dive than expected, awesome.

  • @lanisalsvale1534
    @lanisalsvale1534 Месяц назад

    Thanks for the retrospective series. It's really easy to forget nowadays that there are super interesting stories behind the making of games, specially during the Wild West era, when you could sit down on your parent's basement, code something, then sell physical copies at a local shop and see enough of a success to pay your bills if you did a good-enough job.

  • @stnilus3294
    @stnilus3294 Месяц назад +1

    The quality and consistency of these videos is incredible. Keep it up!