If you're a fan of RPGs, video game history, or stories and systems outside the norm, I invite you to give it a look. If you're not used to games of the era, it'll take some time to understand How It Works, but it's an absolute gem.

Happy 40th, U4. The Quest is truly forever.❤️

And though its age can indeed be an impediment to modern audiences, I liken it to reading Shakespeare - there's a lot worthwhile here, it just might take a little extra work to parse. It's a landmark of the genre, and a personal favorite, even though it's older than I am!

Its morality system presented a set of virtues the player needed to uphold individually rather than dichotomous "good/evil" options, and was baked in to the entire game, right down to character creation as a series of questions to determine which virtue was most favored.

40 years ago, Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar released. And in all that time since, I still haven't quite seen anything like it. It dropped the player into a realm at relative peace, focusing on a tale of virtue and personal development instead of foiling a Big Bad.🧵

It's been a while, but I've got a #2025RPGchallenge update - Game 3: Complete!

Given my love of Ultima, I've long thought Might & Magic would be a series I'd enjoy, just never had the chance to do so. Now that I have - I was so, so right. I'll be returning for sure.

#2025RPGchallenge update!

Game 2: Complete!

And oh my goodness what a harrowing final stretch The Bard's Tale has. I enjoyed it well enough right up until then, but Mangar's Tower has so many elements to it that just feel unfair. Glad I've played it, but think it's a one-off.

#2025RPGchallenge update!

Game 1: COMPLETE!

Wizardry: Proving Ground of the Mad Overlord has long been on my list. Counterpart to my beloved Ultima, it's a true OG of the genre, and well worth a playthrough for anyone interested in the formative years of CRPGs.

Planescape: Torment, a personal favorite of mine and the game I credit as the one to first get me thinking about games as *art*, is 25 years old.

Some reflections on the game at this particular milestone🧵:

I'm not sure it'll be one I'll be particularly eager to return to, especially as compared to the rest of the series, but glad I've seen it through, finally. That just leaves U9 to go - and as controversial as it is, I've enjoyed what I've played of it before. Onward!

On its own, it's fine (if strangely paced), but it feels a bit odd against the rest of the Ultimas. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say it doesn't feel like an Ultima, period, but there *is* some dissonance about it.

Now that it's done, I'm still wondering quite what to make of it. It's very *distinct* against the rest of the series, for its tone, its mechanics, its setting, and so much more, but I'm not entirely convinced that's to the game's benefit.

Last attempt I made was a good fifteen-ish years ago, where I petered out somewhere in the Sorcery segment. Not THAT far out from the end of the game, but I got distracted by something else and never really got back to it.

I never did get around to posting about my Serpent Isle replay earlier in the month, but now #Ultima VIII is in the bag as well! First time I saw this one through to the end.

Playing Ultima VIII lately and, uh, I don't remember THIS part of the tale of Beren and Lúthien...

I only have one thing to say, and that is "Yarrrrr!!"

Ooh, personal Top 10 Games list time? Lessee...

- Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
- Morrowind
- Planescape: Torment
- Civilization IV
- Wind Waker
- Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
- Pokémon Emerald
- Ultima VI: The False Prophet
- Ocarina of Time
- Lord of the Rings Online

Hangin' out in LotRO this month, because where better (worse?) to spend the spooky season than in Mordor?

25 games to get to know me! Made some modifications from the last time I put one of these together, but this probably encapsulates my tastes a bit better. Not necessarily TOP 25, but ones that have shaped how I understand and enjoy the medium. Arranged from the center out to show what's most "core!"