Ultima Online

PC Player (Germany) ( ) (100%)

Die unglaubliche Komplexität von Ultima Online weiß gleich am Anfang zu begeistern. Man kann so wahnsinnig viele Dinge tun, daß es unmöglich ist, in einem Heldenleben sämtliche Geheimnisse, die Britannia bringt, zu erforschen. Schon daran erkennen Sie, daß dieses Spiel bei weitem kein Pausenfüller ist, der mal kurz am Abend gezockt werden kann. Charakterwerte müssen sorgfältig trainiert werden, und auch die Ausrüstung sollte sich im Laufe der Zeit verbessern.

PC Joker (3 out of 3) (100%)

Des Pudels Kern haben wir ja bereits zu Beginn vorweggenommen: Wer einmal in diese unglaublich umfang- und abwechslungsreiche sowie stets gut besuchte Online-Welt geschnuppert hat, wird nicht so schnell wieder in der Realität auftauchen - hier alles erkunden und erleben zu wollen, grenzt an das Unmögliche. Welche Konsequenzen das für die Telefonrechnung hat, mag sich jeder selbst ausrechnen...

Game.EXE (95 out of 100) (95%)

Уникальный эксперимент с привлечением тысяч тестеров. Они не только не получают оклада - они сами платят за участие. Или это настоящая параллельная реальность? Сотни Аватаров, кузнецов и крестьян. Будущее компьютерных игр или тупиковая ветвь? Решение в ваших руках. Ultima Online!

Gameplay (Benelux) (93 out of 100) (93%)

Dus indien je over een modem en een Internet abonnement beschikt, en indien je de benodigde centen hebt, dan is UO gewoonweg het einde voor jou! We hopen velen van jullie binnenkort on-line te zien.

Edge (9 out of 10) (90%)

Just learning how to play and what to do can take a long time, and the game can be initially overwhelming. The second, on the other hand, is more a matter of style. Ultima Online allows player killing – that is, players can attack other players in the game. Although the towns have been made fairly safe by the addition of computer-controlled guards, and there are roleplaying penalties associated with random murder, this doesn‘t stop unscrupulous players from preying on weaker newcomers every now and then, which can be frustrating for those just starting out. Despite these problems, though, Ultima Online is one of the most impressive, ambitious, and absorbing gaming experiences ever, and a real step forward for Internet gaming in general – a look at what the future holds, essentially. Provided players have the time needed to play it, and the cash to afford the inevitable phone bills, it‘s a game unlike any other, and for roleplaying fans, it is, in short, a dream come true.

Freak (90 out of 100) (90%)

קשה לומר שיש כאן משחק מקורי. העוצמה הגדולה שלו, שהוא מפגיש אתכם עם אלפי שחקנים מכל העולם, שאף אחד מהם אינו מתוכנת לעשות פעולות מסויימות בלבד. נועד לחובבי משחקי התפקידים בלבד!

Online Gaming Review (OGR) (8.9 out of 10) (89%)

Let's hope the "two steps forward, one step back" situation with play balance balances out soon, but even if it doesn't, at the end of the day, one thing remains. The game is flying off the shelves, and thousands of people play at all hours of the day, day-in and day-out, and that's a great game.

Game Revolution (B+) (83%)

The cost may daunt some at $10/month for unlimited play, but if you get hooked, that could be the world's best entertainment bargain as you wonder how all those hours slipped by without you noticing. If you are looking for polished software with amazing new graphics and seamless play, Britannia is not the place to go. However, if you are more daring (and tolerant), and have been looking for a way to stay in touch with all those old friends with whom you used to play Dungeons and Dragons, invest some effort into Ultima Online. You may occasionally bang your head against the desk in frustration, but you won't be disappointed.

Ultra Game Players (80 out of 100) (80%)

Ultima Online takes place in a huge world where anything goes... anything. Thousands of players interact with each other and can virtually anything they want. Just like real life, you want to sit around and be a bum. But if you want to make something of yourself you can take to the wilderness, kill rabbits, sell their hides for money and move up the economic ladder. All this takes time and can be very frustrating, because like real life, predators lurk around every corner and if you die, you're robbed of your possessions and become a ghost (though you can return to life with some serious penalties bestowed upon you). The point is, the game takes a lot of effort to succeed. Do you have what it takes?

Adrenaline Vault, The (AVault) ( ) (80%)

After my one-month trial is up, I am going to pay the $10 a month for Ultima Online, and I will continue to do so until I find another game that keeps me so thoroughly immersed. Somehow, though, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. I love games, and there are certainly gems that stand out above all others; I play these whenever I can, and they bring a smile to my face. Yet no game in recent memory has compelled me to keep playing like Ultima Online. No game has completely and utterly immersed me in a gameworld so involving, so life-like, I actually care about the NPCs! No game has even come close to giving me a character I care about so much, and have invested so much time and effort in. So give me the player killers, give me the often unbearable lag, and give me the soul-shattering restorations after I’ve spent a half hour collecting loot. Origin asks, “Are you with us?” I’m with you all right. I see a game with limitless possibilities, and it’s only going to get better.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) ( ) (80%)

Ultima Online is a unique experience, and is certainly one of the most ambitious games ever made, but (as a lot of American players have already been complaining) it all feels slightly unfinished. It takes ages to get your character anywhere, but if you're willing to put up with the connection problems you could find yourself falling in love with the Ultima Online universe.

MMORPG.com (7.8 out of 10) (78%)

Ultima Online: Samurai Empire is a well conceived expansion for the game that launched a thousand MMORPGs. It will undoubtedly find its greatest audience among those who are already well established players. The feudal Japanese theme meshes very well with the medieval European atmosphere of the existing world. Even so, the game is showing its age and the competition has stiffened dramatically within the last few months. With all the new, advanced titles on the market, Ultima Online will likely find few brand new players in the west. In the east, however, particularly Japan, UO's new direction may indeed introduce a whole new group of players to the lands of Britannia. With the momentum it has and the dedication the development team has shown to the game, it's likely UO will be a thriving and relevant MMORPG when it celebrates its tenth anniversary. With Samurai Empire, the UO team has taken the game in a new direction while maintaining that which makes Ultima Online special.

JeuxVideoPC.com (15 out of 20) (75%)

Avant de commencer ce test, je précise tout d'abord que j'ai (presque) toujours joué à ce jeu sur un shard (serveur gratuit pour Ultima Online), et que beaucoup de choses peuvent etre différentes dans ce shard par rapport à n'importe quel autre shard ou même le serveur "d'origine" d'Ultima Online.

Gamezilla (73 out of 100) (73%)

A fantastic, ambitious idea that that isn't quite ready for the prime time. Or that prime time isn't ready for. However diligently the Origin servers are maintained and their connections sped, the Internet simply may not be ready for this game. To say that lag can ruin the game is to belabor the point -- it can ruin most games on the market. But here, with the persistence of your character and the investment of time required to make playing fun, lag can b, and is, deadly. Also, as is evidenced by the newsgroups and other forums, opinion is heavily divided over this title. Designing an environment that can keep up to 5,000 people happy at once is a formidable task, and I'm not sure that Origin has succeeded. At this point, Ultima Online rates a 73 for a great idea whose time has not yet come.

GameSpot (4.9 out of 10) (49%)

Ultima Online may eventually become the game fans had hoped for, and already it has more than its share of devoted followers who are willing to live with certain compromises. Playing now will give you a sampling of the game's potential, but unless you are incredibly patient, can tolerate constant lag and design changes, and you have the time to devote considerable attention to your characters, chances are you will simply find Ultima Online extremely frustrating. Hopefully Ultima Online's development team will continue to work on the game in order to make it a better experience for all players - whether they are hard-core MUD-masters, or just gamers who'd like to occasionally spend a few hours adventuring with friends from around the world. In its current form, Ultima Online is a major disappointment.

Computer Games Magazine ( ) (40%)

This is one game that might become a classic, but it isn't one now, despite a New York Times story on the front page of the business section. A game that requires a credit card and Internet access before the player can get even a glimpse of what's going on had better be incredibly engrossing or at least immediately accessible. Ultima Online is neither. The "undoubted future of interactive entertainment"? God forbid. At best, it might eventually grow into a solid, mature game that delivers the goods, but for now, caveat emptor.

Computer Gaming World (CGW) ( ) (30%)

ULTIMA ONLINE is a game with untapped potential. The game has great aspirations, but is plagued by bugs, horrible lag-time, and some design issues. As of now, you should get ULTIMA ONLINE only if you are willing to put up with a whole lot of grief, all the time. If you simple want to go out and thwack creatures with friends, stick to DIABLO. If you have the patience to put up with the numerous changes and pitfalls of ULTIMA ONLINE, and would like to try living a “virtual” life, go ahead and try. As for me, I'll stick to real life for now.

Reset N/A

Ja tymczasem zakończę swoje dzieło tymi oto słowami: Ultima Online jest najlepszą grą RPG, w którą zdarzyło mi się grać.