Ultima III : Exodus (HQ Remake) - Shrines (2021 Remake)

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Published on August 4, 2021 2:00:05 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu8O7hDEm3c

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Ultima III: Exodus (1983)

Duration: 1:14

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For many young players at the time, Ultima III: Exodus was their first RPG. Indeed, some give it credit as the game that laid down the foundation for CRPGs. Released August 23, 1983, it would go on to become the one of the top ten selling games that year. By 1990, it would sell over 120,000 copies which, once you consider how small the computer gaming population was at the time, was kind of a big deal. It would go on to be ported to many different machines, increasing its reach to many an impressionable young mind. It made its way to: Amiga, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, FM-7, Macintosh, MSX, NES, PC-88, PC-98, Sharp X1, and Windows.

While the graphics and animations may seem basic to you now, back then they were mind-blowing. In the first two games, you could only play one character, so this was the first time you got to play as a party of four. It would also introduce tactical-style battle maps instead of doing battle on the overworld screen as in the previous two titles. The dungeons went from outlined walls to solid-colored, more "3D" ones. No one knows why they all have 8 levels.

You got to choose a class from: Fighter, Paladin, Cleric, Wizard, Ranger, Thief, Barbarian, Lark, Illusionist, Druid, and Alchemist. Races were: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Bobbit (we see you!), or Fuzzy. Yes. Fuzzy.

Set in Sosaria, the setting of Ultima I, Lord British summons you. You are tasked with with acquiring 4 marks and 4 prayer cards and to take them to the altar of Exodus, where you must insert the magic cards in proper order to defeat him and win the game - not with might, but with brains. This familiar twist is one that you will find quite common in the series. Once you won the game, you were able to "report thy victory" to Origin Systems and you would be sent a sweet, sweet certificate to commemorate your victory signed by Lord British himself, Richard Garriott.

For my part, I played the game on the Amiga, and the music stayed with me more than anything. I used to get into trouble and the guards would kill me all the time. I was a punk. I was too young to have had any real chance of beating the game, but I enjoyed my time with it anyway.

This video features screenshots from the Apple II, Atari 8-bit, and Windows versions. Some of the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

This game is available for purchase on PC from GOG (Ultima 1-3 for $5.99 currently) and Origin (Just Ultima III Exodus for $4.99 currently). You can mod it to have enhanced graphics and new MIDI music.

Original score by Kenneth W. Arnold ©1983 Origin Systems
Composer Bio: http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php/Ken_Arnold

This version is Copyright ©2021 Pieces of 8-bit
Where applicable, All Rights Reserved

Special Thanks to Richard Garriott

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