Ultima V - Origin Systems RRP œ29.99
        (RPG for ST (reviewed), PC and Amiga)

               Reviewed By Ian Taylor 

   So, you've got a year or two to spare have you? Thought about 
playing Ultima V?  Want to know a bit more first? Here goes...

   It's a sequel to Ultima IV,III,II and I. Like those it has a
very large playing area which you can wander about almost at will, 
talking to people (ghosts, rats...), fighting creatures (even if 
you don't want to! - you'd think that the solitary orc would have 
enough sense to leave a party of 6 heavily armed people alone, 
but not in this game). There are numerous detailed locations 
including towns, villages, castles, lighthouses and even a hut.  
As well as these, there is an entire underworld and 9 dungeons. 

  The purpose behind the game is cleverly hidden on the last page 
of the manual as an Editor's note. In order to find out how to 
complete the game, you need to talk to people. This is done by 
typing key words. If you've done certain things and the person 
knows the word, then you're given information. Often you type in 
one word from what they've told you and they tell you more...  
Eventually, you piece together information, but it can involve 
talking to several people and even the same person at two
different times.
 
  The graphics are still a tile-based overhead view with one 
figure representing the whole party when above ground, though 
much better defined than in previous games. In towns and castles 
you get a close-up overhead view showing one figure and smaller 
features such as buildings, furniture and other characters. In 
combat you see all of the party and the opponents individually 
as well. In dungeons, you get a 3D first-person view, except in 
rooms and combat when it reverts to the normal combat view.

  The program gives you a choice of a never-ending tune or sound 
effects. These are a bit primitive, but add to the atmosphere.
These include clocks ticking, waterfalls and the important 
harpsichord playing.
  You will find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time 
involved in combat, whether you like it or not. Combat is 
carried out in rounds and you have to "work each character" 
individually every round, though it's all mouse controlled and 
enables you to develop your own strategy and tactics.

  An important part of the game is magic, both in and out of 
combat. Unlike Ultima IV, you're told which ingredients are 
needed for each spell, but many are difficult to get hold of.  
Once you've got the ingredients, you need to mix them before you 
can cast the spell, but you can't mix in combat, so beware! As 
Ultima V is a RPG, the level of the spellcaster determines the 
spells available.  

  We had problems occasionally using the mouse where if the mouse 
was moved too quickly, the game froze. This happened more often 
when the sound effects were in operation.

  Ultima V HAS got something. It must have - we finished the 
game. It's certainly interesting to start with and at the end, 
but the middle section can drag: you reach a point where you're 
not sure what to do next, and so you have to go back and talk to 
everyone, just in case you missed something the first time, or in 
case you've done something that is significant to them. Also 
there's no way of nobly avoiding combat, though nobility and 
other traits aren't as important as in Ultima IV (shame!).