Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds Origin/Electronic Arts RRP œ39.95 (RPG for PC) Reviewed by Roy Sims It has to be said that Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss turned quite a few heads when it appeared a year ago. The real 3D system was jaw dropping to watch on a fast PC and it gained quite a few awards for its efforts. Labyrinth of Worlds is the inevitable follow up to this ground breaking game, and it is also the first new Origin game released through Electronic Arts (who now own Origin after their take over at the end of last year). Once again it needs a fast PC (386 at 20 mhz or above at minimum with 2MB ram, 13 mb hard disk space and preferably a sound board) and installation is quick (10 mins) and painless. The diabolical fiend known as the Guardian has returned to get his revenge, encasing the castle of Lord British in an impenetrable gigantic blackrock gem. Unfortunately, all of the leaders of Britannia (including you - the Avatar) are trapped inside the castle. There is little help of assistance from outside, so somehow you must find a way out. At first glance, Labyrinth of Worlds (naff title!) looks very similar to that found in The Stygian Abyss. The actual differences to the system are small: the 3D view has been expanded (by 30% according to the box). The options that were found around this window have been squashed into a smaller area to accommodate this size increase, but this doesn't affect the playability one jot and the game looks better too as a result. (For those who haven't seen the original, The Ultima Underworld series employ a 3D view like that found in Dungeon Master but with one major difference. The whole game is played in real 3D, so it looks as if you're actually there thanks to the additional rescaling detail applied to the walls, floors, furniture and objects. Everything moves around you as if you were really walking down that corridor or swimming in that water. The first time you see it you won't believe your eyes!) Obviously the actual game itself is different from the first, with the box touting '8 new worlds to explore with fantastic new terrain'. The graphics on the characters who wander around are generally much more colourful and have improved animation which makes them look a little less like cardboard cut outs this time around. You can still talk to them and the conversations are once again built around a multiple choice system. The mapping system is still the nicest I've come across. This time around you get the first level already mapped for you in the game and in the packaging. You can write notes and comments wherever you like and erase them if necessary. Using the new ALT Q screen saving function, you can save off any screen (not just the map screens) in GIF format and print them out later. I was very impressed with 'Ultima Underworld' mainly due to the innovative 3D system used. It was easily the most atmospheric game I'd ever seen, but after fighting through the first four levels of the game I had to give up. This was mainly my fault (I've grown up playing games where you bash monsters first and ask questions later!) and I ended up with all of the inhabitants of the Stygian Abyss after me. I also felt that perhaps the game was too big and there was a little too much freedom in what to do next. I personally like the occasional nudge in the right direction to reassure me that I'm going the right way. Fortunately 'Labyrinth of Worlds' has addressed these minor problems. At the start you must report back to the Great Hall every so often to recount your findings and gather new information. This leads you to talk to many characters in the castle who have important news for you, and this in turn gives you an idea as to what to do next. Whilst people and monsters look more colourful from a distance, they still become very pixelated (blocky) when you get up close. It also has to be said that some of the monsters are very poorly drawn and animated. Those that come to mind are the spiders, who are nowhere near as frightening as those found in Dungeon Master or Chaos Strikes Back. When I first thought about writing this review, I was prepared to give it a lukewarm write up. After all, the system isn't jaw dropping any more now that I'm used to it, and there were a few annoying faults of the system that I overlooked the first time around. Combat is just a matter of thrusting a fist, blade or axe forward and hoping you make contact (accurate it isn't!), and it is very easy to walk into walls and things. This is down to the complete freedom you have in walking around and the general unsuitability of a mouse for doing it. If you could have an overhead view of the game my character would look like he had been on a permanent drinking binge, bumping into walls and furniture all the time! Another small problem is the other characters in the game still aren't very intelligent. They walk around in haphazard fashion and they can block your way when you are trying to get out of a room. Backing off and waiting for them to get out of the way can become a chore after a while. However, despite these minor niggles (and the one below), I've found myself playing this game for hours on end trying to find a small replica of the blackrock gem within the castle walls. This is usually the sign of a good engrossing game. One other thing I've noticed on my 386 is that it seems to play a little slower than before. This might be an after effect of the slightly larger main window but it is a little worrying. 18 months ago a 33mhz 386 was a top of the range PC. Now it's considered to be an entry level machine and the lowest recommended spec for 'Labyrinth of Worlds'! (PC programmers and publishers are very quick to dump an older machine for the latest technology, especially in the U.S where machines and software can be a lot cheaper in real terms than over here). To conclude, I'm finding my second trip into Ultima Underworld less daunting but technically less impressive than the first time. I'd suggest you try shopping around when buying this game, especially if you have already got the original because there aren't as many differences between the two as you would think and it's difficult to justify buying 'Labyrinth of Worlds' if you already have 'The Stygian Abyss'. However, if you don't have the original then I can recommend this sequel so you can see what all the fuss was about!