My first post about the release of the Ultima 6 Project 1.0 was done while I was on vacation, connecting with an unstable internet connection, basically to say "It's here, it's here, it's here!!!"  Now I'm back, and I want to give this fantastic remake of Ultima VI: The False Prophet the fanfare that it deserves.

My very first Ultima was Ultma VI, and it was the first game I really fell in love with and became passionate about/obsessed with.  So when I found out about the remake, I was really looking forward to it.  After years of occasionally checking in on the project (happy to see that it was still active) and patiently waiting, discovering and playing Lazrus in the meantime, and then finally learning about the release of Beta 2 earlier this year, I couldn't wait any longer and started playing.

The Ultima 6 Project (U6P) is a mod for Dungeon Siege, but it is almost entirely unlike Dungeon Siege as far as gameplay is concerned, and for the most part is non-linear. The world is huge, beautiful, and incredibly detailed. Since I started the betas, I've probably restarted the game about 6 times (as the game was updated and bugs were fixed) and each time I took slightly different approach, explored new areas and completed different quests, and there are STILL many areas and parts of the game that I haven't even seen yet.  What I love about it, and what makes it so "Ultima-like" in my opinion, is that you can go ahead and complete the main "quest" to complete the game, or veer off the beaten path and just explore and find hidden areas, or little side quests, that have no impact on the main plot, but just immerse you in the world.

I think the amount of work that went into this game is mind-boggling, especially considering that it was completed entirely by volunteers.  It is very apparent that an immense amount of time, energy, and love went into this project, and I think Team Archon did an amazing job! 

When I played the original Ultima VI, I sat with a friend of mine, and we played for hours and hours, and came very close to finishing the game.  But I was a poor student at the time, and due to circumstances beyond my control, I lost access to the computer I was playing on, and after several attempts to play again, I never ended up finishing the game.  So now is my chance and I’ve waited a long long time for this.  I am now starting U6P, and I will finally finish Ultima VI! ...at least in a way.  I can't wait to discover all that this game has to offer.

 For more information about the Ultima 6 Project and Team Archon, you should visit the official website.  Sylore.com is also honored to be a download mirror for the game (broken into 10 separate files), or you can find other download mirrors here.  As always, it’s also a great idea to visit the forums for information, and friendly discussions about the game!