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| Ultima Underworld - The Stygian Abyss |
 Apart from FTL's Dungeon Master, Looking Glass / Origin's Ultima Underworld - The Stygian Abyss is probably the most important game of the role-playing genre. While FTL (Faster Than Light) was the first game to introduce 3D dungeons out of the first person perspective, Looking Glass revolutionized the whole gaming world by displaying the environment with the help of a smoothly scrolling 3D engine for the first time. Moreover, the engine was also capable of displaying rises and water - features we take for granted today, but then, at times when you could only move forward in "blocky" steps, it was an absolute novelty. Thus, the world hadn't seen anything like it before, and both critics and gamers were equally euphoric. UU laid the foundations for the creation of modern 3D action shooters. |
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| Ultimate features: |
| Even though the graphics appear to be completely out of date today and the gaming window is by far too small - at that time, both were state of the art and required a fast 386 PC to run smoothly. The feeling to roam through a real fantasy world, populated by evil creatures and NPCs, was unlike any other game before. But also UU's other features show that it was ahead of its time: The intro sequence was among the first to feature speech, the dungeons were extensive and the story, despite the dull "heroe is falsely accused and has to rescue princess" theme, sizzled with atmosphere. More than once, your heart skipped a beat when seemingly out of nowhere in the dimly lit dungeons a monster commenced a surprise attack from behind. Besides this, the heroe could run, jump, move up rises, swim, cast spells and fight - and all this in 3D. Later on, you could even fly through the vast levels, provided that you had previously found the right magical equipment. |
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| Ultimate classics: |
 Given the success of UU, Looking Glass published the second installment, titled Labyrinth of Worlds, only one year later. But even though UU II was undoubtedly brilliant, it no longer had the same charme as its predecessor. Looking Glass became generally known throughout the industry virtually over night, and was synonymous for innovative gameplay unitl recently, as the titles published since then prove beyond doubt: Flight Unlimited I und II, System Shock I und II, Terra Nova as well as Dark Project I and II. |
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| Details: |
Producer:
Looking Glass
Origin
Released:
In 1993
Nostalgia:
very high
System:
MS-DOS
Playable?
not any more
Available?
Low budget
Links:
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| Warren Spector: |
| Also the long-standing Ultima designer and one of the leading figures behind the Underworld games, Warren Spector, belongs to the industry's small circle of charismatic personalities and helped develop more than one classic. At the moment, he's working at John Romero's Ion Storm on the new action title Deus Ex. |
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| The success story's end: |
| At the end of May 2000, the news that Looking Glass had to shut down all its operations and stop works on all current projects, startled both the gaming press and the community. The company that delivered one innovative title after the other, couldn't meet its liabilities any longer. Even publisher Eidos, facing financial problems itself, wasn't able to help Looking Glass overcome the crisis. Thus, one of the best software houses throughout the gaming industry goes down into the annals of computer gaming. |
| © 2000 by CE |
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