Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth Of Worlds

"The best Ultima spinoff"

Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds is the sequel to the groundbreaking Ultima Underworld, a game some still call one of the greatest computer games of all time. Created by the legendary Looking Glass Studios (Thief, System Shock, Flight Unlimited), the Underworld series brought Richard Garriott's rich Ultima world to life, using a cutting edge 3D engine that wasn't bettered until Quake was released a few years later.

The story of Underworld II starts right after the events of Ultima VII. The evil Guardian has entombed the leaders of Britannia inside Lord British's castle. In order to break the blackrock barrior, the Avatar must travel to the other worlds that are under the Guardians' control using a portal found under the castle.

While many still applaud the series on its technical and historical significance alone, Underworld still hasn't gotten enough praise for its fantastic gameplay, which rivals the best 2D RPGs.

Underworld II's gameplay is exactly the same as its predecessor--almost everything is controlled with the mouse, from swinging your sword to jumping over cliffs to talking with other characters. It's so simple that you can jump right in, learning the basics as you go along.

You start a game by picking the attributes for the Avatar, everything from skill with blades to prowess with a lockpick. Like most RPGs, you must chose your character wisely, because the skills you possess will have a direct influence on how you play the game. This adds to the game's replay value. It's especially fun to play through the game with a powerful mage, because the magic system rewards you for finding clever uses for the spells.

Part of the game's brilliance lies in the interaction your player has with the game world. Just about everything you see can be examined, picked up or used. Up until the end, you'll be surprised how much work went into making this game's locations as memorable as possible.

The game's graphics, while breathtaking twelve years ago, won't impress anyone today. Everything is very pixilated close up, and the game isn't as smooth as later 3D games. Even if the technology is dated, some of the game's locals are very detailed and have their own ambience. The design of Lord British's castle is especially well done.

While virtually identical in gameplay and graphics, Underworld II is actually quite different than its predecessor. While the first Underworld game took place in the massive underground Stygian Abyss, first seen in Quest of the Avatar, its sequel starts in a more familiar location--Lord British's castle. This fact alone makes it feel more like an Ultima game than Underworld I. The castle is sort of jumping off point to a series of different worlds and dimensions you must visit in order to break the spell the Guardian has placed on the castle. Since you have to interact with your friends from previous Ultima games, Underworld II has a much richer story than the first game. In fact Underworld II fits in nicely with the story of the Ultima VII series, picking up the story after the events of The Black Gate.

I think the biggest difference between the two Underworld games--and the reason I feel Underworld II is the superior game--is the freedom the game gives you in going about each of your quests. When you enter a new world, your objective seems clear at first. As you explore further, however, and talk to new people and gain new spells, you will find that there are often many ways of achieving your goal. While this was true to some extent in Underworld I, it is executed much better in the sequel.

Finally, the game's structure allows for much more nonlinear gameplay than Underworld I. Using the castle as your base, you jump back and forth between worlds, gathering clues and items, unlike Underworld I, where you just go deeper into the abyss.

There is so much to like in this game, it's easy to forget its flaws, but I should mention what I think could have been improved. I'm not sure if this is true or not, but it seems like there are even more jumping puzzles in the sequel. These can get pretty annoying, especially since it's difficult to judge how far you'll jump. The keyboard command SHIFT-J helps a lot, but it can still get on your nerves.

Also, the quality of the worlds you visit is fairly uneven. Loth's Tomb and the Pits of Carnage are a lot of fun, but the Ice World and Talorus have some design flaws and boring quests. Also, the "Q-bert" puzzles at the end of the game can get annoying.

Ultima Underworld II is the perfect example of a game that completely pulls you into its world. While this game should primarily appeal to any RPG fan, Underworld II is a very entertaining game that should be played by anyone looking for a little more substance than your typical first-person shooter.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 06/30/05