Ultima VII: The Black Gate

The first chapter in this trilogy, The Black Gate, featured a completely new graphics engine that made even top-of-the-line 486s struggle from the load. The grisly double murder discovered just before the Avatar's arrival indicated that Ultima VII was to be the most graphic installment yet. Chirping birds, rainstorms, a richer color palette, and much more detail delivered a Britannia unlike any other. A fully mouse-driven interface replaced the keyboard-heavy gameplay of Ultimas past. Some fans, however, were reluctant to embrace the more simplified control scheme.

Big words, coming from a statue

While larger in scale and more than a little different after 200 years, Britannia remained the same as Ultima fans remembered it ... almost. Ultima VII contained a much darker mood than previous games. Some towns like Skara Brae, once the peaceful home of the Rangers, lay in ruins. But this was just a small sign of terrors to come, as the Guardian grew angrier with the Avatar's meddling. Ultima VII contained more murder, mystery, and intrigue than its predecessors. At the same time, it delivered a more vulnerable and believable social framework.

Ultima VII: Forge of Virtue

The next chapter, Forge of Virtue, was released as a supplement to the first chapter. It presented the Avatar with an all-new territory to explore: the treacherous Isle of Fire. There he would construct the mythical Black Sword, imprisoning within it a powerful daemon who would be forced to serve his will. This artifact made him the most powerful warrior in the land - at the cost of bearing a weapon whose nature was entirely evil.

In Garriott's Own Words: Ultima VII
"After VI, I was tired of doing the 'goody goody two shoes' games…"

Take me to Ultima VII part 2:
Serpent Isle; and The Silver Seed