EA announces samurai expansion for Ultima Online
Two new professions and a new Japanese-themed area are on tap for EA's massively multiplayer RPG.
Electronic Arts has announced plans to release a new expansion pack for its 1997 role-playing game Ultima Online. The pack, subtitled Samurai Empire, will bring a new Japanese-themed area into the world, as well as two new professions to choose from.
The new ninja profession is, as you might expect, a stealth-based class that fights using magic. Skills for the ninja class will include an animal form, which lets you turn into an innocent-looking wolf or serpent in an effort to slip past stronger enemies. The mirror-image skill will let you create copies of yourself to confuse your enemies. And the smoke bomb will allow you to disappear completely.
The other new profession is a samurai class, which is focused on powerful melee techniques such as lightning strike, which is a high-powered attack with a 50 percent hit bonus. The whirlwind skill causes a samurai's power to increase depending on how many enemies you're fighting, and execution is a deadly attack that has a chance to kill an enemy in one hit.
In addition to the new land and new classes, home building will be enhanced with new Asian-themed decorations. You can start with a basic dojo and work your way up to a castle. Quests in the game will have new Japanese-inspired items as rewards, including house tiles, clothing, weapons, and armor.
Ultima Online: Samurai Empire is currently scheduled to ship in November of this year. For additional information on Samurai Empire, read Andrew Park's first look at the game.
Hot Stories
Newsmakers
-
GameSpot's Best of 2009 - Year in Review
GameSpot's news team looks back at all the high points and low points of the year that was 2009. Full Story
- Posted Dec 17, 2009 5:25 pm PT
-
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction Patrick Redding Interview
We talk to the Ubisoft Montreal game director about the new multiplayer modes in the forthcoming stealth-action game. Full Story
- Posted Dec 18, 2009 8:39 am PT
Featured Stories
-
NPD's top 10 of 2009 (so far) topped by Modern Warfare 2
Xbox 360 edition of Activision's megahit leads US list, followed by Wii Fit, Wii Sports Resort, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Play, Halo 3: ODST, Pokemon Platinum, PS3 MW2, Madden, and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Full Story
- Posted Dec 15, 2009 2:25 pm PT
- 386 Comments
-
Sony losing $36 per PS3 - Report
iSuppli analysis of redesigned console's innards concludes electronics giant spends $336 making every $299 Slim, the system's lowest loss per unit to date. Full Story
- Posted Dec 15, 2009 12:57 pm PT
- 469 Comments
-
Pokemon's March 14 debut caps Nintendo Q1 lineup
First-quarter release schedule headlined by HeartGold, SoulSilver; Mega Man 10 mobilizing by March; blue, pink Wii Remote due Feb. 14. Full Story
- Posted Dec 14, 2009 12:27 pm PT
- 170 Comments
-
Bethesda publishing Rage
Following id Software acquisition, Zenimax Media buys out EA's rights to release postapocalyptic shooter on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac. Full Story
- Posted Dec 15, 2009 10:52 am PT
- 198 Comments
-
Final Fantasy VIII 'coming soon' to PSN
Sony newsletter indicates Square's classic JRPG headed to PS3's online storefront in the near future. Full Story
- Posted Dec 16, 2009 5:11 pm PT
Submit News
Related Game
Related Games
Recent News
-
Final Fantasy day-one sales hit 1 million in Japan
Square Enix's hotly anticipated JRPG busts platinum sales marker in 24 hours on PS3, franchise sales surpass 92 million.
0 Comments
Sign in / Sign up