Ultima Worlds Online: Origin First Impression

Ultima Worlds Online: Origin is the title of the sequel to Ultima Online. Like the original game, Ultima Worlds Online: Origin will be a massively multiplayer persistent-universe role-playing game in which players create and control their own characters in the fantasy world of Britannia. However, unlike its predecessor, Ultima Online 2 won't take place in an exclusively medieval, swords-and-sorcery setting. A terrible disaster has occurred in Britannia, resulting in something of an industrial revolution. The game itself will take place two centuries after the cataclysm. In the new Britannia, mechanical contraptions - and beings - are about as common as the land's wizards and swordsmen.

Ultima Worlds Online: Origin's design team has been culling feedback from devoted fans, who plan to take these ideas and combine them with their own to help shape the newly reformed world of Britannia. One of the new options that players can expect is the absence of full player-vs.-player combat. Instead of allowing freeform player-killing, Britannia will possess special player-vs.-player arena zones in which players may duel with each other. In addition, skill sets and magic spells will be rebalanced and retuned, such that it will be difficult to be a grand master in multiple skills. Players will be encouraged to group with each other more often, as the game promises both overt and subtle rewards for social adventurers.

Players will be able to explore the new and very different land of Britannia when Ultima Worlds Online: Origin is released at the end of this year. For now, you can peruse our E3 coverage, and you might also be interested in seeing shots of Todd McFarlane's Ultima Worlds Online: Origin action figures at GameSpot News.