Ultima: Runes of Virtue

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Ultima: Runes of Virtue
Ultima Runes of Virtue cover.jpg
North American cover art
Developer(s) Origin Systems
Publisher(s)
Producer(s) Jeff Johannigman
Designer(s) David Shapiro, Gary Scott Smith
Artist(s) Amanda Dee, Denis Loubet
Composer(s) Amanda Dee, George Sanger
Series Ultima
Platform(s) Game Boy
Release
  • JP: December 14, 1991
  • NA: April 1992 [1]
Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Ultima: Runes of Virtue a spin-off from the Ultima series released for the Game Boy in 1991. Runes of Virtue is Richard Garriott's favorite non-PC Ultima game because it was built from the ground up as a Game Boy game, unlike previous console Ultima games which were ports from the PC. [2] A sequel, Ultima: Runes of Virtue II , was released in 1993.

Contents

Gameplay

The player character can be chosen from four different ones: Mariah the Mage, Iolo the Bard, Dupre the Fighter, or Shamino the Ranger. [3] The player's objective is to recover the eight Runes of Virtue that were stolen by the Black Knight. These runes are hidden in caves scattered across Britannia, filled with various monsters and puzzles. The game is depicted from a top-down perspective similar to Gauntlet . [1]

The player can assign any item in the inventory to either the button "A" or "B", that represent the two hands of the character. Two years later, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening will use the same inventory/control system.

Reception

GamePro said that "Runes is a standard fantasy scavenger hunt with some virtue, but no surprises." [1] Nintendo Power said that Runes of Virtue rivals the scope and excitement of The Legend of Zelda . [9] GB Action called the game "[p]unishing but compelling". [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Great McGillicuty (April 1992). "Game Boy Pro Review - Ultima: Runes of Virtue". GamePro . No. 33. IDG. p. 72. Graphics: 3/5, Sound: 2/5, Gameplay: 4/5, Fun factor: 3/5, Challenge: 4/5
  2. ↑ "The Ultima Legacy - In Garriot's Own Words; Worlds of Ultima, the Role of the GameBoy, and More". GameSpot . GameSpot Inc. Archived from the original on 3 December 1998. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "Ultima Runes of Virtue [advertisement]". Electronic Gaming Monthly . Vol. 5, no. 9. Sendai Publishing Group, Inc. September 1992. p. 125.
  4. ↑ Stiller, Heinrich (November 1992). "Game Boy Corner - Ultima - Runes of Virtue". Aktueller Software Markt (in German). No. 11/92. Tronic-Verlag. p. 148. Gesamtnote: 10/12
  5. 1 2 "Buyer's Guide - Ultima: Runes of Virtue". GB Action. No. 16. Europress. September 1993. p. 63.
  6. ↑ Borovskis, Thomas (January 1993). "Ultima Runes of Virtue". Play Time (in German). No. 1/93. Computec Verlag.
  7. ↑ "Power tests videospele - Rache für Ultima". Power Play (in German). No. 4/91. Markt+Technik. April 1991. p. 133.
  8. ↑ "[Review, SNES]". Total! (in German). No. 1/95. January 1995.
  9. ↑ "Special Feature - Game Boy - Ultima". Nintendo Power . No. 23. Nintendo of America. April 1991. pp. 56–59, 69. Graphics and sound: 3.0/5, Play control: 3.0/5, Challenge: 3.0/5, Theme and fun: 3.0/5
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