EPTThe next few days I'll be covering some of the older Ultima titles, so if you've never heard of them hang in there, we'll be back to normality next week
Ultima III: Exodus
Developer: Origin Systems
Platform Played: PC (MS-DOS) - First came out on Apple II.
Release Year: 1983
Stephen's Rating: n/a
![[image loading]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8nQ4Yknkd3c/Tq9Xg4V5oOI/AAAAAAAAAY0/In__0oQ1jXs/s320/Ultima_III_Exodus_cover.jpg)
Ultima III is the final chapter in the Age of Darkness. As with Ultima I and Ultima II I didn't play a lot of this game at all but it needs to be mentioned as part of the wider Ultima series.
Basic Plot
Exodus; the twisted half machine, half organism love child of Mondain and Minax now threatens Sosaria. Exodus is far more powerful than either his mother or father. From his fortress on the Isle of Fire Exodus threatens the world of Sosaria. Exodus drags the Great Earth Serpent from the void to protect his castle (which is the initiative for the plot of Ultima VII: Serpent Isle).
Once again Lord British summons The Stranger to defeat Exodus and save the world. This time he must travel to the lost world of Ambrosia and retrieve the branding marks from the depths of the dungeons of Sosaria. With the help of the Time Lord, and his three companions, The Stranger is able to enter the Isle of Fire and defeat Exodus.
The defeat of Exodus had a profound impact on the world of Sosaria which brings about the Age of Enlightenment.
It is worth noting that between Ultima I and Ultima III the world of Sosaria has greatly changed. Two of the four continents have disapeared - perhaps as a result of the cataclysmic impact of the defeat of Mondain the Wizard.
![[image loading]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z3Aq5D6xc3A/Tq9Xa2JFRtI/AAAAAAAAAYs/ZGFQa1mhYI8/s320/142938-exodus-ultima-iii-dos-screenshot-fighting-wizardss.png)
An example of combat.
Gameplay
The game was also released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and had quite a different feel than the version I played on PC. The engine was an improved style of the Ultima II one and had various graphical improvements.
![[image loading]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2E_-CvePdho/Tq9XToM-3kI/AAAAAAAAAYk/oEQHTSlN-8Y/s320/Ultima_Exodus_NES_World_Map.jpg)
An example of the NES version of the game.
One advancement in this game was the first usage of animated sprites.
I'm always really self conscious that some of them are quite short and lacking in detail... but ultimately the goal is a wee reminder of the past.
