Larian CEO Swen Vincke is obsessive about Ultima 7. Yow will discover its DNA—the various bizarre techniques, the chances for emergent gameplay, and the superbly stackable crates—throughout Larian’s whole catalogue, and particularly in Baldur’s Gate 3. Vincke says he is “been chasing it ever since” it got here out again within the ’90s, and but he hasn’t been again and performed the sport in simply as lengthy.
In a chat with PC Gamer at this yr’s GDC, Vincke stated he is loath to return to classics like Ultima 7 “as a result of I’ve performed previous video games earlier than that I assumed I used to be nonetheless going to like… I do not wish to do it once more, as a result of I am fairly positive it is going to haven’t aged very nicely.
“I do not wish to destroy that feeling, my reminiscence of it is rather fond,” added Vincke, earlier than allotting with the nostalgia and confessing “It had a shit fight system. It was actually dangerous”.
Which is not an unfair criticism. Like many RPGs of yore, Ultima 7’s fight was a dense and awkward factor that is solely obtained more durable to deal with as recreation design has progressed. As an incorrigible lover of the Planescapes, Alpha Protocols, and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines(es) of the world, I can empathise with Vincke’s affection for a traditional recreation that may really feel like a chore to play within the yr of our Lord 2024.
Apart from, Vincke tries to protect all the perfect components of Ultima 7 in Larian’s personal video games. “It had such a very good sense of exploration, and a way of wealth and freedom, and that is the bit I have been chasing ever since.
“It was so nice, in that sense. You may fly, you might make your individual air balloon. You may make a raft. There’s an entire bunch of issues that for a very long time you could not see in different video games all put collectively in there… To my thoughts it is nonetheless an unimaginable achievement from a improvement standpoint.”
However achievement or not, it is a robust one to play today. Not simply when it comes to its design, both: Vincke talked about to PCG that “your finest wager” of working the sport today is to “truly purchase an previous pc”. In order golden as Vincke’s recollections are, “I do not play it once more, as a result of I do not wish to spoil the reminiscence.”