Worlds of Ultima games - free at GoG

[Merneith]

Good 'Ol Games - gog.com - is holding their summer sale starting today (6/19). Every day they’re discounting a couple of games based on reader votes. Link

But! The Real News is that they’re giving away two Ultima games, spinoff of the series, that see The Avatar exploring a Lost-World-esque jungle in The Savage Empire and a proto-steampunk Mars in Martian Dreams.

I never played either of these games back in the day, but I’ve long wished for them. I adore Jules Verne and Rider Haggard so I’m really looking forward to trying them. GoG is an excellent online service dedicated to bringing back old favorite games that aren’t published anymore. There’s no DRM on the games. They set them up so that they’ll play on modern computers. These games were originally published in the early 90’s on the Ultima 6 engine.

Here are the games’ requirements:

Minimum system requirements: Windows XP or Windows Vista, 1.8 GHz Processor, 512MB RAM (1 GB recommended), 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7 (compatible with DirectX 9 recommended), 2GB HDD, Mouse, Keyboard.

And here’s a little more about each of the games.

Savage Empire:

Worlds of Ultima™: The Savage Empire

Overview:

You, the Avatar, have been transported by your Moonstone to the primitive and savage world of Eodon. There, you must work towards uniting the native tribes to face a common threat: a race of gigantic ants known as the Myrmidex. You won’t be alone, however, as you will be assisted by Professor Rafkin, ace reporter Jimmy Malone, and the exotic jungle princess Aiela. Take control of strange and powerful shamanistic magics and confront a varied bestiary that includes vicious dinosaurs and even mad high priests.

Martian Dreams

Ultima™ Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams

Overview:

Explore the Red Planet and save history before it’s too late!

The year is 1893. The World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Astronomer Percival Lowell’s colossal space cannon is poised to hurl a huge bullet-ship to Mars. Then disaster strikes! The cannon discharges a day early with dozens of history’s leading figures aboard. Unprepared for the rigors of Mars, the accidental space travelers have little chance of surviving. You must rescue the stranded expedition or history will be forever changed!

[aktep]

I’ve wanted to play these since I walked out of Sam’s Club with my newly minted Ultima VI.