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Ultima Online Samuri Empire is the best game on the planet!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 17
Date: October 01, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I've played Ultima Online since 1998. And, I know this game is clearly the best game on the planet. Why?

1) Ultima Online's 2D engine is awesome! UO's "top down" view of the game field makes it unique from almost any other game available. Want to feel sick while playing a game? It's easy! Just play one of those new 3D games.

2) Ultima Online has a rich history dating back years! I started playing the Ultima series when I was in 6th grade. I played each Ultima Game from one through nine. Then, I finally got on board with Ultima Online in 1998. A player can clearly experience more history in this game than any other game. Chances are those "other games" will just be a "flash in the pan." Made soley to display the latest graphics engine.

3) When it comes to pure gameplay, Ultima Online is second to none. A player has a wide variety of gaming options:

-A player can choose to conquer a dungeon called "Doom" in the land of Mala. There you will experience all sort of challenging undead creatures. More advanced players will find the "Guantlet" a challenge. There a player will fight five different monster bosses before finally fighting the Dark Father in quest for the myhical "artifact." AN artifact is a very powerful weapon which players can spend up to 20 hours a month trying to aquire!

-A player can venture to the land of Ishnaer to fight the new Paragon. A paragon is like a "mini boss" of pretty much any monster in Ishnaer. For any given monster, there's a 5 percent chance that the (mini boss) paragon will appear. This mini boss is a buffed up version of whatever you've been fighting. For example: If you've been fighting mongbats, there's a 5 percent chance a buffed up mongbat paragon will spawn. Then, there's a chance you can receive a special "minor artifact" from each paragon. I know each time I receive a minor artifact, I always pump my fists in the air.

-The Player vs. Monster bash gets even better! Players can venture to another dangerous land to fight the monster "spawn." (This land is also player vs. player land thus increasing the danger and also reward.) A spawn is a place where monsters appear and then a player fights them. There are about 7 or 8 types of monsters spawns. At the beginning of the spawn a player fights a lower, weaker type of monster. As the spawn progresses, a player fights more powerful monsters until you fight a type of monster "boss."

When successful, a player can obtain something called a "powerscroll" which can increase a players "skill cap" for any particular skill. If a player has 100 cap for sword skill, that cap can be increase by using a +5, +10, +15, or +20 power scroll. A lucky player will also obtain the "skull of the boss." If you obtain 7 or 8 skulls you can face the challenging "super boss" called the Harrower! When successful you can obtain a special stat scroll of +5, +10, +15, +20, or +25 to boost a players stats!

-For more docile Player vs. Monster combat, a player can go back to the Land of Britiannia to fight in such storied dungeons as "Deceit, Destard, Shame, Wrong, Hyloth, and others!"

-For the Player vs. Player Lover, Ultima Online offers the chance for player to attack those players fighting the spawn. Those spawns are in a special PvP land. Also, the strange land of Felucca is home to many PvP players. Be careful, Felucca is a dangerous place, home to all kinds of dangerous player characters! Don't venture into the land of Felucca unless you are ready to fight the "Seasoned" UO player who's often also a "less socially" aware player. So, they might be rude sometimes if they beat your character. Also, honorable 1v1 play does not exist in this land. Chances are you will be challenged by a group of these vile player characters. Not only do they have the best equipment but they also have superior numbers. No honor exists in these types of battles! Personally, I stay away from the land of Felucca in favor of more honorable player vs. monster combat!

4) Now Ultima Online is releasing it's BEST EVER expansion. New lands called the Tokuno island have been revelaed. A player can choose to be either a Nija or Samuri. Additional Lands for housing are now available. There are new skills to learn, new items to craft, and new lands to discover.

5) Ultima Online is one of the only games available which allow players to have player homes! A player can built their home according to their own wishes. Then, they have a wide variety of options availble to decorate their homes and to store hard earned items.

6) Just thinking about hard earned items... Ultima introduced item insurance so the typical player, who may play only a few hours a week, will not lose hard earned items! Thus, enhancing the gaming experience. Now, a player won't be frustrated by dying and losing ALL their best items all at one time!

7) Ultima Online embraces the eight virtues. Some of those virtues include, "Honor, spirituality, honesty, Humility, Justice, and Compassion." Ultima Online is clearly one of the only games which has had virtue has a part of the game. Want to experience a "slimy" type of gaming experience... play of of those other 3D games out there!

I'll probably come back to edit or add more to this review as details of the new expansion... Samuri Empire become available. Right now, there's a Non Disclosure Agreement which prevents many details from being available to the general public. So, I have not avare of many of the new changes. A person can find out additional details by going to the UO.com website.

New Expansion Breathes in New Life to Great MMO

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 14
Date: October 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

If your looking for an mmorpg then this is still the best title out there.

The Samurai expansion has a ton of new items and 2 new skillsets - Ninja and Samurai. This expansion has breathed new life into an old favorite. Now they've even introduced new housing changes (including roof tiles!) Crafters also get a bunch of new weapons, clothes, and items to create.

This MMORPG also has the best community I feel. They are always out to helping the new player. When I started playing I was helped with not only game style, but with in game gold, items, armor, and weapons. So... I didn't feel lost like I have in some other MMO's I've tried out there.

For $29.99 you just can't beat the experience.

A fast expansion before christmas with nothing innovative

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 14
Date: October 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This new expansion will introduce japanese fiction into Ultima Online and maybe even some new fiction concerning it.
Two new professions we do not know a lot about yet will be playable, namely Samurai and Ninjas. There will also be some additions to Ultimas best feature the housing system which may make it worthwhile for people to buy it.
Graphically nothing will change and it remains a 6 year old game that lives of its good skillbased system that is very versatile.

If you have never played UO and look for an interesting system where the game is what players make of it then give it a try.

If you have played and seen it all then this expansion does not promise anything too new, as it looks like a ripoff their last expension AOS.

I will safe you some time and money

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 7 / 26
Date: October 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Dont buy it, if you value your money. Info about expansion that have been released at sources like stratics tells there is not really great in this expansion. 2 new professions while they haven't fixed even old ones and new guild system that seem pale if you compare it to some guild systems that other mmorpgs are offering. I have played UO about 4 years and quit few months ago. I saw how AOS (last real expansion) launch was total failure and most of dev time have gone to fixing bugs and balance game they made with AOS.

TOTAL LACK OF VISION:
Who ever is making decisions what goes in game is lacking own vision (which richard garriot had when he was in team). I am guessing it's marketing in EA who is making these calls, since more and more changes seem like they are taken from other successful mmorpgs. Marketing don't have own vision they just think if it work in game E then why not add it to our game too. Marketing don't want to take risk and try something new, but want play safe. UO have been losing subscribers and game is getting more quiet everyday.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING GAME THAT HAVE TONS OF BUGS, HACKS, CHEATS AND IS LOSING PLAYERS:
Then this game is for you. Game is so full of bugs and hacks that its hard to describe. Economy is ruined by these cheats and casual player have no part in that. Example there is cheat script program that can be made to do almost anything for player, so player who use this program can have his char mining 24/7 for him while not playing himself and then selling what he produce. Dev have knew about this program for years and haven't been able to stop it. Then there is various other cheats and programs and list would be too long to put here.

In the end UO need designer who have own vision instead ripping off from other games. Someone whos willing to take some risks and try something NEW *gasp*. This expansion is designed with Asian theme because EA marketing think it will boost their slaes there (which mght happen), but again it just glow the lack of vision and tell how marketing team have made the call what will be add to game.

Samurai Empire in a nutshell

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: October 06, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Dig it! *Many* new items for crafters and housebuilders alike. Tons of new weapons and armor give UO a breath of fresh air. While I may have chosen a different theme for the expansion (C'mon guys! USE THE OPEN SEAS!!) the overall mood concerning the theme fits well. New music (bards get a bonus in this expansion! Not tellin!)

The two new professions seem balanced, but could still require a little tweaking, but thats to be expected...new tameables for tamers, new stealables for "crates" and much more!

Overall, I'd hafta say...BUY IT!

Samurai Empire: EA Adds New Lands and New Challenges

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: October 06, 2004
Author: Amazon User

For those that played the the Ultima games, the existence of the distant islands (Named Tokuno Islands now)was mentioned. EA has added the islands of legend into a nice new package for MMORPG fans.

The new landmass has something for every class of player in the game, and two new classes to play. For those veteran players that see this expansion as "same game, different graphics", it's not the truth. Monster AI has been buffed up, and new tactics will need to be learned.

Crafters have new things to make, and those with a flair for home decoration will have plenty of ways to let their creative muses run wild. Rangers and bards will meet new, tougher monsters and those that like to engage in player vs. player combat will find opponents with new skills (Ninjitsu and Bushido) to counter.

Many things that have been on player "wish lists" for a long time have also been added, including a long-awaited overhaul of the guild system that allows alliances and wars between guilds with specific critera to "win".

UO is often called "easy to learn, tough to master." Well, things just got tougher, and a lot easier to enjoy.

UO: SE is without a doubt one of the best expansions yet...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: October 06, 2004
Author: Amazon User

It brings feudal Japan straight to you. Discovering a rich, new landscape is good enough... but Ultima Online: Samurai Empire also allows you to learn the ways of ancient warriors such as the Ninja or Samurai. There are new weapons, new instruments, new pets, new skills, new fiction, and new places to explore. Fascinating new music and beautiful new clothes also make this game aesthetically appealing in more ways than one. Samurai Empire is groundbreaking - what other game is there that lets you combine so many different cultural aspects together? None. Ultima Online: Samurai Empire is definitely unique, and it is also offers a fantastic, quality gaming experience.

One of the best things about Ultima Online is that it allows you to create things in the game. With the new expansion, Samurai Empire, you are able to build your own Japanese style home from top to bottom. You can also decorate it with a variety of new craftables and rare items that are based on Japanese culture, too. Clothing such as the Kimono and weapons such as the shuriken are incredible additions to the craftables menu (there are a lot more new craftables other than those, of course!). The opportunity to make so many fascinating new items is without a doubt one of the highlights of Samurai Empire.

The citizens of Tokuno all have authentic Japanese names, which is really cool. There are powerful murderers who wander the land, and they are usually in the form of Ronin (a samurai without a lord) or Ninjas. Ninjas can literally walk among the shadows, and (true to form) they are the most secretive and stealthy class of character you'll ever meet. Oh, and so many new monsters and animals!! There are awesome mounts, tons of powerful monsters based on Japanese folklore, ghosts, animal spirits, and so much more. Tokuno is home to some of the toughest monsters in all of Ultima Online. Wonderful creature graphics and incredible monster AI make UO:SE something to look forward to. Tokuno isn't as big as some of the other lands that are known throughout Ultima Online, but it is definitely one of the most interesting. Incredible detail accompanies the new land of Tokuno, and you can't help but feel as if you are a part of an entirely new and exotic world.

As a fan of Japanese culture, I have to admit that Ultima Online: Samurai Empire does the theme of feudal Japan the justice that it deserves. It includes a new Guild interface, new craftables, new monsters, and a new way to play the game. There is just too much to be happy about with UO:SE! I'm buying it, and I totally recommend it.

UO: Samurai Empire - More is good.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 25 / 27
Date: October 07, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The sixth expansion pack for the 7 year old Ultima Online series is at hand. What does this mean for the many citizens of shattered Sosaria? In a word: More.

More culture. Some people have criticized the addition of an Asian themed facet claiming it doesn't fit with the primarily medieval feel of the game. I disagree. Each facet *should* have its own identity and Tokuno certainly achieves uniqueness.

More exploration. The Tokuno Islands offer a wide range of terrain from grasslands to deserts to frozen wastelands to active volcanoes. Some areas are fairly barren (no doubt intended for new housing developments), while others are rich with detail and variety.

More character customization. The addition of the Ninjitsu and Bushido skills allow players greater variety in play style. Aspiring Ninjas and Samurai will have access to many new abilities.

More creatures. The new enemies found in Tokuno are primarily based upon Asian mythology. Most are designed to be challenging even for experienced players - even powerful well equipped characters will have a hard time fighting toe to toe with some of these new creatures.

More items. A wide array of new clothing styles, weapons, armor, collectibles, etc. The ability to dual-wield certain weapons is a particularly welcome addition.

More housing. In addition to the added housing areas in Tokuno, players will have access to new tiles and add-ons when customizing their homes.

More other stuff... Various other game mechanics (such as the guild system) have also been improved. Even the much neglected virtue system has received some attention.

So yes Samurai Empire is very much about making UO more than it was. But are any of the new additions truly earth shattering? Not particularly. If you are happy with UO as it is now you will no doubt be very happy with SE. If you are looking for vast changes to UO however, you won't find them here. As far as UO expansion packs go SE lives up to expectations. No more, no less.

In spite of all the additions and improvements however UO still fails to achieve one important thing: purpose. This is a failing with the vast majority of MMOGs however and not limited to UO. You are given massive worlds to explore, thousands of players to interact with, and a wide variety of options... But no purpose. Nothing you do in the game has a lasting effect, there is no epic storyline that progresses in any significant way, the virtual world and people of Sosaria remain unchanged regardless of your actions. Instead of actively challenging you, the game merely exists and expects you to amuse yourself.

It is high time for MMOGs to begin incorporating the epic nature of traditional RPGs. UO in particular has a great legacy to live up to. The original Ultima series (now 25 years old) remains the finest example of RPG gaming. Ever. Ultima X promised to bridge the gap between the genres... With UXO's untimely demise UO more than ever needs to strive for something greater.

Bottom line:

Is it worth checking out for new players? Yes - as long as you don't rely on high end graphics for your gaming pleasure. There is a reason UO has been around for 7 years - there is a LOT to see and do. Whether this is your first massively multiplayer online game or you've been playing them for years UO is worth experiencing. Unlike some MMOGs UO doesn't require you to buy all the previous versions separately - every release includes ALL previous expansions. At the very least it offers you good value for your money.

Is it worth getting for current players? If you enjoy UO there is no reason not to get SE. If you've experienced the addition of previous expansion packs you already know what to expect. New landmass, new monsters, new items, new skills.

Is it worth returning to for former players? I suppose it depends on the reasons you left. If you originally quit in frustration over technical issues, SE runs with far more stability than AOS did upon release. If you quit because you felt unfulfilled with the game, SE probably won't be enough for you to return for.

It's not perfect, but it IS good.

Two thumbs up

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: October 07, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The developers of UO really seem bent on getting tons of new content into the game with this latest expansion. I was quite impressed with the sheer amount of new art and new craftables alone. Coupled with the addition of new lands and difficult new monsters within the new lands, it makes for a very aggressive expansion to Ultima Online. Anyone who has been holding out from buying a UO title in the past, get in on it now!

Samurai Empire brings new life into Ultima Online!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: October 07, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Ever had the desire to be someone new? Ever had the desire to play out your fantasies in another world? Ultima Online: Samurai Empire allows you to do just that!

As the latest expansion to hit the Ultima Universe, Samurai Empire brings the spice and drama of the Far East to the traditional lands of Britannia. Alluded to in the first chapters of the Ultima saga, the Feudal lands take the form of three islands filled with exciting new cities and challenging monsters.

Whether your goals are to explore strange places or tame the wildest beasts, Samurai Empire has it all. Two new professions, the Samurai and Ninja, have taken their place in this new expansion.

With new craftables, tameables, professions, lands, housing, and a new and improved guild system, even the veterans who have played Ultima Online for years will be impressed. I encourage you to check it out!

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