Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | Ultima I |
| Founded | 1982-08-24 |
| Founder | Richard Garriott (series creator) |
| Successor | Ultima III |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Richard Garriott |
| Products | Role-playing video game |
| Owner | Sierra On-Line (original publisher) |
Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress, launched on August 24, 1982, for the Apple II, represents the second installment in the Ultima role-playing game saga and forms part of the "Age of Darkness" trilogy.
It stands as the sole official Ultima game published by Sierra On-Line. Disagreements concerning royalties for the IBM computer adaptation led series creator Richard Garriott to found Origin Systems.
The storyline revolves around the malevolent enchantress Minax, who seeks vengeance following her partner Mondain’s defeat in Ultima I. Players embark on a journey through various time periods to collect resources necessary to overcome Minax and restore order. This sequel expanded the game world’s scale and enhanced both graphics and gameplay mechanics compared to its predecessor.
Gameplay
The gameplay mechanics largely mirror those of Ultima I, but with an expanded scope that includes a greater number of locations—some optional—spanning multiple historical eras. Time doors enable access to periods such as the mythic Time of Legends, Pangea (300–250 million years ago), 1423 BC, 1990 AD, and the post-apocalyptic Aftermath era beyond 2112. Additionally, space travel allows players to explore all planets within the Solar System.
Plot
After surviving the death of her lover Mondain at the Avatar’s hands, Minax threatens Earth by destabilizing the space-time continuum. Having increased her power, she dispatches servants across different time frames to create turmoil and nearly eradicate humanity.
Lord British calls upon a hero to confront this menace; the Avatar sets out on a mission through time and space to find and defeat Minax within her fortress Shadow Guard. Gaining entry involves navigating time doors and overcoming force fields using an enchanted ring. Ultimately, the hero vanquishes Minax with the swift Enilno sword.
While Ultima I is set in the fictional land of Sosaria, Ultima II shifts its narrative to Earth due to its time travel focus. Subsequent titles in the series retconned this setting, repositioning Ultima II events back onto Sosaria for continuity purposes.
Development
Ultima II marked Garriott’s initial project fully programmed in assembly language, which significantly enhanced game speed and responsiveness compared to Ultima I. During his time at the University of Texas, Garriott dedicated nearly two years to developing this sequel, acquiring assembly programming skills within a month from Tom Luhrs, known for creating the Apple II title Apple-Oids.
This release introduced a cloth map included inside the packaging, depicting connections between time doors—a design inspired by the movie Time Bandits. Following financial difficulties with original publisher California Pacific Computer, who failed to provide full royalty payments, Garriott mandated that future publishers include this map. Sierra On-Line agreed and offered technical assistance during his first major assembly language development effort. Two versions of the map were produced: an initial heavier and thicker cloth map for large boxed Apple II and Atari 8-bit editions, and a lighter version for subsequent smaller boxed editions.
Despite concerns from both Garriott and Chuck Bueche, Sierra’s Spiradisc copy protection system was applied to the Apple II release. In 1989, an audiovisual enhancement was issued exclusively within the Ultima Trilogy I-II-III compilation for Apple II, updating graphics to better align with later series entries; however, this version was discontinued shortly after release. Commodore and IBM versions retained their original visual assets.
Throughout its history, Ultima II has been reissued multiple times in PC CD-ROM collections such as 1998’s Ultima Collection. These editions lacked essential map files for most planets except Earth, although "Planet X" remained accessible. Modern hardware often encounters divide-by-zero errors when running the game; fan-made patches created by Voyager Dragon and distributed via The Exodus Project resolve these problems and restore full playability. Running under DOSBox with appropriate map files allows error-free performance at intended speeds.
Ultima II was notably the first official series entry to be ported beyond its original Apple II platform.
Atari 8-bit computers
Launched in late 1983, the Atari 8-bit edition represents a largely faithful adaptation of the Apple II version, employing the system’s high-resolution graphics but lacking enhancements that would utilize Atari’s more advanced capabilities.
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 adaptation, attributed to "Bobbit," was released prematurely and omitted certain gameplay features. Additionally, it displayed a simplified title screen composed of text characters rather than the dragon graphic featured in other editions.
IBM PC compatibles
Designed for MS-DOS-compatible machines, the IBM PC port supports only Color Graphics Adapter visuals and PC speaker audio. It depends on CPU timing, causing it to operate too quickly on processors newer than the Intel 8088. This version is also susceptible to crashes triggered by divide-by-zero errors. Originally, Garriott’s agreement with Sierra On-Line excluded an IBM PC release because he considered the platform cumbersome and underpowered. Frustrated by the contractual terms related to this port, Garriott began contemplating starting his own enterprise.
Macintosh
In May 1985, Sierra introduced a Macintosh version compatible with Mac OS up to System 6 and patchable for System 7.5. Alongside Ultima III, this release was among the few classic Ultima titles available for the Macintosh platform.
Atari ST
As one of the first commercial titles available for the Atari ST following its June 1985 debut, this port utilized basic block-style graphics without fully exploiting the system’s potential. It operated within TOS rather than from a self-booting disk.
Reception
In 1983, Softline commended Ultima II for its inventive programming and real-time gameplay reminiscent of Dungeons & Dragons, describing it as "another, greater hit" for Lord British. Computer Gaming World emphasized enhancements over the original game, particularly in detail and world size, while anticipating further expansions. Years later, reviewer Scorpia referred to it as "a good sequel." The magazine K-Power assigned a score of 7/10, highlighting its increased complexity, faster pace, and distinctive narrative. PC Magazine rated it 15.5 out of 18 points for its expansive world design.
The IBM PC conversion was characterized by Computer Games magazine as "engrossing and enjoyable." Conversely, the Macintosh version faced criticism due to numerous typographical errors and bugs, despite being an important addition to Mac gaming libraries.
Different Worlds magazine described Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress as a timeless fantasy adventure essential for dedicated gamers.
From a commercial standpoint, Ultima II sold over 50,000 copies by November 1985 and approached nearly 100,000 units sold by 1990. It received a nomination for "Best Adventure Game for Home Computer" at the 1983 Origins Game Fair but ultimately lost to Wizardry II: The Knight of Diamonds.
Reviews
- Casus Belli No. 15 (June 1983)
- Jeux & Stratégie #23 (October 1983)
External links
- Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress at MobyGames
- Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress at C64Sets.com
- Ultima II: The Revenge of the Enchantress at the Codex of Ultima Wisdom wiki
- Ultima II – The Revenge of the Enchantress! on C64 Wiki