An editorial by a geek who tirelessly played through every exausting element of Origin's Ultima IX: Ascension.

Aural Orgasm

Unlike the games designed for another breed of gamers: where ingenious programming talent graces the silicon of high technology: bringing you eye burning framerates beyond the threshold of which the brain can detect. Instead, Ascension paints an expansive colorful tapestry on the other side of a window: where the imagery pulls the willing player deep into its recesses and carires him throughout.

What was it like to play? Well… from the start, I was hooked! The game pulls you in immedietly. The wise and caring narration at the beginning of the game: helping you along to get started on your quest was like a guardian angel. Or, maybe it was God; pushing our hero ahead to meet his fate at the end.

So many game companies put sound design at the bottom of their priority list when developing a game. When the other companies are focusing on their graphics engines to get their framerates in competetition with everyone else, Origin opted to create a soundscape that would further add to the rich, lush environment Britannia's graphics already produced… and their efforts are highly noted.

The voice acting of the primary characters were professionally performed. Ev Lunnings' (Lord British) charmingly realistic voice fits quite well. His wise and mature cantor gives the player a sense of depth to the experience, and competance one would expect from the ruler of all Britannia.

I still can't get over the scene where Lord British confronted Blackthorn in the Abyss, after being passive during most of the game; sitting on his throne in his castle; he totally kicked some ass!

Doug Forrest (Blackthorne) didn't have enough parts in the game. It's a shame: Because, he was definitely the 'Darth Maul' of Britannia. I found his performance more believable than the Avatar's nemesis, the Evil Guardian. The personality Doug's voice gives Blackthorn, was surprising to say the least.

I didn't expect him to be as slick, and confident as he was, when he stormed into Samhayne's house, stabbed through Raven's hand into the table, and wisked our hero the Avatar out the door with a magical field. He was totally relaxed when he entered, and in complete control of everyone in the room. He never broke a sweat! What a bad ass!

Audrey Peterson plays the voice of Raven, the Avatars love interest. Her voicing is good, but not as believable as it could have been. When she meets our hero for the first time, shes all business. Later in the game, out of nowhere, she expresses her feelings to the Avatar; completely out of content to what was happening at the time.

Later, there's a scene where she takes the Avatar to her house and brands him with a hot cattle prod. I've never seen a more sexily, computer generated female, in a semi-transparent nightie like that before. I had to see it twice; it was breathtaking

The other voices throughout Britannia sounded less professional but, much better than I've heard in any other game. The voices were never too 'overly acted' like you would expect.

As for the rest of the sound effects; they were definitely the best I've ever heard. There is a different sound for each and every terrain type the Avatar's boots might come in contact with. The effect adds a lot to the atmosphere. From dirty caves, to snow covered boulders; each was authentically real. Stevie Wonder would easily enjoy hearing someone else play the game, and that's saying a lot! I did, however, notice the sailing vessal the Avatar uses, never made a peep… an oversight?