Akalabeth



Akalabeth: World of Doom is the unofficial "Ultima 0", created by Richard Garriott in 1979 and released commercially in 1980 for the Apple II. Akalabeth was actually a free-time project originally known as "D&D28b" (since it was his 28th game inspired by Dungeons &amp; Dragons) and Garriott only got the idea to sell it after it was finished. Later, the California Pacific Computer Company bought the rights from him, and published it.

The game is incredibly primitive when compared to today's standards. The gameplay consists of slaying monsters and buying equipment, and the game has only black and white graphics and no sound. (A PC remake of the game features midi music and a limited amount of color.)

Story


From the manual:

"'Tis said that long ago peace and tranquility covered the lands, food and drink flowed freely, man and beast lived in peace, gold and silver abounded -- it was the Golden Age of Akalabeth.

''Mondain, second born of Wolfgang, a great king of old, wished to gain his brother's inheritance, and so he used his great powers for evil. Many years had Mondain traversed the lands of Akalabeth spreading evil and death as he passed. He created deep dungeons, so deep and extensive that their lower depths had never been explored. In these dungeons he unleashed more evil. He sent thieves, skeletons and snakes to dwell near the surface, and daemons and balrogs to guard the depths. Now blood flowed freely in Akalabeth, and foul creatures soon came to roam near the surface. Mondain cast such sickness and pestilence upon Akalabeth, that both man and beast lived in constant fear. Thus was the Dark Age of Akalabeth.''

''There arose from the land a man, pure and just, to battle the Dark Lord. British, Champion of the White Light, did battle with Mondain deep within the labyrinth of dungeons, eventually driving him from Akalabeth forever. British of the White Light was proclaimed Lord British, Protector of Akalabeth. Alas, much damage had been suffered unto the lands. The Revival of Akalabeth has begun.''

'Tis thy duty to rid Akalabeth of the foul creatures which infest it whilst trying to stay alive!"

In the game, the player character visits Lord British and is instructed by him to kill certain monsters. The final mission is to kill a balrog, and after this has been accomplished, Lord British proclaims that "thou hast proven thyself worthy of knighthood".

The series was later retconned so that Mondain attacks Sosaria for the first time in this game, but the player's efforts deflect his attack, making him frustrated and finally leading to the events of Ultima I.

Trivia

 * California Pacific sold thousands of copies of the game. This was a good deal for Garriott, who received $5 for each game sold.


 * Akalabeth was Garriott's 28th game, but only the first one sold commercially.


 * In the Ultima Collection, a PC version is included, complete with some MIDI music and some color added to the graphics.


 * Because it is set in Sosaria prior to Ultima I, Akalabeth has often been referred to as "Ultima 0" by fans. The PC remake included this name on the title screen, making it an official alternate name for the game.


 * The name Akalabeth probably derives from Akallabêth, which is the title of a section of The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien, detailing the downfall of the continent of Númenor in Tolkien's Middle-earth universe. The Silmarillion was published only a few years prior to Akalabeth's release.