Computer ports of Ultima Underworld II
Ultima Underworld II was not widely ported to other systems. Unlike privious games, Ultima Underworld II was written only for the PC in the western video gaming market. Japan, however, later saw releases for the PC-9801 and FM Towns systems.
The Original Game[edit]
The IBM PC Original[edit]
The original IBM PC version of Ultima Underworld II was released in January 1993, less than a year after the release of the first game.
The game still runs at a 320x200 resolution with 256 colors and sound support is still limited to either Soundblaster or Roland MT-32. However, digital sound effects are now included while the speech is limited to the Guardian's taunts (though, not all of them). Compared to the first game, all aspects were improved. Apart from the vastly better intergrated plot, the gaphics show way more detail, the viewing window is bigger (was even advertised), 3D objects are more plentiful, character portrais are much more detailed.
The game was retailed on five 3.5" disks. On later compilations, it came fully patched on a CD.
IBM PC – intoduction
IBM PC – in-game
The Japanese Computer Ports[edit]
The PC-9801-Port[edit]
The PC-9801-port of Ultima Underworld was published in 1995 by Electronic Arts, two years after the initial IBM PC release.
As with the first part, graphics from the IBM PC version were upscaled to the PC-9801's maximum resolution of 640x400; again, with no artwork redrawn, only the game's text takes advantage of the system's greater fidelity (and even that not in the cutscenes and some GUI elements). Nothing can be said about the sound of the game, since no samples as of now have emerged
Additionally, due to the high demands on the hardware, a 16-color version of the game was released. However, as of this day no screenshots have emerged, how this 16-color version did fare compared to the original artwork.
The PC-9801 port was retailed on either seven 3.5" or seven 5.25" floppy disks or one CD-Rom.
PC-98 – introduction sequence
PC-98 – conversation
The FM Towns-Port[edit]
In 1995, this port for the FM Towns was published by Electronic Arts.
Again, like the port for the PC-98, this port has its graphics upscaled to 640x400, but again only the text takes advantage of that, otherwise the artwork stayed untouched (and some GUI elements were not reworked at all). Nothing can be said about the sound of this port, since no samples of the music have emerged as of now.
The game retailed on CD-Rom only.
FM Towns introduction
FM Towns in-game
| Computer Ports | |
|---|---|
| Games | Ultima I ☥ Ultima II ☥ Ultima III ☥ Ultima IV ☥ Ultima V ☥ Ultima VI ☥ Savage Empire ☥ Underworld ☥ Underworld II |