I have been writing an article about a rather dark replay of Ultima VII: The Black Gate. I won't go into too many details here in this blog post, but I thought it would be interesting to share some murder stats with you for each town in the game (look for those sporadically when I feel like it). First a little background on why I would be demented enough to play one of my favorite games this way.
The Black Gate is one of the darkest Ultima games I have ever played. It was the first game in the series where even the bad guys blurted out idle threats and begged for mercy as they ran away from particularly vicious fights with my party of do-gooders. Would the Avatar of old relent if such pleas for mercy were blurted out in his presence. That old saint, that selfless godhead of virtue who came from Earth through a moongate that appeared in his backyard, would undoubtedly sheath his sword.
But the Avatar of Ultima VII is not the same man he was so many years ago. I don't want to say that he is an evil man, but the simple fact that all of his actions in this world proved to be a cause of a lot of subsequent problems over the years have worn him down.
Maybe he is sliding down a slippery slope. Perhaps his patience has become paper thin. Maybe (I imagine to justify my actions) he thinks "it is okay if I kill this pirate because he's a bad guy who gets drunk, beats his wife and engages in bloodthirsty high seas treachery." One little step. Then you are wiping the blood of women and children off your sword.
Or maybe I have changed. I just feel like these people are so evil. Maybe the smart assed noble that thinks he's better than me - the guy who pulled this world's ass out of the fire more times than he cares to remember (you're welcomed Britannia!!) - needs to be acquainted with one of the dozen glass swords I’m fond of carrying. I saved the world to be treated like this - with such disdain and disregard?
Even Old Lord British raises my ire, sitting on his throne and pretending this world is a perfect place. The daft old earthling doesn't even know that an innocent man is locked away in a tower above his castle..
And then the darkest thought of all comes to mind: why does this world deserve to be saved? It doesn’t.
To be continued…