Origin Systems

Wing Commander is a space combat simulator intercut with live action cutscenes. Gameplay involves completing missions and destroying enemy craft, Wing commander III dispensed with the issuing of medals after such missions and relied more on cutscenes to drive the story along making much more use of CD technology. As the man giving the orders, Blair often gets to choose what ship he will fly, what missiles it will carry, and what wingman (wingmen) he will take with him. As in Wing Commander, some wingmen can be killed permanently in combat. Blair's own call sign remained customizable

Wing Commander: Armada

The life of a seasoned starfighter pilot isn't all glory and adventure. After years of following orders and losing ships and friends, you are now the sole commander, responsible for heading up a momentous strike against your enemy's homeland - either the Empire of Kilrath or the heart of the Confederation. This war requires real strategy, not just hotshot piloting, and you have to determine where to fight, how to fight, and what ships will get the job done. In Wing Commander Armada, you have the freedom to build your own universe, your own missions, and your own campaign.

Super Wing Commander

Super Wing Commander is a remake of the first Wing Commander with new graphics and sound. As in the original game, the player takes control of a young pilot on the carrier TCS Tiger's Claw to fly missions in the war against the Kilrathi. The game includes the Vega campaign from the original game and the first Secret Missions add-on campaign. Secret Missions 2 is replaced with a new campaign in which the Tiger's Claw must find and destroy the base where the Sivar dreadnought from Secret Missions 1 was developed. The look of the original game has been completely redesigned, with ships and people looking completely different from the original. All dialogue is now heard through digitized speech.

Metal Morph

Looking Glass Studios1994

Metal Morph is a side-scrolling platformer. As the Metal Morph, you can jump, duck and shoot, as well as transform into an invulnerable liquid blob of metal. While as a blob, you can also travel through pipes to get to areas you couldn't normally. Power ups such as triple shots and homing missiles make battle easier for you. The game also has sections where you fly your spaceship to track down your stolen pods. In flight mode, you can move the ship up, down, left and right while shooting enemies and dodging their incoming shots. Power ups such as speed up (which makes the ship travel faster to its destination) and shields (which prevent instant death) can also be found.

System Shock

A first-person fight to the death in the depths of space!

Ultima VIII: Pagan

The Ultima VIII Pagan starts exactly where Ultima VII ended. Avatar is cast to the world of Pagan by the Guardian. In the meantime, the Guardian is taking control over Britannia and Avatar has to find the way to leave Pagan and save Britannia from the Guardian. The world of Pagan is ruled by four titans that prevent any interworld travel. To open a portal to Britannia, Avatar has to destroy all four titans ad claim their power.

ShadowCaster

Raven Software1993

As the last hope of a shape shifting race from another dimension, you must restore your races long lost shape shifting powers, and use them to defeat the evil forces of the wizard Veste.

Ultima VII: The Complete Edition

A collection of Ultima VII that includes both games and both expansions.

Wing Commander Academy

The Wing Commander Academy trains every student in a variety of different classes and exercises that will adequately prepare him or her for real-life combat in space. In our effort to save the Confederation from the depredations of the Kilrathi, we can only afford to send the very best pilots out to defend our homes. Innumerable hours of training, classes and simulator practice turn our students into ace Confederation pilots before they launch their first actual mission. In my opinion, the tcsn flight simulator is by far the most important educational tool this academy has to offer. The simulator will not only teach you how to fly, but more importantly it will show you how to survive. In the countless simulated missions you embark on during this part of your training, you will fight Kilrathi ships and Kilrathi pilots in hijacked Confederation ships. You will endeavor to blow enemy capital ships out of space and defend your own space station against attacking forces. Since the simulator is programmed to realistically imitate real conditions in space, it will also teach you how to effectively navigate asteroid and mine fields and retrieve ejected pilots or data capsules from space. The TCSN flight simulator will show you what you really came here to learn. Use it wisely, and the lessons you learn at this console will save your life when you actually face a swarm of Kilrathi in a grueling dogfight.

Wing Commander: Privateer

About: 2669, Gemini Sector, Troy System. The Terran frontier between the Kilrathi Empire and the unknown. Privateer takes you to the seamy side of the Wing Commander universe. In the far reaches of space, you live by no man's rules but your own. The fringes are populated by a volatile mix of pirates, miners, mercs cutthroats, and Kilrathi, all struggling to make a life for themselves. In this open-ended game you can choose from many paths. You start with a rusted scout ship and a handful of credits in your pocket It isn't much, but the universe is there for you to explore in search for profitable opportunities. Become a patient, law-abiding merchant, a smuggler far away from the normal space lanes, a pirate preying on the weak, or a professional mercenary hunting down criminal scum. Or just do whatever suits you at the time. At the end of the day, it's all about money and survival. Mostly money. Are you determined enough to forge your own destiny?

Strike Commander

After the success of the Wing Commander games, Chris Roberts and Origin turned their eye to developing a story-focused combat flight simulation. The result was Strike Commander.

Ultima VII: Part Two - Serpent Isle

Looking Glass Software, Inc.1993

This game takes place 18 months after The Black Gate. Batlin, the leader of the Fellowship has disappeared, as well as Iolo's wife Gwenno. A map is found that points to the Serpent Isle where the Guardian is still planning to destroy Britannia. Lord British sends you, the Avatar, and your companions to this new land. Once there, you discover that a great imbalance is upon the isle and it is up to you to fix it. To do so, you must learn the philosophies of the original inhabitants of this land who worshipped giant serpents symbolizing the principles of Order, Chaos and Balance.

Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds

In an attempt to conquer the world, The Guardian encases Castle Britannia and its occupants--including the Avatar--in a giant blackrock gem. The game takes place one year after the events of Ultima 7: The Black Gate. To celebrate the defeat of the Guardian, Lord British invites the Avatar and his companions to his castle. However, in the night of the feast the Guardian attacks again, encasing the castle in a giant gem of blackrock. Deep in the sewers of the castle, another blackrock gem resides, being a teleporter to other worlds controlled by the Guardian. Now you, the Avatar, must travel to these worlds in order to free the castle from the Guardian's spell. This sequel to Ultima Underworld plays exactly as the original, except for a larger game world, a richer storyline and better graphics and sound.

Ultima VII: The Black Gate

Origin Systems1992

It has been two centuries since the Avatar last appeared in our good kingdom. Some have written that at last it is possible to interpret the tales of the Avatar as they should be, with the proper historical perspective. Some argue that as time moves on, the truth of what actually occurred will fade even further away and that we have a responsibility to preserve the legends as we now know them. However, most agree when it comes to a number of basic theories. While there are those who maintain that the stories of the Avatar are only myths, practically all credible scholars say that at least some elements of the Avatar’s tales are historical fact. In reality, one need look no further than the Isle of the Avatar to see very persuasive evidence that the Avatar did indeed exist - at least as a person if not as a spiritual being! It is most likely that there has been more than one Avatar. All of the writings insist that the Avatar who negotiated the peace between Britannia and the gargoyles is the one and same person who first appeared to vanquish the sorcerer Mondain those many years ago. While saying it is most unlikely, historians do not firmly deny the possibility of there having been only on Avatar. After all, our good sovereign monarch, wise Lord British, has himself displayed an amazing longevity! Whatever interpretation of history proves to be most accurate, it seems undeniable that the Avatar will not return to our fair kingdom. By all indications the age of magic is coming to an end. With the decline on reliability of mages, and with the kingdom turning away from the magical arts, it is doubtful that extreme danger - that which would require an Avatar’s aid to defeat it - will ever return to Britannia. And thankfully so. Upon us is the age of The Fellowship, in which one does not simply wait in anticipation for a heroic savior when a crisis occurs. In this less spectacular but more practical day, we are left to solve our problems with our own minds and our own will.

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss

Looking Glass Technologies1992

The Isle of the Avatar was discovered during the Fourth Age (as related in Quest of the Avatar), at the climax of the Avatar’s quest. The Stranger from Another World, who came to Britannia in answer to Lord British’s summons, completed the Test of the Eight Virtues and became the Avatar — the embodiment of the pure axiom of life. It was during his journeys that the Avatar unearthed a chilling artifact: the skull of Mondain the Wicked, the first of the Triad of Evil. There were those who claimed that the artifact held the power to destroy all life on our world. Fortunately, it was the Stranger who discovered it, and not someone of lesser Virtue. Upon completing the Path of the Eight Virtues, the Avatar embarked on a search for the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom. Legend linked this ancient tome with the subterranean maze known as the Great Stygian Abyss. “Truly, no one has ever plumbed its depths,” wrote Shamino, who arranged by magic to obtain a map of its corridors. “I cannot imagine the horrors that await the first to venture into the Stygian depths.”

Who Shot Johnny Rock?

American Laser Games1991

Another live-actor arcade shooter by American Laser Games (makers of Mad Dog McCree and Crime Patrol), Who Shot Johnny Rock is set in the classic 1920's style gangster era. As the title suggests, you're supposed to find out who shot singer Johnny Rock (or at least who hired the guys who shot him) and put them behind bars. There are some differences between this game and previous American Laser Games shooters. Instead of a wimpy pistol, you get a tommy gun (which doesn't need to be reloaded). Unfortunately, you also have limited ammo and need to buy more at times. Instead of lives you have a fixed supply of money, and each time you die you lose some cash. Lose it all and it's game over.

Ultima: Runes of Virtue

Origin Systems1991

Ultima: Runes of Virtue is a Role-Playing game, developed by Origin and published by Pony Canyon, which was released in 1992.

Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2 - Martian Dreams

Origin Systems1991

I write these words aboard a colossal bullet rocketing from the Earth to Mars. Wondrous as this is (and it is, I assure you, quite wondrous), I am even more amazed by the fact that it is the year 1895! Tesla - yes, the noted scientist of years past, Nikola Tesla! -- is unsure how long the voyage will take so I have decided to pass the time recording what mankind (circa 1895) knows of our destination - Mars. How I came by this information is a story in itself.

Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi

Origin Systems1991

You may be the hottest pilot in the fleet, but this will cool your jets! In Wing Commander you blast your way through the Vega Campaign. You'd better be as good as your reputation because the stakes are too high to play it safe. Just when you think that the action can't get any more intense, or the opposition any stiffer, you'll plunge into Wing Commander II. Disgraced and unjustly court-martialed, you have to prove yourself once again and earn the respect of the Confederation High Command. Of course, there is also the little matter of preventing the destruction of the Terran home-worlds.

Bad Blood

A nuclear war has turned the world into a wasteland. The pure-blooded humans have retreated in large cities while mutants live in small villages on the plains where they make a living by hunting the many monsters. Now one of the human leaders, Lord Dominix, wants to start a war to wipe out all the "bad-blooded" mutants. Your village chief has assigned you with the task of preventing this war. Bad Blood is a top-down action game with light role-playing elements. You can not create your own character but have to pick one of the three predefined ones: Varrigg (a strong green mutant who fights with his bare hands), Dekker (a human male armed with a knife) or Jakka (she looks human but can shoot laser beams from her eyes like Cyclops of X-Men fame). The choice you make has only a limited impact on gameplay and storyline. Gameplay consists of exploring the world map, visiting several cities and villages, talking with NPCs, picking up items and new weapons (like shotguns, grenades, Uzis etc.) and lots of real-time combat. Bad Blood lacks character stats and character development. The game has a day-night cycle which influences the amount of monsters on the plains and whether or not you can talk with some NPCs.

Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire

Savage Empire is Origin's first "Worlds of Ultima" release. It was made using basically the same engine as Ultima VI but with slightly different graphics. The game contains all of the elements of the other Ultimas, as well as some extra features that add to the experience. You are able to interact with the environment in a realistic manner... picking branches from trees, digging clay from a riverbank etc. Savage Empire also has a lot more character interaction than the previous Ultimas. Characters will jump into conversations whenever they feel they have something pertinent to add.

Wing Commander

Gameplay consists of completing successive missions and overall cockpit performance affects gameplay: going above and beyond the call of duty results in medals, promotions in rank are awarded at regular intervals, and success or failure on certain critical missions decides the player's plot progress, "winning" or "losing".

Ultima VI: The False Prophet

Ultima VI sees the player return to Britannia, at war with a race of gargoyles from another land, struggling to stop a prophecy from ending their race. The player must help defend Britannia against these gargoyles, and ultimately discover the secrets about both lands and its peoples.

Windwalker

The goal is distant, the test arduous. At times it may prove more practical to avoid a threat than to face it. So long as you use your wits and cleave to the Way, your karma will sustain you in this world. Should you fail in correct persistance, dark spirits will carry your spirit away to face the Mirror of Truth, and your failure will come back to mock you forever. Now heed my teachings, that you may gain enlightenment.

Omega

Omega, on the surface, appears to be just a simple tank combat simulation game. Once you get into it, however, the game gets much deeper. The player actually codes the AI for their tank using a pretty robust progamming language system.

Tangled Tales

You're a wizard's apprentice whose Master has taken access to your spells. To get them back, you need to complete three quests. Create your character by assigning points to Strength, Intelligence, Speed and Charisma, before setting off. This role-playing title is specifically aimed at younger people and non-hardcore roleplaying gamers. The screen display is split into a text window, a graphical window and a movement window. A comical mish-mash of characters ranging from knights to surfers await, each with their own part in solving your quests. You must learn new spells and fight when required, also recruiting people and spending money at many stages of the adventure, which takes in over 100 screens.

Knights of Legend