Delayed Underworld Ascendent

[SamuraiJack]

<<<MOD>>>

Edited to add a link to the kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/othersidegames/underworld-ascendant

<<<MOD>>>

 

Planned spiritual successor to Ultima Underworld 1 and 2.. starting Feb 4th

 

http://www.othersideentertainment.com/

 

 

 

When we completed Ultima Underworld II in 1993, I never imagined that this classic fantasy RPG franchise would go dark for the two decades.

 

The Underworld’s were arguably the first immersive 1st person games. Not only were they the first to create a real-time 3D texture-mapped world, they also pioneered player-driven sandbox gameplay. They influenced a whole generation of games: Doom, Thief, Deus Ex, Skyrim, BioShock and more. Today, leading game designers view the Underworlds as still astonishingly modern in design.

 

But when released, the games were years ahead of their time and didn't fit into the established genres of that era. This contributed to the franchise falling between the cracks and becoming lost in the publisher’s labyrinth depths. Over the years I’ve tried without success to raise the Underworld series back up. Just now have the stars aligned so this can happen.

 

I started OtherSide Entertainment an indie studio to rekindle this classic. Joining me is an incredible team of developers, who will be introducing themselves over the coming weeks. Some worked with me on the original Underworlds, along with Looking Glass favorites like System Shock and Thief. Others contributed to more recent classics including Deus Ex and BioShock Infinite. We have deep understanding of the genre, and share a passion for bringing Underworld back.

 

The newest incarnation of the franchise, Underworld Ascendant, will retain the distinctive fantasy RPG gameplay of the originals. We already have an early prototype running on the PC. At that same time we will be pushing forward with new innovations --- I can’t wait to tell you more about what we have planned!

 

But this can only happen with your help. As an indie studio, we are looking to our fans to fund a significant portion of the development through our upcoming Kickstarter campaign, which begins on February 4th. We aren't shy about our ambitions to make a great game, but that takes serious resources and effort.

 

Beyond funding, we are inviting you in on the making of Underworld Ascendant. Rarely have fans been able to participate in the often unpredictable, sometimes messy creative process that gives birth to innovative games. We hope you’ll join us on this adventure!

 

Paul Neurath

 

Founder | OtherSide Entertainment

Edited November 13, 2016 by Darsc Zacal

[Arkady]

It will be interesting to see if they really can deliver on new innovation on a level anywhere near the original. Because if it were just another first-person dungeon crawl, they'd get critically torn to shreds for tarnishing a legacy.

[Arc 724]

oh this makes me want to go back and play Ultima Online... So many memories from that game... My first MMORPG.

[Orlando_the_Technicoloured]

Sadly if this really innovates it probably won't feel like Ultima,

 

and if it doesn't it will sink without trace, but that said I wish them luck

[SamuraiJack]

Baldur's Gate IV is being worked on too..

[dwarvenranger]

There was a Baldur's Gate III?

[Dilvish the Deliverer]

I...don't remember ever playing any of the Ultima's.  Maybe over a friends house.  Bard's Tale, Might and Magic, Wizardry those I owned.

[Magnus Mercury]

There was a Baldur's Gate III?

 

That's what I was wondering.  I played Baldur's Gate, but never got around to the sequel (though I picked it up on GOG a couple years ago).  I actually preferred Icewind Dale due to better party management.

 

As far as Ultima, my first Ultima game was Ultima VIII: Pagan, which was (unbeknownst to me for years) considered one of the worst Ultima games ever.  My only other Ultima game was Ultima IX: Ascension, which is the game which competes with Ultima VIII for the aforementioned designation as "worst Ultima ever"...    (for what it's worth, I enjoyed both games at the time, despite their flaws and frustrations).

[Darsc Zacal]

Kickstarter is now Live:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/othersidegames/underworld-ascendant

[Wren]

Last 12 hours or so for this one, though they are going to continue to take pledges (and unlock stretch goals) after the campaign via PayPal.

[CashWiley]

I'm interested to see where it's going but not enough to back it. They're aiming pretty high for the funding and my Molyneux sense was tingling.