Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar

Back in 1989, when I played Apple // computer games, one particular game stood out from the rest of the collection. The game is called Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar. In this game, you role-play an unknown person called Stranger in a medieval world called Britannia. Britannia is a huge world with many towns and cities. The objective of the game is to become the Avatar, a person with extreme virtues so that the citizens of Britannia can look up to and follow. Basically, the objective of the game is to become a Messiah or Prophet and to show the people of Britannia the way to enlightment.

What's interesting about that game is that to become an Avatar, you have to live the 8 virtues:

Honesty,
Compassion,
Valor,
Honor,
Sprituality,
Sacrifice,
Justice and
Humility.

Any interaction with the citizens will add points or deduct points from one of the virtues. For example, when approached by a beggar, you are expected to give him some gold coins. This will increase your Compassion virtue.

Then there's combat with monsters such as trolls or orcs. If the Stranger run away from combat, his Valor will decrease.

This game forces you, as a player, to be good.. to do good.. to uphold the 8 virtues. You have to play like an Avatar to achieve "sainthood".

While many think that this is just a game, to me, it builds character. I do not deny that some of my virtuous characteristic is a direct influence from this game.

Sadly, they don't make games like this anymore.
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