Although set in a familiar medieval fantasy world where magic works and strange beasts abound, U.O. is unusual in several significant respects. For one thing, the sheer size of the game sets it apart. Literally thousands of players from as far away as Germany and Japan can play at one time. In addition, the game never ends. Rather, it progresses continuously.
Players have a great deal of control over what happens in the game.
For example, if a player builds a house, it will continue to be there even when the builder is off-line. Another player might break into the house and steal an item. When the original player returns, the item will be gone. Finally, Ultima's stunning graphics and full motion provide the illusion of being present inside the game. The sum total of these elements transcends what has gone before in the field of computer games.