There is freshness to the latest version of Ultima Online that transcends the same graphical elements players of late have been used to.

Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn’s Revenge, from Origin (a house within the Electronic Arts machine), has brought Grammy and Emmy-winning producer Todd McFarlane (director of “Spawn”) onboard to design a host of new monsters. But the innovations do not stop there.

To backtrack just a bit: In 2000, Origin trotted out what was to be the ultimate Ultima Online game – the working title was Ultima Online 2, but Origin folks stated it would likely be changed to Origin. However that game was never finished, and instead, UO Third Dawn took its place. The game added to the legacy of the granddaddy of online games.

Now in its fifth year, another addition has popped up, and the innovations that this game has brought with it are quite welcomed.

McFarlane has created 30 new monsters, which are scattered around the vast lands of Britannia. A new storyline has been created which involves Lord Blackthorn – who is ultimately in charge of all the new creations. There is much more interaction with the fiction of the story, and quests are more prevalent, and tailored for players experience within the game. For example, as a young player (newbie, just joined the online community) you will be given tasks which are progressively harder, but which will also teach about some of the game fundamentals.

The plan is for new storylines to be introduced into the game every four to eight weeks, which means plan on seeing that patch update screen a lot when you log on. A lot of the episodic fiction will involve player response to in-game threats and twists in the plot.

Blackthorn has been a part of the UO world since it was introduced in 1997. His transformation has been from power-hungry human, to a half-human, foul creature still hungry for power. The episodic fiction is tailored to introduce his latest schemes to control the UO world.

A new Virtue System has been installed into the game. Each decision a player makes during the course of his or her adventures in the world will be recorded, and players will either be granted virtuous traits, or denied them based on those decisions. There are eight virtues, and as players increase their virtuous nature, the game will supposedly turn in a direction that will reflect those choices.

The look of the game has not changed all that much from Third Dawn. The three-dimensional look and feel of the game is still intact, but there are some subtle changes that mean the game looks better. The environmental graphics are crisper, and the player avatars look cleaner. UO Third Dawn was playable either as a two-dimensional or three-dimensional game, but the island of Ilshenar (where Blackthorn’s stronghold lies) was available only in the 3D version, not the 2D game. Players still have the choice of playing the game in either 3D or 2D, but with LBR, Ilshenar will be available to players who wish to play the 2D version.

The sound has also changed with the release of Lord Blackthorn’s Revenge. The musical files are stored in MP3 format, and players can substitute their favorite MP3s for the ones that come with the game. Don’t like the music for the fight scenes? No problem, you can swap it out with a song that does the trick for you.

The player interface is easy to learn and navigate through (little has changed from Third Dawn), and the controls are mouse driven – of the point-and-click, and drag-and-drop variety.

However lag still continues to haunt the UO world. As a young player, not much harm can come to you if the server dumps you or stalls. However, once your young status is gone, you become fair game to anything, and such a stall can mean death, with all that you carried taken by other players who see it laying about without an owner.

Counter that with an online community which is, for the most part, friendly and helpful, and you have a game that continues to flourish in the massively multiplayer online role-playing world.

For those who may not know, there is a monthly fee charged for playing this game (with the first month thrown in for free).

Ultima Online: Lord Blackthorn’s Revenge has added some very strong elements to this world, making it more enjoyable and not just the hack-and-slash game it could have easily become.

Install: Medium.
The install will require about 600 megs of hard-drive space, but each time you launch the program, you will be subjected to a patch search each time you log on. That can take time.

Gameplay: 7.5
While the mapboard is huge, UO still suffers from server lag – which can be frustrating. This is a situation that needs to be addressed, and a solution needs to be found. (In the review of Third Dawn, the game was given an 8 in this category, but because certain problems still exist, points were deducted.)

Graphics: 8
The graphical elements of this game, from the magic to the animation and environmental effects, still remain strong.

Sound: 8
The upgrade to the musical system is wonderful.

Difficulty: 8.5
Your character may improve quicker earlier, but you will still be investing a lot of time if you wish to get really good. A lot of players have several different characters, equally as strong, which makes for a nice selection in certain situations. And the AI has been cranked up a notch. Monsters are tougher, and players will be forced to recognize which tactic works on what monster.

Concept: 7.5
New monsters, evolving storylines, a new virtue system all help to put a new face on a familiar friend.

Multiplayer: 9
Of course, this is a multiplayer game. You cannot enter the world and play any other way. The online community is huge, but friendly.

Overall: 8.1
Origin has given this game quite a boost, and that makes Lord Blackthorn’s Revenge a solid addition to the UO series. Make no mistake about it – this is a time-consuming game. But the reward is an enjoyable MMORPG experience.