Ultima 3 Exodus

Ultima III: Exodus - the 1983 fantasy role-playing game for Commodore 64
from Origin Systems.

Assemble a four-member party of adventurers to hunt down Exodus, the
demonic offspring of Mondain and Minax, and restore peace to Sosaria.

Core loop
- explore towns, dungeons, and the overworld for clues and treasure
- fight monsters in turn-based, tactical combat on grid maps
- upgrade weapons, armor, and magic through grinding and trade
- sail the seas to reach shrines and Exodus’s fortress

Systems and items
- four-character party - select races, classes, and stats individually
- tactical combat - move each hero on a separate battle grid
- magic system - different schools for clerics and wizards
- ships - engage in naval combat and explore hidden islands
- virtues and shrines - early hints of moral choice themes

Level design and feel
Large overworld dotted with towns, caves, and hidden areas. Dungeons use
3D-style first-person movement, while battles switch to zoomed tactical
maps. Exploration and resource juggling drive steady progress.

Why it is notable
- first Ultima published under the new Origin Systems label
- introduced party-based combat and grid tactics to the series
- direct influence on Japanese RPGs like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy

Tips
- include at least one cleric and one wizard for healing and spells
- buy food in bulk—hunger drains health quickly on long journeys
- learn which enemies drop chests; gold farming is vital early on

At a glance
Year - 1983
Developer - Origin Systems
Design and programming - Richard Garriott (Lord British)
Graphics - Denis Loubet
Music - Ken Arnold
Publisher - Origin Systems
Genre - Role-playing adventure
Players - 1
Controls - Keyboard - optional joystick in port 2 for movement