Pagan: Ultima VIII Overview
Ultima VIII: Pagan is a direct sequel, stranding the player character in a foreign world after the events of the previous game. The setting is a hostile realm controlled by the antagonist, where the primary objective is to find a means of escape.
Gameplay shifts toward action and physical navigation, incorporating jumping and climbing to solve environmental puzzles. Combat is challenging and relies on player reflexes, as there are no companion characters to assist in fights. Character progression abandons traditional experience levels in favor of a system where skills improve through repeated use of related actions.
Magic is a central mechanic, organized into four distinct elemental schools that each require specific casting methods. Advancing in these magical disciplines is necessary for plot progression. While reagents are still collected for spells, the actual preparation and invocation process varies by element.
Interaction with the game world maintains the series' trait of manipulating many objects, but dialogue is more streamlined, using selectable responses instead of typed keywords. The overall focus is less on conversing with non-player characters and more on exploration and combat in a dangerous environment. A separate speech pack added voice acting for major characters, which was later included in the CD-ROM release.
