Editing Ultima IX: Ascension (section)

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 63%<ref name=gr>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/53709-ultima-ix-ascension/index.html |title=Ultima IX: Ascension for PC |website=[[GameRankings]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=September 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209014415/https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/53709-ultima-ix-ascension/index.html |archive-date=December 9, 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| CNG = 6/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-3496,00.html |title=Ultima IX: Ascension |last=Dembo |first=Arinn |date=December 7, 1999 |website=Gamecenter |publisher=CNET |access-date=June 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816092053/http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-3496,00.html |archive-date=August 16, 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| CGSP = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/024/177/ultima9_review.html |title=Ultima IX Ascension |last=Cross |first=Jason |website=[[Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]] |publisher=Strategy Plus, Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030228112445/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/024/177/ultima9_review.html |archive-date=February 28, 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| CGW = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_187.pdf |title=Premature Ascension (''Ultima IX: Ascension'' Review) |last=Janicki |first=P. Stephan "Desslock" |magazine=Computer Gaming World |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=187 |date=February 2000 |pages=86–87 |access-date=June 10, 2021}}</ref>
| EuroG = 5/10<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/ulta |title=Ultima IX: Ascension |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=May 4, 2000 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]] |access-date=June 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010107220300/http://www.eurogamer.net/content/ulta |archive-date=January 7, 2001 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| GI = 8.75/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Ultima IX: Ascension |last=Bergren |first=Paul |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[FuncoLand]] |issue=82 |date=February 2000}}</ref>
| GameFan = 55%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamefan.com/repre.asp?g=1632&t=r |title=REVIEW for Ultima IX: Ascension |last=Torres |first=Jasen |date=March 9, 2000 |website=[[GameFan]] |publisher=Shinno Media |access-date=June 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000606014347/http://www.gamefan.com/repre.asp?g=1632&t=r |archive-date=June 6, 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| GamePro = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/3597.shtml |title=Ultima IX: Ascension Review for PC on GamePro.com |last=Brenesal |first=Barry |date=December 10, 1999 |magazine=[[GamePro]] |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG Entertainment]] |access-date=June 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041101064411/http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/3597.shtml |archive-date=November 1, 2004 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| GameRev = D<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33083-ultima-ix-ascension-review |title=Ultima IX: Ascension Review |author=Johnny B. |date=December 1999 |website=[[GameRevolution]] |publisher=[[CraveOnline]] |access-date=June 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108200430/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/ultima-ix-ascension |archive-date=November 8, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| GSpot = 6.4/10<ref name=gspot>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ultima-ix-ascension-review/1900-2531654/ |title=Ultima IX: Ascension Review |last=Kasavin |first=Greg |date=December 10, 1999 |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=December 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914020016/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ultima-ix-ascension-review/1900-2531654/ |archive-date=September 14, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| GameZone = 6.9/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r11560.htm |title=Ultima IX: Ascension |author=Lupos |date=January 12, 2000 |website=GameZone |access-date=June 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010818144258/http://www.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r11560.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| IGN = 6.2/10<ref name=ign>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/11/ultima-ix-ascension |title=Ultima IX: Ascension |last=Ward |first=Trent C. |date=December 10, 1999 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=December 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023200902/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/12/11/ultima-ix-ascension |archive-date=October 23, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| NGen = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=nextgen>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/NextGen62Feb2000/page/n99/mode/2up |title=Ultima IX: Ascension |last=Lundrigan |first=Jeff |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|NextGen]] |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=62 |date=February 2000 |pages=98–99 |access-date=June 10, 2021}}</ref>
| PCA = 4/10<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/PCXL18Feb2000/page/n69/mode/2up |title=Ultima IX: Ascension |last=Saltzman |first=Marc |magazine=[[PC Accelerator]] |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=18 |date=February 2000 |pages=68–69 |access-date=June 10, 2021}}</ref>
| PCGUS = 80%<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/reviews_592.html |title=Ultima IX: Ascension |last=Wolf |first=Michael |magazine=[[PC Gamer]] |publisher=Imagine Media |volume=7 |issue=2 |date=February 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010501235921/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/reviews_592.html |archive-date=May 1, 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

The game received "mixed or average" reviews according to the [[Review aggregator|review aggregation]] website [[GameRankings]].<ref name=gr />

At the time of its release, many fans felt the game was unfinished and not as polished as the earlier ''Ultimas'' were. One of the chief criticisms of ''Ultima IX'' was that the story did not do justice to the continuity of earlier parts of the series, and in fact, largely ignores it. The game was said to be made to attract a more general gamer audience with little or no knowledge of previous ''Ultimas'', so many facts and events from earlier games are disregarded, while others are altered to suit the plot of ''Ultima IX'', as well as dialogue where the Avatar questions certain aspects of past installments of ''Ultima'' that the Avatar should remember, such as the infamous "What's a paladin?" quote. Some fans have found a considerable number of errors in the game.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

The game also received a lot of criticism for being launched with a lot of bugs.<ref name=gspot /><ref name=ign />

Jeff Lundrigan of ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|NextGen]]'' called ''Ultima IX'' "the best PC RPG ever made", and "easily the deepest, most fully realized entry in" the ''Ultima'' series. However, he criticized its technical issues, and docked the game one star from a perfect score until "after EA patches it up some."<ref name=nextgen /> Drew Hunt of ''[[AllGame]]'' gave it three-and-a-half stars out of five, calling it "one of the most notable examples imaginable of a game that could have been among the best ever made in its genre if only its release had been held off another half year. With all the bugs gone and the overall game speed increased, any remaining problems would have been virtually insignificant."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://allgame.com/game.php?id=11651&tab=review |title=Ultima IX: Ascension - Review |last=Hunt |first=Drew |website=[[AllGame]] |publisher=[[All Media Network]] |access-date=June 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141116034746/http://allgame.com/game.php?id=11651&tab=review |archive-date=November 16, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The game was commercially unsuccessful, with sales of roughly 75,000 units in the U.S. by August 2000.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_193.pdf |title=The Wizards at Wal-Mart |last=Janicki |first=P. Stephan "Desslock" |magazine=Computer Gaming World |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=193 |date=August 2000 |page=134 |access-date=June 10, 2021}}</ref>

The game was a finalist for the "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Role-Playing Game of the Year|Computer Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year]]" award at the [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]]' [[3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards]], although it ultimately lost to ''[[Asheron's Call]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html |title=Third Interactive Achievement Awards: Personal Computer |website=[[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000903024505/http://www.interactive.org/iaa/finalists_pc.html |archive-date=September 3, 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The staff of ''[[PC Gamer|PC Gamer US]]'' also nominated the game for their 1999 "Best Roleplaying Game" award, which ultimately went to ''[[System Shock 2]]''. They wrote, "The fact is that on a top system with bug patches applied, ''Ultima IX'' is one of the best roleplaying games of all time. If it had been released without those bugs, it would have run away with this year's award".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Sixth Annual PC Gamer Awards (Best Roleplaying Game) |author=PC Gamer staff |magazine=PC Gamer |publisher=Imagine Media |volume=7 |issue=3 |date=March 2000 |page=55}}</ref> The game won ''[[GameSpot]]''{{'}}s 1999 award for "Most Disappointing Game of the Year",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/1999/p5_01.html |title=The Best & Worst of 1999 (Most Disappointing Game of the Year) |author=GameSpot staff |website=GameSpot |publisher=Ziff Davis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816190614/http://www.gamespot.com/features/1999/p5_01.html |archive-date=August 16, 2000 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 11, 2021}}</ref> and was a runner-up for the "Best Graphics, Artistic Design" award, which went to ''[[Rayman 2: The Great Escape]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/1999/p2_05.html |title=The Best & Worst of 1999 (Best Graphics, Artistic Design) |author=GameSpot staff |website=GameSpot |publisher=Ziff Davis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000823200006/http://www.gamespot.com/features/1999/p2_05.html |archive-date=August 23, 2000 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref>

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