Ultima VII: The Black Gate
Ultima VII: The Black Gate is a 1992 role-playing game developed by Origin Systems, created by Richard Garriott. Players return as the Avatar to the fantasy world of Britannia to investigate a series of grisly ritual murders and uncover the sinister influence of a manipulative entity called the Guardian and the seemingly benevolent Fellowship spreading across the land.
Renowned for its remarkably detailed, living world where non-player characters followed daily schedules of work, meals, and sleep, and where nearly every object could be picked up, used, or combined, including baking bread or playing instruments, it set a benchmark for immersion and open-ended RPG design. Its real-time interface, rich dialogue, and reactive world made it a landmark of the genre despite demanding hardware for its day.
Ultima VII remains a touchstone for open-world RPG design and is available through digital storefronts, allowing modern players to explore one of the most ambitious role-playing worlds of its era.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Ultima VII: The Black Gate, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divinity: Original Sin 2 | € 44,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac, iPad, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| Exult | Free | Not on Steam | PC, Mac, Linux, Android phone, Android tablet |
| Stoneshard Indie | € 24,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC, Mac, Linux |
| Ultima VII (GOG) | € 8,99 | Not on Steam | PC |
| Ultima Underworld 1 + 2 | € 5,99 | Not on Steam | PC |
Divinity: Original Sin 2
€ 44,99The modern RPG that best captures Ultima VII's simulated world, where almost everything can be picked up or combined.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 runs on PC, Mac, iPad, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Linux, iPhone, Android phone, Android tablet.
Exult
FreeA free, open-source engine that runs Ultima VII on modern systems (game files required).
Exult runs on PC, Mac, Linux, Android phone, Android tablet. Not available on iPhone, iPad, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Stoneshard Indie
€ 24,99A hardcore indie roguelike RPG with deep systems and open exploration.
Stoneshard runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Ultima VII (GOG)
€ 8,99The Complete Edition, pre-configured to run on modern PCs.
Ultima VII (GOG) runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Ultima Underworld 1 + 2
€ 5,99The first-person Ultimas that invented the immersive sim, bundled and patched for modern machines.
Ultima Underworld 1 + 2 runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
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