I'm always amused by the numerous ways different games try to be original by changing the names of the ability scores. It's rare to find a game (like Ultima IV, which only had strength, dexterity, and intelligence) that reverts to fewer. But fairly quickly-by Ultima I, really-games had grown into the standard set of five or six ability scores.
The earliest games had only one or two scores. In this, of course, they are adapting rules from pen-and-paper Dungeons & Dragons. Here, their effects are front-and-center.Ībility scores, attributes, characteristics-whatever you call them-are an element that almost all CRPGs share. Every game up until now has had them, but I didn't really think about them once the game started.
Might and Magic is the first game in which I'm really noticing the affects of ability scores.
