several serious bugs, and combat ("one of the least fun aspects of the game"). She concluded that the game gives "me very mixed feelings ... Getting through this Ultima will require a certain amount of patience and forebearance". In 1993 she wrote that "the game has its annoying aspects ... it is certainly worth playing". Charles Ardai acknowledged the widespread sentiment that after six installments the Ultima series had been done to death, but argued that "Ultima VII is not more of the same. It is daring and unusual, has a sophisticated interface and story, takes full advantage of both its own history and the conventions of the genre, and manages to be at once grounded in tradition and unpredictable". Ardai praised the plot as the best in the series, stating that it is highly original, evokes genuine emotion, and serves as an allegory for problems in the real world. He also generally praised the game's puzzles, simple interface, and pacing. Ultima VII: The Black Gate and Forge of Virtue were reviewed in 1993 in Dragon #191 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 4 out of 5 stars. Computer Gaming World nominated Ultima VII for its 1992 "Role-Playing Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss. They wrote that Ultima VII "pushed the technological envelope with its new AI routines for party movement, as well as its object-oriented approach to the game map. GamePro gave the Super NES version a mixed review. They praised the gameplay interface and controls, but criticized the fact that monsters and chests respawn whenever the player leaves an area, pointing out that this allows players to easily accumulate massive amounts of loot simply by repeatedly leaving and reentering a room with a chest. They rated the graphics and sounds as decent but unimpressive, and concluded the game to be "nicely crafted fun". Accolades The Black Gate was listed as one of "The 50 Best Games Ever" in a 1997 issue of PC Gamer, and ranked number ten on the magazine's list of "The 100 Best PC Games of All Time" in a 2011 survey. In 1998, PC Gamer US declared it the 37th-best computer game ever released. The editors wrote, "If you're looking for the best of the greatest computer role-playing series ever, this is the game you