Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar is a pioneering role-playing game that emphasizes moral choices over traditional combat objectives. Set in the transformed world of Britannia, players aim to become the Avatar by embodying the Eight Virtues: Honesty, Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice, Honor, Spirituality, and Humility. The game encourages players to engage in ethical decision-making and altruism, contrasting with typical RPG mechanics that focus on acquiring power and defeating enemies. Character creation is uniquely tied to moral dilemmas, influencing the player's class and starting location.

The game features an enhanced engine with color graphics and interactive dialogue systems, allowing players to converse with non-playable characters. Exploration is multifaceted, with various means of travel available, and players must collect specific items to progress to the Stygian Abyss. Traditional RPG elements, such as combat and experience points, remain, yet the game’s innovative approach to morality and character development has left a lasting impact on the genre, establishing Ultima IV as a cornerstone in role-playing game history.