You can play U9, but don't forget to install unoffcial 1,09 patch. It solves lots of the bugs of the game and make it pretty playable. Exploration is fun and dungeon design is good in the game and you meet interesting people and quests along the way. And also it's the first game that I know of that combine RPG gameplay with third person action camera even before Gothic 1 and Morrowind. One of the weakest points of Ultima 9 is the RPG leveling system, which is very shallow I think. More like Zelda games. After nearly 10 years, game's graphics are still charming to me with lots of unique landscapes and interesting places to visit.
Also I have heard from some diehard Ultima fans that comparing to older Ultima games there're some inconsistencies in the lore of the game. Anyway, I suggest you to try it and see for yourself.
Also I have heard from some diehard Ultima fans that comparing to older Ultima games there're some inconsistencies in the lore of the game. Anyway, I suggest you to try it and see for yourself.