Gaming Cookies For You: Orcs, Elves, Hobbits Galore!
Systems: Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS
ESRB Rating: T (for Teen)
With millions of readers around the world entranced, inspired, or submerged into the world of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, allowing the readers and fans a chance to control the characters they love in epic battles seems appealing to most. The newest addition to the franchise, Lord of the Rings: Conquest offers fans of Peter Jackson’s film trilogy a chance to live the epic battles once more while surprising fans with the curious question, “What would it be like to play the Dark Lord Sauron?”
Split up into two sections, players are able to choose the ability to follow the film trilogies events closely and play as key characters from certain battles. From Aragorn, to Gimli, to random soldiers, players are offered to choose from four classes in which to fight the dark forces of Middle-earth. Choosing the classes of warrior or scouts offers a feel of a similar hack and slash game as video gamers swing, hack, and kill their way through hordes of enemies. On the other end of the spectrum, choosing the classes of archer or mage brings elements of third person shooter to the field, allowing gamers to pump on lots of damage from far away and minimal impact with face to face combat.
While the campaigning for good or evil can provide excitement for a couple hours, the constant scenario of taking out hordes of enemies proves to be boring after awhile. With little to no effort present in the execution of the attacks, button mashing will soon become the main way of unleashing attacks. Sadly, the video game’s AI does not seem all too integrated into the surroundings of the battle scenes as constant glitches of floating dead bodies in midair are present. With glitches present here and there, players will quickly find that the repetition of game play sadly outweighs the new scenario of controlling the Dark Lord Sauron himself through his conquering of Middle-earth.
Co-op playing proves to be slightly better and more interesting as the Xbox 360 version allows online playing to be possible. Able to choose between good or evil, the closed off sections of the games settings allows players to battle it out with one another rather than a glitchy AI. With Lord of the Rings: Conquest creator Electronic Arts promising more patches and side quests in the future, perhaps the bugs will be worked out and more features promising better control.
With more games arriving everyday on the next generation systems, perhaps only those individuals who cannot live without Tolkien’s world will enjoy this the most. Casual gamers are best to stay away from Lord of the Rings: Conquest as even the most seasoned veterans of gamers will walk away from the console aggravated and cheated out of money. Here’s hoping that Electronic Arts does a better show next time around
Overall Score: 5 out of 10
Short URL: http://www.themountaineer.org/?p=377
Posted by Jackie Steponaitis
on Feb 16, 2009 Filed under Entertainments.
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