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Wow, wow, wow!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 167 / 173
Date: November 08, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This is a killer game. I've been playing almost nonstop for two days and this is the most fun I've had in a long long time. The art is rich and the environments lush. The units are full of character and each of the heroes are unique. I was really surprised, I was expecting a more-of-the-same Warcraft III, but this thing blew me away. Warcraft III came off as a big bloated over budget yawnfest. This game is a lean mean, hit and run, "screw them before they screw you" kind of game with some of the smartest AI I've seen yet.

I didn't know what to expect because I didn't want to play a game with the visuals that the movies have. I like the movies alot, but I don't want to look at a mishmash of browns and grays on my monitor. This game's art style is not that at all, it's just simply really cool. The colors are rich and it looks like you're in a painted graphic novel. The special effects are wild and the voice acting is great. The single player missions are awesome with scenarios behind the scenes and including the main storyline. The campaigns that take place in cities are cool with rich details like damaged buildings, rubble, and a bridge you have to demolish to hinder the enemy. Helm's Deep and Osgiliath are simply amazing.

This game really shines in multiplayer too. For the good side, you have Gondor Swordsmen, Rohan Riders, Elven Archers, Elven Lightbringers, Dwarven Axethrowers, Dwarven Shieldbreakers, Huorns (Ents) and Beorning (wildmen that turn into Bears) For the evil side you have Orc Slashers, Orc Archers, Uruk-hai, Wraiths, Haradrim, Troll Stone-hurlers, and Troll Bone-cleavers, Warg Riders, and Spiders. Also, each of the heroes are designed so that you have to adapt your strategy according to which heroes the enemy has in play. Gimli can steal your towers and temporarily stun melee units near him, Frodo and Gollum have stealth capabilities, the Witch King can convert Wraiths into Nazgul, Legolas can increase allies mobility and protection from ranged attacks, Saruman and Gandolf are just killer wizards that can turn the battle and Aragorn, man, Aragorn is the KING. He just becomes the melee unit of all melee units the more he gains levels.

In addition to all this are the Fate Powers, which you can use by accumulating Fate Points, which are acquired based on how much damage you inflict on your opponent. The Fate Powers are unique spells that can easily shift the tide in a battle. With Fate Powers, the Evil side can summon spells that can do things like slow enemy units down, or a giant cloud of crows that protect the evil side's units, etc. There's an evil Fate Power that summons a giant obelisk that bursts through the ground and absorbs damage for the Evil side. The ultimate evil Fate Power is summoning a Balrog with a flaming sword that just makes mince meat out of anything in its path. The Balrog's fire effects are just stunning! On the Good side, there are Fate Powers like Blind, and a spell that creates a field of brambles that damages enemies running through it. The ultimate Good side Fate Power summons a giant Ent (Treebeard) and he attacks by throwing a massive boulder at enemies.

I would really recommend this game to the experienced or novice game player. Have fun!

True to Tolkien and fun gameplay

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 57 / 59
Date: November 17, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I picked up War of the Rings just the other day and have been playing it since. It has a tremendously realistic feel for all Tolkien fans out there. The graphical sets for each of the missions are very much how I pictured them from the books, as well as true to the movies so far.

The setting is Middle Earth and the Good Campaign chronicals all of the major heroes in the literary work. You are tasked with many different missions, some pre-requisites to others, and follow the books well into the story. Example of this are the Battle for Helm's Deep, the battle for Lothlorien, tracking Gollum, that battle for Gondor, etc.

The graphics and storyline pay the game off extremely well, but the gameplay itself is typical of most RTS games; easy to learn and simplistic in nature (think WarCraft series). The r-click, l-click dilemma is solved in WotR with it being an option to choose, which is a nice added touch. The game came fully working and, unlike 95% of RTS game's first releases, had no noticable bugs for my system (2.2g, 512MBRam, Win XP). A very pleasant surprise.

Anyone that's a fan of RTS or Tolkien would do well to pick this game up. It's simple to learn, fun to play and very immersive since it has such a prolific history. I can't wait to start the "Evil" campaign and get back into the storyline!

I'm a Rings fan, but not much of a game player...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 25 / 26
Date: December 09, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I haven't played many computer games, particularly a real-time strategy such as this. I'm more of a LotR fan (the books primarily, and the films, of course).

I had fun playing this game, even though I'm pretty pathetic at it. It wasn't hard to figure out how to play (although it helps if you've got some friends who know strategy games--they can give you tips on the finer points of what to do to actually try to win). Thank goodness it doesn't require the eye-hand coordination of a teen-ager (which I don't have!!!).

It was interesting to see how Middle Earth was envisioned in this game. It's different than the films, which is a good thing since I can always see the films for that version--and there are other games which more easily can fit the look of the film version. I loved wandering about places like Mirkwood, where the trees were huge and your elf characters (along with Legolas!) hunts for Gollum and have to deal with nasty Giant Spiders and Orcs.

It was also fun to play Dwarves and build a Giant Catapult or roll boulders off cliffs to fight off orcs.

I was also surprised to really like playing the bad guys. When I figured out more about the game I could play some skirmishes and actually get some bigger units, like the Trolls--which were cool to see lumbering about.

Even more powerful stuff, like getting Fate points and calling Gandalf or Ringwraith into being were harder for me, but still possible for a mediocre player.

It should be possible for nearly every level of player to enjoy this game. When I set the levels to Easy, it was possible to see enough of the game not to be frustrated. I could even win every now and then! And as I learned more about how stuff worked, I got even better at it--just by playing the game.

So take my advice with a pinch of salt: I'm not that familiar with computer games--particularly these kind. But as a casual player, I enjoyed it. As a LotR fan, it was great to see different interpretations of the world and the characters and to be able to play with the various kinds of units: elves, Gondorians, dwarves, Beornings, Orcs, Uruk-hai, Huorns, Rangers, Haradrim, etc., etc. The graphics are brighter and cheerier than the films which should appeal to younger kids, as well as adults who don't want everything to be gritty and grey.

GREAT TOLKIEN TITLE!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 16
Date: November 21, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Great packaging! I love the good vs. evil boxes. Game was excellent...5 stars!! i highly recommend this game.

Great game!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: August 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Some people say this game is stupid, or too easy but I very much enjoyed it!!! The gameplay was excellent and I found it to be fairly challenging. It's a very fun game! I love how every character has their own special abilities! This is a must buy for the fans of Warcraft!!!

wow.....its amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 16
Date: December 02, 2003
Author: Amazon User

wheni first got i was like...this ios goin to be ok...now i now ita asoome...humans rock.

READ THE SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 22
Date: December 05, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I have never played this game, but I was thinking about buying it. Then I read the spotlight review. It helped a lot. I am definetly going to buy this game. THANK YOU! READ THE SPOTLIGHT REVIEW PS: IGNORE MY RATING ON THE GAME AS I HAVE NEVER PLAYED (IT WOULD NOT LET ME POST THE REVIEW WITHOUT RATING IT)

i can't get my mind off it!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: December 21, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I don't know much about the game cause i got the demo but even just the demo i can tell this is a great game. if your not sure if you want to buy it cause you never played it before than trust me you should buy this game. if you don't believe me get the demo from www.lordoftherings.com and try it out yourself.
i like the role playing but i when the game suddenly stops and a quick conversation go's on it gets annoying. but all and all i give this game a 5 star for awsome grafics and it can be approved by both kid and adult.

awsome amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: January 03, 2004
Author: Amazon User

the game is the best computer game since 1200 b.c. legolas is awesome, i cant really beat the balrog, but it is still amazing. the best on the good side is legolas, and witch king on the evil. this game is so awesomely amazing u want 2 jump up and down screamin this game is so amazing. if u like lotr, u will luv this game, if u hate lotr u will luv this game, basically u will luv this game, even if ur from zimbabwe

You have to understand...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: April 21, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Let's look at this from a logical standpoint:
1) Runs on the WC3 engine, plays just like WC3, if you liked WC3, chances are you'll like this. Though they've improved on everything, including graphics.
2) You need a fairly decent PC, if you're whining because your graphics are lame, maybe it's time to toss out your 486X and hit the new-age of 64-bit graphics.
3) It's BASED on the BOOKS, not the Movies. If you're someone who thinks Legolas is the coolest guy ever, and have never read the books, or only read them after seeing Peter Jackson's movies, this game is not for you. This game is for true LotR fans that enjoy the classical art-style, and the accuracy. If you want some bland, boring, EA-produced, New-line Cinema's taking more of your money and handing you crap game, there are two Battle for Middle Earths, and an expansion.

This game is for true RTS Fans and true LotR fans. Movie-goers shove-off.
I read the books 10-times through before I even heard about any movies (Which were disappointing to say the least.)

There are plenty of other RTS that are tasteless and grey, and if you buy this expecting another Command and Conquer: Generals clone, you'll be sorely mistaken.

This game is for a certain type of person, and you either are or are not, as you can see from the reviews, people either love it or hate it.

This game draws the ire of all of Legolas fanboys who thought Gandalf died in FotR and gets praise from the people who already knew.

So there's your choice in life, be a tool and play Halo with your fraternity, or be a hardcore geek.
ZING!

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