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Truly, one game to rule them all

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: April 22, 2007
Author: Amazon User

To put it briefly - this game rocks. Obviously, being backed by the books, this game has an amazing epic storyline that doesn't parallel the Fellowhips story but instead supports it by allowing players to be involved in the War of the Ring, the grand picture around the entire story. Combat and grouping is fun, challenging and leaves you wanting more with each battle. Finally, the loads of Middle-earth extras make this the perfect game for anybody who is a fan of MMORPGs and Tolkien's work.

If you're looking to get into or find a new MMORPG, definitely try this game out. You won't regret it.

A superb effort, if a little familiar

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 15 / 16
Date: April 24, 2007
Author: Amazon User

As a World of Warcraft addict, I entered the Beta test for this game with some cynicism. WoW seemed to have everything an online adventure game could have, and I'd pretty much mastered it. What could this new game offer that was any better?

For a start, it's prettier. Not in a color-palette sense (WoW is remarkable in its use of color) but in the environments and sense of depth. Grass blows, leaves fall, water... does everything water should. You'll find yourself playing in pools just to watch the ripples.

And of course, it's Lord of the Rings, the mythos that started it all. So you'll stumble across the Prancing Pony, Tom Bombadill, and even "me old Gaffer" as you journey around the world. Quite a thrill.

Solo play is carefully structure to make you think you know what you're doing, which is encouraging for those of us who are less than coordinated. But "fellowship" teaming is where the fun really happens. It's not mandatory to team-up, but when you do it's a blast.

Sure, there are a few weak points. Character generation is limited for a next-gen game, and some of the models are kinda *cough* ugly *cough*. The resource-gathering system is clumsy, and sees you fighting other players for mining nodes and randomly distributed tree branches (ore and wood respecitively). Using those resources to craft items will often break the bank, and rarely do the crafted items compete with quest-found items (so they're hard to sell).

One thing I did find interesting was the similarity to World of Warcraft, in terms of controls and gameplay. The questing system is tried and true, so it's hard to say that was duplicated. However, the character controls, UI layout, and even the chat system are almost direct copies from WoW. I've no doubt the developers sat in front of WoW and had to list all the things they liked and didn't about the game... and then they were told to improve on them. While this is not a bad thing in my mind, it will have a lot of people thinking they're tramping familiar ground.

Overall, the game is superb and will probably succeed in what it aims to achieve -- to replace World of Warcraft as the planet's most played online game -- even if it does feel a little dated in places already.

Special Edition fraud description - true description here

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 24 / 31
Date: April 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is what IS included with special edition. LOTRO install DVD in rectangular cardboard cd sleave holder. LOTRO soundtrack and making of DVDs in rectangular cardboard cd sleave holder. Special product key paper with a 10 day buddy key. LOTRO quick reference card with a very general map of middle earth on back. (whole dvd case is length and width of normal game case but a little deeper.) approx. 7" x 12" map of middle earth on 20lb parchment paper. map has low contrast, so you might not recognize it when viewing across the room. paper lotro game manual. Besides the additional in game item, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE INSIDE COMPARED TO STANDARD is the parchment paper map and the soundtrack/making of dvd.

The game is awesome. On same caliber as WoW and Everquest 2 series. Turbine has shown good faith during beta by continually coming out with new content.

Description of Content is Wrong

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 14 / 16
Date: April 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

See the discussion threads or go to the official website for the real description of the Special Edition. There is NO cloth map, NO figurine, and the in game item description is also wrong. There is a small, useless , paper map and the in game item is good for 5 minutes every 2 hours. The game is great, but the SE is not worth it. Get the regular edition and have just as much fun.

One Game to Rule them All

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 8
Date: April 29, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The Special Edition is nothing special if it wasn't for the 'making of' and the gorgeous original soundtrack.

Overall I'm very disappointed in the box itself. The box and packaging is extremely cheap. I would be throwing a fit if I hadn't won an autographed SE box at the launch event. GW regular editions smokes this SE.

GW may have superior packaging, but it doesn't have the music of LotRO and though I used to think GWs graphics were excellent, mostly compared to the silly Cartoon graphics of lower-end games like WoW; Guild Wars looks very ugly compared to the spectacular graphics of this game.

This game has a playability factor of 'eleven' ... 'You see 11 is higher than 10'

This game should come withthe warning:
Caution LotRO may impair your ability to HAVE A LIFE, because it is far more addicting than any game currently on the market.

For killing time, not challenge

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 6 / 30
Date: May 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Five days into the buddy key and I'm sick and tired of this game.

First, I signed up using the buddy key first. Once that's over, I could register the retail key. That way, I would get 40 days instead of 30. I could also register the retail key AFTER the 10 day period, if I wanted a break from playing. (I don't own World of Warcraft, but they give a 14 day trial for two bucks. You can get cheaper initial play that way. wink, wink.)

On the game, you click on your enemy and your character starts hacking away at them. You just wait til the enemy dies, without doing much more. You can type in certain keys to do more powerful attacks. But all in all, you click the enemy and punch random keys on the keyboard til the enemy dies. You can't block. You can't move out of the way. There is no strategic movement. It's like two dumb cavemen beating each other with a club in turn, and you wait to see who dies first. Me no like you. Me hit you with stick. Of course, you can't beat down someone who's more powerful. In that case, you contact someone else online, and the group of you gang up on the enemy and give him the beat down.

Most of the "quests" in the game are you running errands for people. A person asks you to go talk to someone, and you spend 5-15 minutes running somewhere to do it. When you're done, you come back, and you get points. There's a LOT of deadtime when running, as there's no warp gate. As far as "enemies" go, you encounter mostly wolves, bears, boars, and spiders (and the occasional bandit) when you're running your errands ("quests").

That's the essential of the game. You run errands, with the occasional animal attack. This is while you collect items, armor, and such so that you can become more powerful and do the same thugging against someone more powerful. There are lots of other sidetracks to create the image of fun thou. You can buy instruments to play music. You can eat food. You can drink liquor in a pub and leave without being busted by the cops.

This game provides zero challenge. No strategy involved. No hiding behind a wall, waiting to ambush someone. No jumping from platform to platform. No mini puzzles to solve. Just click to beat with a stick.

This is a game predominantly for children (since there's zero thinking involved) who want to kill time during winter break or summer vacation. Or for retirees who have nothing else to do but watch grass grow. Or for those who should be doing something fruitful, but prefer to annoy their girlfriends by doing nothing with their life. Eh hem. Eh hem. Cough. Cough.

This is not a game to kill half an hour or an hour. This game can easily consume your life, because there's so much dead time traveling all over the humongous map. (And of course, the more time it takes, the more money Midway makes from the $15/month fee.) If you decide to purchase this game, just be careful not to become obese from leading a sedentary lifestyle. This game promotes heart problems. :(

I got tired of the game after five days, and I don't think I'll be activating my retail key. I just don't find being a mindless robot in a game fun.

for now one of the best out there

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: May 02, 2007
Author: Amazon User

a good game but hard to solo, its a team game or fellowship game.top level is 50, the map in special edition is small and does not show anything. the guide book does have some good maps. special edition not worth the extra money.i would get the regular edition with the guide. it can be fun if you get a good fellowship or group going.after level 30 it gets harder without a fellowship. for the money this game is one of the best out there.a lot like wow, some things better,some thing not so much better. pvp is called monster play, hard to advance as a monster at first. other players don't want to group with you during P v MP,because you will roll on items needed for advancement also you are very weak at the start of monster play and will have a hard time during P v MP. you know you die a lot.

SE is great if you're into "Making Of" and soundtrack, otherwise get standard edition

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 27 / 28
Date: May 03, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I was in closed beta for a short time. I have a pretty critical view on where I spend my money and I don't like paying for a game that is released unfinished. This is the first MMO I have beta'd, out of five, where I continued on into retail.

LOTRO has had one of the smoothest launches ever, has made tough calls early in maintaining player economy, is selling a well polished product day one, and has already announced the first expansion (FREE) for June.

The beginning levels are fun and different for the various races, making for good replayability/alt characters. Players are rewarded beyond simple killing for exploration of areas, use of skills, etc in a way that makes players actually PLAY their characters rather than worrying about how much exp/hour they can make. Mindless grinding will get a player levels, but only by playing, exploring, and using their character's abilities will they gain full character development. Many skills have effects that are not in the description or are synergetic with other skills that the hack-n-slash/low attention span player will miss.

MMOs have a hard time balancing familiarity with originality. Turbine has walked a tightrope between accuracy and playability and IMO has done a fine job.

Perhaps the biggest lure is that there is MUCH more of Middle Earth that will be coming over the years and getting to experience the process is something I look forward to.

Specific to the SE items, they are nice if you like "making of" info and want the soundtrack. The in-game item and map are underwhelming and should not be the reason you pay extra for the SE.

Lots o fun

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: May 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game if full of fun, lots of quests to keep you busy, and an active community. I will be playing this game for years to come! It is always fun to find places that you read about in the books or have seen in the movies, and just explore vast landscapes.

This game is pretty taxing on lower end graphics cards, but can scale down fairly well to lower end cards.

I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys adventure, community questing and character building.

Complex and Fun

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: May 20, 2007
Author: Amazon User

At first glance, the game seems similar to WoW, but only at first glance. The UI is similar to the WoW UI, but with full control and movement built into the game. There are mods you can download to change the look and placement if you want. The gameplay is exciting and never ending. Tons of quests, crafting, RP, and other things you can do in the game.

The game is driven around the LOTR Lore, meeting key characters, interacting with them really makes you feel apart of something bigger. Gametime is key to leveling as it is not a grinding game, but quest driven game. A good Kinship and Fellowship with Stratigies can plow through just about anything. The Fellowship manuvuers are great. The built in Voice communication really helps in hard times and is also another great addition to the game.

I highly reccomend getting this game if you are a LOTR fan, a MMO fan.

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