Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar

9.2

Format PC

Developer Turbine

Publisher Turbine

Genre Role Playing

30 Comments

If there's one fantasy world almost guaranteed to push every gamer's inner beardy button it's JRR Tolkien's Middle-earth. Most avid PC gamers will have read the epic trilogy of books (at least several times) and with Peter Jackson's CGI-driven triumvirate becoming the Noughties' Star Wars, Middle-earth has opened its gates to a whole new generation of fans.

So bringing Middle-earth online must have seemed an absolutely natural progression and that was almost certainly the case and indeed, the game's original name when Sierra announced it way back in 1998. Now, almost ten years later and after MMORPG specialists Turbine took over the helm in 2003, Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Angmar has finally been unleashed on the world, but what awaits both Tolkien and MMORPG fans in this brave new online realm?

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Well LOTRO certainly has the looks to place it at the very pinnacle of the new generation of MMORPGs. The high-res version of the game is gorgeous to behold and, as one of the standard bearers for Games for Windows, creates a stunning and evocative version of Middle-earth to explore. Whether you're strolling through the pastoral idyll of the Shire, meandering deep in the depths of the Old Forest or shopping amidst the hum and bustle of Bree's central square, the game world is varied, sumptuous and positively drips with an authentic Middle-earth feel.

There's a thrill (and indeed rewards) for discovering or stumbling across famous locales like Tom Bombadil's house, or the halls of the last homely house of Rivendell and even taking a Sackville-Baggins style tour around Bag End (thankfully though, Bilbo won't have to count the spoons).

But of course looks alone don't a great game make and what really matters is how it feels and plays. With a wealth of original Tolkien lore to draw on (the original books rather than the movies), LOTRO also shares many of the mechanics common to the genre but always wraps them in a deep, faithful (and you suspect quite loving) appreciation of Tolkien's world.

Of course ,LOTRO's crucial differentiator from virtually every other MMORPG out there is its immensely rich and beloved source material and this truly raises it well above the standard MMORPG bar. Gamers really do genuinely love Middle-earth and while everyone carries their own personal picture of what it should look like, it's a tribute to Turbine's expertise that this online version feels as authentic as a paragraph of Tolkien's prose.

Moving on into the game itself and there's four main races to play, those of Man, Elf, Dwarf and Hobbit and seven different classes including staples like Champion, Loremaster and even Burglar, plus additional crafting and gathering elements - which mean your chosen character has a wealth of potential to explore.

Having powered through three different classes of Champion, Hunter and Loremaster and brought them up to levels 20, 15 and five respectively, we can say the learning curve is nicely pitched and probably best described as 'not steep but extremely deep'. From the introductory race-based instances, to the huge variety of story-driven quests, there's plenty to see and experience which gradually immerses you into a deep, rich and compelling game world.

With the machinations of the Witch King and the shadow cast by Angmar always threatening, you also definitely feel part of a bigger ongoing story, which balances nicely between the everyday and the epic; from helping humble Hobbits win their true lady love to stepping into the breech to prevent a disastrous war between the Elves and Dwarves.

The cumulative effect is that Tolkien aficionados (and we include ourselves here) will be hard pressed to wrench themselves away from yet another extended session in Middle-earth. LOTRO is full of that just 'one more quest' factor which sees you looking up to find the clock has ticked around to 3am and you still can't quite wrench yourself away from playing.

If you tire of being the do-gooding hero, then Turbine also has the intriguing possibility of Monster Play to explore, where taking a break from your 'real' Middle-earth character you assume the mantle of one of Sauron's minions and are transported to an enclosed part of the Ettenmoors.

With a chance to wreak havoc on the forces of light in a gigantic game of Capture the Castle, this provides a welcome and often hilarious diversion from the main game, with a chance to fully embrace and express your inner evil and even earn rewards and bonuses for your main character. It's an elegant 'closed' solution for those who want to get stuck into some proper meaty PvP action.

However, moving back to the main game and one of the central themes of Tolkien's trilogy is the idea of a fellowship of allies combining to battle against the forces of evil and LOTRO cleverly incorporates this as a core gameplay mechanic. While other MMOs certainly allow you to group up and share rewards and XP, LOTRO goes beyond that by rewarding co-operative play through class-based bonuses and additional special moves known as Conjunctions which are only open to players in a Fellowship.

Although lone wolf style players will still find plenty to enjoy, LOTRO's Fellowship mechanic positively rewards co-operative and team-based play which seems to result in a much more positive and, it has to be said, friendly playing experience.

Which neatly brings us onto one of the key components of any MMORPG, the actual gaming community itself. After three months of closed and then open beta experience it's a pleasure to say that LOTRO's mix of predominantly British, German and French players are some of the most welcoming and friendly we've ever encountered.

Perhaps it's a result of the in-built Fellowship mechanic or maybe it's just a bunch of like-minded gamers who share a love of the Professor's works, but LOTRO's community seem an extremely amicable bunch, ready to embrace noobs with open arms. Of course things may change now it's gone fully live, but somehow we doubt it and it's to be hoped LOTRO maintains its beta ethos and atmosphere, remaining largely griefer free and as hospitable as a hobbit's cake party.

No MMORPG is frozen in time and as well as the existing starter realms of Middle-earth there's also going to be plenty to look forward to, with Turbine already hinting at (though not publicly confirming) expansion packs which will open up new areas of Middle-earth to explore. Perhaps more important to players right now though will be Turbine's commitment to event-based content with CVG privileged to take part in one of the very first. Beyond that, we've also had a chance to take a peer into some advanced high level content and, while sworn to secrecy on its components, suffice to say Shadows of Angmar is going to feature plenty to get your teeth into - with both factors promising to keep the game fresh and alive into the far future.

So far we've been very positive about LOTRO but there are a couple of things which you should be aware of. No MMORPG can truly eliminate the grind of grind, the ongoing quest to level up by slaughtering random wildlife and weedy NPCs. However, by placing more emphasis and reward for quests and utilising a nicely realised Virtues and Titles system, LOTRO goes a long way to alleviating any tedium.

No MMORPG is ever truly free of the perils of lag either, and although this has never been an issue in normal LOTRO play it can be a problem when large groups of players gather together. Again, full release and multiple servers will probably massage out these difficulties we experienced in beta but it's something Turbine and Codemasters will have to keep a eye on.

Of course, the elephant in the room which we've been at pains not to mention so far is online behemoth World of Warcraft which casts such a long and immensely profitable shadow over the world of online RPGs. Can LOTRO seriously challenge its vast and unwieldy hegemony?

Well the answer is: it doesn't really have to. Yes they're both MMORPGs, down at the more accessible end of the market, but LOTRO has its own corner of the MMORPG realm firmly staked out and if pre-orders numbers are anything to go by, a massive European community of Tolkien fans just itching to play. The truth is, LOTRO is more than good enough to stand on its own two furry hobbit feet.

So, we come to the end of this review's sojourn in Middle-earth and we have to conclude that with looks that would make an Elven maiden blush, married with a compelling and authentic game world based on the single most popular fantasy universe of all time, LOTRO has all the qualities necessary to make it a big big success.

With Turbine's long-standing MMORPG expertise powering proceedings and one of the most welcoming communities in gaming, LOTRO presents a stunning and evocative world of Tolkien magic to explore - if you're any kind of fan, it would seem pretty much an essential purchase. LOTRO seems destined to become the next big MMORPG contender and we've no hesitation in saying prepare to make your move to Middle-earth - we'll see you there.

John Houlihan