Lord of the Rings Online in Review
Turbine Inc's MMORPG,Shadows Of Angmar is Middle-Earth Based
What makes The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar any different from other MMORPG games already in the market?
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is the first MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) to ever be based upon J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous works. It arrived to much anticipation from fans of gaming and the literary works alike, after about four years of waiting; according to an article by Andrew Park of GameSpot, the game was in a prototype stage back in 2003, under the different name of Middle-Earth Online, but it wasn't until Turbine acquired it in March of 2005 that the idea was to come to fruition.
J.R.R, Tolkien Fans
Surprisingly, this is not another Peter Jackson film, nor a computerized version of the famous fellowship of the nine, Players are rewarded, however, with being able to visit the important landmarks, (i.e. Rivendell) and stumble upon the fellowship from time to time, putting the gamer into their own parallel story. Fans of Tolkien’s books will appreciate appearances from Gandalf, Sméagol, Frodo, Gloin, and Elrond, among others, and the dedication from Turbine to stay true to the Middle-Earth World.
In fact, it is for the fans that the following were decided against:
- in-game marriages
- house building
- player vs. player killing
Such things allow for too many variables and create chaos in the ranks of the Tolkien societal structure, i.e. hobbits do not marry humans.
Players have the option of choosing their sex and race among:
- hobbit
- elf
- human
- dwarf (Sex is not applicable for dwarves, since both sexes visually are the same, true to Tolkien's literary rules)
Players also choose their appropriate region, and character’s class, between:
- champion
- guardian
- burglar
- captain
- minstrel
- lore master
- hunter
Massive Multi-Player Online Role Playing Game
Not unlike other MMO’s, LOTRO uses familiar controls and allows the player to gain experience through killing mobs and completing quests to a maximum of level fifty. Where this game is different, however, is where monster play is concerned. The developers decided that it was unrealistic in the realm of Tolkien’s devising to have a traditional player killing schematic, opting instead for the player’s choice of logging into monster play, where the creeps (monster-like creatures) are versus the Freeps (the Free-Peoples of Middle-Earth) in an entirely separate section of game-play, commonly referred to as the Etten-Wars.
Gamers need not feel limited however, as even today, the book 12 patch release is about to go live, promising not only another chapter to the ongoing major storyline, but improvements to several classes and visual appearance changes for all.
The Computer Game
The Turbine staff does a glowing job of ensuring the game is virtually glitch-free and when an unlikely problem is encountered, it is quickly fixed with the help of user reporting, near weekly free patches, and available online Game-masters. Not only that, but the company boasts a seven-day free trial if you just are not sure you want to invest in this MMO, a decrease in purchase price for the game itself, and the option of either paying a low monthly fee or a one time fee for a lifetime user status. If none of that is convincing, the two awards in 2007 from GameSpy: PC top 10 and PC MMO of the Year ought to be enough.
So, is this just another online role playing game? Some say, yes. The graphics and overall game-play have been compared by users, such as Amaethon of Hamilton, Ontario, to be on a par with World of Warcraft and Everquest. However, this game, LOTRO, can be called -- the game for the fans. People who were disappointed that the trilogy by Peter Jackson was changed in places from the originating novels to adapt well to screen, will not be disappointed at all in this electronic version of Middle-Earth. “This alone is enough to make a person decide on this particular game versus other similar ones. Obviously, Tolkien’s creation has survived a few generations, and was a forefather of the fantasy genre to begin with, so really, who is copying who? He started it all,” says Amaethon.
Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is a realm not much discussed in the famous novels, the public hope the MMO will continue to evolve as it has been doing in future and deliver gaming and Middle-Earth fans alike, a thrilling journey filled with solo quests and memorable fellowships of their own.
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