There are Lord of the Rings fans – like those of us who re-read the trilogy, The Silmarillion and The Hobbit about once a year; and then there are Lord of the Rings fans – like my son, who at 11 has read all 5 books twice, a few of the unfinished tales, memorized the films, owns more paraphernalia than can be stored in two homes and must own ev-er-y single video game that hits the market. If you are of the latter category, Lord of the Rings: Conquest is going to make you rather happy.
Developed by the same folks at Pandemic who made Star Wars: Battlefront, Conquest has much of the same fast-paced relentless action that made that series such a hit. Based upon both the novels and the films, Conquest allows the player to once again answer the call to arms in the battle against the mighty Sauron. As rewards for the successful completion of battles, the heroes of the Fellowship will make appearances and help stem the tide.
Once the campaign is completed, the opportunity to play as the evil races of Middle Earth is unlocked. What if Frodo had failed in his quest and not destroyed The Ring of Power? Wormtongue, Lurtz, the Mouth of Sauron, Saruman and even Sauron himself will aid in the defeat of the peoples of Middle Earth.
Four basic classes exist. Two, the warrior and scout, are close range melee classes. The mage and archer exist for damage at a distance. Each has its purpose in the battle. It is difficult to express just how frenetic and over the top the combat is; elegant combos are possible through careful use of the keypad but there are moments when simple button mashing is all that can be achieved as Orcs attack, trolls attempt to trample, boulder fly from above and general mayhem is the word of the moment.
Thankfully, should the onslaught be too much a warning will appear indicating the need to cast a spell (if a wizard) or simply move back. As the scout has stealth, working in co-op, the battles become significantly more manageable even in split screen.
Online battles include up to 16 players, completed with bots if necessary, over some significant territory. When sacking Isengard the Ents become a playable race; in Moria as the evil party, the Balrog (can you say powerful?) character of choice.
Due out this fall for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC, the title looks quite lovely – taking advantage of all of the bells and whistles of the graphics capabilities of today’s systems. I wouldn’t characterize this as a deep Lord of the Rings experience. But, if you’ve been looking for another chance to suit up and save the peoples of Middle Earth, or in this case trample them under foot, Conquest once again provides the opportunity guard the White City against the darkening tide.
I'm a mother of two boys, ages 7 and 10 and live in the chaos that ensues. I've a permanent disability that keeps me homebound, so books, kids, games and books are my constant companions. Oh, and books, too. *grins*
My children both play games so I often play them first, getting to know exactly how something may effect my sensitive and easily stimulated older child vs. my stoic and imperturbable younger.
I like games for games; for the pure enjoyment of them and believe that no game is wholly bad, though some are real stinkers.
I also have the dexterity of a camel in mittens so find playing FPSs difficult (and I also don't like the gore) and RTSs at times can stump me. I just can't seem to move quickly enough to keep up with them. Some of my favorite games are arcade games and I'll spend 3-5 years on the same 5-6 levels because I just never get any better. But, I have fun.
Your son might enjoy the official Conquest community called Battle For The Ring launching in August. http://www.battleforthering.com