LOTR, the Third Age takes the gamer on a journey that is extremely similar to the Tolkien books and the movie franchise of the same name. You are Berethor, captain of the Citadel Guard of Gondor who is placed on a mission to catch your fellow comrade Boromir and return the Ring to Gondor. You travel in the Fellowship's footsteps, meeting new allies and many enemies along the way. As you meet new allies (Rangers, Elves and Dwarves to name a few) they become a vital source to your party to defeat the many enemies you encounter. Each of these allies possessed various powers and skills to help defeat the evil that lurks in Middle Earth. If you believe that Goblins, Nazgul and even Sauron himself looked difficult in the movie, wait until you challenge them in the game. As you follow along the path of the fellowship, you have your own storyline where you face grave dangers, and ultimately become rewarded for many of your heroic deeds. Gamers will become totally immersed in the unique storyline that EA Games creates to give the fan of the series, or role playing fans in general, a game worth the cost.

The game play that is involved is incredible for the novice and advanced gamer. Any person can pick up the controller and play the game. Play begins at a slower pace with weaker enemies to defeat. Leveling up your characters you control happens quickly in the beginning, allowing the gamer to learn many skills and spells to help them as they progress through the game. As the gamer and their characters become more experienced, so do the enemies they face, making them much more difficult to defeat.

What makes this game a true role playing game though (as I would like to call it) is that you don't have to be fast with the controller or have the dexterity of a 12-year old. It plays like a true role playing game in that you have time between attacks to think about what type of move you want your characters to make next, speed is not essential, smart moves are. Just like the days when people played role playing games with dice. The controls are extremely manageable that any novice can pick up on quickly. I was told that many of the controls are along the lines of the Final Fantasy series of games. LOTR, The Third Age is a RPG that many companies will copy with how an RPG should be played.

What makes this video game stand out from most is the graphics that are involved throughout the game. The combination of stunning graphical pictures and real video give the gamer a view of an entirely different world that they are playing in. The graphics are outstanding. The Dwarf kingdom of Moria was spectacularly duplicated as well as Helms Deep just to name a few. Well choreographed music filled the game with different emotions as the pace of the game changed from walking the journey, to fighting the evil of Sauron's army. The cut scenes from the movie were stunning visuals that fit in nicely with the storyline. I had difficulties at times not feeling like I was involved in a grand quest on the big screen. Characters, both good and evil were vividly detailed from head to toe. As the game progressed and the gamer picks up different weapons and armor to update their characters, so did their character's appearance. Much thought went into the design and texture of the looks of each character. The art was dazzling, everything in here top of the line, and kept very close to the movie as well as the book. This game should have made any fan of the series proud.

The concept of the game is remarkable. It is great because you play out the book series as well as following the storyline of the movie. Some small details left out in the movie from the book are incorporated into the game. For example, when defending Osgiliath, the video game took a more thorough approach to the scene than the movie was able to. This would make the purists of the LOTR book series proud to play. The game followed the storyline of the movie closely, yet let the gamer become their own hero with their own experiences to boast about. The storyline remains consistent each time you play, but as you replay different sections, some of the small details of the story may change. This might include weapons, armor and treasures you pick up along the way. Also, by having 7 different good characters to choose from, no battle can ever be the same as previously played. Another nice surprise was the opportunity to fight on the side of evil to gain experience and knowledge of the weapons each side possesses. EA Games did an excellent job in recreating the adventures of good versus evil in the battle for Middle Earth.

The Lord of the Ring, the Third Age is a game that any gamer should enjoy. It is a game that is extremely fun to play, and even fun to watch. Those a fan of the books or the movies will have an enjoyable time getting lost in the storyline. Replaying the memory of the films on the video game will uplift the spirit and help a person get involved in the making of a story. I really enjoyed how accurate the game was to the days of what role playing was all about. Creating a fantasy, developing the characters, and taking the time to think and react to various situations with numerous weapons and spells is what role playing games are all about. This game is on the same level as those played on the kitchen table or basement floor of days past. Only it is fabulously updated with visuals that jump straight out of a book and on to your T.V. screen. If you are not a fan of the Tolkien series, or need games with non-stop action and finger movements, this game will not be enjoyable. Otherwise, enjoy a game that takes you to another world with many fascinating characters and scenery that fuses computer graphics and real video.