Once more down the hobbit holeOne ring to rule them all, one ring to…well, I’ll spare you the rest. Just in case you thought we had milked J.R.R. Tolkien’s legacy completely dry, Electronics Arts throws us back into Middle-earth with “The Lord of the Rings: Conquest,” an action game filled to the brim with elves, orcs and lots and lots of fighting.
The result is a game that, while at times enjoyable and immersive, is ultimately average in most respects, if not outright boring.
The game was developed by Pandemic Studios, which is notable chiefly because many of the game play mechanics are borrowed from Pandemic’s successful “Star Wars: Battlefront,” which is to say, they are exactly the same.
On a superficial level, this works well, because it allows us to concentrate more on the environments, which are the game’s highlight. Many of the levels are easily recognizable as scenes from the “Lord of the Rings” films. This is enhanced with narration by Hugo Weaving, who portrayed Elrond in the film trilogy, to give the game a very authentic feel. It really feels like you are playing the movie.
If only the game play measured up.
The game has some RPG (role playing game)-like elements, in that you can select between four character classes to complete any level, and are able to switch classes at certain points throughout the game. The problem is there is very little difference in practice between the classes. The controls are virtually identical between the classes, as well as the strategies for using them.
That is, of course, if you can manage to keep things in front of you. This highlights the game’s biggest weakness: the camera. The camera operates independently of the directional controls, which means keeping things in view is a constant two-handed juggling affair, moving your character where he needs to go and then spinning the camera in the direction it needs to be so you can see what you need to attack.
Also, for a game based almost entirely on fighting, the control system is pretty clunky. There is a combo system, but it is almost impossible to use with any regularity, and is fairly ineffective even when successful. Often, the best results in combat are achieved by simply mashing buttons for long stretches until everything in front of you is dead.
There are some great ideas in the game, especially the “evil” campaign, which is unlocked after you complete the game as the good guys. If you ever wondered what would have happened if Frodo didn’t go to Mount Doom and decided to keep the ring for himself, the game lets you find out. Advance far enough in the game, and you actually get to burn down the Shire.
Sometimes it’s just more fun to be the bad guy.
In the end, this is really just a mediocre action game with really pretty window dressing. The immersion can be fantastic at times, but is quickly lost in clunky and repetitive game play.