Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Making the transition from film to videogame is made to look easy
Tags: Lord of the Rings: return of the King Categories: PS2 Reviews, Reviews, Xbox Reviews
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Dec 26th, 2003
| Title | Players | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (title page) | |||
| Developer | Publisher | Genre | Online |
| Action | No | ||
PORTIONS OF THIS REVIEW APPEARED IN THE SEATTLE TIMES
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The previous two films in the Lord of the Rings trilogy have had corresponding games from Electronic Arts, and the Return of the King is no different. Picking up towards the end of the second film with the battle at Helm’s Deep, the player is immediately thrust into the game, with only a cursory backstory. While it can be somewhat disorienting for somebody that has not followed the movies or read the books, there are enough people that have seen the previous two films and played the videogame version of those films, that makes it not much of a concern. This game is for them.
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The game, like the film, follows the branching story of the (now broken) fellowship with each character (and then some) playable at certain points in the game. Primarily an action game, players battle their way through events depicted in the film. While following branching storylines the game is still very linear. There’s one path that each story follows to the end. This isn’t an open ended quest – it’s a videogame recreation of a film, based on a well known and much loved story.
There are some RPG elements, in that experience points are awarded for how well the player performs in the game. These points are then traded in for new moves. This element to the gameplay, however, is secondary. Yes, those new moves come in useful, but the emphasis of the game is definitely more on the action side of the fence, allowing players to become part of the movie.
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Don’t go into this game expecting to find a deep leveling up system in place. The game definitely wants to keep up the pace, and so tied in with the RPG-lite elements is the combat. There is a combo system at work which is useful for dispatching the various hoards of enemies that flood the screen. The combos are what award the points that care traded in for new moves.
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Progress throughout the levels is done by certain key events. This keeps the game rather linear and flowing at a quick pace. When recreating a tried and true story, it’s kind of hard to muck about with the outcomes.
The RPG elements to the game may not be central to the gameplay, but what is, however, is the cooperative play available. Two players can take the character of their choice through any of the games levels upon completion of the game. This represents the replay value. Yes, you and a friend can pair up Frodo and Pippin at the Helm’s Deep – after unlocking them. The PS2 version goes one step further by offering the co-op mode online.
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Visually, the LotR: RotK is one of the best out there. Gameplay levels are set up by cinematic cutscenes from the film, and they blend right in with the game. Character models are lifted directly from the characters, and the environments are lush with details. This is truly a magnificent recreation of a richly detailed film. The development team should be very proud of their work here. There are times when it isn’t quite clear that a level had started because the transition from film footage to gameplay is very natural and smooth.
The only problem is that one isn’t able to bypass those film clips. Having to see the same clip over at the beginning of a level, well, it sucks. With a press of a button, players should be able to skip the cutscene and head straight into the game.
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The audio is also another standout feature. The voice acting is naturally great, nearly on par with the visuals. What really stands out though are the sound effects. There has been a lot of care taken to make the swords clashing, the rocks smashing, skittering of spiders, everything really, sound as if you are right there.
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The music is also lifted from the film, and as such goes even further to make the player immersed into the world that Peter Jackson has created on celluloid.
Truly a movie tie-in, the game has unlockable portions that are similar to the extras found on DVDs. Short vignets on the creation of the game and aspects of the film present more background on how the game and film tie together. For diehard fans of the series, those that most likely already have the first two game as well as DVD of the first two films, this game is definitely part of the Lord of the Rings experience and a must-own.
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
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+ Graphics look amazing, almost as if they were CG models of the film + Audio seems to be pushing the technical envelope + Presentation should please fans of the film, especially with all of the bonus features + Co-op play |
8.8 |
| What Doesn't | |
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- Co-op play not online with the Xbox - Gameplay a little too linear |
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| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| If you're a fan of the films, then you most likely already have this. | |
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Tags: Lord of the Rings: return of the King
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Dec 26th, 2003 and is filed under PS2 Reviews, Reviews, Xbox Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
