| The Lord of the Rings: War in the North | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developers | |
| Publishers |
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| Producers |
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| Composer | Inon Zur |
| Platforms | PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,Microsoft Windows,OS X |
| Release | OS X |
| Genres | Action role playing,hack and slash |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a 2011action role-playing game developed bySnowblind Studios and published byWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment forPlayStation 3,Xbox 360, andMicrosoft Windows. AnOS X port was developed and published byFeral Interactive in 2013. It is the first video game based on bothJ. R. R. Tolkien's 1954high fantasy novelThe Lord of the Rings andPeter Jackson'sfilm trilogy adaptation released in 2001 (The Fellowship of the Ring), 2002 (The Two Towers) and 2003 (The Return of the King). This is because, until 2009,Vivendi Universal Games, in partnership withTolkien Enterprises, held the rights to make games based on Tolkien's literary works, whilstElectronic Arts held the rights to make games based on theNew Line Cinema films. In 2009, WB Games acquired the rights for bothintellectual properties.
The game contains narrative elements unique to both the novel and the films, although the aesthetic design is based more specifically upon the look of the films, with characters in the game bearing the likenesses of the actors who portrayed them in the films. The game does not directly adapt the story depicted in the novel and films, but instead depicts a trio of adventurers whose quest runs parallel to the main narrative, occasionally intersecting with it. The story follows them as they attempt to track down and defeat a powerfulBlack Númenórean named Agandaûr, whomSauron has employed to lay waste to the northern regions ofMiddle-earth, whilst Sauron himself concentrates onRohan andGondor.
The game received mixed reviews, with critics praising the graphics and tone, but criticizing the repetitive combat, weak storyline and poor character development. It was also criticized for containing several game-breaking bugs.War in the North was a commercial failure, which some attributed to the timing of its launch among other high-profile releases.
War in the North is anaction role-playinghack and slash game played from athird-person perspective. The game features three playable characters; Eradan (aRanger), Farin (aDwarf) and Andriel (anElf). When the player begins any level they must choose one of the three to control. However, they can switch at the end of each level, or by loading a previously saved game and selecting a different character. Each character has its own weaponry and abilities. Eradan uses the following combinations of arms:bow, a two-handedsword, a sword and shield or two single-handed weapons. His skill set is built around stealth.[4][5] His abilities allow him to follow the tracks of other Rangers to secret stashes of items and weapons.[6] Farin uses two-handed heavy weapons such asaxes, a single-handed weapon and a shield, or acrossbow. His skills are built around melee combat.[7][8] He has the ability to detect fissures and weakness in walls and rocks, smashing them open to find money, items and gems.[6] Andriel uses a staff and a shield, or a staff and a single-handed weapon. Her staff also serves as her long-range weapon. Her skills are built around offensive and defensive spell casting.[8][9] She can also create potions fromalchemy ingredients collected in the field, and her special ability allows her to find secret passages marked with hidden elvenglyphs.[6]
All characters have a light and a heavy attack, and all three can roll, block and sprint.[10] Players can also perform critical strikes; when a yellow indicator appears over the head of an enemy a heavy attack will produce a critical strike, which are extra-strong attacks that often kills the enemy with a single hit.[11] During asingle-player game, players may issue orders to theirAI companions; ordering them to either seek out enemies and attack, or stay near theplayer character and defend. Players may also revive fallen allies; if the player character dies, the player must wait to be revived by an AI ally.[12] Another aspect of combat is the player's ability to summon aGreat Eagle to aid them. The eagle can target a single foe for a large amount of damage. However, the player is limited in the number of times they can summon him, and he can be summoned only when the player is in an outdoors location.[13]
The game also featuresonlineco-op gameplay for up to three players, each controlling one character. When playing in co-op mode, players can swap items between one another, and each player can find secrets unique to his or her character, meaning all of a level's secrets can be found in a single play-through, which they can not in single-player mode.[14] Also in multiplayer, when all three player controlled characters are fighting a strong enemy, they can build up acombo chain. When the chain is sufficiently long, the players enter "Hero Mode," which results in much stronger attacks.[15] To build up the combo chain, the player must continuously land successful attacks without being hit. Single-player games also include a hero mode, although it is limited to the player character; the AI allies do not enter hero mode.[16]
Characters gainexperience by defeating enemies and completingquests. A character willlevel up when enough experience points have been gained. Once a character has leveled up, they get three points to spend on theirstats (strength, will, stamina and dexterity), and one skill point to use in their skill tree. Players' skills are attached to their melee weapon, their long range weapon and their defensive stance; i.e. some skills are only available during melee combat, some during long-range combat and some when the player is blocking.[17]
The game features two unlockable difficulty modes. When the player first plays the game, they can play on either "easy" or "normal." Once normal has been defeated, "Heroic" mode is unlocked. If this mode is defeated, "Legendary" mode becomes available. Playing through harder difficulties takes the form of aNew Game Plus; the characters keep equipment, money, updated stats and unlocked skills from all previous playthroughs.[18]
The game is presented against the background of the history of theOne Ring. At the dawn of theSecond Age, after the defeat of the Dark Lord,Morgoth, theelves of Eregion forged the nineteenRings of Power to help themselves, thedwarves andmen ruleMiddle-earth. However, the elves were unaware thatSauron, Morgoth's closest ally, had survived his master's defeat, and in the guise of Annatar had been the one who taught the Elven-smiths, led byCelebrimbor, how to forge the Rings, whilst, in secret, he forged his own One Ring in the fires ofMount Doom, a Ring far more powerful than any of the others. However, in order for the One Ring to be powerful enough to control the other Rings, Sauron had to transfer most of his power into it. As soon as he put it on, the elves became aware of his ruse, removing and hiding theirThree Rings, which Celebrimbor had forged without Sauron's aid. Sauron waged war on the elves, conquering much of Middle-earth and killing Celebrimbor. Thus began the Dark Years, when Sauron took possession of the remaining sixteen Rings, giving seven to the dwarves and nine to men in an effort to corrupt them. The dwarves proved relatively immune to the powers of the Rings, acquiring only a greed for gold, and becoming unconcerned with events in the wider world. Men proved less resilient, and the nine kings given the Rings become the nine Ring-wraiths, orNazgûl, led by theWitch-king of Angmar.
In his ongoing efforts to conquer Middle-earth, Sauron regained the allegiance of many of Morgoth's servants from theFirst Age, and successfully corruptedNúmenor. However, in doing so, he expended a great deal of his power, and lost the ability to ever again assume a pleasing disguise. Returning toMordor, he regained his strength, eventually capturingMinas Ithil. However, realizing that if they did not join together, Sauron would destroy both men and elves,Elendil, High-King of Arnor, andGil-galad, High-King ofNoldor, formed the Last Alliance of Men and Elves, and attacked Sauron in his fortress,Barad-dûr. The alliance was victorious, withIsildur cutting the One Ring from Sauron's hand. However, although presented with a chance to destroy the Ring forever, Isildur, already beginning to succumb to its corruption, chose not to do so. As such, although Sauron's physical form was vanquished, his spirit, bound to the Ring, survived. Some time later, Isildur was attacked and killed by a band oforcs, and the Ring was lost in the riverAnduin for over two thousand years.[19]
Meanwhile, during theThird Age, a still weakened Sauron covertly established a stronghold atDol Guldur. In response to this undetermined evil, theValar sent fiveMaiar to Middle-earth. Taking the form ofwizards, they were led bySaruman. Unsure of the origin of the evil power in Dol Guldur, the wizardGandalf was sent to investigate. However, Sauron hid from Gandalf, waiting for four hundred years before returning. Around the same time, the One Ring was found by aHobbit namedSméagol, who became utterly corrupted by it, living in the caves of theMisty Mountains, and physically transforming into a creature known as Gollum. For five hundred years, Gollum was consumed and corrupted by the Ring. Eventually, Gandalf was able to determine the evil presence in Dol Guldur was indeed Sauron. Gandalf reported back to theWhite Council, but Saruman dissuaded them from moving against Sauron. Only when he learned the One Ring may be in the vicinity of theGladden Fields did Saruman agree to attack Sauron, hoping to find the Ring himself. The Council drove Sauron from Dol Guldur, unaware that he knew the Ring had been found. Just prior to Sauron's departure, the Ring passed to another hobbit,Bilbo Baggins, who used it to assist in the victory of elves, men and dwarves at the Battle of the Five Armies. Sixty years later, Gollum was captured by orcs, and taken to Mordor, where he was tortured into revealing the owner and location of the Ring; Bilbo Baggins of theShire.[20] In the meantime, Bilbo had left the Shire to live inRivendell, and upon the advice of Gandalf had (very reluctantly) given the Ring to his nephew,Frodo Baggins. With the information given him by Gollum, Sauron, still unable to take physical form, thus sent the Nazgûl to the Shire to retrieve the One Ring. Frodo, and his friends,Samwise Gamgee,Peregrin "Pippin" Took andMeriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck managed to escape the Shire and head towardsBree.
"Of the greatWar of the Ring many songs have been sung and many tales told. The names of heroes likeGandalf the Grey,Aragorn the King andFrodo the Ring-bearer are greatly revered. And rightly so. YetSauron's grasp stretched much further than the lands ofGondor andRohan alone, and his forces might have done great evil in the North ofMiddle-earth had a handful of heroes not stood in his path. Their stories too, deserve to be told. Pay heed now to one such tale, which begins in the town ofBree, just a few short days before Frodo arrived on his quest."
The game begins with Eradan (voiced byNolan North), Andriel (Laura Bailey) and Farin (Fred Tatasciore) arriving at thePrancing Pony inBree,[21] where they meetAragorn (Chris Edgerly), informing him that three days previously theDúnedain guard atSarn Ford was attacked by theNazgûl, who passed into theShire.[22] After the raid, theWitch-king of Angmar (Eric Lopez), met with aBlack Númenórean named Agandaûr (Fred Tatasciore),[23] who told the Witch-king hisorcs are forming an army in the ruins of Fornost,[24] as perSauron's command. Aragorn explains that aHobbit with a "great burden" is on his way to Bree, and if the enemy take the object from him, it will mean certain doom for theFree peoples of Middle-earth. As such, he asks the trio to distract the orcs at Fornost.[25]
In Fornost, the trio rescue aGreat Eagle imprisoned by orcs. Revealing his name is Beleram (John Patrick Lowrie), an eagle from theMisty Mountains in the service ofGwaihir, they tell him of Agandaûr, and he offers to help. They then encounter Elladan and Elrohir (Liam O'Brien), the sons ofElrond, who they also tell of Agandaûr and their mission to distract him. The twins, however, suggest they may be able to destroy Agandaûr. In the citadel at the center of the ruins, the group fight their way to the top, where they face Agandaûr, who leaps from the roof onto a waitingFell-beast. Unable to predict Agandaûr's next move, each of the group elects to return to their respective superiors; Beleram to Gwaihir in the Misty Mountains, Elladan and Elrohir to Elrond inRivendell,[26] and the trio to their captain, Halbarad, at Sarn Ford.
Halbarad (Peter Jessop) tells them Aragorn left Bree in the company of four hobbits, heading towards Rivendell, and he advises them to follow. After passing through theBarrow-downs,[27][28] they reach Rivendell, where they are welcomed by Elrond (Jim Piddock), Gandalf (Tom Kane) and Aragorn, who explain the HobbitFrodo Baggins (Yuri Lowenthal), is in possession of the One Ring, which must be destroyed by casting it into fires ofMount Doom.[29] A fellowship of nine has thus been formed to carry the Ring to its destruction. The trio ask how they may help, and Gandalf explains the immediate concern is Agandaûr, as his mission and location are unknown. Elrond speculates he may be planning an attack on Rivendell, and, as such, it is likely he has gone to theEttenmoors to strengthen his army withtrolls.[30]
The trio head to investigate the Ettenmoors, where they again encounter Beleram, who tells them the orcs and trolls in the region have formed an army under aStone-giant named Bargrisar, who is waging war on the Eagles, and as such, several Eagles have come to the Ettenmoors to kill him.[31] The trio agree to help, eventually finding and weakening Bargrisar, allowing Beleram to kill him. They are then joined by Gwaihir (Ike Amadi) and two other eagles, Baranthor (Liam O'Brien) and Armenel (Brandon Murray). Gwaihir speculates Bargrisar must have been operating under the command of someone else. The trio return to Rivendell with Beleram, Baranthor and Armenel, where Elrond says the Fellowship have safely departed. He has also found evidence ofMount Gundabad orcs operating in the Ettenmoors.[32]
The eagles drop the trio near Gundabad, and as they climb, they see a massive army of orcs gathering in the valley. Once inside the fortress, they find the bodies of many dwarfs, with a dying dwarf telling them a group of dwarves came to Gundabad to activate a secret weapon with which to destroy the orc army. He tells them that Nordri has the key with which to operate the weapon, and is still alive within the chambers. The trio locate Nordri (Nolan North), who, along with Bruni (Jim Meskimen) is attempting to activate the weapon. The trio assist them, and once the weapon is activated, a horn sounds, the reverberations of which cause the fortress to start collapsing. The dwarves explain the weapon's function is to destroy the entire fortress. However, the Eagles then fly into the chamber, rescuing the trio and the two dwarves, and taking them to the dwarves' home, Nordinbad, a secret mountain stronghold on the edge ofRhovanion.[33] Nordri introduces the trio to his father, Gorin (Ike Amadi), Lord of Nordinbad, who tell them he fears Agandaûr may be attempting to ally himself with Úrgost, aDragon who lives nearby. The trio volunteer to approach Úrgost and find out.
They learn that Úrgost (Keith Szarabajka) has been approached by Agandaûr, who offered him Nordinbad in return for assisting in the destruction of the North. However, Agandaûr does not yet possess Nordinbad, and Úrgost will not join him until he does. In any case, Úrgost has no real interest in Nordinbad. Instead he wants Carn Dûm, a fortress inAngmar,[34] which is currently occupied by Agandaûr. Úrgost does not wish to make an enemy of Sauron by taking the fortress from Sauron's ally. He proposes the trio take the fortress instead and turn it over to him. In return, he will remain neutral in the war. He also tells them if they wish to save Nordinbad, they should hurry, as it is under siege as they speak.
They head back to find Bruni has been killed, with Nordri coordinating the defenses. The eagles attack the siege towers, whilst the trio help defend the courtyard. Nordinbad is successfully defended, although Baranthor and Armenel are killed, and Beleram is seriously wounded. The dwarves take Beleram inside to tend to his injuries as the trio head to Carn Dûm to face Agandaûr. They fight their way towards the summit, but are attacked by a fell-beast. Suddenly, Beleram appears, killing the beast. Still injured, he tells them he will be there for them should they need him in the fight against Agandaûr. They confront Agandaûr and as they fight, Beleram attacks, lifting Agandaûr into the air. However, Agandaûr is able to stab and kill him. The distraction, however, allows the trio to strike, killing Agandaûr. As he dies, he calls on Sauron for aid. However, nothing happens. Úrgost then arrives, telling the trio that Sauron has been defeated and the Ring destroyed. He takes possession of Carn Dûm as the trio begin the journey back to Rivendell.
In an alternative ending, in which the player does not call on Beleram for support during the fight with Agandaûr, Beleram survives and joins them on the journey home.
"Snowblind has been makingaction RPGs for a very long time, and this is the culmination of everything we're been leading to. This is the game thatLord of the Rings fans have been waiting for."
The game was first announced on March 18, 2010 whenWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment revealedSnowblind Studios were developing the game forPlayStation 3,Xbox 360 andWindows. In March 2009, Warner had acquired the rights to make games based on thefilm series fromElectronic Arts,[36] and in May 2009 they had acquired the rights to make games based on theliterary series fromVivendi Games.[37] With Warner holding the rights to bothintellectual properties, it meantNew Line Cinema andMiddle-earth Enterprises were both involved in the game.War in the North was the second WarnerLord of the Rings game, afterAragorn's Quest, but the first for which they possessed the rights for both the films and the books (Aragorn's Quest was based exclusively on the films).[38][39]
In their earliest press release for the game, Warner saidWar in the North would feature "unseen lands, story elements, and characters fromMiddle-earth, as well as elements familiar from past feature films."[40]Producer Ruth Tomandl explained,
Having both the rights to the films and the books has definitely allowed us to take the approach we want. We're not restricted to just what was shown in the films and can work with the entire background of the world as revealed in the books. We really wanted to use the opportunity to go to new areas of Middle-earth that players haven't seen before and to tell a new story. Everything in our story is based directly on the books, which have tons of detail and history to draw from, and we're very careful that all of our work fits within the lore.[38]
At theE3 event in2011, she reiterated,
We were able to draw from the books and films to create a story that ties into the story that people know while still being really new. So we have a lot of new characters and locations, but they all thread into theWar of the Ring, and all theLord of the Rings stuff that people know. You're meeting characters that you're familiar with as well as brand new characters and some characters from the books that you might know of that weren't in the films, so we really get the best of all possible worlds. We're in Middle-earth, which is the best fantasy world, drawing from all the sources and creating something really new that players are going to be excited about.[41]
More specifically,War in the North was inspired byGandalf's comment inThe Return of the King that the efforts in the east of Middle-earth during the War of the Ring would have been futile if not for the contributions of "a few heroes in the North."[15] Tomandl explains,
At the end ofThe Return of the King, Gandalf mentions a great battle that took place inErebor, and says that if theDwarves andMen there hadn't won that battle, the war could have been lost even if theOne Ring had been destroyed.Frodo's quest was extremely important, but everyone in Middle-earth was drawn into the War of the Ring. EvenLothlórien, which was remote and well-protected, was attacked during the war. The fact that the whole world was at war is what we're drawing on forWar in the North. Tolkien's work mentions Dwarves living in theGrey Mountains, and that theOrcs had a capital city atMt. Gundabad, and that theWitch-king of Angmar had once ruled a large part of the North, so we're using that canon as the foundation of our story.[42][a]
"You could point to the game's locations on a map of Middle-earth; in fact, we're using the same map that was used in the film as the basis for our world map. Everything inWar in the North that wasn't in the films is based on information from the books; we've been careful to stay as close to the canon as we can. Our writer is aLord of the Rings expert and a hugeJ.R.R. Tolkien fan, and he makes sure that everything we do works within the framework of the books. We also work closely with the license holders to make sure we're accurate to the lore."
One of the ways in which the involvement of Middle-earth Enterprises manifested itself was in how conversations are handled in the game. When the player speaks to anNPC, the game uses a system similar toMass Effect, with the player given several response options from which to choose each time the NPC says something. However, whereas inMass Effect, there was a moral dimension in choosing a given response, that would affect the development of the character, there is no such aspect inWar in the North. Players can choose dialogue that will simply move the story forward, or dialogue that will fill in background information and expand the lore behind the game.[43] Snowblind had initially planned to give players the option to choose rude responses and thus develop their character in different moral directions. However, Middle-earth Enterprises were against this, arguing that in Tolkien, the heroes are always decent, kind people. As such, the developers abandoned the idea. According to Tomandl, "we've been working with the license holders to ensure that this really respects the franchise in a way they want it to, and one of the things they told us is that they want our heroes to be good guys."[6]
The game was conceived as primarily aco-op from its inception,[44] with the developers feeling that co-operation amongst traditionally antagonistic races is such a major theme in the novels, they wanted to replicate it in the game.[42] Having experimented with two, three and four-player co-op, they ultimately decided to go with three-player, thus mirroring the classic triptych in the novels; Man (Aragorn), Elf (Legolas) and Dwarf (Gimli).[6] Lead designer Andre Maguire explained thathow players experienced co-op mode was equally as important as them simply playing it;
The tendency is to be competitive with your allies, but we really wanted to team to feel like they were constantly working together, so incentivizing that through the XP system, and making sure that as you’re upgrading your character, it’s complimentary [sic] with what’s going on with the other characters. That took a lot of time to get right, and we were iterating it on it right up to the end.[44]
However, according to Tomandl, the focus on co-opgameplay did not mean single-player mode was neglected;
Snowblind Studios has a long history of great co-op action RPGs, andThe Lord of the Rings is the perfect match for that kind of game. We want to make a game that's fun to play with your friends on the couch, so you can experience more of Middle-earth together. The co-op is a blast, and theAI allies that take over in single-player are pretty smart, so all the work we're doing to make the co-op great will directly translate to single-player as well. The story ofThe Lord of the Rings really emphasizes how important it is to have allies you can trust, work with, and rely on, especially during wartime. So working as part of your own fellowship helps tie the gameplay back into the overall narrative.[38]
War in the North is the firstLord of the Rings game to be ratedM (17+) in North America,PEGI 18 in Europe, andBBFC 15 in the UK.[45] Snowblind Studios founder Ryan Geithman stated that having the game M-rated allowed the developers to depict a grittier and more violent Middle-earth than had ever before been seen in a video game,[46] whilst remaining authentic to both the films and Tolkien's original work.[35]
The game was first shown atE3 in June 2010, with a demo of theMirkwood levels available. At this time, the three playable characters were a dwarven melee fighter, an elven archer and a wizard.[47] The next demo was made available atGamescom in August, with part of theEttenmoors levels. The game was next shown at theGame Developers Conference in March 2011, where it was revealed gameplay options would include single-player mode, two-player local split-screen with one online player or one AI controlled player, two to three playerLAN, and two to three playeronline multiplayer viaPlayStation Network,Xbox Live orSteam.[39] The game was next shown at E3 in June 2011, when Beleram was revealed for the first time, a demo was shown of the Fornost level and character skills were demonstrated in detail.[48] On August 2, WB Games announced the game would be released in North America on November 1 for all platforms.[2]
On July 5, 2011, WB Games announced a Collector's Edition of the game would be released alongside the regular edition, as well as a number of store-specificpre-order special offers. The Collector's Edition comes in a Ranger quiver case and includes aconcept art-book, and a "behind-the-score"DVD featuring interviews withInon Zur and footage of the score being recorded atAbbey Road Studios, as well as a concert event from E3 2011, plus three complete tracks. Digital content for the PlayStation 3 version includesWar in the North wallpaper, fonts and icons, and for Xbox 360 a Rangeravatar for Xbox Live. Pre-order deals included; forAmazon.com, early access to theWar in the North digital comic written byBrian Wood and illustrated bySimon Coleby; forBest Buy, an "Elf Theme Pack," giving the player access to rare Elven equipment and unlocking the Lothlórien challenge mission immediately; forGameStop, a "Human Theme Pack," giving the player access to rare Ranger equipment and unlocking theOsgiliath challenge mission; forTarget, online access to three tracks from the soundtrack; forToys "R" Us, a limited editionWar in the North poster signed byJim Lee, and early access to theWar in the Northdigital comic; and forWalmart, a "Dwarf Theme Pack," giving the player access to rare Dwarven equipment.[49][50]
| Aggregator | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PC | PS3 | Xbox 360 | |
| Metacritic | 66/100[51] | 63/100[52] | 61/100[53] |
| Publication | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PC | PS3 | Xbox 360 | |
| Eurogamer | 4/10[54] | ||
| Game Informer | 5.5/10[55] | ||
| GameRevolution | B−[56] | B−[56] | B−[56] |
| GameSpot | 6/10[57] | 6/10[58] | |
| GameSpy |   [62] | ||
| IGN | 7/10[59] | 7/10[60] | 7/10[61] |
| PlayStation Official Magazine – UK | 4/10[64] | ||
| Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | 7/10[63] | ||
| Official Xbox Magazine (US) | 7.5/10[65] | ||
| PC Gamer (UK) | 51%[66] | ||
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North received "mixed or average reviews" across all systems; the PC version holds an aggregate score of 66 out of 100 onMetacritic, based on twenty-five reviews;[51] the PlayStation 3 version 63 out of 100, based on thirty-five reviews;[52] the Xbox 360 version 61 out of 100, based on thirty-eight reviews.[53]
Official Xbox Magazine's Cameron Lewis scored the game 7.5 out of 10. Although he was critical of the lack of differentiation between the three protagonists, the shallow pool of enemies and the linear nature of the gameplay, he concluded "War in the North is hardly the most memorable adventure through Middle-earth, but you won't regret any of the time you spend fighting across its grim battlegrounds."[65]
IGN's Steven Hopper scored the game 7 out of 10, writing "there's something too safe inWar in the North. The gameplay doesn't take any real risks, as the combat is fairly simple, the RPG features are par for the course, and the story doesn't make any attempt to stand out in the backdrop of its established universe." He was critical of the bland characters and the "inconsequential conversation system," and concluded "while it's admirable that the team had opted to create an original story set alongside the events in the books, you'll wish that they had attempted to take more risks with the project. The characters are bland and lifeless, and the combat, while fun at first, gets pretty repetitive before too long."[61] In November 2011, IGN rated the game the fourth most disappointing release of 2011.[67]
Game Revolution's Josh Laddin scored it a B−. He too criticized the bland characterization. Of the combat system he wrote "there isn't anything especially innovative about it, but it's all solid." He was also heavily critical of game-breaking bugs. He concluded "War in the North is a good choice for some classic action-RPG fun. It isn't amazing, but it's a competent effort and certainly one of the betterLotR games to come along.[56]
GameSpot's Carolyn Petit scored both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions 6 out of 10. Although she praised thegraphics, she was critical of thecollision detection, theautosave feature, enemy AI and technical issues with multiplayer. She concluded "there are times whenWar in the North shows you the game it could have been [...] But each time the game starts to hit its stride, it soon stumbles and falls on its face."[57][58]
GameSpy's Leif Johnson scored the PC version 3 out of 5 arguing "it never overcomes a sense of enjoyable mediocrity." He felt the game was unlikely to be a success due to the timing of its release; amidst such highly anticipated title asDark Souls,Battlefield 3,Modern Warfare 3,Batman: Arkham City,Uncharted 3 andSkyrim. He concluded "Unless you're a Tolkien die-hard, you'll probably be better off waiting a week for the next fantasy-based game featuring a struggle in the snow-riddled northern reaches of the world [...] At its core,War in the North isn't a bad game; it's merely a disappointing one."[62]
Game Informer's Joe Juba scored the PlayStation 3 version 5.5 out of 10, calling it "clumsy and unpolished." He too complained about game breaking bugs, and concluded "I can only say one good thing aboutWar in the North: It could have been awesome. The conceptual framework is solid, and with some extensive tuning and polish, it would be fun to play."[55]
Eurogamer's Jeffrey Matulef scored the Xbox 360 version 4 out of 10. He called the narrative "merely a catalyst for a lineardungeon crawler." As with several reviewers, he also found the game suffered from bugs, calling it "a glitchy mess." He concluded, "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a soulless cash-in that has little to do with its license, and nor is it much fun in its own right. If you're lucky enough to not encounter any game-breaking bugs and if you have a friend or two to play with, then it can be pretty entertaining for a few hours. But that's a lot of "ifs" for so little payoff."[54]
PlayStation Official Magazine - UK's Joel Gregory also scored it 4 out of 10. He too found the timing of the release poor, believing it would not find an audience. He criticized the lack of differentiation between the characters, poor character development, repetitive combat, and "half-arsed" skill-trees. Of the story, he wrote "it basically goes like this: 'remember all the stuff from those films and books you love so much? Here's some other really crucial stuff that happened at the same time...only it wasn't important enough for anyone to mention during those 1,500 pages'."[64]
The game was a commercial failure, selling just over three-quarters of a million units worldwide at its launch across all platforms. In the UK, it charted at #38 in its opening week.[68]
One of theDúnedainRangers of the North, secret protectors of the lands once ruled by their ancestors. The life of a Ranger is a hard one; to survive he has mastered many skills. Always outnumbered, he has learned evasion tactics, allowing him to take enemies by surprise or to escape from a tight spot. Eradan is a master archer, able to bring down foes from afar. And when stealth and archery are of no avail, he is more than capable with weapon and shield, dual-weapons or two-handed swords.
A Champion of theDwarf realm ofErebor. From his first taste of war at the Battle of Five Armies, he has been one of the foremost defenders of his homeland. A true son of a warlike race, Farin is skilled in the use of all melee weapons and adept with a crossbow as well. While he strikes punishing blows, his greatest strength lies in his ability to endure harm. In battle, Farin is an unyielding rock upon which waves of enemies break. The sound of his fierce war-cry bolsters his allies, even as it strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies.
AnElven Loremaster ofRivendell, schooled in ancient wisdom byElrond himself; yet she is no meek scholar. In her hands a simple staff becomes a deadly weapon, not only because she wields it with Elven-skill, but also because she can use it to focus her power, striking down enemies near and far. But as capable as she is in combat, Andriel's true strength lies in her power to preserve and protect her allies, and with her arts she can create shields of light which heal and restore those within.
Gandalf: Tell me, what do you know ofIsildur's Bane? /Farin: I know nothing of this. What is Isildur's Bane? /Gandalf: Isildur's Bane is theRing of Power, forged by the Dark LordSauron long ago. /Elrond: Into this Ring, Sauron bound the greater part of his power, but it has been lost for hundreds of years. /Farin: Why did Sauron make the Ring? /Elrond: It was part of a grand deception. Sauron taught the Elves the art of makingRings of Power, but secretly he planned to make one master Ring through which he could control all the lesser rings and those who wore them. /Farin: Learning at the hands of the Dark Lord sounds pretty foolish to me. Why would your folk ever do such a thing? /Gandalf: At that time, Sauron was still able to assume whatever form he wished. He came to the Elves in a fair guise and played on their greatest desire; to preserve and protect what they loved inMiddle-earth. /Elrond: Eager for knowledge, they learned and made many rings. The greatest of these wereNarya, Nenya and Vilya, the three rings of the Elves. When Sauron forged the One Ring, the Elves were instantly aware of his betrayal. /Gandalf: The Dark Lord made war on the Elves and seized the lesser rings. These he gave freely to Dwarves and Men, those same Men who became theNazgûl. To Sauron's dismay, the Dwarves proved less easy to dominate. By force, he took back three of the Dwarven rings, the rest were consumed bydragons and destroyed. /Elrond: The Elves were very hard pressed, and Sauron's dominion spread over the greater part of Middle-earth. /Farin: What saved the Elves from final defeat? /Aragorn: The coming of my ancestors. The Dúnedain, led byElendil the Tall, a lord of lostNúmenor, came to Middle-earth seeking new lands in which to dwell. They were the sworn enemies of Sauron and staunch allies of the Eleven king,Gil-galad. /Elrond: An alliance was formed between Elves andMen, and together they drove back the armies of Sauron. /Gandalf: In the end, Gil-galad and Elendil threw down Sauron at the cost of their own lives. /Farin: What happened to the Ring after Sauron's defeat? /Aragorn: It was claimed by Isildur, Elendil's heir. It was he who cut the Ring from the Dark Lord's hand with the hilt-shard of his father's swordNarsil, broken in the battle. /Elrond: I counseled him in vain to cast the Ring into the fires ofMount Doom, near at hand, but he would not heed me. /Farin: Why didn't Isildur wish it destroyed? It was made by the Enemy, he must have known it would only lead to trouble. /Gandalf: The Ring has a power over the minds of all who come into contact with it, filling them with a desire to claim it as their own. This temptation is all the greater for those who already possess a measure of their own power. Isildur was a mighty lord and the lure of the Ring was more than he could resist. /Elrond: He would not suffer the Ring to be destroyed, thinking perhaps that he could use its power for the good of Middle-earth. Yet it is a work of the Enemy and in the end, it corrupts all who possess it. /Farin: So Isildur was corrupted by the power of the Ring? /Aragorn: He would have been. But it happened that he was slain in an ambush while travelling with only a few retainers. In this, the malignant power of the Ring was at work. /Gandalf: Yes, the Ring betrayed him to his death and was lost, passing out of all knowledge for many long years.
The Shire: The Shire is the homeland of theHobbits, but it was once part of the Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor. The land was given to the Hobbits some 1400 years past and they made it their own after the kingdom of Men fell to ruin. The Hobbits of the Shire are isolated from the rest of the world and prefer it that way. They are left in peace for the most part, thanks to the constant vigilance of the Rangers.
Bree: Bree is an isolated, but important village west of theMisty Mountains and east of the Shire. Built at the intersection of two roads, theGreat East Road and the North Road, Bree has been an important stopping place for travelers for some three thousand years. It is the only settlement where Men and Hobbits live side by side in harmony and is famous for its ancient inn, thePrancing Pony.
Sarn Ford: The southern border of the Shire is formed by the riverBaranduin, which the Hobbits call the Brandywine. Sarn Ford is a stony, shallow crossing of the river along the southern road that leads from the Shire to the lands beyond. As a main entry point to the Shire, Sarn Ford was strongly guarded by the Rangers who maintained a secret watch over that land. Yet even they could not resist the combined power of the Nine Nazgûl.
Aragorn: He is not a Dúnedain, but in ages past, we had common ancestors. While the forbearers of the Dúnedain rejected the lies of the Dark Lord, not all of the Men of Númenor did so. Many were enticed by his promises of power. Their descendants serve him still. Many are great warriors and sorcerers, but they are consumed by darkness. You know them asBlack Númenóreans. Their hatred for the Dúnedain is very great, and no less so for the Elves. This Agandaûr may prove a foe as deadly as the Black Riders.
Aragorn: Fornost was once a great city, the capital of the Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor. It fell to theWitch-king long ago. The men ofGondor and the Elves formed an alliance that drove the Witch-king out, but Fornost was never rebuilt. The ruins remain a place of dread for many. The men of Bree call it Deadman's Dike and fear to go near.
Aragorn: There is a Hobbit of the Shire who should be coming this way with...a great burden. If it falls into the hands of the enemy, it will mean doom for us all. Now this Hobbit is adrift on the road with enemies all around. I must find him before they do, and I need you to help me keep him safe. /Eradan: You are my chieftain. I will gladly do whatever you command. /Farin: Aye. I'm a part of this now as well. /Andriel: Then we three are all of one mind. How can we aid you? /Aragorn: We must reduce the threat from the enemies gathering at Fornost. Travel there, and do whatever you can to keep the enemy's eye turned toward you and away from the Shire.
Rivendell: Called Imladris by the Elves, the refuge of Rivendell is nestled in the foothills of the Misty Mountains. It was founded by Elrond Halfelven after the destruction of the Elf-kingdom of Eregion during the War of the Elves and Sauron. It has served as a haven for Elves and other folk of goodwill for nearly 5000 years.
Farin: I'm told theBarrow-downs are filled with ancient tombs. What do you know of them elf? /Andriel: These tombs were made by the Fathers of Men in the depths of time. They were sacred to the men of Arnor, and they too buried their dead here until their kingdom fell to the Witch-king. /Eradan: These hills have an evil reputation in the folklore of the Shire and Bree, but Rangers travel here often without incident. Still, I feel a sense of...unease. We must stay alert.
The Barrow-downs: These hills were, for many ages, the burial place of Men, especially the Dúnedain of the lost kingdoms of Cardolan and Arthedain. During their war with the Witch-king, the men of Cardolan took refuge here, hiding amongst the hills and tombs. The Witch-king responded by sending the evil spirits known aswights to inhabit the tombs. With the fall of the Witch-king, the wights seemed to disappear, but they are still remembered in dark legends.
Gandalf: After lying lost and forgotten for centuries, Sauron's Ring has once again been found. /Andriel: Do you mean to say the Halfling Aragorn rescued has come into possession of the Dark Lord's Ring? /Farin: It's a mighty good thing we managed to get it here safely. What will become of it? /Elrond: There is no safe resting place for the Ring, not even here in Imladris. It is a danger to all who come near to it. There is only one course left to us; the Ring must be destroyed. /Gandalf: To do so, the Ring will need to be cast into the same fires from which it was forged, those of Mount Doom, in the land ofMordor. The Hobbit,Frodo Baggins, has agreed to take it there.
Ettenmoors: This remote and wild highland is a westward spur of the Misty Mountains. The Ettenmoors are notorious for their rugged terrain and even more so for their being infested withTrolls. Understandably, this region sees few visitors.
Beleram:Eagles andStone-giants have shared the mountain heights without conflict for many generations. But this giant, Bargrisar, is different. Without provocation, he ambushed some of our people, taking them unaware and striking them down with hurled boulders. Many of our aeries he also destroyed, along with the defenceless fledglings who nested there.Gwaihir summoned his strength tp punish the giant, but he fled before us. We believe he come here, to the Ettenmoors where he is gathering an army ofOrcs and trolls. Bargrisar is a threat to all. The sooner he is destroyed, the safer we shall be.
Mount Gundabad: Called the Capital of the Orcs of the North, Mount Gundabad is a tall peak standing at the meeting point of the Misty Mountains and theGrey Mountains. In the distant past, Gundabad was a great mansion of the Dwarves, but it has been in the hands of the Orcs for many centuries. Gundabad was sacked by the Dwarves during the War of the Dwarves and Orcs some 200 years ago, but the Orcs soon returned.
Bruni: It's east you've come, clean over the Misty Mountains and along the length of the Grey Mountains. You've left the land ofEriador behind. You're on the northern edge of the land ofRhovanion now.
Carn Dûm: A thousand years ago, Carn Dûm was the capital of the far northern kingdom ofAngmar. From this mountain fortress, the Witch-king waged a relentless war against the Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor. After his defeat the fortress lay abandoned, but now it seems Carn Dûm has once again become home to the servants of Sauron.
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