Preview: LEGO The Lord Of The Rings

The LEGO video games started back in 2005 with LEGO Star Wars. It’s safe to say that the huge franchise names added with the LEGO twist has brought us some rather fun and humouristic titles. We’ve witnessed LEGO games such as Batman, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter. Next in line is The Lord of the Rings. Let’s see what this one has to offer.

Title: LEGO® The Lord of the Rings™
Developer: TT Games
Publisher: Warner Brothers
Players: 1 – 2 players (Local Co-op)
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, PS Vita, Wii, 3DS, DS
Expected Price: Xbox 360 & PS3: R399, PC: R350
Release Date: 30 October 2012

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings tale have spread so far in popularity, you’ll struggle to find someone that doesn’t at least know about it. Don’t go ask the locals inside the Amazon rainforest; I’m pretty sure they’ll render my statement moot.

From his literature came the well-known and well received films. A bunch of video games with mixed opinions. Now it’s time for TT Games to put their spin on the tale of Middle Earth and the very perilous fashion accessory.

Previous titles such as the LEGO Harry Potter games, have branched the stories into more than one game, while this LEGO game will have a story branching over all three tales; The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King.

The previous LEGO games had a linear path to follow, while this one will have an open-world approach to it. Couple that with the fact that you will undertake a massive quest with lots of playable characters and more of a role-playing aspect added to the mix.

Speaking of characters; you’ll have the ability to unlock and play as more than sixty characters. Eighty four in total. No need to worry about only playing as a few of the adventurers. (Treebeard, a Ringwraith and the Witch-King sounds like LEGO heaven to me.)

These characters will have unique abilities, making way for interesting puzzles and depending on each other while playing cooperatively, or switching between characters while flying solo.

New to the LEGO game genre is the idea of backpacks. Previous LEGO games induced an OCD like tendency to collect all the LEGO coins; this feature is still alive and well, but you’ll also have the option to collect and gather minerals to craft new items. Gather the insanely rare mineral dubbed; Mithril, take it to the blacksmith to craft and forge new items.

The open-world approach gives the game a grander scale than any previous LEGO titles. You’ll travel all over Middle Earth. Locations include Mordor, Gondor, Eriador and Rohan.

The scale of the battles are also hugely increased, but it still looks and feels like the traditional LEGO video game formula. Among your enemies will be the Uruk-Hai, Orcs, the Witch-King as well as the humongous Balrog! (Squee!)

Set-pieces will be familiar to fans and battles will be taken part in, instead of just seeing it on screen or reading it. All of this while having the added LEGO touch and humour.

Weapons will include swords, bows, Elven rope and the Light of Earendil.

LEGO The Lord of the Rings will also feature voiced characters like LEGO Batman 2, instead of the chuckle-worthy mumbles we’ve come to love from previous titles.

To summarise: LEGO themed game, incredible story, added humour, fun gameplay like previous LEGO games, drop in / drop out co-op, lots of unlockable characters, puzzles and combat. What’s not to love about it?

Personally, I’m legitimately psyched for this game and you should be psyched as well. What are you, personally, looking forward to?