Some info on LOTR: The Return of the King game (1 Viewer)

[Kami]

Flinch: Are we going to see Return of the King released to PS2 first, or on GameCube, XBox and PS2 all at once?
Neil It will be released on the PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, Gameboy Advanced and the PC all on the same day.

Lots more here:
http://haven.theonering.net/events/logs/neil001.html

Can't wait for this being a big fan of the TTT game.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Just picked this one up and had a good time with the first two levels before I had to pause it because 24 came on.

My incentive to advance in the game is pretty extreme; I get to see scenes from the movie!

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Yeah, so far it's a hoot. It's easy enough that a neophyte game player like me can do ok but there looks to be enough variation that it should generally be challenging for the more experienced folks. Gandalf really kicks ass.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I'm torn between getting this game and waiting to see the movie first. Any thoughts?

 

[Clay-F]

I'm trying to decide of the PC version will be worth getting....

Any PC users compared it to the PS2?

 

[John_Berger]

I'm trying to decide of the PC version will be worth getting....

Now, wait just a damned minute! This is great news and a very welcome surprise! But I cursed them aloud when they didn't put TTT out for the PC. Any idea why they ignored the PC for TTT but not for ROTK?

 

[Romier S]

Any idea why they ignored the PC for TTT

If memory serves TTT was originally announced as a PS2 (time) "exclusive" title. The decision to port to the Xbox and GC was made at a later date (though not much later and both ports suffered from small technical problems as well). Hence why no PC port was considered. EA thankfully made the decision to bring ROTK to the PC, though lacking the online co-op support that is exclusively on the PS2 this year. Rainbow Six thread deja vu John?

 

[Neil Joseph]

I was drooling over this game for 15 minutes in the store today. Decided to walk out and won't check it till after the film.

 

[Eric_P]

I'm definately looking forward to picking this up.. especially for the co-op mode!

 

[Kami]

Holy crap!! I have the Xbox version and I just played the first two Gandalf levels and the game is AMAZING!! So big and epic. The visuals got a SERIOUS upgrade, the sound quality is INCREDIBLE. MOVIE QUALITY SOUND here folks. The gameplay is smoother (just the way it controls, feels very nice). WHereas in the TTT game you knew the game was centered around "you," this game feels much more epic in the sense that you are a speck in the whole thing. In the "Road to Isengard" level, there is one part where you must kill 75 orcs, but you aren't the only one killing them, there is giant Ents walking around smashing things up, so theoretically you could just watch the whole thing from the cliff above, but when you get down there its fun as hell Ents will step onto you too if you're not careful. Then there's another part where you take out some giant towers with orc archers on them and the resulting explosions just shook my room and made it so immersive.

The menu system is gorgeous again (a lot better actually)

My only beef with the game so far is that the actual movie clips are compressed very poorly (very noticable on my 50" toshiba), and the sound from them has some serious reverb or something on it.

Dean, after two levels I already think it is twice the game that the TTT game was.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I cracked and bought the game last night. I didn't have school today (teacher convention in Atlantic City) so I already beat it.

Wow. This game rocks. The graphics, sound, gameplay, and overall design is a HUGE step up from TTT. Beyond that, there are 6 playable characters from the beginning, which expands to 9 once you've beaten the game. Also, there's a nice little teaser after the credits...

It says "The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, 2004"

 

[Scott Weinberg]

It is indeed a rather cool game.

I've finished the left and right 'branches' of the menu, but am now stuck on the Pelennor Fields level. Anyone buy the hint guide?

 

[Kami]

What part are you stuck at Scott? You just have to go back on forth to both cliffs to kill the oliphaunts, and after every oliphaunt, you have to attack the witch king w/ your ranged attack. Takes about 6-8 attacks if I remember.

I'm on the Black Gate right now (finished Gandalf's path, now at end of King's path..haven't done hobbits yet) and it is hard at the very end. I just died twice after killing 5/6 of the big fat orcs. The Mouth of Sauron wasn't too difficult.

AMAZING GAME!!!! The fact that it is LOTR helps (for me ) but it is great in itself. I can't wait to try co-op mode and to go back and play my favorite levels. Southern Gate on King's path stands out...fun level!

 

[Scott Weinberg]

What part are you stuck at Scott? You just have to go back on forth to both cliffs to kill the oliphaunts, and after every oliphaunt, you have to attack the witch king w/ your ranged attack. Takes about 6-8 attacks if I remember.

That's where I'm stuck. I can't seem to get through the third king attack without my health dissipating. I don't want the game to be EASY, but a few extra health potions on this level would surely be helpful.

OR---I make the wrong turn and climb the wrong cliff when the next oliphaunt shows up. Is it always on the alternate cliff (from the one prior)?

OR---I get caught up in a thicket of orcs and poor Eowyn and Merry get skewered.

I do like that the game's kinda tough (and even on the Medium setting!) but I hate having to go ALL the way through a level 19 times in a row!

BTW--how cool was Sam in the battle with Shelob? I was cheering his banter and that quick shot of the spider's leg being sliced off. Go Samwise!

 

[Kami]

Yes, the Shelob battle was awesome.

The oliphaunts do not go side to side, sometimes they mix it up. When the cinematic comes on showing the oliphaunt approaching, you can tell which side it is on.

 

[John_Berger]

Rainbow Six thread deja vu John?

Not going there.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

The oliphaunts do not go side to side, sometimes they mix it up. When the cinematic comes on showing the oliphaunt approaching, you can tell which side it is on.

Hmm. OK. One of my problems was that I thought you had to go DOWN into the battlefield to chase off the big flying bastard. Now I realize you can scare him away with a few arrows from up high. Cool.

I still am not close to finishing this level though. It's getting frustrating.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Stay up on the hills until the next oliphaunt shows up. After seeing which side it's on, go to that side and shoot the oliphaunt down. Right after it's done, go to the end near Merry and Eowyn and wait for the fell beast to show up. As soon as he's shot down, go towards the exit of the hill and wait for the next oliphaunt. Try to stay out of the fields themselves as much as possible.

And try using the South Gate level to gain lots of experience. You can easily get 45,000+ in one play through.

 

[JamesH]

I picked this up when I went to exchange my 3 for 2 games at Toys R Us and they were out of Top Spin Tennis. Nothing else even remotely interested me so I decided to take a chance on LOTR. Hell has officially frozen over, as EA has released 2 games in the past month that I absolutely love(SSX3 being the other).

This is pretty much THE definitive detached view hack and slash, although it's hard to rank compared to those with more intimate views like Devil May Cry. I wish Koei would take some notes, Dynasty Warriors needs some retooling now that it's actually on DW4:Xtreme Legends.

 

[Jay Mitchosky]

Awwwww, IGN rated the console version better than the PC. I'm sure the zealots will hate that!

Hmmm. Do I smell bait? This was unnecessary.

If we get a reprogramming in the Matrix (ie. deja vu) I'll pull the parties involved until they cool off.