EA Games @ NYC '08: LOTR: Conquest (Hands-On)

FOREWORD: You may have noticed that we didn't cover any EA game during this past E3. That was all with good reason. You see, EA invited us to their New York City showcase at the W Hotel, and so we chose to save the best for last. At EA's "Holidays in July" event, we were able to go hands-on with all of the games present at E3, in addition to two that weren't.

In this case, we checked out the new Lord of the Rings game from EA, subtitled "Conquest." LOTR: Conquest is unlike any other Lord of the Rings game; this particular game let's you fight the battles that went on all throughout the movie, but as alternate characters that aren't restricted to following the path of the movies. For example, you have the Battle at Minas Morgul - while Aragon is elsewhere in the city, you're controlling a fighter at the line of conflict, right by the entrance gates. As this fighter, you are able to move about to another area when you've secured your previous location.

Eventually, you'll come to a spot where a hero is located at, and are given the ability to control, which includes Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. You'll have the choice of choosing between three fighter types, who are basically weaker versions of the aforementioned three heroes. So think of the ability to play as the stars of the movie, as a sort-of powerup; the heroes are much more powerful than the generic warriors.

Combat is, of course, much like previous LOTR games, which means hack n' slash action with combo heavy attacks if you choose a fighter, or long-distance archery if you choose an archer. You'll also be given a few melee options when things get hectic nearby and you need to fend off opponents, on top of a modifier button that adds magic powers to your strikes. LOTR Conquest is all about taking you through the battles of the three movies in chronological order, and allowing you to see them in an all new light. On top of that, not only do you get to participate in battle from the movies, but also additional ones that go beyond the films.

The big twist to Conquest, and what really separates it from the rest, is having the ability to be the bad guy. You don't just act as a random apprentice, either. You get to take full control of beasts such as the Balrog during his confrontation with Gandalf, or Sauron, Trolls, Oliphaunts, and so on. Using the enemy goes beyond being just a novelty, as LOTR: Conquest allows you to alter the events of the trilogy, where, for example, Frodo never destroys the ring, and instead gets killed. And so when you're in control of the dark side, you're in an alternate LOTR universe.

Lastly, expect Lord of the Rings: Conquest to boast 16-player multiplayer compatibility when it hits shelves this November. Fans of the previous EA LOTR efforts should enjoy this title. Our one complaint would have to be that it's visuals weren't exactly as pretty as some of the other EA games we saw.

Related Game(s): Lord of the Rings: Conquest

7/31/2008 Arnold Katayev

Put this on your webpage or blog:
Email this to a friend
Subscribe to Arnold Katayev on Twitter