E3 2002
Take a hit movie, one with a following
that spans the world and has been in place for decades since the original novel
was first published, and sooner or later portions of the literary work were
bound to make their way into the world of video gaming.
This year there are two titles being
released based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings novels. Electronic Arts has
the rights through the movie, thus everything there is based on the film –
though that game bridges both the first and second Tolkien novels (Fellowship of
the Rings and The Two Towers).
Universal Interactive has the literary
rights to the game and are releasing a game based solely on the Fellowship of
the Ring. The company showed off the title at E3 2002 in Los Angeles.
This is a single-player game that will
be released for the Xbox, GBA, and PC. Those demonstrating the
game stated that players would likely see subtle differences in the combat
systems between the platforms. However, Xbox fans will see increased graphical
rendering on that platform. The Xbox version will include spell effects for
Gandalf, dynamic shadows, volumetric fog and environmental maps.
Now the big difference between this
release and EA’s is that Universal’s game remains true to the novels. While a
single-player outing, players will get to play as different characters
throughout the game. From the Shire to Moria and the River Anduin, gamers will
take on the role of Frodo, Gandalf and Aragorn.
The animation in this game was superb.
Aside from the fact that this was computer, player-controlled animation,
watching Aragorn battle Orcs was amazing. The movements were true-to-life, and
seamless.
The game will feature 28 types of
enemies that possess various degrees of intelligence and behavior. Of course,
there is magic, and the One Ring, which can be used, but do you really want to
do that? If you are a fan of the novels, you will remember that by using it, you
may be required to pay a very high price.
This is a game that looks good and
seems to have a simple player interface. Not only do Tolkien fans have something
to look forward to, but this is a game that should appeal to any
action-adventure fan.
This product will be released in the
fourth quarter of this year.
