The J.R.R.
Tolkien-created lands of Middle-earth have never been shy on stories waiting to
be told. While the world was a definitive look at good versus the evil that was
Sauron and his minions, the characters the English author created were deep,
with back stories waiting to be told. That one can be told in real-time strategy
fashion is remarkable.
But while The
Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II – The Rise of the Witch-King
delves into the rise of power of one of the more notorious of the Third Age
villains (and he actually initially appeared in the Second Age, and was killed
in the Third Age), the way the EA title evolves is somewhat linear in
nature and is more of a ‘conquer or be conquered’ game than a telling of the
rise of the Witch-King’s seat of power in Angmar.
In 3441 of the
Second Age, Sauron was overthrown by elves and men of the Last Alliance and the
One Ring was taken by Isildur. Sauron secretly returned to Middle-earth in about
1050 of the Third Age and built a stronghold on the edge of Mirkwood at Dol
Guldur. In about 1300, the Nazgul reappeared and the Lord of the Nazgul, the
Witch-King, went north into Eriador and established the realm of Angmar on
either side of the Misty Mountains.
The solo-player
campaign of Middle-earth II’s expansion pack, picks up on that thread and
challenges players to cull his stronghold from the northern region and then
defend it while dominating the lands surrounding his kingdom.
The game also
has a host of new features and units that add to the original title. However,
when compared to the depth and entertainment value of The Battle for
Middle-earth II, Rise of the Witch-King just does not seem to carry the urgency
or excitement level. It is a much more pedestrian experience by comparison. This
is not bad, though. In fact, if you are a fan of a solid RTS title (and you must
have the original Battle for Middle-earth II to play this expansion), then this
is a worthy expansion. And if you are a Tolkien fan, and one who has Battle for
Middle-earth II, then this expansion is a no-brainer. It gives the evil
perspective on the world, has a host of challenges and really provides a new
viewpoint for the goings-on in the realm.
Let’s outline
some of the new stuff:
-
The game has
a new hero class – the Olog-hai. These are trolls, and EA has introduced a new
variable hero cost, which essentially means that customization will cost the
gamer a lot (remember resource management in an RTS is key). -
New units
include the Rohan Spearmen and knights of Dol Amroth (for the Men of the
West); Lindon horse archers and Noldor warriors (for the elves); dwarven
zealots and a new dwarven hero – Prince Brand, Captain of Dale; Uruk
deathbringers, wildmen axethrowers and a warg pack (Isengard); new heroes in
Gothmog and the Black Riders, Haradrim lancers and black orcs (Mordor); and
for the goblins – a new hero is Azog of Moria, the half-troll swordsman and
the fire drake brood. -
For new
structures there is the siege works and clan steading for Isengard; Mordor
gets the Haradrim palace, the great siege works and the orc pit; while the
goblins get the goblin fissure. -
The game adds
a new faction in Angmar with five heroes (the Witch-king, Rogash – Troll of
the North, Morgomir, Karsh and Hwalder), eight base units and six summoned
units, seven structures, four fortress expansions, six fortress upgrades, five
wall upgrades and nine spells that are associated with Angmar.
The game’s AI
seems to have gotten a bit of an upgrade as well. The adversaries you encounter
will make more tactical use of the terrain to flank and come up from behind. You
really have to pay attention to what is happening in this game.
Additionally
the expansion brings in two new historical scenarios to the War of the Ring
mode, including flexible scenario options (you can select one of four conditions
for victory now), and the ability to play the War of the Ring campaign without
the use of Ring Heroes.
The missions do
vary and some will have you sitting on the edge of your seat as you race time to
meet the mission objectives. There are challenges here, make no mistake about
that. But the level of excitement or perhaps dread that should be associated
with playing on the evil side just is not there.
Angmar does
have some great new units, including the Thrall Masters. These are Black
Numenorean emissaries who can summon units instantly. If played right, and
protected, these can swing the tide of battle most conveniently. The general gameplay is the same as the core title, and the graphical quality – new units
aside – is the same. Some of the newer units look more entertaining than
conveying that sense of evil and devastation that should be associated with the
forces of Sauron. The game’s sound is still top drawer.
Rise of the
Witch-King is a solid expansion to a very good RTS title. It combines new
elements with streamlined gameplay, good graphics and outstanding audio with a
challenging and entertaining multiplayer experience. This is an easy recommend
for owners of the original game.
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Gameplay:
8.0
Typical RTS elements
with a gentle learning curve. The AI is a bit smarter this time around so
players will have to put on their game faces to win at the higher difficulty
levels. The game also failed to convey the menace that is associated with
Witch-King. This could have been a grittier and darker game.
Graphics:
8.2
The game is still
sound graphically, though some of the units look more comical than nasty mean.
Sound: 9.0
Still superlative
with great voice work for the new units.
Difficulty:
Medium/Hard
The missions may not feel as compelling as opposed to the first time into the base game, but still
you will find challenge here.
Concept: 8.3
This title adds new
units and a new perspective to the struggle between good and evil in
Middle-earth. This is not to say you will like Sauron or his objectives any more
than you did before, but you do – at the least – get a fresh look at what led up
to his return.
Multiplayer:
8.5
Still solid, with
the campaign available online. This is unchanged.
Overall: 8.3
A short campaign,
new units, fixes to the original title all add up to an expansion that is worthy
of being on the shelf of Middle-earth gamers. Witch-King may not leave that same
sense of wonder as when the original Battle for Middle-earth II launched, but it
is – nonetheless – a challenging game that offers a new look at the rich
tapestry of Tolkien’s world.
