Peter Jackson`s recent Lord of the Rings movies have seen Tolkien fever take the world by storm. Game developers are cashing in on this, with Electronic Arts gaining particular success. Its most recent offering is The Third Age.
The opening sequence introduces us to Berethor and his quest to find Boromir, who recently joined the Fellowship of the Ring. As he begins his mission, the evil Nazgul attack him. Close to death, Elven warrior Idrial comes to his aid and helps him overcome the Ring Wraiths. The two join forces and the adventure starts.
As Berethor and Idrial continue on their quest, other warriors join the party. These include the ranger Elegost and Dwarven warrior Hadhod.
Even though you might have up to six companions in your party, you will only see one person on the screen when exploring. At first I was disappointed when I realised I would not be playing as one of the Fellowship, but quickly forgot about that as the game progressed.
You roam Middle Earth completing numerous quests. Upon entering a new area, you will be assigned one or more quests. Not all the quests are necessary to complete the game, but where is the fun in that?
Some quests are a little tougher and take longer to complete while others might only need you to open a specific chest or enter a designated room. Weapons and armour will either be won through battle or discovered along the way, so there is no need for money like in many other role-playing games (RPGs).
Finding new items and armour will always be exciting as each one is unique in appearance and statistics. The equipment your characters carry will also change in appearance.
Combat takes place through a turn-based system, with your party on one side, and enemies on the other.
Each character waits his/her turn to attack depending on speed and initiative. Although you can only see three of your characters on screen, you can swap players in and out of battle by pressing the left trigger on the controller when it is your turn.
After each battle, you gain experience in true RPG style. While every member of your party gets experience, those that were not involved in the battle receive less.
In addition to normal attacks, your party members have access to two different sets of skills. One set is based on the weapon the character uses and the other is a magical skill. You improve these abilities as you use them. Once an ability reaches a certain number of points, you can start learning a new skill in a new group.
When your characters increase in level, you will be able to allocate points to the different base stats so you can customise your hero in whichever way you see fit.
Graphically, this game is breathtaking. It features realistic surroundings with outstanding attention to detail. A special treat is the cut scenes that are taken from the actual movie. Also, the voice of Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf in the movies) leads you through your quest.
The soundtrack is taken directly from the films, and is still as beautiful and moving now as it was when I first watched the movies.
This game is of the highest quality. I loved every second of it and will play it over and over again.
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