Xbox gamers have been lucky enough to receive a game for each book in J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy. The Lord of the Rings™: Fellowship of the Ring was based entirely on the book and gave Tolkien fans many characters and situations that had been cut by necessity from the movie. Meanwhile, last year’s The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was the first Xbox title to bring the current films by Peter Jackson to the console, with filmed cut scenes that seamlessly slipped from the movie to the game. One delved deeply into the stories, while the other focused heavily on action.
Now, Electronic Arts has prepared a new game, based on the third movie, that is similar at first glance to The Two Towers. But, whereas that title was an unabashed action romp, TheReturn of the King (which is still an action romp, make no mistake) brings in a strong roleplaying element that will keep you replaying the game long after the movie has left theaters.
The story lines branch along three possible paths, any of which you can choose to play—and eventually, you’ll want to play all of them.
Old Stormcrow “The Path of the Wizard” follows Gandalf from the Battle of Helm’s Deep onward. The Wizard formerly known as Gandalf the Grey (or Gandalf Greyhame or any number of other names he’s had over the past few thousand years) has long been a friend of the hobbits of the Shire, having led Frodo’s Uncle Bilbo on the quest that first brought the Ring back to the surface of Middle-Earth. Gandalf fell fighting the mighty Balrog and was sent back to the land of the living (by forces unknown) to replace Saruman, the former leader of the wizards of Middle Earth. The new and improved Gandalf the White is even stronger than before.
Gandalf can call upon magic, of course, but he is also a surprisingly capable physical combatant as well (well, surprising if you never read the books). Gandalf can purchase new spell types as well as new attacks with his experience points. It’s best to mix up the physical beat-down and the magical power with big G. Before you know it, you’ll have Glamdring singing like an angel.
The Three Hunters “The Path of the King” keeps the core three playable characters from The Two Towers—Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn and focuses on battlefield combat. Legolas, a Woodland elf (the guys who Bilbo and the dwarves escaped from in barrels—remember?), joined the Fellowship out of a sense of duty but has since become improbably fast friends with Gimli the dwarf (neither species usually has anything decent to say about the other, to be sure). Legolas can attack at a distance with an Elven bow or up close with a pair of wicked curved swords.
Gimli, son of Gloin (Gimli’s pop was one of the dwarves Bilbo once traveled with), has equal respect for Legolas. And, despite the fact that he’s the exiled king of the races of Men, both would follow the charismatic Aragorn into the Mines of Moria. As a matter of fact, they have.
You can switch which character you’ll play before launching a chapter (after you’ve unlocked that character), but you’ll usually have the other two along for the ride, controlled by some remarkable ally A.I. Leveling up on “The Path of the King” brings benefits to your influence and your fighting skills. Gimli is best for strong attacks, Legolas is swift and deadly, and the King himself—Aragorn—offers a little of both.
The Ringbearers Finally, “The Path of the Hobbits” puts you in the hairy feet of Sam and (after you unlock him) the Ringbearer himself, Frodo. Frodo Baggins, of course, is the nephew of Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit that recovered the Ring from Gollum long ago and who has now taken on the onerous task of destroying it. Does he have the strength? Alone, not likely. But, with the help of his gardener, Samwise Gamgee, he just might succeed.
This path focuses on stealth and agility to succeed, and that’s appropriate. Not even Samwise the Strong is a tough enough fighter to hack through that many spiders, and if you get into combat, you’ll soon deplete strong-attack energy. But, by dodging and making use of the environment (especially torches), Sam and Frodo will make it to Mordorwith or without Gollum’s help.
To put it another way, like a wise Dwarf once said: “You’re the burglar. Go burgle something.”
