The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar

E3 2006 First Look Preview

Turbine is remaining faithful to the Tolkien legend, working with Tolkien Enterprises to ensure that the game traces the legacy of the Lord of the Rings storyline in a faithful manner.

The game takes place in the lands of Eriador, between the Misty Mountains and The Shire, in the time from when Frodo first left the Shire and prior to the formation of the fellowship. The game is Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, from Turbine Entertainment and Midway, and was on display at E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo) in Los Angeles. For the 2005 preview, please see http://pc.gamezone.com/gamesell/previews/p21038.htm. 

The plan is go into beta this summer, but the actual release date has yet to be announced and will be determined by what happens in the beta.

The game is more of a traditional massively multiplayer game, and players will be inserted into the storyline to flesh out the elements Tolkien alluded to in his story as the things that had to be put into place, or dealt with for the fellowship to move forward successfully.

Because of that, you will see many of the characters from the books, with some even giving quests. The game takes place in a publicly shared world and while there are the capabilities of kinships/clans and parties of up to six players, the game will not punish those looking for a single player experience.

And combat is not the only way to further skills. Players will be able to pick up attributes from travel-based and adventure-base exploration. A deep crafting system is also in the works.

The game itself follows some of the current traditions of MMOs in terms of control schemes and the user interface, and the game will have some player-versus-player options.

Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is progressing very nicely and should be a treat for Tolkien fans wishing to immerse themselves in the legendary adventure. For those new to the works, LotR: Shadows of Angmar may well prove a nice, evolving and involved entry into both Tolkien’s high adventure and the MMO space.

For All E3 2006 Previews