The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- October 21, 2002 17:00 PM PST
- Email this!
Hordes of fans, vaster in number than the orcs lined up before Helm?s Deep, cherish all things related to The Lord of the Rings. Good thing, then, that EA?s not blowing it with the Two Towers game.
Movie-based games, as a rule of thumb, suck. Which makes The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers even more remarkable because, judging from a preview version, it should both sidestep that jinx and seamlessly integrate a movie with a game. The simplest way to describe Two Towers is to call it a modern Golden Axe or Streets of Rage?the gameplay will be all about weapons-based combat against wave after wave of foes ranging from orcs to Ringwraiths to cave trolls and more. No RPG-style questing, no adventuring or puzzle-solving?just mayhem and lots of it.Playing as either Legolas, Gimli, or Aragorn, you?ll tackle 13 levels, earning points in battle that will unlock new combos, weapons upgrades, and the like. The first four levels will revisit the Fellowship of the Ring in flashback form (jump-started by an awesome surprise in the opening level), then it?s off to the lands of the second movie, including Fangorn Forest, Rohan, Helm?s Deep, and more. A constantly changing perspective will give you a fresh look at the levels at every turn, but the camera in the early version did a great job of smartly staying with you. And while the focus will be absolutely combat, a healthy variety to the action will prevent things from growing stale as you?ll face startling ambushes, kick ladders off castle walls, and tackle bosses like the Watcher in the Water. Unfortunately, the only thing missing is multiplayer action.
The gameplay definitely will lean more toward the button-mashing side, but there will be some brains behind the brawn. Instead of just holding a button to block, you?ll have to develop a rhythm for timing button presses, a skill that will be central to staying alive for more than a brief span. You?ll pack quick, fierce, kick, and range attacks (such as Legolas?s bow), along with combos and a devastating kill move.
One of Two Towers? coolest touches is how the films will blend in with the game. Clips straight from the movies will introduce each level, then transition so smoothly into gameplay that you?ll blink. The visuals in the preview version were lush but not mind-boggling, though the audio was most impressive, featuring tons of music and sound effects from the flicks and original dialogue by the actors who play Gandalf, Frodo, and the trio of playable characters. Success in battle will also unlocks access to slick DVD-style extras, including exclusive interviews with the actors and movie footage that can only be seen in this game. When the last blade is sheathed, Two Towers should be one of the year?s most promising action games.
