The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Middle Earth has never looked this good. But how does it play?

The Fellowship of the Ring captures the beauty and magic of Tolkien?s world?visually. Once you pick up the controller, you?ll find your enthusiasm slipping quickly away.

For those of you who live in a box, the Lord of the Rings trilogy centers on a young, human-like creature (called a ?hobbit?) saddled with the responsibility of destroying a magic ring?which, in the wrong hands, will bring evil to his world of Middle Earth forever. Gamers play as the hobbit Frodo, helpful ranger Aragorn, and the powerful wizard Gandalf, switching roles as the game progresses. Fellowship hands you all the eye candy you could want?pastoral fields, moon-lit roads, and foggy burial grounds?while an orchestral score sets the tone. But then you quickly fall prey to awkward control and the dreaded death-by-camera-angle.

Developer Surreal Software has captured the rich look and epic mood of the book but left out the fun. There is an inconsistent feeling of urgency, and part of this may stem from the too-true-to-the-book mindset. For instance, the inclusion of the oft-excised Tom Bombadil/Barrow-wight sequence slows down the action. Sadly, you may want to end this quest before you begin.

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