The Lord Of The Rings: Conquest Review - Xbox 360

6.5

Gameplay: 7
Graphics: 6
Audio: 7
Multiplayer: 8
Innovation: 6

Introduction

The Lord of the Rings: Conquest is the latest in a long line of games based on the well known fantasy series. Pandemic Studios, creators of the successful Star Wars Battlefront games, were tasked with producing this new game, with a fresh take on the series.

Gameplay

The game features two single player modes, as well as both co-op and online multiplayer modes. Only one single player mode is unlocked when you start the game, which is War Of The Ring, a retelling of the story where you play as both soldiers and the more recognisable Heroes (the main characters from all three films) in the quest to destroy The One Ring. The gameplay is almost entirely hack and slash, you spend the majority of the game cutting your way through hordes of enemies in order to complete your objectives. On the battlefield, you’re given a choice of four different unit types, Warrior, Mage, Scout and Archer. Each of them play quite differently to each other, and all four have certain characteristics that make them the most effective in various situations. Mages, for example, are long range fighters capable of firing a powerful blast of magic which can be charged, and can cause a chain reaction in a crowd of enemies, with multiple individuals being hit by the arcing power. On top of this, they also have access to a magical ring of fire which will progressively damage any enemy units caught inside it. They can also recover both their own, and allies’ health, as well putting up a shield that repels all projectiles (arrows, magic, etc) fired in their direction. On the downside, they have a low health capacity, weak melee attacks, and can be easily cut down by Warriors if they get too close. Warriors on the other hand, are close range fighters whose combo heavy attacks deal a lot of damage. They can also execute a few powerful super moves which are capable of taking out an enemy in a single blow. On the downside, they are highly susceptible to magical attacks, and can easily be assassinated by Scouts who can become invisible and backstab for a one hit kill. The game certainly has no shortage of action; even the training mode consists of the original battle to defeat Sauron.

Every now and then, you are also given the opportunity to play as the one of the series’ Heroes, such as Aragorn and Legolas, with your choice of character being defined by the level you’re playing. These characters are simply modifications of the standard units, with Aragorn being an enhanced Warrior, and Legolas being a powered up Archer. Fortunately, there are some noticeable changes, Aragorn at least features some unique super moves which have some devastating effects, and tie in with the movies.  

Completing the War Of The Ring campaign unlocks the Rise of Sauron mode which is a what-if story where The One Ring is not destroyed, and Sauron reclaims it. The available units are exactly the same as those ...