LotR Action RPG On The Way From Dark Alliance Developers.

[BigJonno]

In an announcement that will fill many with cautious longing, Warner Bros. have unveiled The Lord of the Rings: War in the North (http://www.warinthenorth.com/), a new action RPG from Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath developers Snowblind Studios.

Subtitled War in the North and due next year, this instalment pursues new storylines and ventures to unseen lands in the company of less familiar characters - although the more well-trodden areas of Middle-Earth are not forgotten.

There will be online co-op for up-to three people, and it seems as though characters will be created from scratch to write their own place in Tolkien's world. You'll get to pick from Dwarves, Elves and Race of Man, judging by the official website. Promised are "extensive" customisation and development, "expansive" co-op options, and upgradeable skills, weapons and abilities.

Source - Eurogamer (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/warner-unveils-new-lotr-action-rpg)

[Gorvi]

Sweet. I'm not a big fan of licensed stuff, especially the way LotR has been abused since the movies came out, but from that dev I'll bite.

[BigJonno]

Sweet. I'm not a big fan of licensed stuff, especially the way LotR has been abused since the movies came out, but from that dev I'll bite.

I actually think LotR has been more hit than miss, when it comes to licensed games.

[Gorvi]

I actually think LotR has been more hit than miss, when it comes to licensed games.
See, I keep thinking of those EA games that came out around the movies then the crappy game that came out for the PS3/360 last year. What good games have there been (LotRO aside)?

[BigJonno]

The Two Towers and Return of the King were both pretty good. The Third Age was an okay-ish JRPG-style game, which was improved greatly by the addition of co-op. (Come to think of it, it's almost identical to FFXIII in it's stripped-down approach to the genre.) LOTRO is good, which you mentioned. The Battle for Middle Earth games are supposed to be very good, although I've not played them.

The bad ones are Conquest and the Fellowship game that was licensed from the books and not the movies.

[Expugnare]

If this game is just a next gen, reskinned version of Champions of Norrath, I will be one very happy gamer.

Edit: Boo, only 3 player co-op. Some of my favorite gaming memories involve a multitapped PS2, 4 people and Champions: Return to Arms.

[ClannerDelta]

See, I keep thinking of those EA games that came out around the movies then the crappy game that came out for the PS3/360 last year. What good games have there been (LotRO aside)?

The Battle for Middle-Earth games are actually quite good. Has a lot of interesting concepts that aren't in other MMOs.

[Ravenlock]

I've been happy with many of the LotR games as well. Battle for Middle Earth was a lot of fun, the Two Towers and Return of the King action games were solid, hell, there was even an excellent Diablo clone on the GBA which might end up closely resembling what they're talking about here. Really, Conquest has been the only total loss of the bunch that I can think of.

Count me interested.

[Satertek]

I loved Dark Alliance to death, and was never able to play DA2 as they apparently didn't print many of them, so I can't wait for this.

I've actually been looking for more of this style game for PS3, there anything out there?

(The Bard's Tale is the only other one I can think of and that was last gen)

[Superman's Dead]

Fantastic. I played a TON of DA without really giving a damn about the world or the story or the characters. Throw in a LOTR license (which you can't help caring about if you get the chance to work on it, I assume), and this will be golden.

Please set it in the Second Age. kthx.

[MagGnome]

This sounds like a grand idea. I had a good time playing through Dark Alliance with a friend.

Here's hoping this hits the PC! ;)

Edit - Doh! Reading comprehension helps. :o

[BigJonno]

This sounds like a grand idea. I had a good time playing through Dark Alliance with a friend.

Here's hoping this hits the PC! ;)

Warner Bros. has excitedly announced a "mature", action-RPG take on The Lord of the Rings for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

See what happens when you click the links? You get the magic of information!

[MagGnome]

See what happens when you click the links? You get the magic of information!

Your snarky tone is the reason I nearly left the site. :mad:

Seriously though, I'm a little embarrassed that I missed that.

[Gorvi]

I loved Dark Alliance to death, and was never able to play DA2 as they apparently didn't print many of them, so I can't wait for this.

I've actually been looking for more of this style game for PS3, there anything out there?

(The Bard's Tale is the only other one I can think of and that was last gen)
Sacred 2. I still need to pick that up......

[maharahaj]

I've actually been looking for more of this style game for PS3, there anything out there?

There's always Untold Legends ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Untold_Legends:_Dark_Kingdom ) but it didn't get that good of reviews according to metacritics.com. Its average score is a 58.

On topic, this news about a LotR hack and slash excites me! I loved the DA games, especially the 2nd one.

[ElektroDragon]

Awesome... loved all the Snowblind games so far.... and the studio is basically across the road from my house! Someday, in my wildest dreams, I will work there....

[ElektroDragon]

There's always Untold Legends ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Untold_Legends:_Dark_Kingdom ) but it didn't get that good of reviews according to metacritics.com. Its average score is a 58.


I have Untold Legends for the PS3, and I actually really like it! Unfortunately, it doesn't have Trophies, being a launch title.

[ElektroDragon]

Sacred 2. I still need to pick that up......

And Divinity II, if you haven't already. Way better than Sacred 2, honestly. Same publisher.

[Chimpbot]

Fantastic. I played a TON of DA without really giving a damn about the world or the story or the characters. Throw in a LOTR license (which you can't help caring about if you get the chance to work on it, I assume), and this will be golden.

Please set it in the Second Age. kthx.

I'd play that, just like I'd play a Second Age MMO; it feels much larger, longer and grander than the Third and its focus on the very short War of the Ring.
I want to fight dragons, balrogs and Morgoth.

[Gorvi]

And Divinity II, if you haven't already. Way better than Sacred 2, honestly. Same publisher.
There's no multiplayer in that, though, and from everything I've read it's buggy as all hell. Unless they've patched it, of course, which would be great because the demo was kinda fun.

[Narradisall]

Divinity 2 was lackluster to me compared to the first and Sacred 2 bored me to tears, I heard it got better after the first few hours but I honestly couldn't take anymore after around 5-8 hours in.

[Klunka]

Absolutely Day 1 purchase for me. Love these kind of games and not many can do it better than SnowBlind. Throw in a license I care about, shit I may pre-order this.

[Exodus]

More dark alliance-esque game play? I"m in!