- Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
- Release Date: Nov 4, 2003
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Being one of the first strategy titles based on Tolkien's locus classicus, War of the Ring should introduce a good many movie fans to the strategy genre -- and most likely, no greater percentage of Ring fans exists than amongst the gaming demographic -- but veteran real-time strategy players might want to look elsewhere if depth is what they're seeking.
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If you're just looking for a game with some Tolkein lore and units, then this isn't a bad choice at all. Just don't expect to find anything ground-breaking or extraordinarily amazing inside. War of the Ring is a decent game, not great, but certainly not bad.
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A solid if not original effort through the much trodden RTS genre. The short technology tree doesn’t offer the gamer a whole lot to look forward to, and the missions aren’t very challenging either.
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PC GamerWhile War of the Ring does little to revolutionize the RTS genre, it does serve Tolkien's Middle-Earth admirably while letting you control the actions of the majority of its most storied denizens. [Jan 2004, p.98]
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Ultimately, the licence both saves the game, by giving even the most basic of its scenarios a degree of weight, and hinders it by causing regular moments where you double take, realising something isn’t quite right.
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It’s too bad that the gifts this game offers--and there are quite a few--are mired in repetitious, humdrum gameplay routines.
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While WotR is a good title that offers a lot of fun, it simply doesn't offer a game that's new or interesting enough to raise it from the pack of similar RTS titles available.
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Fantastical creatures abound in this RTS, but ultimately fail to capture the essence of Tolkien.
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If you enjoy strategy games you’ll probably like WotR, although hardcore RTS gamers may find it to be just an average game and only a light challenge.
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There are many issues conflicting with the actual story and we were rather disappointed that the game fails to convey the epic scope of Tolkien's mythology...Conversely, if you are a casual gamer looking to enjoy an RTS classic like "Battle Realms" and "Warcraft 3," this one should be right up your alley.
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This mix of tried and true RTS gameplay along with the polished production values added by an outstanding soundtrack and visual effects engine does much to enhance this game, but leaves the entire experience a little lopsided.
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The most glaring deficiency in this title is in the variety of units and factions. There are only two options of who to play as, and neither is comparable to anything in current RTS titles. [Jan 2004, p.156]
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A competent, if lackluster, effort that will probably appeal to Middle-earth fans and casual gamers who haven't played a lot of real-time strategy before. If you're a real-time strategy veteran looking for something fresh and exciting, don't look here.
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A fun but ultimately forgettable RTS. It’s a guided, open-topped bus tour of Middle Earth where you only stop at a the tourist places, buy a snow globe with a miniature Lothlorien inside, eat some Frodo-Fries, and never get to see any of the real place.
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GameNowA solid yet basic and dated RTS. [Jan 2004, p.67]
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Computer Gaming WorldA textbook case of glorious buildup and shattered expectations. [Feb 2004, p.72]
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Every thing about this game just feels generic and bland. There's absolutely nothing here that hasn't been done dozens of times before.
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The orchestral score and voice acting are good, and the detailed graphics are incredibly well animated, but those features and Tolkien’s story aren’t enough to distinguish this game from all the other strategy titles out there.
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The presence of only two playable sides, mission brevity, and overall simplicity will likely be a disappointment to some fans. However, it's a competently designed and well-packaged game that should appeal to casual gamers.
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War of the Ring's primary flaw is that it fails to really make use of its license. Remove the LOTR backdrop and names, and you could be playing any generic fantasy RTS game. It's missing the dramatic scope of the books.
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Play MagazineThe AI is pretty intelligent and will give a decent level of challenge, but when the game doesn't force you to think outside the box, it can get stale real quick. [Jan 2004, p.70]
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Those looking for a true and original real-time strategy challenge will be very disappointed with War of the Ring. Those looking for a game that truly captures the atmosphere of the Lord of the Rings trilogy will also be equally disappointed.
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netjakThe complete lack of innovation, uninspired online play and the inability to have a variety of units (why lump Dwarves, Elves, and Men into the same side?) cause the game to lose a lot of its luster.
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It's mild, tame, and exactly what you'd expect from the genre and a title trying to capitalize off of a prominent license: more of the same. Though not broken or particularly bad, this one is clearly middle of the road material.
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Computer Games MagazineHas some lovely visuals but in the end is so passionless and denuded, it makes you feel dumb for having looked forward to it. [Feb 2004, p.54]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 16 out of 41
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Mixed: 19 out of 41
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Negative: 6 out of 41
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JamesB.Dec 8, 2003
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Nov 19, 2020
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Nov 18, 2019