The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

 PlayStation 3
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 33
  3. Negative: 4 out of 33
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  1. Play UK
    Jan 9, 2012
    42
    A derivative hack-and-slasher which offers nothing new and does nothing old particularly well. [Issue#213, p.89]
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  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Dec 6, 2011
    40
    It's essentially a third-person hack 'n' slash with an RPG film laid over the top.
  3. Thunderbolt
    Nov 21, 2011
    40
    In its present state though, I cannot recommend Lord of the Rings: War in the North. If patching is successful, I can only recommend this to starved genre fans, but don't expect much.
  5. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Nov 14, 2011
    40
    It's a side story within the Lord of the Rings universe presented in the form of a mediocre hack-n-slash RPG. Only the die-hard Lord of the Rings fans need apply here.

Awards & Rankings

50
#50 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
41
#41 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

User Reviews

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User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 130 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 130
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 130
  3. Negative: 17 out of 130
  1. GrumpyReviewer
    Nov 11, 2011
    8
    For some reviewers, this game is worse than "Conquest". C'mon. By the end of the day, this is one of the best LOTR games I've ever played (andFor some reviewers, this game is worse than "Conquest". C'mon. By the end of the day, this is one of the best LOTR games I've ever played (and I've played many of them). The graphics are not the best in this generation - but by all means are they bad - the gameplay is fun, the side-story is interesting and the game becomes quickly quite addictive. I just could not put it down. Playing solo is nice, couch-co-op is great and there's also tons of fun to be had online. I think some people expect the same magic of every release. Not all games will be like Uncharted, God of War, Gears of War, Batman Arkham, Red Ded Redepemtion and so on. Those are examples of the finest pieces of gaming this industry is capable of. We should not give up on the smaller releases. This is a stupid mistake. We need to widen our minds and learn that games - like any type of art - must be appreciated in different ways and levels.… Full Review »
  2. LonliZombi
    Nov 2, 2011
    8
    Solid. That's exactly what lotr: war in the north is. It does nothing extraordinary, but what it does is solid, and a blast. Smacking an orcSolid. That's exactly what lotr: war in the north is. It does nothing extraordinary, but what it does is solid, and a blast. Smacking an orc in the face with a battleaxe should never get old, and while this may not be a masterpiece as far as story goes, its a dam good time.… Full Review »
  3. BaronMonaco
    Jan 20, 2016
    7
    The Lord of The Rings is THE universe of medieval fantasy of reference and yet it still lacks a true RPG of reference to make it count as muchThe Lord of The Rings is THE universe of medieval fantasy of reference and yet it still lacks a true RPG of reference to make it count as much as in the books and movies universe. With War In The North we've got a new attempt to that goal.

    First let me say that contrary to what the marketing division said, this is not really a true RPG, but more an hack'n slash with some customization, but there's almost no side quests and the few that are there are simply not interesting. Every chapter are simple corridors and the battle system limits itself to smashing two buttons and roll away fighting hordes of enemies. This is not a true surprise when you know that the same studio made Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance but that's still deceiving as Warner as always talked about it as a true RPG.
    Now concerning the specifics the game is very easy and you really shouldn't die a lot considering that even if you lose your life your teammates can save you. Unfortunately I didn't have the chance to try the coop mode that could have add some fun, some sequence were clearly made for two players, but know than you can play it with a friend. The game offers some nice boss fight, unfortunately the rest of the game is very repetitive and at the end of chapter 1 you already have seen everything the game has to offer.

    Concerning the Lord of The Rings universe is well transcript and fans of the original material should find a lot to like here with a story that occurs in parallel with the movies, it's clearly my favorite part of the game, but once again don't expect a RPG length, it will take you about 12 hours to finish the game ("side quests" included) and yet there's already one filler (chapter 2) in the game.

    The graphics are average and the environments could use more details, the game, as I played it, had no bug and a steady framerate, you're clearly not amazed by the graphics but at least your eyes won't bleed.

    All in all War In the North is another failed attempt to make a game worthy of the movies/books but it is clearly not broken and you can enjoy the 12 hours in this fantastic universe if you're not looking for a challenging and thoughtful experience and still is one of the best Lord of The Rings game. If you're a fan you may buy it, if not it's worth a try for the hack'n slash lovers, but know there are better games in the market.    … Full Review »
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