The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

“You carry the fate of us all, little one.”  A member of the Fellowship says to Frodo Baggins, the chosen ring bearer, in the first installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Unlike EA’s excellent The Two Towers, The Return of the King (the final chapter of this saga) stresses the importance of these words and the role Frodo and Sam play as they reach ever so closer to Mordor.  And, if this weren’t enough, Aragon finally accepts his fate with the white wizard Gandalf by his side.  Yes, The Return of the King is not only bigger but better.

In case you missed out on the first game, the story thrusts Aragon, Gimli and Legolas into the most intense battle ever seen in a game in a very long time.  The battle for Helm’s Deep was just the beginning, though.  In this final chapter, Aragon (now joined in the game by the powerful, and playable, wizard Gandalf) accepts that he is heir to the throne of Gondor while Frodo and Sam meet their destiny beyond the dark gates of Mordor itself.  That’s right, folks, the story is just so big that explaining it all will actually spoil the surprising twists of events that unfold as you play.

While the game’s story is epic (it doesn’t, by the way, spoil the movie’s plot despite the film footage), it’s the game’s many battles and varied objectives within the game’s levels that steal the show.  The game’s levels follow the path of the film and book so you will find some familiar locales.  Yet the unique selling point here is the fact that the game’s levels don’t often take the simple hack-and-slash action route of the first game.  You’ll find levels where you defend a certain area or follow a path leading on to somewhere and there are levels that require your character to think of alternative ways to get something done.  For example, one level has you making the decision of taking on a troll the hard way or scalding him with a bubbling brew you can drop on him.  You can also trigger things such as catapults and there are times where you’re attempting to escape some falling boulders Indiana Jones-style.

Like The Two Towers, you’ll also find plenty of moments where your character is surrounded by literally dozens of foes at once.  You’ll be up against armies of goblins, Uruk Hai, orcs and winged beasts while your companions fight in the background not far from you.  Once again you can level up so your character can learn new moves or combos that can be unleashed during the many battles.  Each character brings something different in terms of fighting styles.  Legolas is great with the bow, Gimli is great as smashing enemies with his axe, Aragon is a quick and skillful swordsman and Gandalf has magic and his trusty staff.  The weaker of the characters are Frodo and Sam but somehow they are able to hold their own despite their size.

While the game’s controls are perfect and easy to master, the game’s fault (if you can call it that) is that the game as a single player experience is too hard.  Sure the huge massive battles, such as the battle of Pelennor Fields, are fun to jump into since there are plenty of bad guys to cut into in this battle, but it also means that you’ll be torn apart often.  Thankfully the game has added the option to play this one with a friend in a co-op mode that’s sure to make this one something of a party game.  Trust me, having a friend along helps during the more major battles plus boss fights (that Shelob is one nasty boss).

The Return of the King is also a gorgeous-looking game that far exceeds the graphical wonder that was The Two Towers.  We’re talking about sharper visuals and enough details that the environments practically breathe with life.  The character design has also improved to the point that each character not only moves realistically but is also identical to the actors that portray them.  You’ll often be impressed how perfectly the film’s actual footage blends with the game’s animated graphics.  The game also piles on dozens of characters on the screen at once, which is still a most impressive sight.  The visual effects are also amazing, especially when it comes to Gandalf’s magic and things shattering into pieces.

It’s also not surprising that the game’s sound is another element in the game that is not only done right but hands down the best audio experience found in a game.  You’ll be treated to great voice work from much of the movie’s cast and it not just sound bytes taken straight from the film either.  Howard’s Shore’s amazing score is also found here and it’s peppered throughout the game for that perfect cinematic feel.  The sound effects are also top notch with its detailed background noises that are both loud and surprisingly well timed with the action.  This game deserves to be played on a great sound system, trust me.

The Return of the King is an addictive and amazing experience from the very start down to its surprising finale.  Aside from being a game with stellar graphics and superb sound, the game’s many battles will have gamers gladly jumping into the fray.  While it’s on the short side and sometimes a little too difficult for single players, this is one enjoyable game that gamers should have in their collection.

Gameplay: 9.0
The Return of the King, just like The Two Towers, will bring back memories of those classic hack-and-slash games that are just too hard to stop from playing.  The controls are fairly simple to master so all you have to concentrate on is the actual fighting.  Playing as Legolas is also very different from playing as Gimli so there are plenty of reasons to come back and play this one again . . . and again.  While the game could have been a lot longer, we’re grateful for the time that is given to us.

Graphics: 9.2
While last year’s game was quite stunning to look at on the Xbox, this one blows it away with its gorgeously well detailed backgrounds, characters and effects.  The characters, this time around, look so much more like the actual actors that portray them in the film that it’s almost kind of creepy moving around a character that looks exactly like Elijah Woods.  The backgrounds are also amazing.  The fields heading towards Gondor look amazingly lush and the dark terrain that is Mordor will definitely send chills up your spine.  Add some great visual effects and this game will leave you more than impressed.

Sound: 9.5
Quite possibly one of the best sound experiences found in a game since Medal of Honor: Frontline.  Not only does it include Howard Shore’s magnificent score from the film itself, but also many of the film’s actors lend their voices.  Among the many characters, Sir Ian McKellen’s voice is found all throughout the game as both narrator and during battles.  The sound effects, though, are what will leave gamers absolutely stunned.  Your ears will practically be bombarded with sounds of clashing swords, stomping feet, things being crushed and literally hundreds of battle cries.  If you have a good sound system hooked up, pump up the volume . . . you’ll think you’re playing a movie.

Difficulty: Hard
Just about the game’s only biggest fault is the fact that it’s incredibly hard as a single player game.  You’ll often find yourself getting killed pretty easily, especially in the game’s bigger battles, which is something that the game does not lack.  The co-op game eases things considerably, although you’ll often be surrounded by an insane number of fighting Uruk Hai.  Be prepared to see the load screen pretty often in this one.

Concept: 8.5
It’s not often that a game based on a film really works, but the Two Towers managed to offer an addictive game that not only follows the film but keeps away from the you’re-playing-the-film feeling most games based on movies do.  The same can be said about this one, only now there’s so much more added to it that it feels like an altogether different experience.  Now you get to see the same story through different eyes and take up the role of Gandalf, Frodo and Sam (just to name a few of the characters you can play as in this game).  There are also plenty of extras to unlock in this game so you’ll be one very busy gamer.

Multiplayer: 9.0
The game really shines as a multiplayer game and having a friend take up the role of another character to help you just makes for a less frustrating experience.  While I have experienced some slowdowns during the multiplayer game, it doesn’t really hinder you from having a good time hacking-and-slashing through the games many levels.  Unfortunately this one has no online play like the PS2 version, but we’re so grateful for the co-op mode that it doesn’t really take anything away from this game.

Overall: 9.0
The Return of the King is one of those games that will leave blisters on your thumbs and leave you with your jaw dropped wide open several times while playing it.  Yes, kind readers, this is the kind of game that’s a true joy to play.  And with its gorgeous visuals and amazing sound, the game brilliantly brings the film and Tolkien’s vision to life.  Put this game on your holiday wish list, folks, you’ll find that this one makes the perfect gift.