I hop you love them. I hop you love them.
I hop you love them.
Oh brother.... I hope you love them!
Posted on 03/14/2002 5:07:26 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
Developed with the cooperation of director Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers represents something of a milestone in the realm of licensed, movie-themed video-games: It's actually pretty good. But more important, it also hints at what's possible when a filmmaker works hand in hand with a game developer. At least in this case, the result is a gaming experience that works with - rather than exploits - the source material. The game even functions as a nifty promotional tie-in, incorporating footage from the movie, including scenes from the epic set-piece siege at Helm's Deep.
The core game is a straight-up hack-and-slash action-adventure set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. (We should point out that the title is a bit misleading, since 5 of the game's 13 battles are taken from The Fellowship of the Ring, including a claustrophobic confrontation in the Mines of Moria.) On each level you can play as Gimli, Aragorn, or Legolas, button-mashing your way to victory against hordes of Sauron's evil minions. Over time, these three members of the fellowship gain experience points that upgrade their abilities.
The game is not without its flaws. It presupposes a measure of familiarity with Tolkien's universe. And we couldn't help but notice that its narrative seems to tiptoe around some of what we expect to be the upcoming movie's plotlines. (Gollum, for example, is nowhere to be found.)
But these are minor quibbles, more than made up for by the game's look and play - which is set to composer Howard Shore's film score. Sure, some may complain that it offers nothing more than a series of action sequences lifted from the two movies. But in fact, the execution of these epic battles is so phenomenal that you're immediately drawn into this computer-generated world. Jackson's influence is evident in the game's cinematic look, particularly in the beautiful scene transitions, in which footage from the upcoming film morphs seamlessly into the game. Tolkien fans who had justifiable concerns about the title should be relieved: In a genre filled with Middle-quality efforts, this game Towers above the rest. B+
Here's a cute little sidebar that went with the story:
A Fan's Notes
Staff writer Gillian Flynn isn't a gamer, but she is a huge Tolkien geek. We asked her to spend a few hours with Black Label's Xbox game THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. Remember, she's not a gamer.
"I had visions of attacking orcs as Aragorn, or casting spells as Gandalf. Unfortunately, as Frodo, I must first use my logic and cunning to leave the Shire. But thinking is hard: So I busted up Bilbo's hobbit hole with my walking stick. Then I ran into his hearth. (Fire hurts!) I was scolded. (Wusses.) Outside, I got stung by bees, fell out of a tree house, and landed on a farm. Once there, I couldn't seem to stop picking up pigs. And so my hero's quest ended thus: me, still in the Shire, slightly dazed, fondling pork."
I hop you love them. I hop you love them.
I hop you love them.
Oh brother.... I hope you love them!
I found an excellent deal for the LoTR DVD Collector's Gift Set ... $49.99 preordered from CostCo, including a free adult-admission ticket to The Two Towers!
Check it out at the CostCo page!
Now, CostCo will charge you 5% extra if you don't already belong, and $5.98 shipping. Still cheap, with the ticket!
Hair, please page the interested ...
Lately I've mostly been listening to more upbeat stuff (though with a good mix of slow songs, too...fast gets tiring after awhile!) - bands like Silly Wizard (Scotland), Patrick Street (Ireland), the Bothy Band (Ireland), and Reeltime, which is Irish but plays a mix of tunes - I like them a lot!
Thanks! I'd better put this somewhere safe...
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