Lord of the Rings: Conquest Review

Look, the makers of this game tried hard and gave this game a good shot, but it was really doomed from the get-go for one main reason (and this is the same why it isn't much fun):

Battlefield 1942
Battlefield Vietnam
Battlefield 2042
Star Wars Battlefront
Star Wars Battlefront 2
Call of Duty (1, 2, 3, 4, 5...)

... these are all great multiplayer games where the player enjoys an important role amidst a larger battle. Maybe you're flying the helicopter or driving the AT-AT. Maybe you're sniping enemy guards as your buddy is making his way to capture the proverbial flag. Maybe you're frantically diving for cover as you relead, with enemies just around the corner. Or maybe you're on a stone-cold rampage of headshots, and you're about to win a battle all on your own.

The point is, these games, and these enjoyable moments, are all about SHOOTING. When competing squads are nailed down behind cover, the lay of the land makes a difference. Each player's carrying a weapon that, if used well from a strategic position, can make a huge strategic difference in how the battle plays out.

In LOTR Conquest, unless you're a silly rapid-fire archer, or an orc magician (seriously?) you will be doing something far less interesting and enjoyable than you did in the above games: Namely, running up to a guy near you and mashing the attack button. While his buddy unleashes a combo into your backside, because no matter how sneaky you are, you're probably going to need to hit your enemy 12 times before he dies.

The layout of each battlefield isn't important because no matter where you are, you need to go find some guys to whack with your sword.

The best comparison I can think of for folks who haven't played it is this: Imagine a Legend of Zelda (old NES/SNES version) world where you are standing on a plain, rectangular football field, and your job is to whack 25 spear-carrying guards with your sword. It gets boring REAL fast. Sadly, though I am a LOTR fan, that is the case with this game too.Get more detail about Lord of the Rings: Conquest.