by George Stranz

Created on: December 25, 2011

Lord of the Rings: War in the North features plenty of hack-and-slash action, yet features an epic story befitting of a major fantasy novel or film. Taking place alongside the three Lord of the Rings movies, War in the North focuses its lens on three protagonists: Eradan the Ranger; Farin the Dwarf Champion; and Andriel the Elven Loremaster. Each character has a different background story and unique abilities, but they all play and control similarly.

Battle in War in the North is simple, yet satisfying, thanks to the controls. A number of actions like evading and striking are mapped to the face buttons while special attacks are enacted with a combination of a trigger and a face button. For the most part, it works quite well during the heat of battle. However, the same can’t be said for the use of items. Power potions, which re-charge the magic meter, and healing potions, which restore health, can be used with a quick press of the directional pad, but other specialty items like cakes and elixirs can only be accessed from the menu screen. This can become problematic during hectic battles.

The graphics in War in the North make the world of Middle-earth come to life on the screen. Each location in the game has a unique look and feel. From the drab hamlet of Bree to the old stone ruins of Fornost, every town, forest, and dungeon looks impressive. Each monster looks appropriately gruesome and foreboding while critical blows and kills are displayed with a cinematic flair. Most satisfying, however, are the game’s cut scenes and conversations that display close-ups of the characters. Detailed and lifelike, each character’s face looks and moves realistically. Even better, the characters will always be dressed in the proper armor and tote the proper gear. It’s a nice little touch, especially for those players that want to see what every axe, bow, helmet, and shield looks like.

War in the North’s audio is on par with its graphics. The voice acting is well done and the clashes and clangs of swords and shields are crisp and gratifying. The game’s menu music sounds grand, as do the game’s other tracks.

War in the North can be played alone or with friends, but co-operative play is best. Fighting hordes of orcs and taking on massive trolls can be lots of fun, especially with two other players. Besides the option for local split-screen play, War in the North also supports online gaming through Xbox Live, but beware: achievements may not unlock if a guest is further along in the story than the host.

If there’s one particular problem with War in the North, it’s the fact that the gameplay can get a little repetitive. Many of the quests usually fall into two categories: item retrieval and boss battles. That being said, the game is still fun; there are plenty of baddies to kill, secrets to find, and special abilities to unlock. In addition, there are two challenge maps that provide a seemingly never-ending wave of enemies to defeat.

War in the North should not be overlooked. It’s a fun action RPG that has a great story and some terrific graphics. Despite some repetitive gameplay, it provides players with lots to see and do. There are numerous quests to complete, plenty of places to visit, lots of people to talk to, and tons of enemies to battle. The multiplayer option is quite fun, even with the occasional glitch, and the challenge maps provide a nice break from the main game. All in all, War in the North is a solid title that’s worth picking up.

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