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TheAbominatrix
08-07-2004, 10:14 PM
So has anyone else heard of or seen the trailers for this amazing new game? I just got back from sampling it at EA (I'll be submitting an article to the front site soon, I just woke up after a long trip) and it's freaking amazing.

For those of you who don't know, it's an LotR RPG. It plays a lot like a Final Fantasy (at least the pre-Alpha version does) and it's really, really good. I cant wait for it to come out.

Lord Chainsaw
08-07-2004, 10:24 PM
I hear it is going to have a battle system similar to Final Fantasy X though. I liked that battle system a lot (beat the hell out of ATB) so maybe I'll check it out.

I probably won't buy the game since I'm not a fan of the Lord of the Rings story, but I will give it a rental to see what it's all about.

Ultima Shadow
08-07-2004, 10:26 PM
I've seen trailers... and it really looks great. I will buy it as soon as it's relesed! :)

TheAbominatrix
08-07-2004, 10:30 PM
I hear it is going to have a battle system similar to Final Fantasy X though. I liked that battle system a lot (beat the hell out of ATB) so maybe I'll check it out.

The battle system is very much like that. I loved the system, and so it made me love this game even more.

Az Lionheart
08-07-2004, 10:52 PM
wow i want this game some DAM MUCH :D

FreaQaZoiD
08-08-2004, 01:16 AM
Don't tell me, its done with characters which look like Peter Jackson's misguided film version?

I hate u Peter Jackson. Way to rewrite an original classic. Bastard.

~~~Anthrax-laced mail time- FreaQ

Ryth
08-08-2004, 01:55 AM
No but I've seen screenshots and it looks really kickass!!! My only complaint is you can't create your own characters oh well. Yeah did you knowif you defeats boss battles like the Balrog you can then switch roles you are the Balrog and the CPU and fight your party that would be sweet if you ask me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TheAbominatrix
08-08-2004, 02:49 AM
They have the option of playing as the bad guys once you've cleared a level. It nets more items for your party. And your characters are very customizable.

Ouch!
08-08-2004, 03:00 AM
I'm interested. I've always loved the idea of a LoTR RPG, and when I first heard about the game the only thing I could say was, "Glee." I can't wait for it.

KeeperX
08-08-2004, 03:48 AM
I wasn't nearly as smitten with the game as TheAbominatrix this weekend, it really could use some work. The battle system is not merely similar to FFX, it is FFX. The EXP system is similar to that in FFX-2, EXP for Hit Points / Ability Points, and Skill Points to learn new abilities. The skill system is clunky, and you learn from several trees at once, limiting where your skill points go.

The turn-based system is very slow at this point, and a Tales of Symphonia-like system, or even something more along the lines of ATB would be very welcome. Story sequences were well done, on the other hand, as with most EA games. Everyone there this weekend agreed that the in-game scenes needed to be tweaked quite a bit, though.

And the most minor gripe ever, the Executive Producer mentioned there would be no progressive scan. Why on RotK and not TTA?

-John

Big D
08-08-2004, 04:59 AM
Is this game going to be related to the other LotR games that've been released recently, or is it a stand-alone?Don't tell me, its done with characters which look like Peter Jackson's misguided film version?Yes, it's a terrrible shame that movie directors can't read your mind and create characters who look exactly as you expect them too :D They're so inconsiderate.

TheAbominatrix
08-08-2004, 05:06 AM
They have to follow Peter Jackson's designs because of copyrights.

This is stand-alone. It follows a group of other middle-earth types, not the Fellowship. Think of it as supplements to the movie. It follows the movie storyline, but from a different perspective, and at times you meet up with the Fellowship.

m4tt
08-08-2004, 05:31 AM
I read about this game a few weeks ago in EGM. It looks totally awesome and I am insanely jealous that you got to see it up close.

Lord Chainsaw
08-08-2004, 05:48 AM
I also heard that they couldn't do anything that wasn't in the movie due to copyrights.

Didn't another company already gain the rights to the books by making an SNES Lord of the Rings game? I vaguely remember playing that game a long time ago. It was really crappy of course, and I got killed by some dog as soon as I started.

TheAbominatrix
08-08-2004, 05:51 AM
If it's not in the movie, it will not be in the game. That's straight from the horse's mouth. They have to base it on the LotR world that Peter Jackson 'made', because another company owns the rights to the books. So, people like Tom Bombadil, who were only in the books, will not be in the games.

KeeperX
08-08-2004, 10:20 AM
EA has the rights to everything that New Line Cinema created. Anything that has been simply in the books belongs to Vivendi Universal. It sucks for the 'hardcore' LotR fans.

-John

Doc Nach
08-09-2004, 05:35 AM
I share a similar feel about this game as Abominatrix. Yes, the game feels very much like FFX, but I had a lot of fun running around in the game. I didn't really play through FFX very much though, so this game isn't as familiar with me as some gamers that played the crap out of FFX.

I would have prefered a more unique feel to the game though. It's really hard to say a whole lot since we only had a couple of hours on it, but overall I did enjoy playing it.

They still have a lot of work to do, but they have time.