Pardon my slight disrespect, but I think you should actually play the game before you pass judgement. However, I must agree that it wouldn't be right calling LotR: TA a FF killer, since no 2 FFs are the same, save for FFX and X-2. You can't actually compare LotR to the FF series; it'd be like comparing 2 minutes of the first Spider-Man movie to the entire second movie. I'll admit, though, that I enjoyed LotR far more than I enjoyed FFX. Everything just played out so well and the dungeons are so emersive. Here's the review I wrote for another site:Originally Posted by pooter7799
I rented this game from Blockbuster yesterday because I can't decide whether to get this or Prince of Persia 2 for Christmas. I had my hopes up for a great RPG, and it delivered. Note that I've only played 5 hours of this game.
The battle system is almost exactly like FFX's(no exaggeration) except for Perfect Mode. Perfect Mode is basically your Overdrive(Limit Break, Trance, etc.) system for LotR. Only problem is that the party shares 1 Perfect Mode bar. Once this bar fills, a new option appears on your battle menu and you get to choose from an array of extremely powerful attacks and really helpful skills. Once you use a Perfect Mode skill, the bar goes back to the halfway mark. Why it does this, I am not certain, but I'm not one to complain. The fact that they shared one meter really disappointed me.
The dungeons in LotR are really immersing and this is where it completely destroys FFX. There are tons of twists and turns in the dungeons leaving you with many secrets to find. There aren't that many battles, which I like, because FFX really dished out battles and they got tedious after the first couple hours.
Another thing the "The Third Age" completely defeats FFX in is the level up system. Not only do you level up(as in your stats go up with each level you gain), but you are also given an extra number of points for you to raise your characters' stats, allowing for a good deal of customization.
Whenever you use a technique, you are rewarded with AP(I forget what it was actually called). Once you get enough AP for the next skill, you learn it. Each character class has their own tech classes. For example, human swordsmen's tech class is called "Leadership" whereas elves have "Spirit Powers".
While FFX was pretty much a walk in the park, The Third Age manages to keep a well-balanced difficulty level. It starts off pretty easy in the beginning, but the difficulty starts to rise later on. You won't be button mashing the Attack command, but instead, you're going to need to actually use your head. It's no longer about using the most powerful attack in this game.
Story-wise, LotR pretty much follows the actual movies' plot. You're actually following in the footsteps of the fellowship and will come across places that they've been to. Nothing really new. The story starts off with a young human walking alone in a forest, when he is attacked by orcs. A female elf saves his life and to repay the elf, the human promises to protect her on her journey.
One thing I really enjoyed about LotR is how Gandalf occasionally fills in gaps in the storyline whenever you complete an important task. It really adds to the mood and the story.
If you're a patient gamer and are really into RPG's, then get this game. I must warn you, though, I have played 4 hours in the first dungeon and I'm still only about 60% through it. This game gets an 8/10.
Note: I just barely touched the water. I have not even begun to describe what else is in the game.
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