Metascore
85 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 24
  2. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. 87
    What is surprising is how much better Turbine has managed to make it this time around. Moria is wonderfully realized from top to bottom and, though the entry quest requires a bit of a grind, it's a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
  2. The bowels of Middle-earth have no right to be this interesting to investigate, yet Moria's dim passages are a dungeon crawler's delight, surpassing even Shadows of Angmar's charming landscapes for sheer exploratory value.
  3. Mines of Moria is a must-buy expansion for veteran players of the original, but it will not provide a lot of immediate satisfaction for people thinking about picking up both it and the original for the first time.
  4. 90
    In the end, Mines of Moria proves that while innovation is nice, it plays second fiddle to vision.
  5. Moria is an evolutionary expansion in which Turbine has honed what it does best: storytelling, an enjoyable, constantly changing levelling curve, and atmosphere in big, rocky buckets.
  6. 83
    The only thing in Mines of Moria that wholly disappoints is the new "supreme master" tier of item crafting.
  7. Given the amount of fresh and brilliantly executed content Mines of Moria adds to the already-outstanding Lord of the Rings Online, most gamers are likely to find this expansion a satisfying addition to their gaming experience.
  8. Not only a simple add on, especially made for high level players, Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria expands the gameplay of the game, fixing issues and adding new classes and underground reigns.
  9. A quality MMORPG expansion, no doubt about it. With two new classes, a massive new area to explore and the Legendary Weapons system, there's loads for fans to get stuck into.
  10. Never before, it has felt so comfortable and homey being in Middle Earth. The game is able to suggest the very whole and complete LotR-feeling, which will tie you to your computer for a very long time.
  11. The Lord of The Rings Online: Mines of Moria is a complete expansion and not just an attempt to cash in on an existing franchise.
  12. Recreates the black pits of Moria faithfully and is arguably the prettiest rendition of an underground environment ever seen in a video game. A highly recommended expansion for one of the best MMORPG's on the market. [Jan 2009]
  13. Forget the solo play – Moria changes the way you used to play the online Lord of the Rings. As usual you can expect fantastic environments and truly the nicest places ever seen in online gaming. [Feb 2009]
  14. Lord of the Rings was already the second best MMO on the market in terms of quality, and Mines of Moria has done nothing to hurt that claim.
  15. I'd go as far to say LotRO would have perhaps been a better game without the 'O', as it remains one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and the Mines of Moria and all it's hidden depth and majesty only adds to what is an otherwise already superb experience.
  16. One expansion to rule them all. [Jan 2009, p.72]
  17. A High Fantasy MMO for the discerning player, which now has an expansion that, if not quite ruling them all, will keep many in its thrall. [Mar 2009, p.96]
  18. 86
    It's a pity that there is no new PvMP zone but I'm sure it will be added in future expansion packs.
  19. Overall, while there’s nothing to draw in new players, fans of Lord of the Rings Online should find that the Mines of Moria are definitely worth exploring.
  20. As the first paid-for expansion that Turbine have done for LOTRO, Mines of Moria shines. While it's hardly the most revolutionary product ever to be released, what it tries to do it does well.
  21. Sauron is getting closer! The first add-on increases the scale of the game, adds new classes and items and moves the action a bit more to the east. There a few annoyances regarding game balance and small bugs, but they hardly matter because looking for new quests and leveling up is a lot of fun.
  22. As an expansion pack, Mines of Moria is practically perfect. It breathes new life into the Lord of the Rings Online, and if that life is occasionally plagued by deja vu, it's certainly worth the trade off for the new feature set it brings to the table. [February 2009, p.55]
  23. For anyone already enjoying Shadows of Angmar, Mines of Moria is a near-essential purchase. Not only in regard to progressing further through the Lord of the Rings storyline, but in offering a fresh style of play through the new character classes and presenting a lengthy boost to the game's lifespan.
  24. At long last, the story of the Fellowship is continued. The sheer size of the mines, alongside the epic storyline (i.e. the new books), will keep gamers busy until the next add-on hits the shelves. [Issue#17]
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 77 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 24
  3. Negative: 2 out of 24
  1. HakonH
    10
    I have played Lotro since the start, and i still love it. MoM made the gameplay even better with 2 new classes, more instances and a new zone.
  2. Yes there a lot of MMORPGS out there but LOTRO has a unique approach in the quest system, spec requirements and the purchasing currency (turbine points) that me rate this game a perfect 10. LOTRO's quest system includes main story mode and sub quests like NWN and skyrim style is a very effective implementation to a MMORPG game. The quests and deeds are mixed with rewards (turbine points, title , traits) that probably gives excitement to the playing experience because there is a lot to achieve here an its very rewarding that you finished them. Another thing is that the game engine used here is very flexible that even my old dual core laptop with onboard gpu can run this game and at the same time my gaming pc fully utilizes the full graphic quality of this game. If you haven't played it before play it now! Full Review »
  3. This MMO has many fans and I will admit I do like this game, with that being said I do want to point out Leveling up in this game past level 20ish becomes a major grind mostly because free to play players do not have access to many of the quests. and purchasing all the quests in the game can be very expensive, their is a plus to this though because once you by the expansions your other characters have access to them as well. There are 3 tiers to this game F2P - get the fewest perks and over all will most likely be looking for a new game in a few months. Premium players - get a few more perks but only by purchasing some turbine points
    Pay to play players - get the most perks how ever they still need to purchase expansions.

    So you may be thinking to your self Why should I even try yo play this game? First off the story line is very good and well worth going through. All the epic quests that take you through the game is open to all players, side quests are the ones you may have to purchase. While you play you can gain Turbine points that allow you to purchase stuff from the store such as quests that you may want to get however this is a very long and drawn out process.

    The graphics are very good and can be very stunning. Over all this game is great for players that do not mind grinding.
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    Full Review »