Games

Best of 2009 | 08 |07 | 06 | 05
Advanced Search

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The

EMAIL PRINT pc

8.4 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 40 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 132 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >

Game Info

Publisher: Midway

Developer: Turbine

Genre(s): Massively-Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game

Players: Thousands

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: April 24, 2007

Summary

The only massively-multiplayer role-playing game set in J.R.R. Tokien's Middle-earth. Travel with your Fellowship in the fight against the forces of Sauron. Across the wide lands of Middle-earth, the Free Peoples must face the threatening Shadow growing in the East. All of Mordor is stirring as Sauron dispatches the NazgÃ»l to hunt for the Ring. The rumor of war brings forth many eager adventurers who will find their place among the great events of the Third Age. High deeds call to the willing, for their time is at hand. Hundreds of thousands of people will enter the perpetual world of Middle-earth for the very first time. Prepare yourself to choose a path amongst the likes of Elves, Dwarves, and Humans. Will you choose to fight for the things that bring peace to the land or will you add to the corruption of Middle-earth as the forces of Sauron move swiftly to extinguish all that is good? [Turbine]

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Worth Playing

Probably the biggest question about LotRO is, "Does LotRO have the potential to surpass World of Warcraft?" The answer is yes.

Read Full Review >

Gaming Illustrated

There’s a fantastic community of players online that are willing to help newbies, as well as plenty of sites with huge databases full of information if you get stuck.

Read Full Review >

Gamer's Hell

From the lush visuals and sound, to the solid, stable gameplay mechanics, to the way in which Tolkien's world was so faithfully and respectfully brought to the PC, this is a quality experience.

Read Full Review >

Computer and Video Games

With Turbine's long-standing MMORPG expertise powering proceedings and one of the most welcoming communities in gaming, LOTRO presents a stunning and evocative world of Tolkien magic to explore - if you're any kind of fan, it would seem pretty much an essential purchase.

Read Full Review >

Eurogamer

It's absolutely no exaggeration to say that this is far and away the best game for anyone who hasn't played an MMOG before to cut their teeth on. Even more than the familiar universe, the excellent interface and gameplay design Turbine have crafted turn this into an experience which those who have previously avoided the lure of MMOs will find tough to resist.

Read Full Review >

Games Radar (in-house)

Lord of the Rings Online is already huge, deep, enormously entertaining, and brimming with secrets to uncover, and with the first free content update already announced for June, should only improve with time.

Read Full Review >

AceGamez

It's a game that lovingly recreates its source material with a passion than fans of Tolkien's works will be very pleased with, but most importantly it's a game that's easily accessible and fun to play, which was always the one thing that made WoW triumph over all those that had come before it.

Read Full Review >

GameSpy

That The Lord of the Rings Online could whether the storm of player expectations and its development troubles and still be a decent game is an achievement in itself. That it could go through all that and come out the other side as an exceptional entry into the genre is nothing short of miraculous.

Read Full Review >

GameDaily

An innovative traits and title system, unique social-networking -- like an in-game music system and player-driven Wiki -- and the rich storylines and subplots that stay true to the source material easily make this name-brand role-player a hot contender for PC game of the year.

Read Full Review >

GameZone

There is a sense of joy, being a Tolkien fan, that permeates the game when you realize that Turbine has done a very good job i[n] realizing the world and allowing players to be a part of it

Read Full Review >

Strategy Informer

The deed system is so simple yet so great; it’s a real surprise it hasn’t been included much before.

Read Full Review >

1UP

The fidelity to the source material is such that you can literally navigate the world using those maps printed in your dog-eared paperback copy of "The Fellowship of the Ring."

Read Full Review >

Game Chronicles

Like the book it was based on, The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar is poised to become an enduring classic in its own right.

Read Full Review >

2404.org

It’s a solid and even polished game, and while it’s quite possible the small world and limited scope of the quests won’t give it much staying power, the strength of Tolkien’s world should keep a steady stream of players coming in, to at least spend four months or so enjoying this version of Middle Earth.

Read Full Review >

games(TM)

This overall approach to MMORPGs is far more social and interesting than anything that has preceded it. [July 2007, p.104]

PALGN

If, however, you're new to MMORPGs, found World of Warcraft too generic and boring, or found that it required too much time investment, you could do far worse than giving Lord of the Rings Online a shot.

Read Full Review >

Pelit (Finland)

A solid fantasy MMORPG that looks good, plays well and is faithful to Tolkien’s work. It could have broken out of the traditional EverQuest format a bit more, but even now it is one of the best games the genre has seen in recent years. [June 2007]

Boomtown

Special praise also has to be dealt to Turbine for creating an MMO that managed to ship in a fairly completed state, and with stability issues kept to a minimum.

Read Full Review >

Games Master UK

It's in-depth, it's authentic. It's great with mates and it's got orcs in it. [July 2007, p.82]

GamerNode

The best MMO launch experience I've had since the days of Ultima Online.

Read Full Review >

PC Zone UK

Best Tolkien game, beyond a shadow of a doubt. [July 2007, p.66]

IGN

Powerful story elements, fellowship conjunction attacks, and superb audio-visual elements are merged with numerous small-scale interface enhancements that make it nearly impossible to dislike this one.

Read Full Review >

GameTrailers

MMORPGs are often frowned upon for their stagnant conventions, but the tweaks that LOTRO offer to these modes are streamlined enough to make the process as easy, and fun, as possible.

Read Full Review >

GamePro

Despite playing similarly, LOTRO is not "WoW," and that's perfectly fine. If you are into LOTR, you'll probably find this a more engaging experience than other fantasy MMOs because of the meatiness of Tolkien's Middle Earth.

Read Full Review >

Game Informer

Huge chunks of LOTRO’s design are culled entirely from the "WoW" playbook, but that’s generally for the best.

Read Full Review >

Gamers' Temple

The online version of Middle-Earth is certainly worth a visit, especially if you count yourself among the legions of Tolkien fans out there.

Read Full Review >

Computer Games Online RO

At any rate, Lord of the Rings only manages to successfully hold its own when compared with World of Warcraft, and that’s most certainly quite an achievement.

Read Full Review >

GamingTrend

There's a lot of quests in the game. A lot. In the first ten to fifteen levels alone, you're likely to do 50-100 quests, if not much more. While the game seems to have only a small number of areas available at launch, each area is quite large, and there's a fair amount to do in each area as you progress to level 50.

Read Full Review >

The Onion (A.V. Club)

Online games are always a moving target, so take this warm first impression with a grain of salt.

Read Full Review >

GameSpot

That The Lord of the Rings Online is such an accessible experience is bound to draw comparisons to the genre's leading title, but that it's so enjoyable to play is a testament to its great design. Its inventive aspects are peripheral, but they are there, and combined with slick and engaging questing, the package makes for plenty of appealing exploration.

Read Full Review >

Jolt Online Gaming UK

With very little in the way of downtime and a seemingly endless stream of things to do and new things to see, the future is looking very bright.

Read Full Review >

GameShark

The character models themselves are largely devoid of character. There’s not a ton of detail to faces and the models themselves often come off rigid and too similar to each other.

Read Full Review >

Gaming Age

Quest progression is fantastic, the presentation is top notch, and there's plenty of side stuff to distract you from the main game if you so choose.

Read Full Review >

G4 TV

Its launch was technically sound, its production values are top-notch, and its focus on narrative is refreshing.

Read Full Review >

PC Gamer

But, overall, Lord of the Rings Online serves as proof that a major license can inspire an excellent MMO that immerses you in a beloved setting. [Aug 2007, p.58]

Yahoo! Games

As unimportant as it sounds, you don't look for a group - you look for a Fellowship. This isn't so much a change of game mechanics as it is a change in attitude. It's a reminder that LOTRO isn't just a game: it's a world and a story that both players and developers truly care about. Maybe that's a small step toward a more respectful player culture, but it's still a welcome one.

Read Full Review >

PC Gamer UK

This is a game which takes absolutely no risks, as much Middle-of-the-Road as Middle-Earth...You won't be surprised. You will, almost certainly, be entertained. [June 2007, p.70]

Game Revolution

The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar isn’t the best MMORPG I’ve ever played, but I’ve played that one to death. With strong classes, tons of content, and some imaginative little features, this game is worth a trip to Mount Doom. Or at least the toy store.

Read Full Review >

WHAM! Gaming

Despite its literary background, “Shadows of Angmar” doesn’t rewrite the rules for massively multiplayer online games and instead sticks to the same safe, proven formula. It does, however, deliver a rich world that stays mostly true to Tolkien’s vision. [Associated Press]

Read Full Review >

PC Format

The most perverse thing though is that the most enjoyable moments have little to do with Tokien or his wonderfully overactive imagination; it's much more to do with Turbine's ability to knock out a compelling MMO experience. [June 2007, p.56]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.4 (out of 10) based on 132 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Nick J gave it a9:
I have played several MMOs before: Guild Wars, World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online...Hell, even RuneScape. I'd have to say that LotRO is my absolute favourite of all MMOs. It is streamlined, epic, and boasts an amazing amount of polish and balance. Not only that, but this is the original fantasy world, not some sort of D&D-ish knockoff. I think honestly, Tolkein would be proud at how much they stuck to the books while giving everyone a lot of freedom to do whatever they wanted. But then again, I'm not a fanboy, so I'm sure someone will come along eventually and tell me everything that Turbine messed up. However, as far as I can tell, it's extraordinarily accurate, and a hell of a lot of fun. Try the trial, you won't be disappointed if you like MMOs.

Linneus A. gave it a10:
I have been with this game since the first beta and it has never given me any reason to quit. The content is amazing, the graphics are second to none (my huge supply of screenshots will testify to that) and the community is helpful, friendly and mature in most ways. The game is stable, updated with free content regularly and follows as close as possible the beloved world created by Tolkien from my earliest readings as a child. I can't see myself leaving this MMO any time soon.

dean gave it a10:
Awesome, lord of the rings-online- what more can you ask for, its a crsoo between guildwars and wow, not taking itself too serious in raiding whilst keeping an rpg feel reg questing, the community is not childish like wow and the graphics are cool, if you got a decent spec pc pvp isnt the best but im not a fan of that i prefer p v e myself if you wanna raid all day pick wow if you dont then its an essential purchase, the crafting is cool too, the fact that you can craft items nearly on par with raid reward items- overall if you dont have a decent pc, are less mature than a 2 year old and like raiding 24/7 pick wow- however if youve got more taste then pick this wow beater.

Joseph C. gave it a9:
I was skeptical at first, when i saw the game used at least 96% WoW UI and features. I played the trial to see how it was and it was 100% better than WoW. The players are on a much more mature level (there are a few annoying people on it though) where in WoW, its mostly 10-13 year olds. The crafting is much more organized and it is much more balanced class-wise, every class has a major weakness and strength. Races are much more detailed attribute-wise, such as men will have better "Fate" because of Tolkiens story-line, they will also have less "Will". The PvP is very disappointing, the map is very VERY large and it's fairly unorganized. There are less server selection which makes you be able to play with more players. The graphics are excellent but can get a little laggy in some places. Great game, if you wan't PvP/PvE play WoW, want PvE play LOTRO, want PvP play EVE-online.

[Anonymous] gave it a9:
Great game. If i had one complaint it would be that the first few levels are not much fun, which may put off some players. I wish you wouldn't have to run through a linear instance each time you created a new character. Otherwise the graphics, artistic design, gameplay, sound and music are all top notch. If you are sick of WoW give this game a try you may like it.

Giancarlo F. gave it a9:
Awesome game. It looks great, it's got enough content to keep you busy for ages, and the idea that the game will eventually be updated to include much of Middle-Earth makes me tingle in my special place. This game is a must for any Lord of the Rings fan.

Daryl L. gave it a9:
The most appealing point to the game is the fact that it is Lord of the Rings! Fan of the books or the films there is no better experience than being able to part of the storyline and be in middle-earth. The game looks stunning, The Shire, Rivendell look just as you would imagine if not better.

Games

Sony

Microsoft

Nintendo

Other Platforms

Upcoming &Recent Releases

Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, The

Game Info

Summary

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

Upcoming &
Recent Releases