The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

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The Lord of the Rings:
War in the North
multiplayer

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a 2011

OS X port was developed and published by Feral Interactive in 2013. It is the first video game based on both J. R. R. Tolkien's 1954 high fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson's film trilogy adaptation released in 2001 (The Fellowship of the Ring), 2002 (The Two Towers) and 2003 (The Return of the King). This is because, until 2009, Vivendi Universal Games, in partnership with Tolkien Enterprises, held the rights to make games based on Tolkien's literary works, whilst Electronic Arts held the rights to make games based on the New Line Cinema films. In 2009, WB Games acquired the rights for both intellectual properties
.

The game contains narrative elements unique to both the novel and the films, although the aesthetic design is based more specifically upon the look of the films, with characters in the game bearing the likenesses of the actors who portrayed them in the films. The game does not directly adapt the story depicted in the novel and films, but instead depicts a trio of adventurers whose quest runs parallel to the main narrative, occasionally intersecting with it. The story follows them as they attempt to track down and defeat a powerful

Rohan and Gondor
.

The game received mixed reviews, with critics praising the graphics and tone, but criticizing the repetitive combat, weak storyline and poor character development. It was also criticized for containing several game-breaking bugs. War in the North was a commercial failure, which some attributed to the timing of its launch among other high-profile releases.

Gameplay

War in the North is an

Elf). When the player begins any level they must choose one of the three to control. However, they can switch at the end of each level, or by loading a previously saved game and selecting a different character. Each character has its own weaponry and abilities. Eradan uses the following combinations of arms: bow, a two-handed sword, a sword and shield or two single-handed weapons. His skill set is built around stealth.[4][5] His abilities allow him to follow the tracks of other Rangers to secret stashes of items and weapons.[6] Farin uses two-handed heavy weapons such as axes, a single-handed weapon and a shield, or a crossbow. His skills are built around melee combat.[7][8] He has the ability to detect fissures and weakness in walls and rocks, smashing them open to find money, items and gems.[6] Andriel uses a staff and a shield, or a staff and a single-handed weapon. Her staff also serves as her long-range weapon. Her skills are built around offensive and defensive spell casting.[8][9] She can also create potions from alchemy ingredients collected in the field, and her special ability allows her to find secret passages marked with hidden elven glyphs.[6]

health
, magic and character level are at the bottom left.

All characters have a light and a heavy attack, and all three can roll, block and sprint.

Great Eagle to aid them. The eagle can target a single foe for a large amount of damage. However, the player is limited in the number of times they can summon him, and he can be summoned only when the player is in an outdoors location.[13]

The game also features

combo chain. When the chain is sufficiently long, the players enter "Hero Mode," which results in much stronger attacks.[15] To build up the combo chain, the player must continuously land successful attacks without being hit. Single-player games also include a hero mode, although it is limited to the player character; the AI allies do not enter hero mode.[16]

Characters gain

quests. A character will level up when enough experience points have been gained. Once a character has leveled up, they get three points to spend on their stats (strength, will, stamina and dexterity), and one skill point to use in their skill tree. Players' skills are attached to their melee weapon, their long range weapon and their defensive stance; i.e. some skills are only available during melee combat, some during long-range combat and some when the player is blocking.[17]

The game features two unlockable difficulty modes. When the player first plays the game, they can play on either "easy" or "normal." Once normal has been defeated, "Heroic" mode is unlocked. If this mode is defeated, "Legendary" mode becomes available. Playing through harder difficulties takes the form of a New Game Plus; the characters keep equipment, money, updated stats and unlocked skills from all previous playthroughs.[18]

Synopsis

Background

See also:
"Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age", and Tolkien's legendarium

The game is presented against the background of the history of the

Three Rings, which Celebrimbor had forged without Sauron's aid. Sauron waged war on the elves, conquering much of Middle-earth and killing Celebrimbor. Thus began the Dark Years, when Sauron took possession of the remaining sixteen Rings, giving seven to the dwarves and nine to men in an effort to corrupt them. The dwarves proved relatively immune to the powers of the Rings, acquiring only a greed for gold, and becoming unconcerned with events in the wider world. Men proved less resilient, and the nine kings given the Rings become the nine Ring-wraiths, or Nazgûl, led by the Witch-king of Angmar
.

In his ongoing efforts to conquer Middle-earth, Sauron regained the allegiance of many of Morgoth's servants from the

Anduin for over two thousand years.[19]

Meanwhile, during the

Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck managed to escape the Shire and head towards Bree
.

Plot

"Of the great

Rohan alone, and his forces might have done great evil in the North of Middle-earth had a handful of heroes not stood in his path. Their stories too, deserve to be told. Pay heed now to one such tale, which begins in the town of Bree
, just a few short days before Frodo arrived on his quest."

— opening narration

The game begins with Eradan (voiced by

orcs are forming an army in the ruins of Fornost,[24] as per Sauron's command. Aragorn explains that a Hobbit with a "great burden" is on his way to Bree, and if the enemy take the object from him, it will mean certain doom for the Free peoples of Middle-earth. As such, he asks the trio to distract the orcs at Fornost.[25]

In Fornost, the trio rescue a

Gwaihir, they tell him of Agandaûr, and he offers to help. They then encounter Elladan and Elrohir (Liam O'Brien), the sons of Elrond, who they also tell of Agandaûr and their mission to distract him. The twins, however, suggest they may be able to destroy Agandaûr. In the citadel at the center of the ruins, the group fight their way to the top, where they face Agandaûr, who leaps from the roof onto a waiting Fell-beast. Unable to predict Agandaûr's next move, each of the group elects to return to their respective superiors; Beleram to Gwaihir in the Misty Mountains, Elladan and Elrohir to Elrond in Rivendell,[26]
and the trio to their captain, Halbarad, at Sarn Ford.

Halbarad (

trolls.[30]

The trio head to investigate the Ettenmoors, where they again encounter Beleram, who tells them the orcs and trolls in the region have formed an army under a

Mount Gundabad orcs operating in the Ettenmoors.[32]

The eagles drop the trio near Gundabad, and as they climb, they see a massive army of orcs gathering in the valley. Once inside the fortress, they find the bodies of many dwarfs, with a dying dwarf telling them a group of dwarves came to Gundabad to activate a secret weapon with which to destroy the orc army. He tells them that Nordri has the key with which to operate the weapon, and is still alive within the chambers. The trio locate Nordri (

Dragon
who lives nearby. The trio volunteer to approach Úrgost and find out.

They learn that Úrgost (

Angmar,[34]
which is currently occupied by Agandaûr. Úrgost does not wish to make an enemy of Sauron by taking the fortress from Sauron's ally. He proposes the trio take the fortress instead and turn it over to him. In return, he will remain neutral in the war. He also tells them if they wish to save Nordinbad, they should hurry, as it is under siege as they speak.

They head back to find Bruni has been killed, with Nordri coordinating the defenses. The eagles attack the siege towers, whilst the trio help defend the courtyard. Nordinbad is successfully defended, although Baranthor and Armenel are killed, and Beleram is seriously wounded. The dwarves take Beleram inside to tend to his injuries as the trio head to Carn Dûm to face Agandaûr. They fight their way towards the summit, but are attacked by a fell-beast. Suddenly, Beleram appears, killing the beast. Still injured, he tells them he will be there for them should they need him in the fight against Agandaûr. They confront Agandaûr and as they fight, Beleram attacks, lifting Agandaûr into the air. However, Agandaûr is able to stab and kill him. The distraction, however, allows the trio to strike, killing Agandaûr. As he dies, he calls on Sauron for aid. However, nothing happens. Úrgost then arrives, telling the trio that Sauron has been defeated and the Ring destroyed. He takes possession of Carn Dûm as the trio begin the journey back to Rivendell.

In an alternative ending, in which the player does not call on Beleram for support during the fight with Agandaûr, Beleram survives and joins them on the journey home.

Development

"Snowblind has been making action RPGs for a very long time, and this is the culmination of everything we're been leading to. This is the game that Lord of the Rings fans have been waiting for."

— Larry Paolicelli; executive producer.[35]

The game was first announced on March 18, 2010 when

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment revealed Snowblind Studios were developing the game for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows. In March 2009, Warner had acquired the rights to make games based on the film series from Electronic Arts,[36] and in May 2009 they had acquired the rights to make games based on the literary series from Vivendi Universal Games.[37] With Warner holding the rights to both intellectual properties, it meant New Line Cinema and Middle-earth Enterprises were both involved in the game. War in the North was the second Warner Lord of the Rings game, after Aragorn's Quest, but the first for which they possessed the rights for both the films and the books (Aragorn's Quest was based exclusively on the films).[38][39]

In their earliest press release for the game, Warner said War in the North would feature "unseen lands, story elements, and characters from Middle-earth, as well as elements familiar from past feature films."[40] Producer Ruth Tomandl explained,

Having both the rights to the films and the books has definitely allowed us to take the approach we want. We're not restricted to just what was shown in the films and can work with the entire background of the world as revealed in the books. We really wanted to use the opportunity to go to new areas of Middle-earth that players haven't seen before and to tell a new story. Everything in our story is based directly on the books, which have tons of detail and history to draw from, and we're very careful that all of our work fits within the lore.[38]

At the

E3 event in 2011
, she reiterated,

We were able to draw from the books and films to create a story that ties into the story that people know while still being really new. So we have a lot of new characters and locations, but they all thread into the

War of the Ring, and all the Lord of the Rings stuff that people know. You're meeting characters that you're familiar with as well as brand new characters and some characters from the books that you might know of that weren't in the films, so we really get the best of all possible worlds. We're in Middle-earth, which is the best fantasy world, drawing from all the sources and creating something really new that players are going to be excited about.[41]

More specifically, War in the North was inspired by Gandalf's comment in The Return of the King that the efforts in the east of Middle-earth during the War of the Ring would have been futile if not for the contributions of "a few heroes in the North."[15] Tomandl explains,

At the end of The Return of the King, Gandalf mentions a great battle that took place in

Mt. Gundabad, and that the Witch-king of Angmar had once ruled a large part of the North, so we're using that canon as the foundation of our story.[42][a]

"You could point to the game's locations on a map of Middle-earth; in fact, we're using the same map that was used in the film as the basis for our world map. Everything in War in the North that wasn't in the films is based on information from the books; we've been careful to stay as close to the canon as we can. Our writer is a Lord of the Rings expert and a huge J.R.R. Tolkien fan, and he makes sure that everything we do works within the framework of the books. We also work closely with the license holders to make sure we're accurate to the lore."

— Ruth Tomandl; producer.[42]

One of the ways in which the involvement of Middle-earth Enterprises manifested itself was in how conversations are handled in the game. When the player speaks to an NPC, the game uses a system similar to Mass Effect, with the player given several response options from which to choose each time the NPC says something. However, whereas in Mass Effect, there was a moral dimension in choosing a given response, that would affect the development of the character, there is no such aspect in War in the North. Players can choose dialogue that will simply move the story forward, or dialogue that will fill in background information and expand the lore behind the game.[43] Snowblind had initially planned to give players the option to choose rude responses and thus develop their character in different moral directions. However, Middle-earth Enterprises were against this, arguing that in Tolkien, the heroes are always decent, kind people. As such, the developers abandoned the idea. According to Tomandl, "we've been working with the license holders to ensure that this really respects the franchise in a way they want it to, and one of the things they told us is that they want our heroes to be good guys."[6]

The game was conceived as primarily a co-op from its inception,[44] with the developers feeling that co-operation amongst traditionally antagonistic races is such a major theme in the novels, they wanted to replicate it in the game.[42] Having experimented with two, three and four-player co-op, they ultimately decided to go with three-player, thus mirroring the classic triptych in the novels; Man (Aragorn), Elf (Legolas) and Dwarf (Gimli).[6] Lead designer Andre Maguire explained that how players experienced co-op mode was equally as important as them simply playing it;

The tendency is to be competitive with your allies, but we really wanted to team to feel like they were constantly working together, so incentivizing that through the XP system, and making sure that as you’re upgrading your character, it’s complimentary [sic] with what’s going on with the other characters. That took a lot of time to get right, and we were iterating it on it right up to the end.[44]

However, according to Tomandl, the focus on co-op gameplay did not mean single-player mode was neglected;

Snowblind Studios has a long history of great co-op action RPGs, and The Lord of the Rings is the perfect match for that kind of game. We want to make a game that's fun to play with your friends on the couch, so you can experience more of Middle-earth together. The co-op is a blast, and the AI allies that take over in single-player are pretty smart, so all the work we're doing to make the co-op great will directly translate to single-player as well. The story of The Lord of the Rings really emphasizes how important it is to have allies you can trust, work with, and rely on, especially during wartime. So working as part of your own fellowship helps tie the gameplay back into the overall narrative.[38]

War in the North is the first Lord of the Rings game to be rated

PEGI 18 in Europe, and BBFC 15 in the UK.[45] Snowblind Studios founder Ryan Geithman stated that having the game M-rated allowed the developers to depict a grittier and more violent Middle-earth than had ever before been seen in a video game,[46] whilst remaining authentic to both the films and Tolkien's original work.[35]

The game was first shown at

Xbox Live or Steam.[39] The game was next shown at E3 in June 2011, when Beleram was revealed for the first time, a demo was shown of the Fornost level and character skills were demonstrated in detail.[48] On August 2, WB Games announced the game would be released in North America on November 1 for all platforms.[2]

Collector's Edition

On July 5, 2011, WB Games announced a Collector's Edition of the game would be released alongside the regular edition, as well as a number of store-specific

Osgiliath challenge mission; for Target, online access to three tracks from the soundtrack; for Toys "R" Us, a limited edition War in the North poster signed by Jim Lee, and early access to the War in the North digital comic; and for Walmart, a "Dwarf Theme Pack," giving the player access to rare Dwarven equipment.[49][50]

Reception

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North received "mixed or average reviews" across all systems; the PC version holds an aggregate score of 66 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on twenty-five reviews;[51] the PlayStation 3 version 63 out of 100, based on thirty-five reviews;[52] the Xbox 360 version 61 out of 100, based on thirty-eight reviews.[53]

Official Xbox Magazine's Cameron Lewis scored the game 7.5 out of 10. Although he was critical of the lack of differentiation between the three protagonists, the shallow pool of enemies and the linear nature of the gameplay, he concluded "War in the North is hardly the most memorable adventure through Middle-earth, but you won't regret any of the time you spend fighting across its grim battlegrounds."[65]

IGN's Steven Hopper scored the game 7 out of 10, writing "there's something too safe in War in the North. The gameplay doesn't take any real risks, as the combat is fairly simple, the RPG features are par for the course, and the story doesn't make any attempt to stand out in the backdrop of its established universe." He was critical of the bland characters and the "inconsequential conversation system," and concluded "while it's admirable that the team had opted to create an original story set alongside the events in the books, you'll wish that they had attempted to take more risks with the project. The characters are bland and lifeless, and the combat, while fun at first, gets pretty repetitive before too long."[61] In November 2011, IGN rated the game the fourth most disappointing release of 2011.[67]

Game Revolution's Josh Laddin scored it a B−. He too criticized the bland characterization. Of the combat system he wrote "there isn't anything especially innovative about it, but it's all solid." He was also heavily critical of game-breaking bugs. He concluded "War in the North is a good choice for some classic action-RPG fun. It isn't amazing, but it's a competent effort and certainly one of the better LotR games to come along.[56]

GameSpot's Carolyn Petit scored both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions 6 out of 10. Although she praised the graphics, she was critical of the collision detection, the autosave feature, enemy AI and technical issues with multiplayer. She concluded "there are times when War in the North shows you the game it could have been [...] But each time the game starts to hit its stride, it soon stumbles and falls on its face."[57][58]

GameSpy's Leif Johnson scored the PC version 3 out of 5 arguing "it never overcomes a sense of enjoyable mediocrity." He felt the game was unlikely to be a success due to the timing of its release; amidst such highly anticipated title as Dark Souls, Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, Batman: Arkham City, Uncharted 3 and Skyrim. He concluded "Unless you're a Tolkien die-hard, you'll probably be better off waiting a week for the next fantasy-based game featuring a struggle in the snow-riddled northern reaches of the world [...] At its core, War in the North isn't a bad game; it's merely a disappointing one."[62]

Game Informer's Joe Juba scored the PlayStation 3 version 5.5 out of 10, calling it "clumsy and unpolished." He too complained about game breaking bugs, and concluded "I can only say one good thing about War in the North: It could have been awesome. The conceptual framework is solid, and with some extensive tuning and polish, it would be fun to play."[55]

Eurogamer's Jeffrey Matulef scored the Xbox 360 version 4 out of 10. He called the narrative "merely a catalyst for a linear dungeon crawler." As with several reviewers, he also found the game suffered from bugs, calling it "a glitchy mess." He concluded, "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a soulless cash-in that has little to do with its license, and nor is it much fun in its own right. If you're lucky enough to not encounter any game-breaking bugs and if you have a friend or two to play with, then it can be pretty entertaining for a few hours. But that's a lot of "ifs" for so little payoff."[54]

PlayStation Official Magazine - UK's Joel Gregory also scored it 4 out of 10. He too found the timing of the release poor, believing it would not find an audience. He criticized the lack of differentiation between the characters, poor character development, repetitive combat, and "half-arsed" skill-trees. Of the story, he wrote "it basically goes like this: 'remember all the stuff from those films and books you love so much? Here's some other really crucial stuff that happened at the same time...only it wasn't important enough for anyone to mention during those 1,500 pages'."[64]

Sales

The game was a commercial failure, selling just over three-quarter million units worldwide at its launch across all platforms. In the UK, it charted at #38 in its opening week.[68]

Notes

  1. Eriador, night in Rivendell. There might be no Queen
    in Gondor. We might now hope to return from the victory here only to ruin and ash. But that has been averted."

References

  1. ^ "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North". Eurogamer. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Makuch, Eddie (August 2, 2011). "LOTR: War in the North begins November 1". GameSpot. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  3. ^ "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - A new fellowship arrives on the Mac". September 18, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  4. Rangers
    of the North, secret protectors of the lands once ruled by their ancestors. The life of a Ranger is a hard one; to survive he has mastered many skills. Always outnumbered, he has learned evasion tactics, allowing him to take enemies by surprise or to escape from a tight spot. Eradan is a master archer, able to bring down foes from afar. And when stealth and archery are of no avail, he is more than capable with weapon and shield, dual-weapons or two-handed swords.
  5. WB Games
    . 2011. p. 25. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Lord of the Rings: War in the North - A co-op action game worth playing?". Computer and Video Games. March 15, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  7. Dwarf realm of Erebor
    . From his first taste of war at the Battle of Five Armies, he has been one of the foremost defenders of his homeland. A true son of a warlike race, Farin is skilled in the use of all melee weapons and adept with a crossbow as well. While he strikes punishing blows, his greatest strength lies in his ability to endure harm. In battle, Farin is an unyielding rock upon which waves of enemies break. The sound of his fierce war-cry bolsters his allies, even as it strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies.
  8. ^
    WB Games
    . 2011. p. 24. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  9. Elven Loremaster of Rivendell, schooled in ancient wisdom by Elrond
    himself; yet she is no meek scholar. In her hands a simple staff becomes a deadly weapon, not only because she wields it with Elven-skill, but also because she can use it to focus her power, striking down enemies near and far. But as capable as she is in combat, Andriel's true strength lies in her power to preserve and protect her allies, and with her arts she can create shields of light which heal and restore those within.
  10. WB Games
    . 2011. p. 17. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  11. WB Games
    . 2011. p. 18. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  12. WB Games
    . 2011. p. 20. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  13. WB Games
    . 2011. p. 21. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  14. WB Games
    . 2011. p. 5. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  15. ^ a b Richardson, Ben (March 10, 2011). "GDC 11 – War in the North Hands-on". GameFront. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  16. WB Games
    . 2011. p. 19. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  17. WB Games
    . 2011. pp. 18–19. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  18. WB Games
    . 2011. p. 13. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  19. Mount Doom
    , near at hand, but he would not heed me. / Farin: Why didn't Isildur wish it destroyed? It was made by the Enemy, he must have known it would only lead to trouble. / Gandalf: The Ring has a power over the minds of all who come into contact with it, filling them with a desire to claim it as their own. This temptation is all the greater for those who already possess a measure of their own power. Isildur was a mighty lord and the lure of the Ring was more than he could resist. / Elrond: He would not suffer the Ring to be destroyed, thinking perhaps that he could use its power for the good of Middle-earth. Yet it is a work of the Enemy and in the end, it corrupts all who possess it. / Farin: So Isildur was corrupted by the power of the Ring? / Aragorn: He would have been. But it happened that he was slain in an ambush while travelling with only a few retainers. In this, the malignant power of the Ring was at work. / Gandalf: Yes, the Ring betrayed him to his death and was lost, passing out of all knowledge for many long years.
  20. The Shire: The Shire is the homeland of the Hobbits
    , but it was once part of the Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor. The land was given to the Hobbits some 1400 years past and they made it their own after the kingdom of Men fell to ruin. The Hobbits of the Shire are isolated from the rest of the world and prefer it that way. They are left in peace for the most part, thanks to the constant vigilance of the Rangers.
  21. Prancing Pony
    .
  22. Baranduin
    , which the Hobbits call the Brandywine. Sarn Ford is a stony, shallow crossing of the river along the southern road that leads from the Shire to the lands beyond. As a main entry point to the Shire, Sarn Ford was strongly guarded by the Rangers who maintained a secret watch over that land. Yet even they could not resist the combined power of the Nine Nazgûl.
  23. Black Númenóreans
    . Their hatred for the Dúnedain is very great, and no less so for the Elves. This Agandaûr may prove a foe as deadly as the Black Riders.
  24. WB Games. Level/area: Bree. Aragorn: Fornost was once a great city, the capital of the Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor. It fell to the Witch-king long ago. The men of Gondor
    and the Elves formed an alliance that drove the Witch-king out, but Fornost was never rebuilt. The ruins remain a place of dread for many. The men of Bree call it Deadman's Dike and fear to go near.
  25. WB Games
    . Level/area: Bree. Aragorn: There is a Hobbit of the Shire who should be coming this way with...a great burden. If it falls into the hands of the enemy, it will mean doom for us all. Now this Hobbit is adrift on the road with enemies all around. I must find him before they do, and I need you to help me keep him safe. / Eradan: You are my chieftain. I will gladly do whatever you command. / Farin: Aye. I'm a part of this now as well. / Andriel: Then we three are all of one mind. How can we aid you? / Aragorn: We must reduce the threat from the enemies gathering at Fornost. Travel there, and do whatever you can to keep the enemy's eye turned toward you and away from the Shire.
  26. WB Games
    . Level/area: Map. Rivendell: Called Imladris by the Elves, the refuge of Rivendell is nestled in the foothills of the Misty Mountains. It was founded by Elrond Halfelven after the destruction of the Elf-kingdom of Eregion during the War of the Elves and Sauron. It has served as a haven for Elves and other folk of goodwill for nearly 5000 years.
  27. Barrow-downs
    are filled with ancient tombs. What do you know of them elf? / Andriel: These tombs were made by the Fathers of Men in the depths of time. They were sacred to the men of Arnor, and they too buried their dead here until their kingdom fell to the Witch-king. / Eradan: These hills have an evil reputation in the folklore of the Shire and Bree, but Rangers travel here often without incident. Still, I feel a sense of...unease. We must stay alert.
  28. WB Games. Level/area: Map. The Barrow-downs: These hills were, for many ages, the burial place of Men, especially the Dúnedain of the lost kingdoms of Cardolan and Arthedain. During their war with the Witch-king, the men of Cardolan took refuge here, hiding amongst the hills and tombs. The Witch-king responded by sending the evil spirits known as wights
    to inhabit the tombs. With the fall of the Witch-king, the wights seemed to disappear, but they are still remembered in dark legends.
  29. WB Games. Level/area: Rivendell, Part 1. Gandalf: After lying lost and forgotten for centuries, Sauron's Ring has once again been found. / Andriel: Do you mean to say the Halfling Aragorn rescued has come into possession of the Dark Lord's Ring? / Farin: It's a mighty good thing we managed to get it here safely. What will become of it? / Elrond: There is no safe resting place for the Ring, not even here in Imladris. It is a danger to all who come near to it. There is only one course left to us; the Ring must be destroyed. / Gandalf: To do so, the Ring will need to be cast into the same fires from which it was forged, those of Mount Doom, in the land of Mordor. The Hobbit, Frodo Baggins
    , has agreed to take it there.
  30. Trolls
    . Understandably, this region sees few visitors.
  31. Orcs
    and trolls. Bargrisar is a threat to all. The sooner he is destroyed, the safer we shall be.
  32. Grey Mountains
    . In the distant past, Gundabad was a great mansion of the Dwarves, but it has been in the hands of the Orcs for many centuries. Gundabad was sacked by the Dwarves during the War of the Dwarves and Orcs some 200 years ago, but the Orcs soon returned.
  33. Rhovanion
    now.
  34. Angmar
    . From this mountain fortress, the Witch-king waged a relentless war against the Dúnedain kingdom of Arnor. After his defeat the fortress lay abandoned, but now it seems Carn Dûm has once again become home to the servants of Sauron.
  35. ^ a b "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Behind the Scenes With Snowblind: Blood and Steel". GameSpot. March 31, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  36. ^ Thorsen, Tor (March 12, 2009). "Report: Warner Bros. lording over Rings IP". GameSpot. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  37. ^ "Warner Bros. on lording over Lord of the Rings". GameSpot. May 28, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  38. ^ a b c "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Q&A". GameSpot. January 31, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  39. ^ a b Varanini, Giancarlo (March 9, 2011). "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Hands-On Preview". GameSpot. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  40. ^ Thorsen, Tor (March 18, 2010). "Lord of the Rings co-opting new action RPG". GameSpot. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  41. ^ "E3 2011: Lord of the Rings: War in the North Booth Interview". GameSpot. June 8, 2011. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  42. ^ a b c Onyett, Charles (November 27, 2010). "The Lord of the Rings Meets Diablo". IGN. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  43. ^ Torres, Ricardo (June 10, 2010). "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North First Impressions". GameSpot. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  44. ^
    Gamasutra
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External links

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