Lord of the Rings: Conquest

[tsukaesugi]

Anyone else download the demo for Lord of the Rings: Conquest?

I was very hyped when I heard a new LOTR game was coming out from Pandemic. I loved both Battlefront games, and I've always loved Tolkien (I just finished reading "The Children of Hurin"), so I thought this would be a match made in heaven.

So after downloading and playing the demo I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping the game would retain both the simplicity of the BF series, as well as the quiet simplicity of Tolkien's Middle Earth. Instead it seemed to me to be an overcomplicated, generic fantasy brawler.

Each character had four or more special attacks, which you could access by pressing various combinations of (on the Xbox 360) LB, the triggers, and the X, Y, A, B buttons. So already it was way more complicated then BF. Plus each of these special attacks were "magical" which meant that regular footsoldiers are throwing around more magic in one battle then Gandalf did in the whole series. The "scouts" are what really did it for me though - they're more like ninja-elves than scouts - they can cloak themselves and enter stealth mode, and then sneak up behind people and take them out Tenchu-style. Interesting in theory, but very un-Middle-Earth like.

The whole demo is just the training mode from the proper game, so you can't play an actual level, which was also a bummer. Sauron shows up at the end of the demo though, and wow. They did a perfect job of capturing him (or at least the movie version of "Sauron"). It was very impressive watching him stride through the battle, whomping people away with his huge mace.

After the demo ended, there was a brief movie showing clips from the rest of the proper game - this looked a lot more interesting, with orcs and trolls in Rivendell, Mumaks (the attack elephants) in the Shire etc.

I'll probably buy and play (and enjoy) this game despite its faults, but I'm going to have to shut off the Tolkien-fan part of my brain while I do it.

 

[Lagduf]

I'm still waiting for Fantasy Flight Games to put out their board game entitled "Middle Earth Quest" although i'm not sure how far along in development that is. Supposedly it was going to come out in 2009 but we'll see.

I'm about to go download this.

 

[NeoDragoN]

I thought it looked horrible and sucked. The Mages were alright but thats about it.

I'm sure this game will shine online though as thats where it supposed to be played.

Its actually a MP demo did anyone try it online?

 

[tsukaesugi]

I thought it looked horrible and sucked. The Mages were alright but thats about it.

I'm sure this game will shine online though as thats where it supposed to be played.

Its actually a MP demo did anyone try it online?

I just tried it in the one-player mode. If someone else has played it in multiplayer I'd love to hear their impressions.

 

[tsukaesugi]

I'm still waiting for Fantasy Flight Games to put out their board game entitled "Middle Earth Quest" although i'm not sure how far along in development that is. Supposedly it was going to come out in 2009 but we'll see.

Thanks for the heads up - I've been meaning to order some of their old GW reissues for ages now. I'd be very interested in a Middle-Earth game too.

 

[Gameoz]

I am going to try and rent this. I am really too busy playing Fallout 3 to bother with anything else but I at least want to give it a try.

 

[Lagduf]

Thanks for the heads up - I've been meaning to order some of their old GW reissues for ages now. I'd be very interested in a Middle-Earth game too.

Their reworking of Fury of Dracula is great. The reissue of Arkham Horror (not GW) was also really good.

I think the FFG edition of Talisman just came out as well.

 

[ironish]

I downloaded the demo and I didn't like it. I thought the Battlefront games were ok even though I don't take them too seriously, but this is far worse.

 

[tsukaesugi]

Their reworking of Fury of Dracula is great. The reissue of Arkham Horror (not GW) was also really good.

That's one of the games I was thinking about. They also reissued a non-fantasy medieval conquest game of GW's that I'd like to get (I forget the name).

Years and years ago GW published an English version of a Swedish dungeon crawl boardgame called "Drak Borgen". I wish FFG would re-reissue that.

I think the FFG edition of Talisman just came out as well.

I have my original 2nd edition of Talisman with me - I brought it back on a trip home a couple of years ago. I love that game - what a classic.

Speaking of games I've been getting into Pirates: The Constructible Strategy Game or whatever it's called. I'll have to bump your boardgame thread at some point cause I'm having lots of fun with that.

 

[Lagduf]

That's one of the games I was thinking about. They also reissued a non-fantasy medieval conquest game of GW's that I'd like to get (I forget the name).

Years and years ago GW published an English version of a Swedish dungeon crawl boardgame called "Drak Borgen". I wish FFG would re-reissue that.



I have my original 2nd edition of Talisman with me - I brought it back on a trip home a couple of years ago. I love that game - what a classic.

Speaking of games I've been getting into Pirates: The Constructible Strategy Game or whatever it's called. I'll have to bump your boardgame thread at some point cause I'm having lots of fun with that.

Are you thinking of warrior knights? Or maybe the game is called Kingdoms. Pretty sure it is one of those.

Pirates is pretty fun.

I played it for a bit.

Sadly lost all my ships in a move.

Also, Lord of the Rings: Conquest is officially "teh gay" online.

First of all you have to log in with your EA ACCOUNT to play.

WHAT THE FUCK GOOD IS MY XBL ACCOUNT IF I HAVE TO LOG IN TO ANOTHER COMPANIES SYSTEM?

Fuck you, EA.

Class balance seems out of whack, although perhaps I just really suck.

Mages seem too powerful since they have healing, defensive, and offensive spells.

It's garbage that the mage lightning spell will lock on to enemies but nothing else does (not even an auto lock for melee, or arrows).

I felt like I was getting whooped by mages and archers who knew what they were doing.

Scout is pretty cool.

Warrior seems weak. I'd die against mages in close combat. WTF? I used my fire attacks a lot too. Sigh. Maybe I need to play the demo in single player again.

Oh well, stabbing Gandalf in the back as a scout and killing him was awesome.

I have no idea if you can use horses/wargs as an offensive weapon since one arrow or lightning blast will knock you off.

Graphics are pretty bad, but the game ran fairly smooth.

A neat idea, though i'm not so sure that it works.

 

[Ghost-Dog]

I also downloaded the demo, as the movies made this game look hella fun.

I'm not sure how well the multiplayer will pan out, but I may give it a rent. Elven assassins that can powerbomb Orcs WWE style is pretty fucking cool in my opinion.

 

[Lagduf]

I also downloaded the demo, as the movies made this game look hella fun.

I'm not sure how well the multiplayer will pan out, but I may give it a rent. Elven assassins that can powerbomb Orcs WWE style is pretty fucking cool in my opinion.

Just play it online.

I had no problem connecting.

I didn't think it was very good.

I might give it a go a few more times.

 

[tsukaesugi]

Ha ha, I ordered it from Play Asia.

It'll be here in a couple of days.

I'll post my impressions after it arrives.

(I had to buy the Asian version - the U.S. version was one of the rare 360 games that was region locked. That's fine with me, the Asian version is $10 cheaper. If I waited until a local release I'd get orcs speaking Japanese.)

 

[jro]

So it plays pretty much like BF with a lot more melee, then, but with too much magic? I dunno, I could go for something new, but that doesn't sound very appealing to me.

I had the demo downloading last night but I went to bed before it got done. Will have to fire up the 360 for the sole purpose of finishing the DL tonight assuming my night meeting doesn't last too damn long.

 

[Lagduf]

Am I the only who played it online?

 

[tsukaesugi]

Am I the only who played it online?

I didn't - I generally hate playing multiplayer unless it's with friends.

I bought the game specifically for the single-player campaign.

 

[jro]

Well... I finished DL'ing the demo last night, and tried it out...

Single player was okay, I thought, but obviously pretty shallow, since it's just the tutorial.

Then I tried one round of online and got my ass handed to me. The other team had three good players, and my team had two first timers and one good player. I'm assuming it's a perk to play as a hero (?), but one player on the other team spawned as an Ent and just fucking went to town on my team, sucked, I'd say.

I got one damn kill, and that was as a mage, couldn't use any of the other classes for shit. I thought I'd be able to use the scout for some backstabbing, but as I was "sneaking," the other team saw me and whupped my ass.

Goddamn do you die fast, I mean, what, two hits max and you're dead? Reminds me of Unreal Tournament 3 or something. Bad balance, chaotic... I could see it being fun with 8 players and some friends, but my initial reaction to 3 on 3 is FUCKDON'TFUCKINGKILLMESOFASTWHERE'DHECOMEFROMSHIT!

Eh, though, I have to admit there's some appeal about being able to get into an online deathmatch/team game at the ground floor. I'll probably get it.

I definitely want to play with you dudes, though, so post if you're playing on XBL!

 

[Lagduf]

An online game focusing on melee (non firearm) combat sounds pretty cool in theory. I don't think it works here, especially since range combat can still dominate (mage + archer).

 

[jro]

An online game focusing on melee (non firearm) combat sounds pretty cool in theory. I don't think it works here, especially since range combat can still dominate (mage + archer).

Once it's patched to give the Scout a Go-Go Gadget cock that can put the Mage's eye out at 20 yards it'll be balanced as fuck.

Take that to the bank, Doof-El-Bop.

 

[Lagduf]

Once it's patched to give the Scout a Go-Go Gadget cock that can put the Mage's eye out at 20 yards it'll be balanced as fuck.

Take that to the bank, Doof-El-Bop.

I did use the scout to kill gandalf.

That was cool.

The scout seemed pretty fun actually.

I kept getting hit by poison arrows which totally sucked.

 

[jro]

I got a copy an hour ago. Achievements are pretty well balanced over campaign mode and online, so that's cool.

I'll be looking to get raped by poison arrows online sometime soon, though, so if anyone else picks it up, lemme know so I can make you look like a freaking stud by comparison.

And at least it sounds like the Warrior's guard got beefed up a little bit for the final release (auto-faces now), judging by initial reactions on GameFAQs (I know, I know). So he's not quite fodder for ranged classes as bad, at least.

 

[Ghost-Dog]

I got a copy an hour ago. Achievements are pretty well balanced over campaign mode and online, so that's cool.

I'll be looking to get raped by poison arrows online sometime soon, though, so if anyone else picks it up, lemme know so I can make you look like a freaking stud by comparison.

And at least it sounds like the Warrior's guard got beefed up a little bit for the final release (auto-faces now), judging by initial reactions on GameFAQs (I know, I know). So he's not quite fodder for ranged classes as bad, at least.

I added it to my rental queue, we'll see if it ships tomorrow.

Also, get on and play L4D with me butthole.

 

[jro]

I added it to my rental queue, we'll see if it ships tomorrow.

Also, get on and play L4D with me butthole.

FINE. I'm down like a clown, Charlie Br-Br-Br-Brown.

I'll play, send me an invite sometime. I think I'm at least slightly over my GTA IV orgasm at this point. Still need to finish it but I've somehow found the strength to put other games in the disc tray.

 

[tsukaesugi]

I rewatched "The Fellowship of the Ring" last night. In the beginning of the film, at the Battle of Dagorlad (when Isildur cuts the Ring from Sauron's hand) there was a distinct lack of mages, ninja elves, and poison arrows.

I'm still looking forward to this game though. I really wanna play with Sauron and whomp people left, right, and center.

 

[Lagduf]

I rewatched "The Fellowship of the Ring" last night. In the beginning of the film, at the Battle of Dagorlad (when Isildur cuts the Ring from Sauron's hand) there was a distinct lack of mages, ninja elves, and poison arrows.

I'm still looking forward to this game though. I really wanna play with Sauron and whomp people left, right, and center.

I was going to bring this aspect up, but decided not too.

For being Tolkien the game is really uh, un Tolkieny.

Looking forward to your impressions.