The first Lord of the Rings video game, developed by Electronic Arts and based on the film series, is a traditional beat-them-up-style action game. Even though it is the third film in the trilogy, it covers events that occurred in both the first and second films.
Players can take control of Aragorn, Legolas, or Gimli as they engage in combat against the evil forces led by the Dark Lord Sauron to safeguard the Ring of Power and bring peace back to Middle-earth.
The player character advances through the stages while engaging in combat against hordes of orcs, goblins, and other monsters using a variety of attack and parrying maneuvers. The more unique the attacks are and the fewer times they succeed in hitting the player, the higher the score total will be for each successful kill. Kill points are accumulated after each level and can be used to acquire new skills. Most of these are brand-new attack maneuvers, which can be activated by pressing various button combinations. The health of others can be increased, and existing strikes can have their power or speed upgraded. Each of the three playable characters has their own set of specialized moves and upgrades.
Boss fights, such as those involving the Watcher of Moria and Lurtz, commander of the Uruk-hai, can be found in a few of the game’s levels. Each boss requires a unique method to defeat.
Most of the battles shown in the films have been recreated as levels for the video game. These include the conflict with the Ringwraiths on Weathertop, the Mines of Moria from the first film, and the disputes with Warg-riders and other foes on the plains of Rohan from the second film. The defense of Helm’s Deep serves as the pivotal event of the game, even though the depiction of the battle in the game is very different from that of the fight in the film.
The tale is told through cutscenes that appear between the levels. In these sequences, the film material is intercut with a video generated by the game engine.
The game contains many supplementary contents, some of which must be unlocked before they can be accessed by achieving particular levels with the characters or performing specific tasks. In addition to various behind-the-scenes extras, the disc includes interviews with the movie’s directors and actors (the same people whose voices are used in the game).
