War in Middle Earth is based on the now hugely popular Lord of the Rings. However, when this game came out in 1989, it was perhaps the only Tolkien-based game available. Most importantly, this game offers several different levels of interconnected game-play.
The game begins with the main characters' attempts to flee with the ring and find safety in Rivendell. During this phase of the game, the characters can explore the different towns and locations in middle-earth and pick up important items to help them along the way.
War in Middle Earth is based on the now hugely popular Lord of the Rings. However, when this game came out in 1989, it was perhaps the only Tolkien-based game available. Most importantly, this game offers several different levels of interconnected game-play.
The game begins with the main characters' attempts to flee with the ring and find safety in Rivendell. During this phase of the game, the characters can explore the different towns and locations in middle-earth and pick up important items to help them along the way. The interesting part about this is that each "step" that the characters take can actually be viewed in a close up "zoon" mode, which shows the countryside they pass through and the locations they visit.
After the game is further underway,
it actually becomes a real-time strategic war-game. While it does not provide the ability to manage individual battles tactically, the player become responsible for moving all of the different armies in middle earth to center the Enemy's threat. Each "good" kingdom is mobilized only after the Fellowship has completed certain missions or visited certain locations, just as in the books.
The endgame, however, allows for almost unlimited length of play. The most interesting thing about this game, from my point of view, is the fact that it allows the player to decide to "end" the game either by taking the ring to Mt. Doom, or to attempt to force a military solution to the conflict.
The graphics and controls in the game are adequate; obviously not pleasing by present standards but hardily so poor as to keep one from wishing to play. The most helpful part of the game's control system is the fact that it allows the player to slow down or speed up game time at will, which helps so that one can provide orders to the characters, your armies, etc. One can either watch the whole story unfold on the main map in slow motion, or watch the characters walk for miles and miles across different backgrounds of scenery. Alternatively, one could set the game speed to "fast" and everything would unfold quickly.
While those who have played the newer, post-movies Lord of the Rings games will doubtless find the graphics outdated and the tactical options few, fans of the books will find that this game adds another take on the possibilities for bringing Tolkien's writings to the computer screen.
