EA's deal is up, and having broken LotR fan's hearts with the cancellation of White Council, the rights to the films (other companies, like Turbine, obviously have released games based solely on the books) have passed to Warner Bros. Whose first game is not a spralwing fantasy epic, a strategy title or even an accomplished action game.

It's...this.

The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest is the first Lord of the Rings videogame created specifically for kids and their families with accessible gameplay set in a friendly, colorful rendition of Middle-Earth. Players assume the role of Strider and embark on his greatest quests from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The game offers authentic, action-oriented sword fighting, lancing and archery that all ages can play together.

Sigh.

Kid-friendly Lord of the Rings on the Way [IGN]

Ideally, Origins is supposed to be a "new" kind of fantasy that does away with Zeschuk's dreaded "elves sashaying through the countryside" and brings to the fore real human drama (but with non-humans). To create that kind of fantasy, BioWare had to find a spectrum of existing fantasy to measure their game by.

"At one end we have Tolkien's [Lord of the Rings trilogy]," Muzyka explained,"and for dark, low fantasy, we're using [George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series]."

This confused me, because Martin's epic fantasy series is labeled as high fantasy, whereas low fantasy would be more like Conan the Barbarian. Either BioWare is cutting the scale short so they can stay focused, or they've confused Martin with Robert E. Howard.

"When you read [Martin's] stuff, it's not at all like Tolkien's stuff," said Zeschuk. "It doesn't have the traditional elements [of high fantasy]. The brutality of the world he created is extreme."

I object about the elements of traditional fantasy (c'mon — those books have knights and princesses and dragons and stuff), but I'll give the brutality argument to him:

*Ice and Fire spoilers* In the first book alone, a seven-year-old gets chucked out of a window in, like, chapter five and the main character has his head chopped off at the very end.*End spoilers*

That's the kind of brutality that struck a chord with Muzyka: "I was like, 'Wow, he just took away a character I really started to care about. Wow, that was emotionally impactful [sic]'." And that reaction is ultimately what makes him identify the Song of Ice and Fire as low fantasy.

Gaider, on the other hand, thinks that his bosses' definitions of high and low fantasy are "funny" at best. To him, high fantasy has to have "obvious magic" and technically Martin does. But "it's very, very subtle," so he could see where his bosses got the idea to label it low even if he doesn't agree with them.

There's a flaw in Gaider's argument, too, though. If magic has to be obvious in order for the fantasy to be "high," the The Witcher is high fantasy, surely?

Rather than talk his way out of that one, Gaider side-stepped. The skew between Martin and Tolkien still works for Origins, he said, even if it's not a clear example of the divide between high and low fantasy: "Martin's stories are character driven. The characters and their flaws drives the plot, where Tolkien is plot-driven. In that respect, [Origins is] leaning more towards the Martin side, where it's a human tale told within the context of these epic events."

"Dragon Age has elements of [Martin's brutality]," said Muzyka, "and has elements of the Tolkien-esque kind of fantasy as well. Which is why we're presenting it is something that's quite different."

Will Origins be a brilliant alchemy of fantasy sub-genres, or genre crisis in the making? The fact that the lead writer and the creators of the game can't exactly agree on what low fantasy is has me worried. The fact that Muzyka and Zeschuk think George RR Martin's series is low fantasy just because it's dark also has me worried. But what really bugs me is the thought that games can never not be low fantasy because it seems to sell way better than elves sashaying through the countryside.

P.S. That picture is from a scene in Song of Ice and Fire, drawn by Mike S. Miller — if you want Dragon Age: Origins pics, check out this post.

So upon seeing the rather substantial downloadable content pack announced today - which adds a number of the biggest/baddest heroes and villains from the books/movies, along with some new levels - we can't help but wonder whether this is the kind of stuff that should have been included on the disc, instead of nickel-and-dimed out a month after release?

Who knows. Just saying, it may have padded out the original product and made it slightly more tolerable, instead of hitting a digital marketplace and trying to appeal to customers who have long since abandoned the troubled game.

Those sticking with it, though, will be thrilled to see that this pack includes three new playable heroes (Arwen, Boromir and Gothmog) as well as two new levels (Amon Hen & Battle of the Last Alliance). The pack will be out this Thursday, and will cost 800 MS Points/$10.

Lord of the Rings: Conquest DLC Revealed [IGN]

Pandemic's upcoming Lord of the Rings: Conquest? Oh, it's so pushing my buttons. All of them. Now that I know some more on the project, well, those buttons are being mashed to within an inch of their worthless, plastic little lives. According to lead designer Sean Soucy, not only will the game feature the epic battles from the movie timeline, but also some other, more intriguing set pieces, such as the Battle of the Last Alliance and even the razing of the Shire. Really. Soucy also sheds some light on the game's "vehicles" and weapons, saying that "Horses, wargs, playable trolls and ents, catapults, siege towers and battering rams" are just "some" of the gear you'll be able to command in the game. So great. Conquest is due in the Fall.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Game [Crispy Gamer]

Yesterday Luke brought you news, via Electronic Arts' analyst meeting, that Pandemic was working on a new Lord of the Rings game.

But at the time that's all we knew. Luke opined that maybe it was something tied to their ability to create games like Mercenaries that deal with destruction in a sandbox environment or that, perhaps, it would be a game that, like Star Wars Battlefront, is all about combat and action over large areas. Close, very close, according to our sources.

We hear that Pandemic's Lord of the Rings will put a Battlefield competitive first-person shooter spin (with mounts) on the beloved fantasy tale and personally, I couldn't be more happy about it. I'd love to mix things up in a rolling war with magic, swords and bows. Dark Messiah almost got it, but in the end somehow missed the mark. Let's see if Pandemic can do better.

When reached for comment Pandemic only said that they'd like to talk more about their upcoming Lord of the Rings title, but that now isn't quite the time.

But what kind of Lord of the Rings game? Who knows. The use of Pandemic, they of Mercenaries and Star Wars Battlefront fame, offers some hints. They've shown they can do combat and action over large areas (SW Battlefront). They've shown they can put together a large, sandbox game world (Mercenaries). They haven't shown they can make an RPG, but hey, maybe this new game won't be one. Maybe it'll be Grand Theft Fell Beast. Which, you know...could be even better.

Codemasters Online and Turbine to unveil Book 11: Defenders of Eriador for The Lord of the Rings Online
P
layer Housing Introduced in Major Content Update

Thursday, 18th October (2pm GMT) - Codemasters Online and Turbine, Inc. announced the details of the third free content update for subscribers to The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™. Book 11: Defenders of Eriador continues the epic story of The Lord of the Rings Online adding over 100 new quests, a new 12-player raid, two new areas in Middle-earth and introduces the player housing system. Book 11: Defenders of Eriador will be available to European subscribers of The Lord of the Rings Online on October 25, 2007.

"The Lord of the Rings Online has quickly become the hottest online game of the year," said Jeffrey Steefel, the Executive Producer. "Book 11 is our most ambitious update yet. We continue to define the standard in interactive storytelling with the next chapter of our epic story and introduce a wealth of new content including the housing system, which will give players the opportunity to live in their own home in Middle-earth!"

NEW FEATURES:

The Epic Continues! — Amarthiel has lost the Palantir, but not before using it to discover a clue to the location of Narchuil, the ancient Ring she lost at the Battle of Fornost. She turns her gaze eastward seeking to recover the Ring while the Dunedain find themselves with only one way to halt her advance. Calenglad believes that Mordrambor, the Black Numenorean held prisoner by the Dunedain, may be the key to ending Amarthiel's ambitions.

Player Housing — Players can now live in their own home in Middle-earth! Housing choices from four different neighborhoods - be it a majestic home overlooking a waterfall in Ered Luin, or a cozy hobbit-hole in the Shire. Kinship Halls provide plenty of space for groups to gather after a long day of adventuring. All homes provide the option of additional storage and can be customized inside and out with hundreds of unique items.

Two New Areas — Players can now explore even more of Middle-earth. Tâl Bruinen is an extension of the Trollshaws where players can see Gollum for the first time in The Lord of the Rings Online. Players can also trek to the High Pass in the Misty Mountains to combat fierce snowstorms and visit Goblin-town, the famous site where Bilbo Baggins was captured in The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Raid-"The Rift" — The Lord of the Rings Online's second raid will be introduced in Book 11. This 12-player epic takes you through many new dangers in the Rift of Nûrz Ghâshu to face a fearsome Balrog.

New Musical Instruments — Book 11 brings more enhancements to our popular music system. Players can now entertain others with one of three new instruments including the Bagpipe and Cowbell.

Over 100 New Quests — The story continues for players as they aid the Fellowship and encounter new adventures.

The Lord of the Rings Online delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most beloved fantasy adventure of all time. From the quaint surroundings of the Shire to Angmar, the vile kingdom of the Witch-king, players will experience the world of Middle-earth as never before. The Lord of the Rings Online is available for purchase at major retailers across North America and Europe. For more information, or to download a free trial, visit www.trylotro.com

The main thing is that there's really no difference between acting and motion-capturing. The research, the trying to embody a character is the same. But the main thing about motion-capture is that you're sort of puppeteering a version of yourself. You can calibrate that by manipulating certain things about your personality... I'm slightly ambivalent about the difference between playing a character and being motion-captured. It's no different from being in costume, except that instead of having synthetic materials on your face you've been captured in a game. Simple as that.

The Summer Solstice Festival is called different things by different races. Whether it's the Lithe Festival (Hobbits), Summerdays (Men), Summerfest (Dwarves) or the Festival of Enedhin (Elves), they all share the common themes of summer including planting, dancing, drinking, games and fireworks.

CODEMASTERS ONLINE GAMING AND TURBINE TO CELEBRATE THE SUMMER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL IN MIDDLE-EARTH

Three-Week Celebration Kicks off on June 20th!

Monday 18th of June (2pm GMT) - Today, Codemasters Online Gaming and Turbine, Inc announced the details of the first annual Summer Solstice Festival in The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, the hit MMO that has taken North America and Europe by storm. The Summer Solstice Festival, the first of many planned seasonal celebrations in Middle-earth, will offer players a variety of quests, vendors and events to highlight this special time of year. The Lord of the Rings Online has been enthusiastically received by many gaming critics, including The New York Times, USA Today, Yahoo!, PC Gamer, GameSpot and Game Informer in the US as well as The Sunday Times, The Guardian, CVG, Eurogamer, PC Juegos and 4Gamers in Europe.

"The Summer Solstice Festival is the first of many seasonal events that we have planned for The Lord of the Rings Online," said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "These festivals coupled with content updates such as the soon-to-be released Shores of Evendim demonstrate our commitment to delivering the most value for our subscribers through a fun, compelling and evolving game."

The Summer Solstice Festival is called different things by different races. Whether it's the Lithe Festival (Hobbits), Summerdays (Men), Summerfest (Dwarves) or the Festival of Enedhin (Elves), they all share the common themes of summer including planting, dancing, drinking, games and fireworks. Players can celebrate throughout Middle-earth from June 20th to July 10th by interacting with special vendors and participating in quests designed just for the Summer Solstice Festival including:

„« Dancing - There will be dancing quests with new race-specific dance emotes as a reward.
„« Fireworks - Players who collect fireworks from each of the four vendors in the Summer Solstice Festival will receive a unique firework.
„« Scavenger Hunts - Players can participate in one of three scavenger hunts that will grant them unique special recipes, seeds and pipeweed.
„« Hobnanigans - Join in madcap chicken-chasing games! There is an arena near the Bree Festival Grounds with two team captains as quest bestowers. Once twelve players are ready, the "Game Hen" will appear in the center of the arena and players will use a stick to persuade the chicken around the arena. Each team will have to get the chicken into a goal at the far end of the field three times within a certain time limit.

The New Zealand actors were supposed to split 5% of the revenue after expenses from sales of caps, video games, mugs and other merchandise, according to the lawsuit filed May 30 in Los Angeles County Superior Court. But, the suit contends, New Line breached the contract by taking distribution and "gross participation" fees to which it wasn't entitled

The fees weren't in the contract and they ate up all the profits owed to the actors, said their attorney, Henry Gradstein of Los Angeles.

Hollywood's full of dreams, but I'm sure a lot of actors didn't expect to spend time in court trying to reap the benefits of seeing their face on a mug or stripped onto an avatar. That's show business for you. Kim Phu

15 actors sue New Line Cinema over 'Lord of the Rings' profits [USA Today]

Major Updates to the Music System — In addition to the new percussion and bass instruments, players can now utilize a new music notation system that enables them to compose music offline and upload it to your character in-game.

For those of you who actually try and level your characters instead of dancing and singing, you'll find epic armor sets, a new 24-man raid against the dragon Thorog, and the new region of Evendim, and so many new quests you'll need a special wazoo plug to keep them from escaping.

The patch hits June 13th, giving me plenty of time to figure out how to play "Cherry Pie" on my lute. Michael Fahey

Codemasters Online Gaming & Turbine Unveil Book 9: Shores of Evendim For The Lord of the Rings Online

The Number 1 Selling PC Title in North America, Germany, UK and France Expands.

Tuesday, 5th June (2PM GMT) - Today, Codemasters Online Gaming and Turbine, Inc. announced the details of the first free update for subscribers to The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, the Number 1 selling PC title in North America, Germany, UK and France. Book 9: Shores of Evendim, the first of many planned free updates to the world of Middle-earth, introduces an entirely new landscape region, over 100 additional quests, the battle for Helegrod raid, nine new monsters and major enhancements to monster play and the music system. The Lord of the Rings Online has been enthusiastically received by many gaming critics, including The New York Times, USA Today, Yahoo!, PC Gamer, GameSpot and Game Informer in the US as well as The Sunday Times, The Guardian, CVG, Eurogamer, PC Juegos and 4Gamers in Europe.

"The Lord of the Rings Online has taken the world by storm and we're thrilled with the community's response to the game," said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. Shores of Evendim offers an enormous amount of content that delivers even more value to our subscribers."

David Solari, Vice President and General Manager of Codemasters Online Gaming, commented "We are ecstatic to unveil the first in a long line of planned free updates to The Lord of the Rings Online. In just over six weeks, thousands of players have already experienced the world of Middle-earth."

As the Fellowship prepares to leave Rivendell, Aragorn must re-forge Narsil, the Sword of Elendil. Gandalf has asked for help in Aragorn's search of the lands of Evendim for an ancient jewel that once belonged in the sword's hilt. This powerful relic must be recovered before the Dark Lord Sauron finds it. Players are challenged to secure the valuables of the abandoned city, defy Angmar's encroaching grip on Annúminas, and aid Aragorn in his quest to re-forge Narsil.

Beginning June 13th, heroes can adventure to the Shores of Evendim, the first of many free updates to The Lord of the Rings Online.

NEW FEATURES:
„« Discover Evendim — About 100 miles north of the Shire, in northern Eriador, lies Evendim, a vast region dominated by the Lake Nenuial, the 'Lake of the Twilight'. On the southern shore, the ancient abandoned city of Annúminas - the former capital of the kingdom of Arnor ¬is well known amongst the Free Peoples. For according to the Legends, amidst its ruins lay a great wealth and powerful artifacts now threatened by evil creatures and the nefarious forces lurking in Angmar.

„« Over 100 New Quests — The story continues for players as they aid the Fellowship and encounter new adventures, characters and monsters including the Rogmûl!

„« Raid in the Battle for Helegrod — Challege the fearsome dragon Thorog in a massive 24-player raid in the Misty Mountains.

„« Major Updates to the Music System — In addition to the new percussion and bass instruments, players can now utilize a new music notation system that enables them to compose music offline and upload it to your character in-game.

„« New Collectible Armor Sets — Seven new sets of epic armor enable players to gain progressive bonuses for each piece of armor worn from a set.

The Lord of the Rings Online delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most beloved fantasy adventure of all time. From the quaint surroundings of the Shire to Angmar, the vile kingdom of the Witch-king, players will experience the world of Middle-earth as never before. The Lord of the Rings Online is now available for purchase at major retailers across North America and Europe. For more information about The Lord of the Rings Online, please visit www.lotro.com or www.lotro-europe.com.

Computer and Video Games over in the UK gave the game a 9.2 in their exclusive review back on the 12th. Of course there is no real way to review an MMO prior to launch, and their website is now festooned with LoTRo ads, but that's probably just a coincidence.

I celebrated the launch in my own personal way last night, getting my undead mage in World of Warcraft to level 69. As a whopping five Gamestop stores across the country opened at Midnight to accommodate starving Tolkien fans, I was in Nagrand unlocking the Thrall quest line.

I'd actually love to see how the community shapes up in LoTRO as fans file in, but I've neither the time nor the money to support a third MMO at this point. On top of that, there is something sacred about Tolkien's works that I don't want ruined by having to quest with Elfdood. Michael Fahey

LoTRo Home Page [Midway]

As of this posting, the open beta officially kicks off in two and a half hours, so I'm sure the client download is nice and speedy right about now. Good luck with that! Michael Fahey

Lord of the Rings World Tour Page - Thanks Eniratcen!

After some none too subtle hints earlier this week, Electronic Arts has gone ahead and just plain announced the mouthful Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2 expansion, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth 2, The Rise of the Witch King. A new faction, new units, a new single-player campaign and an entirely new setting are the highlight features... standard expansion fare.

The press release is after the jump. Florian Eckhardt

EXPLORE NEW DEPTHS OF MIDDLE-EARTH WITH EA'S THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE BATTLE FOR MIDDLE-EARTH II, THE RISE OF THE WITCH-KING*

Award-Winning Game Franchise Announces Expansion Pack

CHERTSEY, UK July 27, 2006 - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) officially announced today that they will continue to expand The Lord of the Rings universe with The Lord of the Rings , The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-king *. As the expansion pack to the fan favorite, The Lord of the Rings , The Battle for Middle-earth II , this Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game will enhance every existing feature and offer players the chance to command the rise of evil in Middle-earth while experiencing the epic battles that took place before those depicted in the New Line Cinema films.

Full of exciting content, including an entirely new faction, completely new single player campaign, and additional units for all six existing factions, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-king, allows players to explore the evil side of Middle-earth. The all new single player campaign's innovative units will help to tell the story of the evil Witch-king's rise to power, domination of Angmar and invasion of the great kingdom of Arnor, home to Aragorn's ancestors. To fully experience the evil side of Middle-earth, gamers can now play as the Angmar faction in skirmish, multiplayer, and War of the Ring modes.

"The Lord of Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-king" will transport players to a new time and place in Middle-earth while adding strategic depth to the innovative gameplay gamers loved in The Lord of Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II," said Mike Verdu, Executive Producer at EALA. "Fans will love exploring the evil side of Middle-earth as described in Tolkien's fiction and brought to life in the visual style of the New Line Cinema films. This game is set to deliver the ultimate RTS Middle-earth experience."

Experience a whole new depth of strategy and upgraded War of the Ring and Create-A-Hero features. Create-A-Hero's entirely unique Troll class boasts additional weapons and armor that will allow players to have even more freedom in customizing their game play. War of the Ring, a risk-style meta-game, offers upgraded army persistence, a new siege dynamic on the Living World Map, and unified territories that serve as major control points.

An EA Los Angeles (EALA) game developed exclusively for the PC under the EA brand, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, the Rise of the Witch-king includes all new content from J.R.R. Tolkien's original fiction, and allows the player to delve deeper than ever before engaging in battles that go beyond the award-winning movie trilogy. EALA will bring The Lord of the Rings world to life in accordance with an agreement with The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises that grants EA the rights to develop games based on the books, in addition to a separate agreement that allows for games based on the New Line Cinema films.

The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch-king requires The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II in order to play and will be available Winter 2006 for the PC. The game is not yet rated by PEGI or USK.

For more information about either title, please visit www.bfme2.ea.com. For information or to find artwork for any EA game, please visit EA's press site at www.electronicarts.co.uk/press.

Sure there were a few hiccups, like moving around the map quickly, but overall Electronic Arts figured out a way to present a full-bodied RTS without having to strip away all of the nuance that makes this sort of game so much fun to play.

I gave the game a B+ in the Rocky Mountain News today, and it looks like I'm not the only one who liked the game.
I hope to spend a lot more time playing online in the coming week or so and then writing up my experiences here. Have any of you purchased the game yet for the 360?

Hit the jump for the review round-up.

Game Radar
Whether you're a fan of the property, a real-time strategy buff, an Xbox Live warrior, or some combination of the three, this one is definitely worth checking out.
Grade: 8/10

Gamerfeed
The PC has generally been home to Real-Time Strategy titles, but EALA has done a superb job in recreating the RTS genre on a console platform. If you take a few missions to get used to the control scheme, you'll be able to do anything a PC gamer can do with minimal effort.
Grade: 4/5

Rocky Mountain News
...this Xbox 360 game, with its deep tactics and masterfully crafted interface, may do for the real-time strategy genre what Halo did for first-person shooters: prove they can be played well on a console.
Grade: B+

Team Xbox
Let's face it: there's only so much you can do with a simple Xbox 360 controller. I think EALA has really taken advantage of the peripheral in question, and has also tweaked the gameplay enough so that micromanagement is less of a need.
Score: 7.9/10

The Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth II (Xbox 360)
EA brings us the real time strategy sequel to the previous movie licensed title. Now with new playable races and new online modes.

Kitty Luv (PC)
Feed, groom, and care for your kitties, then pit them against eachother in a brutal fight to the death. Just kidding about that last part.

Ruff Trigger: The Vanocore Conspiracy (PS2)
You're an anthropomorphic furry on a mission to save cute lil' piggies! Yay!

Glory of the Roman Empire (PC)
Two things: A game that focuses first and foremost on FUN! Superbly accessible game with an elegant, highly intuitive "flower" interface! Wow!

Sorry, kids. I just can't bring myself to waste your time with all the other shovelware. Let's all just enjoy our holidays with our copies of Gradius Collection, mkay?