EDIT: While I hold by my original review, I would like to say that I do not recommend buying the handheld version of this game. It is completely different from the console and PC versions which are much, much better. The 3DS version isn't broken and is playable, but you will be seriously cheating yourself of a much better and more enjoyable experience by playing the handheld rather then console version!
Overall: 6/10
Game Play 6/10
Audio: 6/10
Story: 6/10
Level Design: 6/10
I was extremely excited about this game when I saw the preview footage for it, and even more so when I played the demo for it. Unfortunately, so far it's been a bit of a let down.
Overall, the game play is about the same as previous Lego titles. Your AI companion is a bit unintelligent and tends to get in the way. They don't help in battle much at all, and worse yet, will take damage from your attacks. This generally doesn't hamper the game play much, but the swords the characters wield attack in a full 180 arc in front of them, and will hit their allies to the sides if you aren't careful. Your character will also move forward while swinging their weapon, making it exceedingly easy to step off of cliffs if you're breaking legos along an edge.
Worse yet, Lego bricks that break into collectible studs have a tendency to fling the studs out into unreachable places, either inside other bricks, or off into open expanses at cliffs making them unreachable. The studs also seem to disappear faster than in previous games, which makes it hard to pick them up while in combat. Also, a lot of the breakable lego foliage can be walked through (bushes, shrubs, etc), but their hit boxes are only on the outside parts of the plants. As your character steps forward while they attack you can end up stepping into the bush and being unable to hit it, or worse, combo-ing right off a cliff. Mildly annoying.
For the most part, the game play does work though, despite these annoyances. The puzzles mostly consist of picking fetching things and bringing them to other things. Every member of the fellowship has different abilities and weapons, and you'll need to switch between them to accomplish goals. Gimli can use a charge move to break certain blocks. Legolas can hit ranged targets with his bow. Aragorn and Sam can light fires with a torch or tinder box. If you don't let your AI companions constant accidental deaths upset you, the game plays just fine!
The story for Lego Lord of the Rings follows the Peter Jackson movie trilogy and not Tolkien's books. The story was already 'shortened' for the movies, and is even more shortened for the game. It's told through cut scenes as you go along, usually at the beginning and end of the levels, with typical lego humor.
Unfortunately, because they shortened it so much, the story flies past, and if you were someone who didn't already know the story, I feel you'd probably end up confused, with only a vague idea of why the characters are going along. Some of the cut scenes seem jumbled in the order in which the characters say their lines, and don't make as much sense as they should. At times the characters will speak lines during the game play, but it never comes off well and just seems tossed out there.
The audio for the game is pulled straight from the movie soundtrack, music and spoken lines both. It's neat hearing the characters and having them sound like they 'should', but it's very apparent that the audio wasn't recorded specifically for the game. It sounds like it was pulled from the movies and then put into the game, and the quality isn't as good as it should be. It doesn't sound bad, per se, but it doesn't sound right either. Also, the volume on this game needed to be much louder, a problem I had with Lego Batman 2 as well! I have to be a quiet room to hear this game with the volume turned to max- I'd recommend headphones or speakers. It's a shame to go through the effort of using actual movie dialogue, and then be unable to hear it well.
As for the visuals and level design... They are middle of the road in quality. I've seen better, but I've also seen much, much worse. Some of the locations are rather barren, or the textures are lack luster. Some of the places you go to are fantastic! The cut scenes look very nice, and everything is well animated. Some places that should be brimming with life and are fairly 'free roam' in terms of game play will have only a few other people in them. Bilbo's birthday party for instance, has a total of 3 other hobbits in attendance; Rivendell has 5 elves.
All in all, this game feels a bit rushed to me. It would have been much better if they'd have at least split it into two games, preferably three, rather then cramming all three movies into one. The story would have flowed much, much better, there would have been more room on the cartridge to populate the exciting locations you've seen in the movies, and the levels could have been longer and more thoughtfully designed with better puzzles and teamwork needed.
If you're a fan of the Lego games, this will likely not disappoint. It plays much like the others and the movie dialogue and music are great additions! But if you're getting it because you're a big fan of Lord of the Rings, I would recommend renting first. Game wise it's decent, but story wise it's likely to disappoint!
Overall: 6/10
Game Play 6/10
Audio: 6/10
Story: 6/10
Level Design: 6/10
I was extremely excited about this game when I saw the preview footage for it, and even more so when I played the demo for it. Unfortunately, so far it's been a bit of a let down.
Overall, the game play is about the same as previous Lego titles. Your AI companion is a bit unintelligent and tends to get in the way. They don't help in battle much at all, and worse yet, will take damage from your attacks. This generally doesn't hamper the game play much, but the swords the characters wield attack in a full 180 arc in front of them, and will hit their allies to the sides if you aren't careful. Your character will also move forward while swinging their weapon, making it exceedingly easy to step off of cliffs if you're breaking legos along an edge.
Worse yet, Lego bricks that break into collectible studs have a tendency to fling the studs out into unreachable places, either inside other bricks, or off into open expanses at cliffs making them unreachable. The studs also seem to disappear faster than in previous games, which makes it hard to pick them up while in combat. Also, a lot of the breakable lego foliage can be walked through (bushes, shrubs, etc), but their hit boxes are only on the outside parts of the plants. As your character steps forward while they attack you can end up stepping into the bush and being unable to hit it, or worse, combo-ing right off a cliff. Mildly annoying.
For the most part, the game play does work though, despite these annoyances. The puzzles mostly consist of picking fetching things and bringing them to other things. Every member of the fellowship has different abilities and weapons, and you'll need to switch between them to accomplish goals. Gimli can use a charge move to break certain blocks. Legolas can hit ranged targets with his bow. Aragorn and Sam can light fires with a torch or tinder box. If you don't let your AI companions constant accidental deaths upset you, the game plays just fine!
The story for Lego Lord of the Rings follows the Peter Jackson movie trilogy and not Tolkien's books. The story was already 'shortened' for the movies, and is even more shortened for the game. It's told through cut scenes as you go along, usually at the beginning and end of the levels, with typical lego humor.
Unfortunately, because they shortened it so much, the story flies past, and if you were someone who didn't already know the story, I feel you'd probably end up confused, with only a vague idea of why the characters are going along. Some of the cut scenes seem jumbled in the order in which the characters say their lines, and don't make as much sense as they should. At times the characters will speak lines during the game play, but it never comes off well and just seems tossed out there.
The audio for the game is pulled straight from the movie soundtrack, music and spoken lines both. It's neat hearing the characters and having them sound like they 'should', but it's very apparent that the audio wasn't recorded specifically for the game. It sounds like it was pulled from the movies and then put into the game, and the quality isn't as good as it should be. It doesn't sound bad, per se, but it doesn't sound right either. Also, the volume on this game needed to be much louder, a problem I had with Lego Batman 2 as well! I have to be a quiet room to hear this game with the volume turned to max- I'd recommend headphones or speakers. It's a shame to go through the effort of using actual movie dialogue, and then be unable to hear it well.
As for the visuals and level design... They are middle of the road in quality. I've seen better, but I've also seen much, much worse. Some of the locations are rather barren, or the textures are lack luster. Some of the places you go to are fantastic! The cut scenes look very nice, and everything is well animated. Some places that should be brimming with life and are fairly 'free roam' in terms of game play will have only a few other people in them. Bilbo's birthday party for instance, has a total of 3 other hobbits in attendance; Rivendell has 5 elves.
All in all, this game feels a bit rushed to me. It would have been much better if they'd have at least split it into two games, preferably three, rather then cramming all three movies into one. The story would have flowed much, much better, there would have been more room on the cartridge to populate the exciting locations you've seen in the movies, and the levels could have been longer and more thoughtfully designed with better puzzles and teamwork needed.
If you're a fan of the Lego games, this will likely not disappoint. It plays much like the others and the movie dialogue and music are great additions! But if you're getting it because you're a big fan of Lord of the Rings, I would recommend renting first. Game wise it's decent, but story wise it's likely to disappoint!
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