Developer-Snowblind Studios Inc.
Publishers-Warner Bros. Interactive Ent.
Release Date- November 1st, 2011
Price- $39.99 MSRP (Gamestop)
Meet the unsung heroes of the fellowship
War in the North is a co-op hack-and-slash action game, and features some decent RPG elements, Great visuals, and an original story woven into the LOTR trilogy. Rather than play as known characters of the LOTR lore, you'll play as three new characters who had a hand in the quest to destroy the One ring. 
When Sauron's right hand commander starts causing trouble and attempts to recruit Dragons to aid in the impending battles, you're given the task of finding him and stopping his men from finding more reinforcements. I would say the game took about 15 hours which is pretty lengthy for a hack-and-slash, so I played in small portions since combat could repetitive at times. Co-op helps make the game more interesting and three players total can fight for the fellowship. 
Controls are pretty simple in War in the North. The X and Y buttons are used for light and heavy attacks, while holding the trigger and using the face buttons gives you different abilities for each button. The left trigger is used for aiming, while right trigger fires your arrows. The three characters are a Human, Elf, and Dwarf. Each of the three characters have different abilities that you can use. Eradan is the human ranger who focuses on long-range combat and duel wielding, Andriel is the Elf who shoots magic projectiles while also being able to heal the party, and Farin the tough dwarf who utilizes a mix of short and long-range weapons in combat.
Skills are leveled up by gaining experience, and you're also able to choose whether to level up strength, dexterity, and stamina for health. By the time I reached the end of the game, I was level 21 and had a decent pair of armor on and weapons with nice abilities.
Besides the main quest, you're also able to venture off the linear path to tackle side-quests, and some are given by familiar faces, such as Bilbo Baggins & Gandolf.
There is plenty of loot to be found, and you're also able to purchase new weapons and armor from various stores, but most times in the game I've been able to find really good items from different treasure chests out in the environment.
Overall, Lord of The Rings: War in the North features an original story with familiar characters that features simple, but repetitive combat. Worth a look if you're a fan of hack-and-slash games but want something fun to play with friends.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
