I don't know about you, but this is how I'm going to kick off the new year! LOTR: Conquest!
The first Star Wars: Battlefront is one of my all-time favorite games. Quick, fluid, dynamic action with lots of variation and using a classic setting. Conquest seeks to apply the same basic model to LOTR, and it looks like Pandemic has done a pretty good job. In fact, the game seems to have even more replayability than its predecessor. Considering I can still enjoy Star Wars: Battlefront after years, that's pretty impressive.
I'll probably pick it up on the 360 -- my primary gaming platform these days (PC being my other favorite). All modes are available single-player and multiplayer, offline and on. That includes split-screen and online co-op. The game includes both a good and an evil campaign.
I can't wait to play as a troll, ride an oliphant or warg, fire arrows down from Helm's Deep, launch a catapult, and wreak havoc with the Balrog!
Keep an eye on this one. It could be another classic. Pandemic's one of the more consistently good development studios.
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Pandemic's one of the more consistently good development studios.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, I've always been a fan of Pandemic! Although... WTF was with Mercenaries 2? Less than 5 minutes into the demo I deleted that garbage, jeez...
So, Conquest is kinda a FPS (or 3PS?) take on it? Is it your typical fight for points and it's over, or are they going for the EndWar/Chromehounds "persistent war" system? That would rock! Guess I need to go read up on Conquest, I don't know a single thing about it...
Oh and where's Battlezone 3??? Hello? Pandemic?
I had mixed feelings about the Mercenaries 2 demo. Once I realize how open it is, that I could wander through the city rather than head straight for the objective, I decided to keep the demo on my HDD a while.
ReplyDeleteConquest has five or six game modes, available in single- and multiplayer. One of those modes is fashioned after SW:B's Galactic Conquest mode, which means a strategic war that can tilt back and forth. It's called Strongholds.
I'm with you Aaron on this one, from what I have read it allows you to explore what would happen if...the ring wan't destroyed etc which hasn't been done in a Lord of the Rings game before.
ReplyDeleteOnline, this game should be great on the 360 platform.
After playing the new demo on XBL I'm much *less* excited about the game, mostly due to the control/camera implementation. Some of it was fun(ish), some was frustrating, some was just silly (not in a good way).
ReplyDeleteOf all ironies, I don't mind (much?) the new Rune-keeper "sorta mage" in LOTRO but LOTR:Conquest has an actual Mage class who runs around shooting lightning and fireballs. WTF?
Mostly, I mind that EA is behind it and EA has always done their own separate thing from XBL. Now *EVEN IN THE DEMO* you have to login to your EA account from the game to play it. Which just tells me in a year or two they'll take the Conquest servers offline like they always do. *REAL* XBL games can always be played, but not EA games...
I haven't put much time into the demo yet, but I have mixed feelings about it too. It seems to be a good game, but I'm not sure it's a great game like Star Wars: Battlefront (by the same studio). I'll probably pick up the full version and see.
ReplyDeleteI followed the development forums for a while, and there was a lot of arguing over whether wizards should be as they are in the game. It's obviously a huge break from the setting, but Conquest is an action game first and foremost.
Gameplay-wise, I have a bigger problem with the warriors. Despite the special moves, it doesn't seem to be very tactical... just a lot of brainless charging and hacking. It might prove different as I play more.
As for EA taking down servers, I hadn't heard about that. I still play Battle for Middle Earth 2 on their servers sometimes, years after the game came out. What servers did they take down?
One way or another, I'd rather have dedicated servers than rely on unstable player hosts, as long as it's free.