Legions of orcs have come forth from Mordor to sweep away the remnants of the Free Peoples. The strongest dwarves, elves, and men must band together to confront the forces of evil in a final effort to save Middle Earth. Meanwhile, a secret hope moves closer to the cracks of Mount Doom, unseen by the eye of Sauron. The story of The Lord of the Rings is as legendary as it is epic. It’s also perfectly captured in its premier strategy board game adaption, War of the Ring. In this guide, we’re reviewing all of the exciting editions, expansio?ns, and spin-offs for this tabletop classic to aid you in your journeys through Middle Earth.

Where to Start: War of the Ring 2nd Edition

Fans who are new to the War of the Ring tabletop games should begin their adventures with the second edition of the original War of the Ring board game. In the box, you’ll find an expansive map of Middle Earth, neatly crafted dice, and a ton of miniatures. The game’s complex strategy mechanics are completely dif??ferent depending on which side you’re playing. If you’re the Sauron player, your goal is to move your forces from region to region, conquering your enemy’s strongholds and claiming ten victory points. If you’re playing as the Free Peoples, you’ll instead need to outlast the war until Frodo and any remaining members of the fellowship reach Mordor.

War of the Ring Board Game Expansions

War of the Ring’s expansion content adds new characters to the board and more decisions for the players to make each round, transforming what was once a war into an epic fantasy campaign. These boxes bring bigger battles, longer game times, and more immersive mechanics to the table. Below, you’ll find all the expansions listed in our sugge??sted purchasing order.

Lords of Middle Earth Expansion

The Lords of Middle Earth expansion puts some of the most powerful characters from The Lord of the Rings in play, including Elrond, Galadriel,?? and Durin’s Bane. Gandalf and the Witch King come in a new form, and there are a couple of added dice to roll on each side of the table. Thi?s expansion doesn’t add too much game time but simply optimizes the tabletop experience.

Kings of Middle Earth Expansion

The corruption of Sauron and the evil doings of his envoys are the focus of the Kings of Middle Earth expansion. The King Under the Mountain and the King of the Woodland Realm join the fight to the north, while Denethor and Theoden work to keep the darkness at bay in Gondor and Rohan. To oppose them, the player siding with the shadow will gai??n access to the Dark Chieftains, a new figure type that includes characters like Ugluk and the Black Serpent.

Warriors of Middle Earth Expansion

The Warriors of Middle Earth expansion adds exciting new miniature armies for both the Free Peoples and Sauron. Ents, eagles, and the ghostly traitors of Dunharrow take to the field, while Dunlendings, corsairs, and the spiders of Mirk??wood rise to meet them. This box also includes more faction cards and? action dice that help make the conflict less predictable.

The Fate of Erebor Expansion

The Fate of Erebor scenario kit focuses on an alternate version of the War of the Ring in which the Free Peoples have lost the Battle of the Five Armies at the end of The Hobbit. The Lonely ?Mountain becomes a stronghold of evil, and only a few holdouts remain in its vicinity. This expansion is smaller than the other boxes and contains only a few overlay tiles and alternate editions of characters. However, it’s perfect if you’re looking to add more gameplay variety without spending too much.

Play This Next: War of the Ring: The Card Game

War of the Ring: The Card Game is also a viable starting point if you’re new to this tabletop series. Though it focuses on the same conflict as the board game, it’s a completely different experience with its own line of expansions. This time, you’ll have to capture battleground cards with characters and events to shape the fate of Middle Earth. Though it might not have the same strategic depth as the original War of the Ring, the card game is easier to learn, has a more accessible game?? length, and supports up to four players. It’s a blast for any Lord of the Rings fan and worth getting alongside the board game.

Fire and Swords Expansion

The new Fire and Swords expansion for the card game adds more battlegrounds, characters, and factions to both sides of the conflict and brings the war to the northern and western reaches of Middle Earth. There’s also a new set of scenario rules and support for up to six players, which ensures that the War of the Ring is a more exciting battle than ever before.

Against the Shadow Expansion

If you enjoy cooperative or single-player board games, then the Against the Shadow expansion for the War of the Ring card game will be the perfect fit for you. A new set of automation cards dictates what the forces of Sauron will do during their turn, and you’ll have to think carefully about what your next move is in opposing them. There are two difficulty levels for every scenario, which adds further replay value??.

More Collectables for War of the Ring Fans

If you love the War of the Ring and you’ve already purcha??sed all the main expansions for the board and card game, there are still a handful of awesome ways you can continue upgrading your collection and journeying through Middle Earth. 

The Battle of the Five Armies Board Game

From the makers of the War of the Ring board game comes The Battle of the Five Armies, an epic two-player duel that captures the conflict at the end of The Hobbit. This spin-off title features many of the same me??chanics as its predecessor, including the huge collection of miniatures on the?? board and the action dice. If you love Middle Earth and enjoy tactical board games, this one’s absolutely worth adding to your shelf.

War of the Ring Deluxe Game Mat

If you have all the War of the Ring expansions, you might have noticed that the game board can get a bit cramped when all the miniatures are in play. The deluxe game mat fixes this issue with a significant i?ncrease in map size, so you can more easily see ??where you’re moving your troops.

War of the Ring Card Boxes and Sleeves

If you want to keep your War of the Ring cards in perfect shape for years to come, you might want to consider picking up a few of the game’s dedicated card box and sleeve sets?. There are several variants to choose fro??m, with different character artwork and designs for each of them.

The post War of the Ring: The Com??plete Board and Card Game Buying Guid?e appeared first on Destructoid.

Exciting news: Amazon Prime Day is finally upon us once again. Prime Day is a great day of the year for consumers, since there are plenty of awesome deals to snatch up. And just because there's more than one Prime Day per year is because there's more than ??one Prime Day each year doesn't mean you shouldn't get the best bargains when they do come knocking.

Books kickstarted Amazon's? rise to worldwide domination and remain, aside from games??, of course, the best way to immerse yourself in a great story. Let's help you find the best-priced literary masterpieces you can get today.

1984 (George Orwell)

George Orwell's most famous novel talks about a broken? world where the government has complete control even while a rebellion stirs, and there's a reason this rem??ains the most popular dystopian tale in existence. It's a prescient novel that remains an essential read even at nearly 80 years old.

Also, 1984 is just five bucks right now, which likely makes it the most inexpensive dysto?pia you can experience today.

Night Watch (Jayne Anne Phillips)

What's better than getting to buy one of the year's hottest books for ??half its price less than a year after it came out? Getting it fo??r 60% off, but of course.

For a little over $10, you can get Night Watch, 2024's Pulitzer prize-winning novel. It tells the story of a mother and a daug??hter's struggles as they set out to heal from the physical and psychological wounds left by the Civil War. It's a tough read, but one completely worthy of your time.

Three Classic Novels by Stephen King

Getting one book for a great price is great, but those of us who have a longer history wi?th Prime Day always get more satisfaction from a collection of great works.

If you want a good introduction to King's work, this is a great pick. It's not just three Stephen King novels picked at random �though even that would be pretty great � but Carrie, The Shining, and the recently-adapted Salem's Lot, are three of his best-ever works. For $28 at 51% off, this is quite the deal.

American Psycho (Bret Easton Ellis)

The American Psycho movie adaptation was fantastic and helped cement Christian Bale as a top-tier Hollywood talent, but the book is better even without his star power. If you're looking for great satire of the vile class that unfairly inherited the world and tries to j?ustify it by spouting well-meaning but useless perf??ormative quotes, then this is the one for you.

At 60% off, you can get American Psycho at just a little over $6, a deal that th??e story's narcissistic main character woul??d never ever approve of.

Beowulf (translation by Seamus Heaney)

The story of the hero who slays the monster Grendel and his mother is one of the most ??mysterious and influential in history, and today is the best day to acquire it.

Beowulf is the oldest story in the history of the English language, and this is its most recent and arguably easiest way to read it. Getting this one at 52% off for a little over $7 is a fine way to add another essential classic to your? collection.

Dune, books 1-6 (Frank Herbert)

This quintessential space opera has recently spawned two critically and commercially successful mo??vie adaptations, and more is to come. The best way to stay one step ahead of all the spoilers is to spoil yourself by buying the first six entries in the saga in book form.

At $52, Dune Saga remains the priciest pick on this list, ?but that's still a great deal in comparison to the original $100 price tag.

Foundation (Isaac Asimov)

I hold the opinion that Foundation remains one of the best pieces of Sci-Fi you can enjoy, e??ven in modern times. It paved?? the way for most other Science-Fiction stories touching upon the inevitable politics of space expansion and still remains an interesting read.

This box set contains the original Foundation trilogy, a more than generous introduction to the series, and for a fantastic price. At 62% off, getting the "Foundations" of Foundation at below $20 is quite the catch.

The Song Of Ice and Fire pack (so far) ??(George RR Martin)

If you're unhappy with the ending of the final season of Game Of Thrones, then you can try to forget it all by immersing yourself in the original form of the story. Though the series was great for most of its run, this tale of medieval mischief is still at its best when in book form. The only downside is that this collection doesn't feature the completed Ice and Fire series, but that's only because the final books are y??et to materialize??.

$25 at 49% off is just too good of a deal to pass on for such an untain??ted collection of gut-wrenching books.

The Odyssey (Homer)

And if even Beowulf isn't classic enough for you, then it's time to bring out the even-bigger guns. Homer's Odyssey ?follows Odysseus as he uses his wits to overcome the myriad of perils waiting for him while he sails back ??to his home after the conquest of Troy.

Though it's a few centuries older than Christ, The Odyssey remains thrilling, frightening, and? a great source of inspiration, should you be interested in writing the next great epic. At just $8, this is quite the steal.

Houseplants for Beginners (Rebecca De La Paz)

Spoilers: this one does not feature the most riveting plot, but in its pages you will find incredibly useful knowledge. Keeping plants alive and healthy is quite the challenge for many, surprisingly, and Houseplants for Beginners will not only help you turn? into a hero to your plants, but also pique your curiosity to learn even more about these beautiful green �and sometimes not green, that's newfound knowledge right there �things.

You can get it for $5.59 at 63% off.

Bridgerton Boxed Set (Julia Quinn)

If you're less about Sci-Fi, Fantasy, or plants, and more about period romance written with modern tastes in mind, then you should perhaps give the Bridgerton Boxed set a shot.

It contains the first four books of Julia Quinn's series, meaning you'll get to see a lot of stuff that the Netflix series is yet to cover. You can get it for $34 at 55% off right here.

Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets (Chelsea Ichaso)

If you're looking for a riveting dark mystery, then Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets might be the book for you.

For a mere $5.60 at 53% off, you can see the unraveling of?? a mystery that involves family drama, mountain hiking, and a bunch of characters who may be friendly or are all involved in some serious foul play.

The Lord Of The Rings + The Hobbit (JRR Tolkien)

If I didn't own it already and could only get one thing on Prime Day, it would be this box. Lord Of The Rings remains the best piece of modern fantasy you can read, or the gift that will immediately turn ??you into the coolest uncle in the eyes of any kid looking to get into serious literature.

At 54% off for just $16 you get not only the entire LOTR trilogy, but also The Hobbit, just ?to ensure that y??ou get a mind-blowing amount of value. You can do no wrong with this one.

I'm not sure if you know this, but? these books are quite girthy!

The post Top 13 ??Prime Day book deals to check out today (October 2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

For roughly three decades, LEGO has been a powerhouse in the video game world. Fans of the line of interlocking plastic bricks have seen titles for computers and gaming consoles alike release throughout the years, each finding their place in what is now a vast LEGO gaming catalog. However it's no stretch to say that not all LEGO games have been created equal.

There are several that have taken this toy-gaming crossover to heights previously unimagined. The Star Wars galaxy, the Marvel and DC Universes, Middle-earth, the list goes on. LEGO and TT Games have truly made the most of the medium, especially in recent decades. A select few of their efforts in particular have proven exceptional, earning their place as the 10 best LEGO games of all time.

10. LEGO Dimensions

For a brief time the 2010s, there was a big push for toys-to-life games which, for those unfamiliar, are exactly what they sound like. You buy a physical toy, there's a base of some kind attached to your console, and when the toy is placed on said base, it could be used in the game. Skylanders, Disney Infinity, and others came and went, with LEGO Dimensions ultimately doing the same. Be that as it may, in the pantheon of LEGO-based games, Dimensions deserves some credit. Even as a vehicle to get kids to spend more money on LEGO and video games simultaneously, LEGO Dimensions truly brings out the level of creati??vity most know the brand for.

There's something undeniably fun about seeing characters and locales from properties like Adventure Time, Beetlejuice, Mission: Impossible, and more cross over in LEGO form. Not to mention, Dimensions is responsible for an incredible selection of physical minifigures that otherwise might not have gotten made. The gameplay may not reinvent the wheel, nor was LEGO necessarily on the cutting edge with the toys-to-life concept, but Dimensions is fun enough, and with so many franc??hises to choose from, there's a lot for pop culture enthusiasts to sink their teeth into.

9. LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean

Unfortunately in the 2020s, the Pirates of the Caribbean saga is largely fallen out of the cultural zeitgeist. Sure, characters like Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) have their share of fans, but on the whole, the brand is nowhere near juggernaut it was not so long ago. In fact, even though the first film, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, debuted in 2003, in 2011, there was still plenty of buzz surrounding it and its sequels, hence why LEGO began releasing Pirates sets and put out the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean video game.

Even with the diminished mainstream presence of Pirates, the LEGO game based on the first four films is pretty great. Looking to the hub world and interface aesthetic, it's not too dissimilar from previous LEGO titles, but that doesn't mean it's bad. LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean offers up a unique selection of main and supporting characters, and the levels themselves are a treat to play through. The fast-paced, swashbuckling nature of the films is translated to perfection, as is their humor. LEGO games are never averse to cracking a few jokes, but they've never felt?? more at home than in this title.

8. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Throughout the 2000s, the Harry Potter films became some of the most widely-adored of their era. Thus, it's no surprise that LEGO got in on the Wizarding World cash cow quickly by releasing sets based on the films. Come 2010, the brand sought to take the young adult fantasy property in a new direction by adapting it in the form of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, which took Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS and various other popular platforms by storm upon rele??ase??.

By the time this LEGO Harry Potter game dropped, several LEGO games based on popular franchises had come to pass. Nevertheless, the game manages to stand out from its contemporaries instead of just becoming another LEGO title. Not only does it effectively adapt the first four Harry Potter films, but it features an impressive roster of characters, engaging level design, and one of its most notable features, it's magic mechanics. Through it all, the game does a commendable job of capturing the detail-packed look and whimsical tone of the first half of the Harry Potter Saga.

7. LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game

Numerous LEGO games came before it, but LEGO Star Wars The Video Game is regarded by many as the true beginning of LEGO's reign over the gaming space. Released in 2005 to coincide with the release of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the game takes players through a blocky, simplified version of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. While it may appear quaint compared to the LEGO and LEGO Star Wars games on the market today, there's no denying its place in history. LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game provided a framework for all virtually LEGO games after it.

The lack of character dialogue became a staple of the franchise for many years, as did in-game collectibles like minikits and studs. The inclusion of a hub world, Dexter Jettster's diner, in this case, endured for many LEGO titles beyond it. The heart health system has stuck around for the long haul as well. To put it lightly, one can spend ages listing the contributions LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game made to LEGO games as a whole. ??Without it and many of?? its stylistic choices, it's anyone's guess as to what the series would look like today.

6. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes

The first LEGO Batman game from 2008 was a standout success. Therefore, it only made sense for its inevitable sequel to raise the stakes and go even bigger. Suffice to say, that's exactly what 2012's LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes does. As the title implies, this adventure encompasses a wider portion of the DC Universe, but a larger roster?? of heroes and villains compa??red to its predecessor isn't the only way this sequel takes things to the next level.

First and foremost is the revamped hub world, which isn't a mere couple of rooms anymore. When not loaded into a mission, LEGO Batman 2 allows you to explore a fair chunk of Gotham City. You can ride around in the Batmobile, fly around as Superman, or dart through the streets as the Flash if you so please, accomplishing side missions and beating up bad guys. This is also the first LEGO game to do away with the popularized lack of dialogue and occasional mumbles set forth by the first LEGO Star Wars. The added voice acting proved quite an influential creative decision for future games. LEGO Batman 2 was a sizable evolutionary step forward without losing the core identity of the LEGO game series.

5. LEGO Lord of the Rings

LEGO as a brand is no stranger to the world of fantasy, specifically of the sword and sorcery variety. Some of its most adored sublines center on knights, castles, and dragons, after all. So, it was only right for LEGO to eventually take this experience and it's penchant for collaborating with existing properties to create LEGO Lord of the Rings. Alongside a series of sets based on director Peter Jackson's iconic film trilogy, LEGO Lord of the Rings hit the video game sc??ene in 2012 too much ap?plause.

Not only is LEGO Lord of the Rings and exceptional LEGO game with fun missions, a bevy of characters to play as, and no shortage of secrets for players to uncover, but it's one of the best Lord of the Rings games ever made, bar none. With the era of confined hub worlds long gone, the game embraces the vast and beautiful landscapes of Middle-earth. Between missions, you're free to explore every nook and cranny, which are packed with details and side activities. It may very well be the most visually breathtaking LEGO game to date, and it stands to reason it will hold that title for years?? to come.

4. LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures

With nearly 20 years elapsed since the last Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, hit theaters, Indy (Harrison Ford) was up for a big screen return. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was set to arrive in 2008, prompting a whole new wave of Indiana Jones merchandise. Naturally LEGO got in on the craze, producing a line of sets based on the then-four movies, in addition to LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures. In the wake of three Star Wars LEGO games, it had big ??shoes to fill, and it didn't disap??point in the slightest.

Per the name, the first of two Indiana Jones LEGO games adapts the three original Indy films, and it does so quite well. The landscapes reflect those of the movies, the character selection is varied (or is varied as it can be for a movie line dedicated primarily to people in suits and military uniforms), and the archeology, adventure-oriented gameplay mechanics make for unique puzzle solving. Some of the levels may not perfectly resemble the events of the movies, but for the sake of offering an enjoyable gaming experience, that's nothing to be up in arms about. LEGO Indiana Jones is just all kinds of fun.

3. LEGO Batman: The Videogame

By 2008, LEGO was going full steam ahead with licensed video game adaptations. By that point, three LEGO Star Wars games were in the can, and LEGO Indiana Jones was on its path to gaming immortality. Keeping the momentum going, LEGO set its sights on the world of costume superheroes. With a line of building sets based on his escapades already sending LEGO fans into a frenzy, who better to start with then the Caped Crusader himself, Batman, with the aptly-titled LEGO Batman: the Videogame?

Director Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy was at the halfway point by the time the first LEGO Batman game arrived, but the minds behind it took an interesting approach. Instead of strictly following existing media, LEGO Batman is an amalgamation of various p??ieces of Batman-centri?c stories, from comics to films to animation. The result is the quintessential Batman gaming experience. All the heroes and villains one would want are present, the environments feel appropriately comic bookie, and the inclusion of a villain story is a nice touch to pad out the gameplay time. It proves licensed LEGO games don't have to stick to someone else's script. They can chart their own course and find unanimous support. Calling it a LEGO classic would be an understatement.

2. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

Thanks to its beloved Batman efforts, many considered LEGO synonymous with DC. At the same time, due to its past with director Sam Raimi's first two Spider-Man movies, many yearned for more collaborations with Marvel. Early in the 2010s, such a LEGO-Marvel deal became a reality, giving fans sets and minifigures based on the comics and flourishing Marvel Cinematic Universe. Much like with other franchises previously, this licensing agreement led to the very first and best LEGO Marvel game, 2013's LEGO Marvel Super Heroes.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes does just about everything right. It features pretty much every hero and villain one could possibly imagine. It has a similar hub world to LEGO Batman 2, allowing players to run about New York City as they please. The story is entirely original, there are plenty of side missions to keep the narrative fun going, and the city is packed with secrets worth seeking out. There's also the inclusion of Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee, who finds himself in some sticky situations and needs to be bailed out. All in all, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes takes the best parts of its predecessors and stuffs them into one, da?re I say, marvelous, package.

1. LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

LEGO games have come a long way since the modern boom that kicked off in 2005. Voice acting is commonplace, open world elements have become the norm, and numerous properties have received time in the LEGO video game spotlight. For as great as newer games are, there's a case to be made that LEGO games peaked a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Yes, all these years later, the best LEGO game remains LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga from 2007.

What is there to say about this game that hasn't already been said? Six movies worth of missions, at the time, the largest LEGO video game roster ever seen, solid graphics, and loads of bonus content. You can even unlock Indiana Jones as a playable character. Is the game more or less a spruced-up combination of LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game and LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy? Yes, but that doesn't? diminish how special it was to have all six fi??lms, their characters, and hours-worth of extras in one convenient package.

You might be wondering, can't all of that be said about LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga? To some extent, but there's something to be said for The Complete Saga's light, breezy gameplay and awareness of its limitations. Sometimes less is more, and though The Skywalker Saga is impressive and ambitious, it bites off a bit more than it can chew. It can be a sluggish, tedious affair with its combat, puzzle-solving, and travel, as where The Complete Saga keeps up ??the fun factor remains snappy, and doesn't overstay its welcome. It truly doesn't get any better.

The post The top 10 best LEGO video games appeared first on Destructoid.

The best solo card games aren’t just for killing time. Instead, they’re a great way to experiment with exciting thematic gameplay, strategic deck building, and interesting tabletop narratives. With the ten single player card games? on this list, you’ll won’t have to wait for someone else to t??ake their turn. Instead, you can simply relax and play at your own pace.

10. Hostage Negotiator

Hostage Negotiator is a challenging game of conversational tactics in which you’ll be up against an anonymous villain with the aim of freeing at least half of the hostages he’s taken. Each round, you’ll have to reveal a new terror card that makes that objective difficult. You’ll also have to track and continuously reduce the threat leve?l of the hostage taker’s attitude and actions. Each conversation card you play can potentially save lives.

9. One Deck Dungeon

If you’re a fan of the classic tabletop dungeon crawling experience, you’ll definitely want to give One Deck Dungeon a try. As you delve deeper into the dark, you’ll fight monsters, pick up items, and hopefully gather enough XP to level up your character and survive the final boss fight. While it all might sound simple enough, there are actually plenty of unique challenges within the game’s five dun??geons, plus a bunch of skill and item combos that I found enjoyable to tinker with. 

8. Friday

Friday is a wickedly challenging solo card game that’s based on the classic novel Robinson Crusoe. Your goal is to help Robinson survive the island and defeat the pirates that arrive near the end of the game. You’ll have a mix of simple fighting cards to start with, and ?you'll need to improve them if you want to win. In an interesting gameplay twist, you’ll soon discover that the best way to improve your deck is to avoid stepping between Robinson and the island’s hazards and instead let him take a few hits. Deliberately losing at the right time is essential to victory. 

7. Sprawlopolis

In Sprawlopolis, your aim is to build the best city possible by arranging residential, commercial, ?industrial, and park zones in a way that aligns with three of the game’s eighteen possible scoring parameters. These parameters represent the demands of the city’s planners. Sometimes you’ll score points for building parks in the city center. Other times you’ll be better off linking up roads to construct a highway. It’s amazing how much each game feels entirely different from the last.

6. The 7th Continent

Explore a vast landscape and lift the curse upon your character in The 7th Continent, a modern adventure card game for one to four players. The wilderness of the newly discovered continent is harsh, and before you can complete the objectives of your expedition, you’ll first need to survi??ve. By crafting tools and finding shelter, you can continue your journey outwards and hopefully survive the threats that await you in the wild.

5. Dune Imperium: Uprising

In Dune Imperium, you’ll play as a leader of a Great House looking to conquer Arrakis and forge alliances with factions like the Fremen, the Empire, and the ?Bene Gesserit. You’ll start with a basic deck of cards and two agents that you can send out on missions. These missions will either increase your diplomatic standing or allow you to harvest resources like spice and solari. As you gather more persuasion, you’ll pick up more impactful cards for your deck. These will increase your po??wer on the desert planet. 

4. Palm Island

If you’re?? looking for a smaller, more portable, single-player card game, then Palm Island is the perfect fit. In the box, you’ll find two decks of seventeen cards each. One is for you, and the other is for a potential second player. It’s your job to g??ather resources on your island, recruit villagers, and score the most victory points over the course of eight rounds. The solo mode is great, and if you do end up playing with two players, you can choose between either cooperative or competitive gameplay.

3. For Northwood!

Play tricks and strategically utilize the power of your allies in For Northwood!, an enjoyable little card game in which your aim is to unite an adorable kingdom of anima?ls. There are twenty-four different rulers to match up against, sixteen challenge scenarios to work on, and a simple yet effective difficulty scaling system. To top it all off, ?the art establishes the perfect atmosphere and theme.

2. Marvel Champions: The Card Game

Marvel Champions is an immensely po?pular Living Card Game (LCG) that lets you assemble a team of superheroes and pit them against iconic villains from movies and comics. What if Black Panther and Professor X fought Loki? Or what if Peter Parker teamed up ??with Star-Lord to take down Dark Phoenix? The match-up possibilities in Marvel Champions feel endless. Since it's a Living Card Game, you’ll always know what’s in every expansion before you buy it. There’s no rarity system and no risk of missing out on your favorite characters. 

1. Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

In Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, you’ll build a unique deck of heroes, allies, attachments, and events. Then, you'll use your deck against a story encounter that takes place in Tolkien’s Middle Earth. The core game’s three scenarios occur between the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, in and around? Mirkwood. However, further expansions add more iconic characters to your pool of player cards and will transport you to realms like Moria, Gondor, and even Harad. The customization options available with a full collection are near limitless, and in my experience, building the deck and thinking about thematic combinations of card effects ends up being just as fun as actually playing a scenario.

The post The 10 Best Solo Card Games To Play By Yourself Th?is Year appeared first on Destructoid.

Perilous adventures and conflicts are seemingly everywhere in Middle Earth, and take center stage in more than a few excellent board games and tabletop RPGs. Today we’re highlighting the best of these adaptions of Tolkien’s work, based on both gameplay mechanics ??and how well each title uses this epic fantasy worl?d to its advantage. If you’ve read the books or seen any of the films, then chances are you’ll enjoy every ounce of the thematic tension that each of the games on this list has to offer.

10. War of the Ring: the Card Game

War of the Ring: the Card Game is a great adaption of the acclaimed board game that goes by the same name. The card game is arguably more accessible than the original; game time is shorter, and in my experience, works best with four players. One team plays as Sauron and the other tries to keep them at bay while Frodo completes his epic hiking trip. Battles are fought over location cards, with characters contributing swords and shields to the conflict. The game ends after nine rounds or if one team is more than ten poi??nts ahead. 

9. Lord of the Rings: the Confrontation

Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation is a short and snappy game of Stratego-like unit placement that experienced players can complete in u?nder 3??0 minutes. It’s the classic tale of Middle Earth good vs. evil, but with characters bringing thematic powers to the table that complement each player’s tactics cards. I’ve ranked it a bit lower on this list because it can be tricky to get your hands on these days, but it absolutely deserves a place on this list.

8. The Fellowship of the Ring: Deck-Building Game

In The Fellowship of the Ring deck-building game, you’ll play as one of the most iconic heroes in Middle Earth and gather a mix of allies, artifacts, and location cards. Each increases the strength of your deck and moves you closer to victory. Many elements of the game will feel familiar to fans of the popular deck builder Dominion, but the cards her?e are admittedly more flavourful, showcasing character images and quotes from the movie.

7. The Lord of the Rings: Adventure to Mount Doom

If you’re looking for an easy to learn cooperative tabletop game that takes place in Middle Earth, Adventure to Mount Doom is a solid choice. It relies heavily on rolling dice to move t??he members of the Fellowship towards Mount Doom, balancing luck with reasonable strategic decision making. While the game’s map-style boa??rd is definitely a far-cry from canon, it still offers many fun thematic elements, including separate card decks for locations like Gondor, Rohan, and Minas Morgul. 

6. The Battle of the Five Armies

The climactic final battle of The Hobbit takes center stage in this game, which is a sequel to the acclaimed War of the Ring board game. In The Battle of the Five Armies board game, one player takes on the role of? Bolg and his host of orcs, while the other player controls the Free Peoples of Middle Earth. Gandalf, Bilbo, and Beorn can play a key role in gameplay, though for the most part you’ll be commanding a?rmies rather than individual characters. 

5. The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Book Game

The LOTR Adventure Book Game is a surprisingly enjoyable walkthrough of all the major events of Lord of the Rings, and adheres more closely to the films. The game is a great pick for fans of the franchise who aren’t feeling up to playing the more complicated games on this list. Each player grabs a character token and begins their journey on their starting position at Bag End?, on the first page. Over the course of eight chapters, they’ll move the Ring closer to its destruction.

4. The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle Earth

Journeys in Middle Earth is a cooperative campaign game that perfectly balances exploration and combat. It leans significantly on its companion app, which tells players how to set up tiles and resolve location discovery and combat. It would be nice if more of these functions could be completed on the table, but overall, Journeys in Middle Earth in an excellent? experience for series fans. As an added bonus, the minatures look great and there plenty of fun expansions.

3. War of the Ring (2nd Edition)

The second edition of War of the Ring is a downright classic that pits the Free Peoples against the forces of Sauron in an epic, large-scale conflict. If you’re playing?? as Sauron, you’ll need to strike hard and fast, before Gondor and Rohan have time to rally troops. If you’re facing off against the shadow, you’ll instead need to hold fast and wait for the Ring to reach the fires of Mount Doom.

2. The Lord of the Rings RPG 5e

The world of Middle Earth is undeniably an excellent setting for a tabletop roleplaying campaign, and The Lord of the Rings RPG 5e gives players the perfect starting point for such a journey. The rules of the original DnD 5e are adapted to match Tolkien’s fantasy world, with easy-to-use stat lines available for just about any adversary in Middle Earth. There is also an exciting new expansion book, Moria: Shadow of Khazad-dûm, ?which offers eve?n more incredible maps and artwork.

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

Lord of the Rings: The Card Game takes players to every corner of Middle Earth with incredible story-based quests and campaigns. Gameplay is cooperative, and player decks are endlessly customizable and easy to build thematically. The game rewards players for prioritizing their favorite factions and playing the quests that explore the regions of Middle Earth that most interest them. Some of the LOTR LCG expansions allow players to recreate the most iconic scenes from the books, while others explore territories as far reaching as the Iron Hills and the depths of Moria. In terms of scale, customization, and adventure, The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game rules them all.

The post The 10 Be??st Lord of the Rings Tabletop Games to Play in 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

The best epically long board games offer incredible strategic depth, with satisfying gameplay engines that build over time and immersive thematics that you won’t find anywhere else. Oftentimes, they don't even end up feeling like long games simply because they're so much fun. In the best instances, the players will feel as though they’re telling an epic story of exploration, adventure, and conquest. In the list below, you’ll find our picks for the ten ??best board games that take at least two and a?? half hours to complete.   

10. Game of Thrones: The Board Game (2nd Edition)

Fans of the TV show or the Song of Ice and Fire books will love how well the Game of Thrones board game adapts the geography and storylines of Westeros to create epic battles and court intrigu??e at the game night table. Conquering castles is the name of the game, but to do that, you’ll need to make and break alliances with fellow players and?? carefully manage your troops. The only reason it’s a bit lower on this list is because playthroughs can sometimes feel a bit too similar. However, it’s still an exceptional game with plenty of depth.

9. Forgotten Waters

In Forgotten Waters, you’ll explore the high seas as an infamous pirate after adventure and treasure. The character sheets are fun to fill out and bring a welcome RPG element to a game that’s otherwise focused on scenario-based gameplay. The entry booklet and the compani??on app set the stage in each of the six-story chapters, all of which are excellently paced and engaging. Its mechanics are simple,?? making it the easiest-to-learn entry on this list.

8. Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition)

Mansions of Madness is a cooperative mystery and horror experience set in H.P. Lovecraft’s iconic world. Each player investigator sets out to gather clues and confront evil monsters in the game’s four distinct scenarios. And while I do wish there were more than four scenarios, it’s an incredibly atmospheric game, with each new room you enter feeling dangerous and claustrophobic. There are also lots of fun puzzles that you’ll need to solve via the Mansions of Madness app, which is closely integrat??ed into the?? gameplay.

7. Sleeping Gods

The incredible artwork and unique exploration mechanics of Sleeping Gods has won the campaign-based game many fans. Here, you and your fellow players will set sail on a steamship across 26 Atlas pages in an attempt to find your way home. The dream-like open world is astonishingly beautiful, with every new island you visit offering something new, whether it's a character, activity, or one of the fourteen collectible totems required for claiming victory. It could be a bit longer, but thankfully there is a sequel.

6. Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game

Even if you haven’t watched the incredible 2004 Battlestar Galactica reboot series, you’ll still find that there’s a lot to love about the TV show’s board game adaption. Cylon agents that look just like humans are hidden in the fleet that’s carrying the las??t hope for humanity, and you or your fellow players could be one of them. If you’re secretly a Cylon, which you might not even find out until the middle of the game, you’ll need to avoid suspicion and carry out covert sabotage aboard the Galactica. If you’re a human, your only hope is to reach Earth in time.

5. Gloomhaven

Gloomhaven is a campaign-based dungeon crawler with satisfying character progression mechanics an??d a rewarding story. While each play session usually only requires about an hour and a half to complete, the full campaign can easily take upwards of 150 hours Over the course of those 150 hours, you’ll soon discover that your decisions are critical; they can shape the events of the game in unexpected and exciting ways.   

4. Twilight Imperium (4th Edition)

In Twilight Imperium, you’ll play as one of seventeen unique factions aiming to seize control of?? the galaxy through political maneuvering, economic development, and military conque?st. The players share most objective cards, but there are so many different ways you can accomplish your goals and claim victory. I particularly appreciate that the galaxy map is drawn randomly so that the arrangement of planets, asteroid fields, and other deep-space phenomena demands completely different strategies every time you play.

3. Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

The vast expanses of space await exploration and settlement in Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy. Though it’s still a long game, it’s much shorter than Twilight Imperium, yet it manages to touch on many of the same notes without losing much strategic depth. You’ll take control of a species and attempt to build a civilization with a reach as far ?as the distant stars. Constructing starships, engaging in conflicts with rival players, and gathering reputation tiles are all essential to victory.

2. Star Wars: Rebellion

Star Wars: Rebellion takes players back to the era of the original Star Wars trilogy in a classic, cinematic tale of light vs. dark. The Empire reigns supreme and needs only to find the hidden Rebel base to crush its opposition once and for all. The Rebel Alliance must use its limited resources sparingly and carry out diplomatic missions that unite the galaxy’s systems against the Empire. The thematics of the game are incredible, and with over 150 miniatures included, it’s an absolute must-have for Star Wars and tabletop gaming fans alike.

1. War of the Ring (2nd Edition)

The conflict between the Free Peoples of Middle Earth and the legions of Mordor comes to life in War of the Ring, a faithful tabletop adaption of Tolkien’s books that is often considered to be one of the best war board games of all time. If you’re playing as Sauron, your objectives are simple; you’ll need to gather your troops and conquer as much of Gondor and the rest of the map as possible. If you’re playing as the Free Peoples, you’ll need to stop the spreading forces of evil from taking over before the One Ring reaches Mount Doom. It’s complex, it’s thematic, and it’s undisputedly epic. There's even a War of the Ring Card Game spin-off that's also great.

The post The 10 Best Epically Long Board Games To Play in 2024, Rank?ed appeared first on Destructoid.

The fantasy genre is literally the best literary option to escape the troubles of the real world for a short while. A good Fantasy book can sometimes feel like an entire w??ell-lived l?ife.

Let's have a look at our picks for the best books in ??the purest, richest, and deepest kind of Fantasy literature that exists.

Best High Fantasy Books (Quick List)

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The Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien)

While we cannot unsee The Lord Of The Rings as a trilogy nowadays, the whole thing was conceived as one single story. Good, because even though you'd still have an explosion of enjoyment in your brain by reading just one of the books �especially if it's your first contact with the series �LOTR is bigger than the sum of its parts.

It's hard to add anything new to the LOTR discourse because it pretty much?? kickstarted the High Fantasy craze and was also adapted into one of the most successful movie trilogies in history, but it's not impossible. You likely already know that it all began with the fellowship that was tasked with the destruction of the most powerful weapon in existence, and chances are you also know how the tale ends.

If there's a takeaway here, it's that the movies, though excellent, still leave elements out that are worth learning about via the books. Also, getting to learn about this story through words and having to project it on your mind through your own imaginat??ion might be one of the most enjoyable exercises you can ever force your brain to g?o through.

Mort (Discworld series, Terry Pratchett)

Death itself has long been a character in tales of humans, but no one has made it as interesting as Terry Pratchett in his Discworld series of novels, and he's never been in better shape than in Mort.

Mort, in case you're wondering, is the French name for Death, but Mort isn't Death, the character. Mort's actually Death's apprentice. Crude shows like Family Guy tried to ruin the character of Death by making it little more than a one-joke character. Mort, however �a much older sto??ry that everyone else should've learned from �mana?ges to not only make Death feel fresh but also fill the character with depth, philosophical wit, and heart that you wouldn't expect from such a supposedly grim entity.

The Princess Bride (William Goldman)

Let's get straight to the point: Did you grow up with Shrek? Even if you didn't, you should give Princess Bride a shot. It's ??one of the first �and arguably the best �comedic subver??sions of all classic fantasy tropes.

Do you like the classic tale of the hero who rescues the princess from a vile monarch? Well, the funniest part about The Princess Bride is that even though it turns everything upside down to provide the best laughs imaginable, it still ends up delivering the classic fantasy tale you might've been expecting in the first place. Also, it does all this without ever resorting to direct pop culture references —like Shrek did �and like I am doing. The Princess Bride remains one of the funniest books of all tim?e, and it's even more of a rare gem as it belongs in this often too-serious genre.

The Hobbit (J. R. R. Tolkien)

If you want a cozy, jolly, and rather easily digestible tale in the realm of High Fantasy, then you should consider joining Bilbo and casting away your fears to go in the search for adventure. Don't let the bloated and overly stretched-out Hobbit movie trilogy give you the wrong idea about this work. The Hobbit ?is as fun, light, and endearing as anything in the ?realm of high fantasy can hope to be.

If you already love The Lord Of The Rings or are just looking for a good gateway into the world of High Fantasy, then The Hobbit is probably your best possible pick. This is where most modern fantasy comes from, not just in LOTR.

A Storm Of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire)

If I could, I'd pick the entire A Song Of Ice and Fire series to put here �the entire thing, Mr. Martin �I would. With that being outside of the realm of possibility, I'm going with A Storm Of Swords, which is li??kely the most eventful out of all the very eventfu??l books in the series.

This one has a lot of sword fighting, a??nd also two weddings. Now, had I been talking about a different series, one of the elements that I just mentioned would likely count as a problem, but in this one, it's a total plus �trust me.

Naturally, You should not start this series with A Storm Of Swords, and should naturally go with the first book in the series, uh, what's it called, oh, yeah, A Game Of Thrones. Yeah, I think that's the one.

The Colour of Magic (Terry Pratchett)

FYI, you can read the books from the Discworld series in whatever order of your choosing, but I'm leaving you with the starting point because??, well, I just had to fit another Terry Pratchett book in here.

Discworld is the longest and most successful fantasy comedy series, and it all began with The Colour Of Magic. This is the genesis of not just a bunch of hilarious trope subversions but also of something new that breathed new? life into even many of the more serious worlds of the Fantasy genre that we see nowadays.

The Silmarillion (J. R. R. Tolkien)

Even though The Lord Of The Rings is the most famous of Tolkien's works, most die-hard Tolkien fans claim The Silmarillion to be his best work. While it doesn't feature the same kind of character-driven narrative seen in his other books, The Silmarillion tells more or less the whole story of Middle Earth via smaller tales. This means that even if it's not the best High Fantasy work out there, it's at least the most High Fantasy piece of literature out there.

Are you less interested in people f??ighting for a ring and more about seeing how everything came to be in that world? Then thi?s is the one for you.

The Last Unicorn (Peter S. Beagle)

Unicorns tend to show up in stories as little more than set dressing. If you want a tale that finally gives this underused creature its deserved spotlight, you can do no better than The Last Unicorn.

Peter S. Beagle's tale manages a perfect balance between heartwarming and surprising??ly dark. The Last Unicorn will likely always stay with you, and its lore will probably pop up to fill in the blanks whenever you see a unicorn in any other story.

A Wizard Of Earthsea (Earthsea ???Cycle, by Ursula K. Le Guin)

Do you like magic schools and happen to no longer be able ?to stand the series made most famous for them?

Interestingly, Earthsea handles concepts such as a balance between light and dark and schools of wizardry much better than the Star Wars prequels and the Harry Potter series, two properties that could've probably stood to learn a bit more from the Earthsea Cycle.

This series even got the rare adaptation treatment from Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli, though the adaptation is far in?ferior to the books.

The Goblin Emperor (Katherine Addison)

I've talked about a bunch of books that will gift you with the marvel that is comedic subversion and satire, but serious subversion also deserves a?? spot on the list.

Are you tired of the comedically good-looking heroes who seem to inhabit every single one of these stories? The Goblin Emperor tells the story of a man who just inherited an empire?? after the sudden death of those in line for the throne. As the title gives it away, we're not talking about a regular man but rather a half-goblin-half-elven Emperor. Maia, the new Emperor, will have to deal not just with all the troubles that classic fantasy heroes have to pull through but also with all the foul discrimination one would probably not expect in such a beautiful setting.

The post Best High Fantasy Books: Our Top 10 Picks appeared first on Destructoid.

From Frodo’s quest to destroy the One Ring to the fall of Gondolin, the world of Middle Earth is richly detailed, elegantly drawn, and undeniably epic. If you’re new to the works of J?.R.R. Tolkien, you’ll soon discover that there’s more to the author’s acclaimed fanta??sy sagas than The Lord of the Rings, which can make it difficult to know where to start reading. Good thing we’re here to make sure you start your adventure right.

How Many Lord of the Rings Books Are There?

The Lord of the Rings is a single work divided across three volumes. As a result, it’s commonly referred to as a trilogy. However, there a?re many other works published in J.R.R. Tolki??en’s name that expand the world of Arda and Middle Earth.

Recommended Reading Order of Tolkien’s Works

If you want to read The Lord of the Rings, the best place to start isn’t the first book in the trilogy. Instead, let’s begin ??our tale sixty years before, with the finding of the One Ring.

1. The Hobbit

The Hobbit was first released in 1937, more than a decade before The Lord of the Rings. The story follows the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, who departs home in the company of thirteen dwarves in an attempt to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the clutches of the dragon Smaug. It’s the best place to start for readers who are new to Tolkien’s works because it introduces hobbits and helps make The Fellowship of the Ring’s initial chapters easier to follow.

2. The Fellowship of the Ring

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes in The Lord of the Rings. Frodo ??Baggins, Bilbo’s adopted heir, inherits the One Ring after Bilbo’s departure but soon finds that the dreaded Ringwraiths are following his trail. The epic quest to take the One Ring to Mount Doom begins.

3. The Two Towers

The Fellowship of the Ring is broken and all is in doubt when The Two Towers opens. T??he Three Hunters, led by Aragorn, attempt to rescue captive friends and aid the land of Rohan, while Frodo and Sam must contend with Gollum and his desire for the Ring.

4. The Return of the King

The Return of the King covers the climactic conclusion of The Lord of the Rings. Aragorn and his?? company fight in both the siege of Minas Tirith and the Battle of the Morannon. Sam and Frodo reach the fires of Mount Doom, where they attempt to destroy the Ring. A new king is crowned in Gondor.

5. The Silmarillion

The Silmarillion is a grand retelling of the greatest myths of Arda, of which the tale of the Ring is only a small part. The narrative covers everything from the creation of the world to the end of the Third Age, though its primary focus is on the Years of the Trees and the First Age, which occurred thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings. The word ‘epi?c�is an understatement when it comes to describing this one.

6. Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth

Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth is a set of additional stories that fill in the corners of Arda and Middle Earth. Some of these stories tie in with The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, while others further detail the events of the F??irst and Second ages.

The Road Goes Ever On

After Unfinished Tales, the nature of Tolkien’s works becomes considerably more fragmented. All of the books below (as well as The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales) were published posthumously. They’re best for those of us who can’t get enough of Middle Earth.

7. The History of Middle Earth (Volumes 1-12)

The twelve volumes of The History of Middle Earth detail the development of Tolkien’s world. Early drafts, notes on the languages of Middle Earth, and editor annotations uncover much of Tolkien’s process for creating his epic. You don’t need to read the twelve volumes in order and can easily jump into the se??gments relevant to your favorite parts of the Legendarium.

8. The Children of Húrin

Children of Húrin is a novel-like retelling of Túrin Turambar’s tragic life and travels, which initially appeared in lesser detail in The Silmarillion. It’s the first of the three Great Tale?s of the First Age and perhaps the darkest of Tolkien’s stories.

9. Beren and Lúthien

Beren and Lúthien is the least complete of the three books focusing on the Great Tales of the First Age. At the center of this story is a romance b?etween Beren, a mortal, and Lúthien, an elf. The?? two work to steal a Silmaril from the crown of Morgoth and are thus counted amongst the greatest of Tolkien’s heroes.

10. The Fall of Gondolin

The Fall of Gondolin is the last of Tolkien’s Great Tales. The book assembles the various stories related to the secret city of Gondolin in a single volume and also covers the mariner Eärendilâ€?™s journey at the end of the First Age.

11. The Fall of Númenor

The most recent book published in Tolkien’s name is The Fall of Númenor. It’s a collection of writings related to the events of the Second Age, edited by Brian Sibley and released in close proximity to Amazon’s The Rings of Power TV show. 

12. The Nature of Middle Earth

The Nature of Middle Earth is also a collection of Tolkien’s notes and minor works. It focuses not only on the literal ‘natureâ€?of Middle Earth but on its inhabitants, from their physical description to their connection with fate and free will.?? 

Middle Earth Books in Chronological Order

The timeline of Middle Earth is complex, with publications like The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales containing stories from several ages. However, if you’d like to read the main books in as close to chronological order as possible, the suggested order is as follows: The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and finally, Unfinished Tales.

The post How to Read the Lord of the Rings Books in Order: ??Series Reading ?Guide appeared first on Destructoid.

Update 41 for Lord of the Rings Online is on its way, featuring two new legendary progression servers, the birdwatching hobby, and a range of other craft?ing and class changes. The added servers, ‘Angmarâ€?and ‘Mordorâ€? will host the new Veil of the Nine system, which introduces exciting new landscape challenges that the MMO’s loyal VIP subscribers will be sure to enjoy. 

Both new legendary servers are 64-bit, which the game’s executive producer Severlin has said in a recent preview stream will help reduce lag. In addition, the Mordor ser??ver will be EU-based, which is certainly a surprise given that the game hasn’t had a European server for years.

The Veil of the Nine

The challenge level of LOTRO’s Angmar and Mordor servers won’t be f?or the faint of heart. From level 15 onwards, lesser wraiths will spawn randomly on the landscape and attack you. If you’re using the game’s new landscape difficulty settings, these wraiths might prove deadly. Once you hit the servers�initial level cap of 50, the real challenge begins.

The nine Ringwraiths thems?elves can appear randomly at your location, and you’ll need more than a few f?riends to take them down. In fact, Severlin claims you’ll need as many as 50 people. It’s the kind of landscape raiding experience that LOTRO hasn’t seen in ages.

To make these fights easier, both new legendary servers will be equipped with 12 rings that drop randomly at cap level. The rings can only be held by players for one week at a time. New rewards await those who are able to return the Ringwraiths to the shadows, though we don’t have any details yet on what they are. The mechanics of the Veil of the Nine system remind me personally of Black Desert Online’s world bosses, and have me excit?ed to try out the update as soon as it laun?ches later this month.

The post 50 Person Landscape Raids are Comi??ng to Lord of the Rings Onl??ine appeared first on Destructoid.

The idyllic rolling hills and comfy hobbit holes of The Shire are such a perfect setting for a life-sim game that its a wonder no one thought of the premise for Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game before. Farming, fishing, and decorating are all core features confirmed for this cozy game, which is set in the hobbit village of Bywater. The game takes place in the years between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Tales of the Shire gameplay will be familiar to anyone who’s played the likes of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You’ll build a garden, befriend your neighbors, and eat second breakfast every day. But what can truly set Tales of the Shire apart is its connect??ion with Mid?dle Earth. Today, we’re looking at ten features we’d like to see in this game.

10. Assisting the Bounders

The wide world of Middle Earth that lies outside The Shire is a unique and dangerous place with many stories to tell. As a member of the bounders, a group of hobbits assigned to patrol the borders of The Shire in the book?s, you could potentially play a small part in these stories.

9. Pets & Livestock

If you’ve played Stardew Valley, you’ll know that caring for your animals is half the fun of owning a farm. Though you might be restricted to a garden in Tales of the Shire, it would still be nice to have a few c??hickens or cats wandering around your hobbit hole. 

8. Tie-ins With Familiar Characters

If you watch the Tales of the Shire trailer closely, you’ll notice that Gandalf is in the game. However, there should be more than a few other familiar characters for Lord of the Rings fans nearby, even within the confines of Bywater.

7. Mathoms

Mathoms are gifts that hobbits give on birthdays, though they are often re-gifted later. Passing around these gifts would be a fun way to interact with?? neighbors.

6. Smoking Pipe-weed

Hobbits are know??n for smoking pipe-weed, and according to the books, have a history of growing the plant as well. Hopefully we’ll?? be able to kick back and launch a few smoke rings, though the game’s PEGI rating makes this feature less likely.

5. Seasonal Festivals

Part of the game’s story will revolve around an event called the ‘Bywater Festival� but it would be nice to have festivals for the game’s changing seasons as well. A yule or harvest festival similar to the festivals in Lord of the Rings Online would certainly be welcome.

4. Brewing at Inns

From what we’ve seen so far in demos and trailers, you’ll be able to visit The Green Dragon, an iconic inn from the books. Brewing ale at the inn could be an enjoyabl??e mini-game that ties in?? with the game’s cooking mechanics.

3. Romance

Romance is a fun feature of Stardew Valley and would be a fantastic addition to this game as well. It would be especially important if Tales of the Shire co-op gameplay is confirmed.

2. Lighting Fireworks

The fireworks at Bilbo’s birthday party are a memorable part of the Fellowship of the Ring, and lighting a few in Tales of the Shire would also be good time.

1. Multiplayer

Multiplayer is without question the feature we’d like to see most in Tales of the Shire. Worki?ng with your friends or partner to design your hobbit hole and manage your garden would be a wholesome experience sure to win over fans.

We don’t have any confirmation that Tales of the Shire multiplayer gameplay exists, b??ut hopefully that changes before the game’s release later this year.

The post Top 10 Features We’d Like to See in Tales o??f t?he Shire appeared first on Destructoid.

You know him, you love him, and even if you think you don’t?? â€?you do. Prolific doesn’t even begin to describe Yuri Lowent??hal’s voice acting career, as the actor has over 800 credits to his name across movies, TV shows, and video games.

When Lowenthal is not voicing major superheroes and lovable main characters, he’s tackling all sorts of background characters in smaller franchises you may have heard of, like Mortal Kombat, Fallout, Mass Effect, and Final Fantasy. Most recently, he even confirmed his involvement in Helldivers 2, a perfo??rmance, "heavily inspired by Starshi?p Troopers."

I could write a novel-length piece about Lowenthal’s ridiculous career, but this little overview into just a? smattering of his best roles will have to do.

Ice-Man/Bobby Drake (X-Men)

It’s hard to really make an impact in the X-Men franchise. There are so many characters with so much history that most fans already have their favorites picked out. Despite that, Lowenthal definitely managed to move the needle when he portrayed Bobby Drake, and he made Ice-Man into a top-tier character for a generation of X-Man fans, myself included.

He voiced Ice-Man in Wolverine and the X-Men back in 2008 and again in 2014’s Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers. The Wolverine series is t??he only one that’s really worth watching, but Lowenthal is a joy in both shows.

Tobias Nebbins (Catherine)

This is the first character I think of when I think of Yuri Lowenthal, but admittedly I’m a bit of an oddball. Toby was a supporting character in Atlus' 2011 Catherine, and his cringe-worthy, but somehow charming, obsession with finding love has stuck with me ever since. Toby is a great example of how Lowenthal evokes pathos, e??ven in his comic relief performances.

More importantly, he’s emblematic of all the other work Lowenthal has done with Atlus, including multiple Shin Megami Tensei and Persona projects. In Persona 4 (and P4: Golden), Lowenthal plays Yosuke Hanamura, a core member of the investigation team. He played the lead character Makoto Yuki in Persona 3: Dancing in the Moonlight, and he recently had a small role as Eiichiro Takeba, the scientist who created Aigis, in Persona 3 Reload.

Ben Tennyson (Ben 10: Alien Force)

If you were a Cartoon Network kid like me, then you know exactly who Ben Tennyson is. In Ben 10: Alien Force, the conveniently named kid got access to an alien armband that allowed h?im to transform into different creatures. Naturally, he needed to take on a new alien form every week to deal with another extraterrestrial and existential threat to the planet. Lowenthal voiced the character through multiple shows and video game?? tie-ins, and his performance elevated Ben from a goofy cartoon character to a bona fide sci-fi hero. 

Frodo (Lord of the Rings)

Elijah Wood is inarguably our live-action Frodo, but for over a decade, Lowenthal has been the iconic Hobbit’s video game counterpart. Lowenthal first tackled the character in 2009’s The Lord of the Rings: Conquest on PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 3??60, and �bizarrely �Nintendo DS.

Since then he’s played the character five more times in various video games, but it’s been a while since we’ve gotten to see him sink back into the role. His last outing as Mr. Baggins was in Lego Dimensions ?all the way back in 2015. Lowenthal’s take on the character is the only one that comes close to Wood’s portrayal, so hopefully, we’ll see him back in the role someday.

He-Man

Even when Lowenthal is playing heroes, he seems to gravitate toward characters who rely on brains over brawn. Whether it's Peter Parker or Donatello, Lowenthal doesn't often end up being the voice behind muscle-bound warriors like He-Man. But in Netflix's Master of the Universe, Lowenthal stepped into the shoes of the mightiest hero around and nailed it. There’s a definite throughline?? from Lowenthal’s previous roles to He-Man, but if you aren’t already a believer (and really you should be), then this show will prove to ??you that Lowenthal doesn’t just play one-note heroes. 

Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto)

For a long time, it was easy to say that Sasuke Uchiha was Lowenthal’s most iconic character. Now there’s a certain web slinger who’s vying for that title, but for a generation of anime fans, Sasuke is still the man. Lowenthal started voicing Sasuke when Naruto started airi??ng in 2007, and since then he’s stepped into the vocal booth countless times to pick the character back up.

More than any other character, Sasuke has given Lowenthal the chance to act his way through an entire heroic journey, complete with epic failures and inspiring redemption arcs. I’m not going anywhere near the subs v dubs debate, but Lowenthal’s talent alone is a compelling reason to experience Naruto in English. 

Spider-Man/Peter Parker

Everyone knows that Lowenthal voiced Peter Parker in the PlayStation Spider-Man games, but that franchise wasn’t his first outing as the wall crawler. Lowenthal actually first voiced Spider-Man in two different 2008 video games: ZEN Pinball and Spider-Man: Web of Shadows.

Since then, he's voiced the character more than a dozen times in various animated shows and video games. In my opinion, Lowenthal is one of the best Peter Parkers that we’ve ever gotten. He’s got the comedic timing that makes the webhead ??so entertaining, but he also really understands the more tragic aspects of the character. In his performance as Peter, Lowenthal really captures the melancholy optimism that has been a part of the character’s comic book persona for decades. 

The post Yuri Lowenthal’s best roles, from Helldivers 2 to Naruto’s iconic Sasuke Uchiha appeared first on Destructoid.

Supermarket Sweep

Embracer Group, continuing on its apparent mission to become the only company in existence, has been on another shop??ping spree, walking away with several studios, publishers, and million-dollar IPs in a mighty sweep of its seemingly bottomless wallet.

Announced this morning, Embracer's recent purchases include Lord of the Rings IP holder Middle-earth Enterprises, Maneater developer Tripwire Interactive, Japanese studio Tatsuji, accessory brand Giotech, karaoke hardware company Singtrix, and popular boutique retailer Limited Run Games. The identity of a further acquisition remains?? unannounced as of this writing.

All of Embracer's gam?ing entities will be managed within a new operating division in the holding company known as "Embracer Freemode." The total purchase price for all of the listed acquisitions is reportedly in the region of SEK 8.2 billion, or roughly $787 million USD.

"Today Embracer becomes an even better group. I am pleased to welcome an amazing group of entrepreneur-led companies to the Embracer family and to extend our portfolio with some truly remarkable IPs and franchises, including The Lord of the Rings," said E??mbr?acer CEO Lars Wingefors of the purchases.

"It is encouraging that our group has become a natural and preferred buyer of creative, gr??owing and profitable companies within Gaming and Entertainment. Several discussions with entrepreneurs now joining have been ongoing for more than three years before the stars aligne?d today, which underlines the importance of a long-term perspective in building our group."

Middle-earth Enterprises has held the licensing rights to J.R.R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit for some 50 years. In an accompanying statement, Embracer appeared to show great interest in exploring th?e characters and worlds th??at exist within Middle-earth, which frankly sounds like a Disney-style abundance of movies and TV shows might be headed our way in the future.

Embracer Group has been incredibly proactive with its purchase power in recent years. In the gaming sphere, the umbrella corporation already has stakes or full ownership in companies such as THQ Nordic, Saber Interactive, Koch Media, Gearbox Entertainment, Aspyr Media, DECA Games, and all of their respective subsidiaries, alongside numerous independent studios.

The post Embracer Group acquir??es Lord of the Rings, Limited Run Game??s, Tripwire, and more appeared first on Destructoid.

Stay Out of Trobble

Nacon is joining the long list of publishe?rs dropping dates for its own summer live stream presentation. Nacon Connect 2022, which is scheduled to take place on July 7, will feature a slew of reveals, updates, and trailers pertaining to the company's catalog of upcoming games, accessories, and development projects.

"This year?, NACON Connect is reinventing itself in its format and will feature even more content for gamers," said the company in a press release. "Two pre-show and post-show sessions will? be added and hosted by renowned influencers. The conference will be the occasion to announce several major projects, reveal new trailers and exclusive gameplay, and introduce new accessories that will delight all gamers."

While Nacon is expected to reveal the show's itinerary at a later date, we can snugly assume that we'll be seeing updates on the cyber revolution RPG Steelrising, Daedalic's action-adventure title The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, and Teyon's previously teased RoboCop: Rogue City. Nacon promises new trailers, exclusive gameplay footage, and the debut of several new accessories from the company's hardware di?vision.

Nacon Connect 2022 will go live on July 7 at 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET / 18:00 BST and can be watched on the official Nacon YouTube and Twitch cha?nnels. I may not be a "renowned influencer", but I'll also?? do my best to bring you any pertinent news from the stream right here on Destructoid.

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Another well-matched movie/game mash-up

When I saw a thumbnail suggesting that Aragorn from Lord of the Rings had found his way into Elden Ring, I assumed the video was highlighting a mod, or just a running down the character creator settings needed to replicate him in the Lands Between. I should've known better! Content creator eli_handle_b.wav has been expertly inserting live-action movie and TV characters into video games, so of course Elden Ring was the next target.

I told myself I wouldn't overdo it with these memes, but they're too dang good.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8pOcrJVnec

This video isn't over-the-top with spoilers to the point that I'd advise against watching it if you're still getting through Elden Ring, but it does show Aragorn fighting a couple of bosses, including Radhan, and a cool ??optional zone (that's also prominently shown in-game during loading screens). I think you'll be fine! It's short and to the point.

Aside from all the charging, my favorite bit here is definitely Viggo Mortensen's infamous helmet kick; eli_handle_b.wav repurposed the painful stunt to fit perfectly in an encounter with Elden Ring's favorite pot-boy son, Alexander. It works so well.

The Elden Ring theme makes everything better

While it's just a background snippet, I'm chuckling at the thought of Aragorn having to deal with Varré's cryptic bullshit the moment he steps out and gets his bearings in Limgrave. I'd also be curious to see how he'd handle the "loathsome" Dung Eater and other NPCs who give off a sketchy yet intriguing "you should probably keep your guard up" vibe.

Like many of you, my journey through Elden Ring was meandering as hell and fu??ll of peril every step of the way. It's amusing to think about how this legendary character would've fared, especially without his friends. The next time you're struggling with a boss, try to channel his energy. Cover up those HP bars with Post-It Notes and trust in yourself.

As one commenter put it, "I know this is just a meme but this makes me want to watch all of Lord of the Rings and then do an actual Aragorn play through in Elden Ring." Same!

The post Aragorn takes the throne in Elden Ring appeared first on Destructoid.

From Weta, of all places

Lord of the Rings games kind of pop out of the ground like Athelas. Outside of the highly promoted ones from EA, they can just spring up on you without warning. One day when you least expect it, bam! The Gollum game will be out. For now, we ponder the possibilities of this potential Lord of the Rings game from Weta.

You might recognize the name from the Jackson films! Weta Digital has been creating visual effects since the '90s, but really blew up when they worked on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Well, they're working on games, too.

All of the info so far comes from this Facebook call to arms, which is asking for a producer that can help them make "cutting edge games," noting that they are aiming for a "PC release." Digging further into the producer r??ole on offer in the interactive department, it seems as if it's based on "an incredibly rich and inspiring license that will fill fans and players around the world with delight." Hmmmmmmm! The listi?ng also mentions "consoles."

Now, Weta could be supporting another core studio, including Amazon, who is poised to release the upcoming Lord of the Rings TV show. But there's no shortage of digital games in ?Mi?ddle-earth, so I wouldn't be surprised to see one just get announced one day. Did you know there's a semi-recent Lord of the Rings mobile game? Bam! Got ya.

The post There c?ould be another Lord of the Rings game on the way appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 6/5 - 6/11/2021

-The Whore of Babylon talks about some E3 traditions.

-Black Red Gaming thinks that E3's digital expa??nsion is getting out of hand.

-Sharukurusu doesn't feel like playing newer games and wonders i?f they have lost an intangible quality compared to the?? games of the past.

-Mik3y replays Star Wars Republic Commando.

-Kerrik52 reviews The Operative: No One Lives Forever as part of his Traveller in Playtime rev??iews series.

-Lord Spencer reviews Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Lord Spencer reports on the top 70-61 PS1 games on th??e Retro Sanctuary list as part of his PS1 REVIEWS bloggi??ng series.

-Black Red Gaming selects four? more games as part of a must-play video game list.

-Moths details what was learned from a full playthrough of the Kingdom Hearts series.

-Black Red Gaming covers 10 gaming news from 5/30 to 6/9.

-TheCooperators reviews Lord of the Rings: Shadow of War to check if it is still worth playing.

-GamingDino talks about the? status of the T-Rex in video games.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Shining Force and marching music.

-Mik3y discusses some Star Wars-related readings.

-ABowlOfCereal continues their balancing suggestions of Guardian Tales, with a final blog on the Warriors class.

-NinjaSpeed talks about bonding with the specialized community of video game VAs over social???????????????????????????? media.

-Queen of Philosophy opens this week's TGIF open community forum.

Just because we're in the midst of E3, that doesn't mean we can't take time out to shine a light on all of your wonderful community blogs. Thanks as always to Lord Spencer for the recap and for al??l of our community for this week's entries. Work continues on the new site's infrastructure, but we hope to return to Blog Promotions, Bloggers Wanted, and other community-themed projects very soon!

The post What are some of your E3 traditions and has the longer, ??digital format changed them? appeared first on Destructoid.

You no longer have my sword, nor my axe

Amazon Game Studios' ambitious MMO set within the Lord of the Rings universe has hit the bricks, following failed negotiations b??etween Amazon and its development partner's new owner, Tencent.

According to a new report from Bloomberg, the project was a joint development between Amazon Game Studios and holding company Leyou Technologies. The latter company was acquired by Chinese conglomerate Tencent in 2020, forcing new contract negotiations. But it seems that Amazon and Tencent failed to find common ground on the new terms, which has led to Amazon canning the LOTR project altogether.

"We love the Lord of the Rings IP, and are disappointed that we won't be bringing this game to customers," an Amazon sp?okesperson told Bloomberg. "We have been unable to secure terms to proceed with this title at this time."

The Lord of the Rings will now go in Amazon's storage closet alongside previously canned releases Crucible and Breakaway. Sandbox MMO New World remains in development for PC, with a tentative launch date of August 31. Since it officially announced it w??as entering video game development back in 2014, Amazon Game Studios is yet to see a successful release. Having just opened new digs in Montreal, Canada, it seems that the retail giant is still all-in on its digital endeavors.

The post Amazon cancels Lord of the Rings MMO after dispute with ?Tencent-acquired partner appeared first on Destructoid.

Cblogs of 3/20 to 3/26/2021

-Gamingnerd reflects on the legacy of the Resident Evil series in celebration of its 25th anniversary.

-Nior continues his retrospective on The Legacy of Kain series retrospective with this blog on Blood Omen 2.

-Kerrik52 reflects on the nature?? and application of crafting systems in video games.

-Eggs&BrewsterJr compares the Lord of the Rings games: Shadow of Mordor and Lego Lord of the Rings.

-RedHeadPeak asks which games were your greatest disappointments, his was Spore.

-Lord Spencer reviews Saga Frontier as part of his PS1 REVIEWS blogging series.

-Moths discusses Wolfenstein II's story and gameplay in this blog.

-Eggs&BrewsterJr shares a li?st of five games that could use an HD facelift.

-Sam van der Meer shares his thoughts on Super Mario Sunshine.

-PhilsPhindings discusses the similarities between the soundtrack of Final Fantasy Tactics and Rock Music.

-ABowlOfCereal makes a lot of potential movesets for potential Super Smash Bros. characters??, and here is the ruleset?? for that exercise.

-ChronoLynxx opens last week's TGIF open community forum.

Thank you for this week's great content! It means a lot to us that you take the time to share your thoughts, opinions, and memories on your gaming experiences. Thanks, as always, to Lord Spencer for providing us with the recap. Head on over to the Cblogs and empty your head, and you too could see you stories captured for posterity ??on Destructoid.

The post Resident Evil at 25: ??Which is your favorite entry in the storied series? appeared first on Destructoid.

It's still coming to PC and consoles, including Switch

I'm not sure how much I'm into the idea of a Gollum video game, particularly since the first pre-alpha shots came out, but my stance could change with time. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum i??sn't launching this year, after all – it's now aiming for 2022 and Nacon is co-publishing with Daedalic Entertainment.

The companies reiterated that the release plans include PC, Pla??yStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

From what we've heard so far, Gollum is a blend of narrati??ve decision making – a battle of wits between his dueling personalities – and slinking around in the shadows, striking only when the coast is clear. I can't say that sneaky climbing sounds all that riveting to me, but the more choice-based adventure gameplay could turn out well. As for the exaggerated art direction, we'll see. I'm just not sold yet.

It's been a wacky run for Lord of the Rings video games over the past decade, and I don't just mean Shadow of Mordor. Remember Guardians of Middle-earth? No wonder Chris sticks with the card game.

The post The Lord of the Rings: Gollum falls back to 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

The online features were dropped but life finds a way

There's a creeping sense of dread for any game with online-only modes, unlockable content, or achievements and trophies. It's a matter of time ??before time runs out and they're no longer accessible. It's a common-enough occurrence that developers need to include fa?ilsafes as much as possible.

As we recently covered, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor – not to be confused with the 2017 sequel Shadow of War – is one such example. Warner Bros. decided to shut the servers down, but even though there are a few online-centric achievements and trophies, players will still be able to pop 'em. An update was released for Shadow of Mordor on PC,? PlayStation 4, and Xbox One yesterday to make it so.

Specifically, Repaid in Blood ("Complete a Vendetta Mission"), The Hunt is My Mistress ("Complete all objectives in the Test of the Wild"), and Lord of the Ring ("Complete all objectives in the Test of The Ring") can be unl?ocked despite the la??ck of Vendetta missions and online leaderboards.

File this one under "good to know." Not that I'm about to dig out Shadow of Mordor in 2021, but I know what it feels like to consider cracking open an older game and ultimately decide against it because ther?e's some unfortunate caveat driving you aw?ay. Impossible trophies can have that effect on me.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor &ndas??h; Status?? Update [WB Games via TrueAchievements]

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No more Nemesis Forge or Vendetta missions

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was a really st??range game that came out of nowhere in 2014.

Although many designers hit considerable roadblocks making big changes to Middle-earth source material, Warner Bros. coasted into?? massive departures from Tolkien's legendarium with ease; both from a practical and thematic standpoint. It was a weird release, made even stranger by a controversy regarding some content creator's failure to disclose that they couldn't disparage the game in exchange for cash. Whatever the case may have been some people enjoyed it; but come December 31 of this year, future ??generations may enjoy it a bit less.

An ominous message recently apparated on various digital marketplaces for the game, warning that come that date, several features will be removed from the game (presumably because WB doesn't want to keep paying for online features). Those features include the Nemesis Forge mechanic (read: you can't transfer your nemesis enemies into the sequel) and a lack of Vendetta missions (hunting orcs via your friends list) and leaderboards. WBPlay is also being removed, but a??s a pity prize you're getting "Orc Hunter" and "Gravewalker" ??epic runes.

I always felt that the nemesis system was half-baked, but come 2021 it'll be even less appealing. You can find the full rundown of the removed features below. For now, the follow-up release Shadow of War is not impacted.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor [Steam]

Note: certain features for the Middle-earth: Sha?dow of Mordor videogame will no longer be available beginning Dec. 31, 2020.

Affected Features:
• The Nemesis Forge feature will no longer be available. Therefore, players will no longer be able to transfer their in-game Nemeses from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor to Middle-earth: Shadow of War.
• Vendetta missions and Leaderboards will no longer be available.
• WBPlay will no longer be availab?le, but the epic runes "Orc Hunter" and "Gravewalker" will automatically be awa??rded to all players.

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Sneaky little Sméagolses

No real surprise here but Daedalic's Lord of the Rings: Gollum game isn't going to end with Sméagol sitting atop a pile of bodies. Video games often skew toward power fantasies, but Daedalic's being respectful?? of Tolkien's lore. The feeble, frail Gollum isn't going to murder every orc? in Middle-earth in pursuit of his precious.

IGN talked with Daedalic recently about exactly what kind of game Gollum aims to be. Lead designer Martin Wilkes says "The game mixes stealth with vertical climbing parkour." For a point of reference, Wilkes likened it to Prince of Persia but without the combat. Gollum has the ability to stealthily dispose of enemies but it sounds like his underwhelming stature will come into play. Wilkes emphasizes that engaging any enemy will "always?? come with big risks."

As for the structure of Gollum, Daedalic has landed on something that's best described as a series of levels and hubs. Gollum will arrive in a new area, and then it's up? to the player to eventually open up all the locations within the new level. It's a lot of puzzle-solving and pathfinding, and sometimes there are multiple ways to accomplish the same goal.

That's half the game. The other half is narrative-focused and has the playe??r making decisions between the opposing Sméagol and Gollum personalities. The developer ??states the obvious by saying the two sides have conflicting goals, but was unwilling to talk about how choices affect what plays out.

Lord of the Rings: Gollum is scheduled to arrive on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X next year but we're yet to see any gameplay. Although the revelation it's a vert??ical platformer with cinematic emphasis on Middle-earth's vistas has me more interested than before.

The Lord of the Rings: Goll??um Is a 'Princ?e of Persia-Like' Stealth Game With a Branching Narrative [IGN]

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These screens give me pause

Earlier this year, Lord of the Rings: Gollum producer noted that their ??upcoming game, an adventure title set in the Middle-earth, was not trying to be a continuation of the popular New Line Cinema/Peter Jackson-verse, and specifically claimed that "he doesn't look like Andy Serkis."

At this point we hadn't seen more than a mere logo, so the jury has always been out on that statement. Given how hard it is going to be for some newer Lord of the Rings fans to divorce themselves from that iconic portrayal, I was dubious. There was hope that the team would be using a drastically different style for the titular character, perhaps something that used features that were more inline with the source material (the logo event hinted at this), but it seems as if that's not the case.

Based on new screens from GameStar, it looks like plans changed, and (in my mind, at least) Gollum looks nearly identical to the Andy Serkis character from the Jackson trilogy (and the Hobbit films) with slightly more cartoony features. Even the outfit is nigh identi??cal, which is wild given that Gollum's various portrayals since the 1937 source have all, more or less, iterated upon the character.

Aesthetic choices aside, we also get a good look at what the game actually is, and it very much seems like the adventure/stealth hybrid that's been teased. Gollum is seen slinking around a Mordor-themed zone that looks almost identical to an area from the Middle-earth: Shadow of War series (possibly under Barad-dur, which was confirmed to be in the game), but with a slightly cartoony character design for the orcs (which also look very reminiscent of Ja?ckson's style, with a twist).

This whole development is a little strange, as I was expecting this game to finally move away from Jackson's films and get back to an era where creatives were free to take more risks when adapting Middle-earth as a whole: maybe we'll have to wait a little longer for that. As it stands, I'm willing to give this one a shot, an??d it's probably a smart move for Daedelic to bank on no?stalgia in the end.

Lord of the Rings: Gollum [GameStar] Thanks Jeff!

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Is it 'XBSX?'

Early in 2019, we heard about a little old game called Lord of the Rings: Gollum. It was no?thing more than just a name and a?? logo at this point, but thanks to a recent interview in Edge Magazine, the whole project is starting to take shape.

Although everyone kind of assumed that it would utilize Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis' aesthetic, it seems as if that's not the case. Speaking to Edge, producer Kai Fiebig noted: "we don't want to displease the folks who have only see the movies. But in short, he doesn't look like Andy Serkis. We started w?ith the person he was and then evolved him. You can see that this was once something like a human being, before the Ring corrupted him."

Over the decades different storytellers have put their own spin on the Gollum character, from the frog-like Rankin & Bass rendition above for The Hobbit cartoon film (my personal favorite), as well as the iconic, more human-like Gollum we know from the aforementioned Jackson films.  The idea of seeing him as a "human being," as Smeagol the Stoor — with potential flashbacks to life with his family before he was exiled from his home —could be incredibly impactful. Right now the only tease we have to g??o on is the art inside of the official l?ogo (below), but even that could be a working concept.

Moving outside of the purview of Tolkien lore, Gollum has been re-confirmed for a 2021 release, and will arrive on both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. It was pretty much in the bag given that they mentioned "all relevant console platforms" in the past, b??ut it's confirmed nonetheless!

Edge Magazine [Edge via PC Gamer]

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'Stay with me here'

I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Standing Stone Games, the current steward of The Lord of the Rings Online, and learned some fascinating things about the trajectory of the game over the ye?ars.

One of the most interesting topics with any Tolkien-based property is how rights are handled; most creatives are beholden to either the Tolkien Estate directly or with Middle-earth Enterprises (who hold the rights to The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings books). Standing Stone Games works directly with the latter, but the lengths?? they're willing to go to stretch those limitations can get pretty crazy at times.

By request, I was able to speak directly with Chris Pierson and Jeff Libby, senior game designers for The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) and official "loremasters."

These guys have read just about every single bit of Tolkien material (including all of those letters) and correspondence with eminent Tolkien scholars like Cory Olsen or Michael Drout (the latter of which is immort?alized in-game with an NPC). Getting ?down to business, I immediately wanted to know what their craziest idea was. Both of them looked at each other and laughed: "it's definitely the Gandalf thing."

"So stick with me here as I explain this," Pierson said laughing. So I had this idea, it came to me: 'What if we killed Gandalf?' I wanted to explore a sort of alternate reality in Lord of the Rings, and in this case, what would happen if the Rohirrim had never come during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and The Witch King had defeated Gandalf." What came next was a ??rabbit hole of lore I wasn't prepared to embark upon, even as an amateur Tolkien scholar. "Ah so through a Palantir vision of sorts, right?" I inquired.

"Okay, so get this," Libby continues. "So we had the idea to do that. But the more we looked into it, we found out that based on the lore, the Palantiri cannot show you the future, and they cannot lie. So we couldn't do it that easily. Then we had the a-ha moment. During the time when Denethor [played by John Noble in the film series] was sitting on his throne, before he called for his funeral pyre, we could have the player look at the Palantir with him, and sha??re ??a sort of fever dream to justify it." As it turns out Middle-earth Enterprises was down with the idea, and according to Pierson, they were even in after the initial pitch. Pierson continued: "At the end of the day, players have expectations that we need to meet. But there are certain elements that need to be adapted. Peter [Jackson] did that, and we do that."

"There's lots of other interesting aspects that we have to get around due to rights issues," Pierson interjects. "So we technically know what the names of Isildur's children are, but not from The Lord of the Rings. But we wanted to put them in the game! So we came up with the idea to give them assumed names, like their ??identities were being protected. Sometimes players will tell us that we're not technically right, and we'll sort of say 'we know!' We just can't address it directly for rights reasons." The team also got around the Nazgul situation (in which only a few are properly named) by giving them titles instead of proper names.

Here's another wild idea from the pair: a 52-week questline that kind of got out of hand. Born out of the mind of Libby, the goal was to provide a "TV show-like" concept, where every week, for 52 weeks, players could log in and do a different quest. Dubbed "The Ballad of Bingo Boffin" (which is a take on both the insane Leonard Nimoy song and "Bingo," the original name for Frodo in an early Tolkien manuscript), the questline had a life of its own and was two years in the making. "I ca?n't believe we delivered, but if I knew what was going to go into it initially, I probably would have had second thoughts."

Ultimately, despite the rights limitations, the team is able to play around with what works without having to beg the rights holders for mercy. "It's basically big-picture stuff that we need to get approval for," Pierson confirms. "We almost never get denied. I can think one time where we were: when we were building Orthanc (the tower within Isengard), they said it was too close to the?? films, so we had to change that. In the end we're our own strict cr?itics. We want to get it right."

_{[Image source] [Travel was provided by Standing Stone Games.]}

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Rob Ciccolini is not afraid of the new Amazon Lord of the Rings game

As I walked through the halls of Standing Stone Games, The Lord of the Rings Online had celebrated its 111st 12th birthday just several months prior.

It was one of the few MMOs at the time to take on World of Warcraft and live. It was also one of the first-ever MMOs to go free-to-play and survive the shift. LOTRO, as it's colloquially known, has even? survived a studio change! This game has been here for a long time, and if executive producer Rob Ciccolini has anything t?o say about it, it'll never end.

I had the chance to visit Standing Stone Games' offices this week to check in on the team to see what they've been cooking up, and what's next for the game. In case you haven't been following along, they just wrapped up the War of the Ring saga: Sauron has been defeated, and now it's clean-up time. There's still plenty of despair in the realm of Middle-earth, and that darkness continued with the recently released Minas Morgul update, which includes 25??0+ new quests, seven instances, a Shelob raid, and a continuation of a storyline that's 12 years running.

What a lot of people don't know is that LOTRO helped revolutionize storytelling in MMOs; far before the grandeur of Final Fantasy XIV's 2.0 run. Current executive producer Rob Ciccolini is proud of that legacy, and hopes to continue it for...well..forever. When asked about the biggest impact LOTRO had in the MMO space, Ciccolini replied "the world itself, most definitely. The thing about LOTRO is that it has this huge world, a?nd that world has a special meaning for players. Now with that world comes expectations that we'll do right by the lore of Tolkien, but I think we've succeeded on that front so f??ar and will continue to do that."

I pressed Ciccolini on what the key ingredient was that allowed LOTRO to survive this long, and he immediately responded with "our players." He continued, "you ??see at the t?ime, we were breaking new ground with the free-to-play model, and we really didn't have anything to go off of. We ran the risk of going too far with it, but we have to constantly balance between being risk-averse and going all out. Our players help guide us in that respect and I think it's worked out pretty well so far."

One of the big successes in recent years has been the implementation of legacy servers (called "Legendary Servers" in LOTRO), similar to WoW Classic before Classic was a thing. Ciccolini says that these have been doing great for the company, taking in lessons that they've learned from their other property, Dungeons and Dragons Online (DDO). Ciccolini points out that the permadeath "hardcore league" has been wildly successful: allowing players to risk their character dying forever, with the concession to port them to regular servers should they fall. Seasons run in 90-day increments, with all the expectations upfront. Ciccolini cites Path of Exile ?as a similar, positive model for keeping the playerbase engaged beyond standard live servers.

But what about that impending Amazon LOTR game project that's supposed to run tandem with, or potentially rival LOTRO? "What about i??t?" Ciccolini said confidently. "Right now we're kind of doing our own thing and don't expect anything to change. Like everyone else we really don't known anything about this new project, and everything is going great for us, and we intend on supporting ??the game for as long as possible, hopefully forever!"

Actually forever? Yes, Ciccolini confirms: "I'd love to see the game prosper long after I die. If I have to haunt the server rooms and tweak the game to? increase player drops, so be it!??" On that note, I spoke to several members of the design team (Elise Valla, Tim Dwyer, Ryan Penk), who were all bursting with ideas on what to do next. I pointed out that no one had really tackled the Fourth Age (after Aragorn became King Elessar at the end of the film trilogy, basically), and the trio pointed to it as a possibility.

"We'd love to go to Harad (the desert region in the southern part of Middle-earth), Umbar, Núrn, Rhûn, you name it," Penk told me, as the Tolkien fan inside me lit up (most of you are probably looking at those runic letters, eyes glazed over). "We're not afraid of a content wall at all," Valla said, "and really, as creatives it's exciting to keep going." "We have a good 20 years here," Dwyer chimed in. These are extremely under-explored regions in Middle-earth, and if there was one team I trusted to do it right, it's the LOTRO folks. But what about the Second Age (the period that ended after Sauron was initially defeated, which is seen in the intro for the first Peter Jackson LOTR film)? Well, no one really knows yet.

Although Second Age material is off the table for Standing Stone Games right now (who are mostly beholden to the books and Middle-earth Enterprises, under The Saul Zaentz Company – man are Tolkien rights complicated!), that could change with the possibility of Amazon touching Second Age material. Depending on how it's handled, it could be the first real time that the era was depicted in popular media ever, outside of the loopholes that most companies are able to get through references in the Lord of the Rings proper or the almighty appendices.

"It's a pipe dream sort of thing, but we'd love to do it," said Ciccolini. "We'll see." We'll see indeed! Lord of the Rings is about to get a huge boost from the upcoming Amazon television series, and it sounds like LOTRO is going to come along for the wild ri??de. I hope it really does live forever.

_{[Travel was provided by Standing Stone Games.]}

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Based on the more expansive tabletop LCG

Digital card games are making a stand. Although they've existed long before Hearthstone (Triple Triad or Solitaire anyone?), Blizzard's behemoth was the big call to arms, leading to all sorts of competitors.

One game I've cycled into my repertoire this past year is The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game (formerly known as The Lord of the Rings Living Card Game in Early Access), primarily bec??ause i??t takes a completely different approach with co-op.

Having primarily played it on PC for the past year and change in Early Access (it ar??rived in earnest this past summer), I had a chance to check out the brand new Switch version, whic??h launched alongside of the PS4 and Xbox One editions this week. With the boon of portable mode (and offline play, since the PC edition is firmly rooted in Asmodee's system for now) I was drawn back into its clutches yet again, crafting decks (parties, really) and cutting through Sauron's minions all over again.

The gist is that like the real-life tabletop LCG, the game pits you against a "Sauron Deck/AI" in co-op fashion. You can take on quests with a friend or by yourself, which follow a loose storyline that takes place between the events of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings proper. But while there's certainly an opportunity to lift from the iconic Jackson film trilogy wh?olesale, developer Fantasy Flight Interactive does its own thing, drawing upon the vast amounts of lore from the source material, as well as all of the gorgeous art from the LCG.

Speaking of, the [four-player co-op] LCG is probably my favorite tabletop game ever made. At this point there's nearly a decade of content spread across it (though it is taking a hiatus in 2020), and the deckbuilding potential is so deep, you could spend literal hours poring over each and every nuanced detail in an effort to create somet??hing the community has never seen before.

Nearly every character or region, no matter how small, is represented in the LCG, to the point where you could have an entire party and army of Hobbits as your deck, based on mechanics like secrecy and sneaking to avoid combat altogether. Or, you can opt for a Silvan-based d?eck that shoots enemies from across the table and bounces back into the treetops (your hand) for safety.

Right now the digital rendition isn't quite so expansive or deep. The hero pool is more limited, and cards are often simplified to prevent excessive amounts of required reading. Instead, the pacing is more action-oriented, though there's ??plenty of roo??m for thinking and strategy between every play.

You'll take turns playing cards — or actions like guard, attack, or quest with units — then Sauron will take his turn (doing the same thing), and so on. Quests often throw calamities into the mix that you have to respond to on the fly, and you have to constantly manage a looming "threat" meter, which can force a loss if you linger too long. You can really see how the Sauron AI has grown since Early Access, and he can screw you over in the best ways, especially on higher difficulty settings (there is an easy mode, ??but like the LCG, the point is to really test the limits of your strategic worth).

Although the UI is still a little rough a year on (especially on consoles), the art is fantastic, and adds to the allure of the Digital Card Game. The same goes for the memorable voiceover portions and earnest attempt to tell a story through textual ruins, which you can just as easily skip but would get a lot out of if you read it all. It's all lovely fluff (including the "preparing second breakfast" loading screen at the start), coupled with a great ??score that doesn't just ape Howard Shore like everything before it.

Since card games can be confusing from a monetary standpoint, I'm happy that FFI opted to drop any semblance of loot box systems from the Early Access period and just go full premium. For $25, you get a huge campaign with a handful of heroes (you choose three each quest) and cards, with premium expansions (quests, heroes) coming after that. You'll use non-premium Fellowship points to unlock avatars, cards, and card backs in-game, and everything you buy will be explained — no random card packs or card pulls.

Knowing exactly what you get (just like the LCG, which stands for "living card game" where the contents of every pack is a known fact) is a large part of the appeal, as is deckbuilding. The benefit of coming in late with the console editions is that the community is already thriving, having cr?afted hundr??eds of potential decks that will help you on your way if you have no interest in that aspect of the game. One of the only real downsides of the console versions is a lack of an easy deck importing tool (I like to make around 10 or more decks and swap between them constantly), and the lack of touch screen support on?? Switch doesn't help matters.

Still, the co-op angle alone is enough for The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game to stand out above the crowd, especially on consoles with cross-play support. Although it might look overly familiar, I suggest you go in with an open mind, so long as you have some affinity toward Tolkien's work to help you through some of the rough edges.

_{[These impressions are based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher. 8.0.]}

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Consoles pushed to later in the year

The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game (which was smartly renamed from The Lord of the Rings Living Card Game to prevent confusing with the existing tabletop source material) ;Has been in Early Access for roughly a year now, and Fant?asy Flight Interactive is ready ?to unleash it upon the world on PC.

For those of you who haven't been following along, it's a single-player story-oriented RPG card game (with co-op support) formed around the idea of deckbuilding and hero powers. Whil??e the digital adaptation didn't get everything right the paper source is fantastic, and one of the best games I've ever played (phy?sical or digital).

It was free-to-play with Early Access "buy-in" Founder Packs, b?ut that has since changed as well: it's a premium game with add-ons (again, similar to the source). The best part is that the LCG model is mostly maintained, and there's no random ?elements involved when it comes to card acquisition: you know exactly what you're buying (a large reason why I dig FFG's original tabletop vision).

The game was supposed to hit consoles (PS4/Xbox One/Switch) on August 8 as of several months ago (various sites like the PlayStation Blog even announced it offi??cially), but those versions have been pushed pack until later in the year. The change in plan is seemingly last minute, as there was no concrete info of the delay until this week.

Game Day [Steam]

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Set for PC and consoles

Amazon Game Studios has announced plans to create a brand new free-to-play Lord of the Rings MMO. Set for consoles and PC, the title will be made in collaborat?ion with Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited and Middle-earth Ente?rprises and will explore the world of Middle-earth before the events of the novel trilogy. Amazon will be publishing the title in all regions while Leyou will handle Chinese publishing.

Christoph Hartmann, vice president of Amazon Game Studios, said in a press release, "We're committed to bringing customers games of the highest quality, both with our own original IP as well as beloved cultural pillars like The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's Middle-earth is one of the richest fictional worlds in history, and it gives our team of experienced MMO developers–from the same studio developing New World–tremendous opportun??ity to play and create."

Alex Xu, CEO of Leyou Technologies Holdings, added, "Bringing Middle-earth to life necessitates having the very best partners, and Am??azon's customer obsession, technology, and talented teams make it the ideal choice for a co-developer and publisher. We believe our combined resources and expertise will result in a beautiful and compelling game that customers will love and play for years to come."

Amazon Game Studios announces free-to-play The Lord of the Rings MMO for console, PC [Gematsu]

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A real life fellowship

J. R. R. Tolkien inspired millions in his lifetime and millions after. His contributions will live on throughout history, even if it's not dir?ectly in the form of his work on Middle-earth, colloquially referred to as "The Legendarium." Tolkien impacted the way everyone in the modern era views fantasy: through the lens of his own subcreat?ed English fairy tale.

I consider myself an amateur Tolkien scholar and admirer, and h??ave partaken in many adaptations based on his work: some of which are more faithful than other?s. But compared to the folks who operate and attend Mythmoot, I'm merely a dreamer.

Mythmoot is an annual conference on all things Tolkien (and Tolkien adjacent) in Leesburg, Virginia, hosted by Signum University, and by proxy, Signum's head and eminent Tolkien professor Cory Olsen. Over the years the esteemed list of guests includes names like world renown authors Tom Shippey and Verlyn Flieger, as well as the creator of Klingon, the linguist Marc Okrand. I attended Mythmoot this year to get a better feel for the modern state of the Tolkien community ?and gain a greater understanding of ??how his creations inform the world of fantasy. I wasn't disappointed.

Mythmoot is what I'd call a smaller conference in terms of scale (around 100-120 people depending on the year), so if you're scared off by huge 20,000+ conventions (which is basically every gaming event these days, including the once small MAGFest that now sells out of hotel lottery tickets in mere seconds), finding a "Moot" in your local area is something you might want to look into. Texmoot and Oxonmoot are the big ones, with Signum running the former and The Tolkien Society heading up the latter, but there's also Middlemoot in Octobe?r and several other gatherings in places like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Orlando, Florida.

I had the chance to speak to Professor Olsen about the past and future of Mythmoot, and although it's slowly growing, he's very happy with the results. "We've been doing Mythmoot here at this location for three years," he says, "and although we have many different moots [meetings, in the? Ent world], this is our main one. We do want to grow over time, yes, but we're perfectly happy with where we are now. We don't want to be the next big 1,000 plus people event, that is not our goal. We'd love to welcome more people but where we at at, as an event, is awesome. Signum is an online university currently, so to get people out like this is a gift."

While I was interviewing the Professor, an attendee (and presenter) approached him, noting the similarities between Tom Bombadil's singing in the Lord of the Rings books and the theme song to Popeye the Sailor Man. Olsen let out a bellowing laugh in response: an interaction that I think sums up how jovial and communal Mythmoot is??. Olsen's unbridled enthusiasm for the topic at hand cannot be contained, and is the lifeblood of the event.

It truly is a mix of the typical array of fandom activities you might find at a "con" (with concessions like board games to play and panels) and a full-on academic summit, with papers ranging from topics covering The Legendarium (of course) and aforementioned adjacent media like Star Wars. Given the intimacy of the layout (it's in one giant hall in The National Conference Center in Leesburg: a labyrinth from which there is no escape), Fellowsh??ip is key. Panels with special guests are held in the biggest room, with pretty much every 100+ member in attendance.

Topics range from talks on Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Dune, Harry Potter, and more. One of the best symposiums of the event kind of sums up the sheer breadth of topics: Professor Olsen's chat on the entrancing lyricism of Eminem, and how it resembles (or in some cases, surpasses) Anglo-Saxon poetry. In the the talk, Olsen compares Eminem to Chaucer, noting his penchant for extending rhymes way past their expiration date in a sometimes comical manner. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are also a part of the festivities, and although there is no second breakfast, community is also sh??ared during these periods: just as Tolkien would have wanted.

So yeah, video games! Mythmoot also runs a Lord of the Rings Online half-academic half-joyride-esque experience (which kind of sums up the event as a whole and why I adore it so much). Led by Cory Olsen, he takes attendees on a guided tour of Middle-earth by way of the still-very-much-alive MMO. I've been following i??ts adherence to the lore for some time now, but it's another thing to watch an actual Tolkien scholar?? really dive into a video game as a teaching tool.

While I was attending, I heard random phone rings like The Legend of Zelda fanfare theme go off in the event's hallowed halls. While the primary purpose of this conference is to study and immerse yourself in literature, tha??t "Tolkien adjacent" principle very much applies both from an academic and a social standpoint. It put a smile on my face on more than one occasion, especially during the two game-centric panels; which focused on tabletop but also touched on what it means to adapt a work as a whole, with discussions on video games.

Don't let the heavy focus on academia scare you away if you're at all curious. I know a lot of folks out there suffer from anxiety that prevents you from going to events you'd enjoy, so seeking out smaller venues could be a great way to cope. For that reason alone, Mythmoot is doing great work not only on a higher learning level, but on a social ??plane, with benefits too great to measure. 

As keynote speaker Diana Glyer observed?: "encouragement is one of the strongest? forms of influence."

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