Lord of the Rings Online - Shadows Of Angmar

Compared to the current juggernaut in online gaming, World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online offers a more relaxed, "casual" gameplay experience. //// The emphasis is on small group and solo play (1-6 players). Rather than "grinding" to advance your character (i.e. killing the same generic trash mob over and over to rack up XP), quests are the primary means both of leveling up and obtaining new gear. //// PvP almost feels tacked on to the game: players can participate as their "good" character (e.g. elf, dwarf etc.) or choose to play a monster, yet many balance and reward issues plague the PvP system. LotRO is clearly a PvE-focused, quest-based, small-group-oriented game. "Endgame" content (things to do once you hit the max level) is paltry at present, but Turbine provides free game content updates every other month and has already added a wealth of new content just a few months since retail release. //// The interface and game world borrow many visual and game-mechanic elements from WoW, which in turn borrowed elements from previous MMORPGs. This means an experienced MMORPG player should feel comfortable right off the bat, while the game is also relatively easy for first-time gamers to pick up. UI customization is limited, without scaling at this time, though that is planned for a future update. //// The game's system requirements are steep compared to the norm, but the upshot is that it looks absolutely gorgeous if your machine is capable of running with some of the bells and whistles turned out. I do feel compelled to add that as a long-term WoW player, LotRO feels slightly unstable and buggy in comparison. I experience one or two CTDs per day and have a few other technical (mostly video-related) issues. Compared to the WoW client, which was almost rock-steady upon commercial release (Blizzard's problem at launch was their servers, not the game client), LotRO is a little frustrating. Customers expect these issues to be ironed out over the coming months, but I would suggest to anyone who isn't particuarly computer-savvy or willing to troubleshoot possible tech problems to TEST the game on their system first using a trial client and buddy key, before purchasing a subscription. LotRO is not quite as seamless and solid as WoW. //// Lord of the Rings Online should appeal to anyone who enjoys (or enjoyed) WoW, but felt that it became too demanding and work-like at higher levels; to people that are not looking for another dungeon-crawling raid-based game, but rather to immerse themselves in the wonderfully realized Tolkien geography and lore, at their own pace; and to anyone who enjoys MMORPGs but desires a more casual experience that doesn't require you to schedule your life around 39 other people and obsessively collect uber gear just to remain competitive. //// And Tolkien fans especially are in for a treat: Turbine has put painstaking care, heart and soul into rendering Tolkien's universe in digital terms. Just take a glance at the game's message boards - this is one of the few cross-media projects I've seen where the majority of original lore fans are PLEASED with the transition. Very few whiners or Tolkien "purists" crying foul on this one. Turbine used the license exceptionally well; other companies, take note! //// LotRO has been called WoW Lite with a Tolkien veneer, and in some ways it is. The game isn't particularly revolutionary, and its most visionary feature (monster play) is woefully underdeveloped. But the game isn't trying to appeal to the bleeding edge or to hardcore powergamers. LotRO is about the journey; WoW et al are about the destination. Turbine is even taking decisive steps towards encouraging casual play by introducing "session play" in a future (free!) content update - for someone who only has an hour or two to play at a time, they can log on to a temporary character, such as a chicken, or a monster, and participate in various quests and mini-games, purely for fun - the character isn't permanent. //// LotRO is the cream of the crop of casual online RPGs right now, and a wonderful diversion for Tolkien fans or anyone who wants something to do in between WoW and the upcoming blockbuster MMORPGs later this year and next.