![]() ![]() ![]() In War in the North, you and your group of warriors (no soloing here if you don't have two friends to take control of the other two fighters, the AI will pick up the slack) must embark on a quest to (you guessed it) the North to defeat a new threat, Agandaur, one of Sauron's most deadly lieutenants. The gameplay doesn't take any real risks, as the combat is fairly simple, the RPG features are par for the course, and the story doesn't make any attempt to stand out in the backdrop of its established universe. However, even with the significant carnage and orcish dismemberment, there's something too safe in War in the North. All of the familiar trappings of the action-RPG genre are here, from shops and loot to blacksmiths that repair weakened or busted weaponry as well as some combo-based sword (and axe) play. As three warriors placed in a new story set concurrently against the events in the LOTR trilogy, War in the North adds in a brand new plot, as well as an M rating due to some pretty brutal combat. The January sales may be the best hope for this one.War in the North is an action-RPG built with a strong focus on co-op. However in short doses and with a good team, War in the North is not without its compulsive charms.īut with Skyrim – and to a lesser extent the new Zelda – keeping fantasy role-players more than happy this Christmas you wonder where War in the North can fit in. Once you finish the campaign you can play the game again with all your new gear (and harder enemies), but War in the North doesn't really warrant the effort. Yes, the action doesn't really require deep characterisation but given the source material it feels like a missed opportunity. The weak storyline is a disappointment, too. OK, the dark hues and gritty art design won't win any originality awards, but the vistas are impressive and the locations varied enough not to outstay their welcome.įamiliar locations from the books – such as Rivendell – are here, although they never offer enough depth to deter you from driving forward in the action. The game itself looks surprisingly pretty. Poorly paced save positions serve to punish and antagonise if you fail. Taming these is easier and more satisfying with a human-controlled team. ![]() This is especially true given the game's later difficulty spikes. The computer, AI, does an OK job, but the action only really comes alive when two or three gamers are teamed up. Multiplayer in all its forms is where the game works best, though. There's something special about offline multiplayer – nostalgia? a greater sense of teamwork? – which means the game's biggest fans are likely to be those who can play this way. The split-screen action is a welcome reminder that multiplayer needn't involve a modem. Because of this, offline play comes recommended. Playing online can be an issue if your team is a higher or lower level than you it will either be too hard or too easy. Multiplayer is where the game comes alive, or at least wakes from a stupor. And there are plenty of goodies to go round, even if they do lose their potency quicker than you may think. At least your character does look the part as you grab new gear and loot. Upgrading weapons and armour is mildly addictive too, although far too simplistic to become properly compulsive. It's relatively easy to forgive the repetition when you get a new shiny sword or glowing power every so often. Of course, the driving force is new loot and character progression. Run into area, slaughter orcs or troll, grab baubles and move on. One minute you're clouting your foe with a big hammer, the next you're swiping air with no obvious reason why.Īs with all games like this, the action can get repetitive. Unfortunately, collision problems crop up too often in the heat of the battle. It's gory havoc too, with dismembered limbs flying around an often bloody environment. Perhaps over-familiarity helps, but the mix of melee, range and critical strikes is exactly what you would expect and allows you to easily wreak havoc.
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