The Lord of the Rings: War in the North takes players on a journey through the darker, lesser-seen corners of Tolkien’s world. While Frodo and Aragorn are busy saving the world, you and your companions are tasked with battling Sauron’s forces in the titular northern regions. This game offers a fresh perspective, focusing on the side battles that contribute to the larger war.

War in the North is an action RPG, combining fast-paced combat with light role-playing elements. The gameplay involves taking on waves of Orcs, Trolls, and other creatures of Mordor while leveling up your character and choosing new abilities. Each of the three heroes has unique skills: Eradan excels at archery and stealth, Andriel wields magical powers, and Farin smashes through enemies with brute strength. Their quest? Stop Sauron’s lieutenant, Agandaur, who’s evil but not memorable enough to get his own movie cameo. The story is serviceable, but it leans heavily on Middle-earth lore to keep you invested. Expect a lot of “Did you catch that reference?” moments.

The combat system is simple yet satisfying, offering a mix of melee, ranged, and magic attacks. However, the repetition of enemy encounters and limited attack variety can make the gameplay feel monotonous over time. With friends, it’s a chaotic, Orc-smashing blast. Without friends, it’s an exercise in patience as your AI companions display the strategic brilliance of a headless chicken.

The game’s environments capture the dark and rugged tone of Tolkien’s Middle-earth. From snowy mountain peaks to Orc-infested dungeons, the settings feel authentic, even if they lack the polish of other AAA titles. The character models and animations, however, are somewhat dated, even for its 2011 release.

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is an enjoyable, if flawed, entry into the Lord of the Rings gaming universe. It doesn’t reach the heights of more polished RPGs, but it provides enough action, lore, and cooperative gameplay to keep fans of Middle-earth engaged.

Pretty decent Hack & Slash set in the Lord of the Rings lore, you can control 3 different characters which you have to choose when you start a new level, then you can level up and equip them with a better weapons or armor, while the combat is not something with the same appeal of a Devil May Cry game, it´s still very juicy.
Although it came out in 2011, when you are playing this it feels that it was made in 2001, around the same time that the movies came out, that´s mainly because of the missions structure. You enter an area, enemies appear, you kill them and then you move foward, and that´s pretty much it.
Don´t expect too much, but it´s still good, pick it up only on sale.

good to have a classic back