Ever since LEGO Star Wars, released in 2005, the LEGO series has developed an astonishingly good reputation in the gaming community. What’s astounding is that Traveller’s Tales have turned LEGO (of all things) into a franchise that commands a very real degree of respect from a community that usually wants to see how close their screens resemble spattered bolognaise. It’s a combination of decent puzzling, solid action and plenty of humour that has catapulted the series to such heights. In a franchise marketed at kids there’s a level of subtle maturity that grows on you the older you are, meaning that parents don’t have to roll their eyes and mutter about “the rubbish kids play these days”. For those that played any of the previous titles (or watched the films for that matter) LEGO Lord of the Rings will be instantly recognisable. The game draws heavily from the film trilogy, so much so that the voiceacting, music and even the look of LotR is lifted straight
from the movies. Using the same iconic scenes as the films, the game takes the same rather liberal licence Peter Jackson took with the source material, though sly references to the books can be found throughout. In between levels the world of Middle Earth is completely open to exploration, and has been rendered in rather lavish detail, for a LEGO game, and from the Shire to the Mines of Moria to Mordor, there is a somewhat surprising level of authenticity to the visuals. There are still plenty of LEGO structures to destroy however, and you will find yourself delightfully trashing Elrond’s home in your never ending quest for studs.
Combat and puzzling, the core of the game play, are very reminiscent of past titles. They’re both rather simplistic affairs, though this can’t be held against the game considering it’s meant for children. You will still find yourself button mashing through hordes of enemies as you progress through the campaign, though there is some variety to be had when using ranged characters such as Legolas. The puzzles, as already mentioned, are not particularly complex, involving either latforming or breaking down LEGO structures to in order to build new paths through the levels. Many puzzles will have you swapping between characters in order to solve them, as each has their own unique ability and no single mission can be completed without drawing on all of your characters’ various expertise. As always, there’s a strong emphasis on replayability, as all the levels can be played through with any unlocked character after it has been completed. Indeed, you cannot fully finish the game without doing so, as every level has bonuses that cannot be unlocked with the characters from the plot.
Overall LEGO LotR is a solid addition to the franchise, and delivers on all the expectations one would have of it. The trouble is though while it does nothing particularly wrong it doesn’t do anything particularly right either. For instance the humour that has always been a trademark of the series is muted, in part due to the weighty nature of the story, and in part (I suspect) due to the voice-acting. There’s nothing really new here, nothing to make the title stand out from the LEGO games that came before. It’s a good game, and you and your kids will likely eat it up with rapturous joy, but unless the franchise brings something new to the table, the novelty that has propelled the series thus far is beginning to look dangerously bland.
Lein Baart
Developer: Traveller’s Tales
Publisher: Warner Bros.
Distributer: Ster Kinekor
