Publisher: Black Label Games, a studio of Vivendi Universal Games
Developer: Pocket Studios, Beckenham, Kent, England
Category: 2-D, Isometric Role-Playing
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Pricing and Availability: MSRP TBD, Third quarter 2002
ESRB Rating: Pending
Overview/Storyline: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, is a single player lite-RPG where the player follows the storyline of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume of J.R.R. Tolkien’s saga. Throughout the game, the player will have control over the Fellowship members, at times controlling up to nine characters at once. This title is considered a lite-RPG since it will streamline the usual number-crunching found in most RPG’s and simplify it to a more action-oriented, quick-paced format. Combat is turn-based, like most RPG’s, but will provide a default AI that will control character actions if the player so chooses. Gameplay will take place across a vast area based on the Middle-earth locations from Tolkien’s books. Backgrounds will be beautifully realistic and faithful to Tolkien’s descriptions, created from 3D models with rendered shadows. A semi-linear structure will allow the player to explore and experiment while still experiencing the narrative events of the books, allowing the game to be open to greater possibilities while still remaining faithful to the story.
Features:
· Control of all nine members of the fellowship: Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir.
· Unique character abilities for each fellowship member, like spell-casting and healing.
· Ability to use the One Ring to enhance gameplay.
· Character advancement system allowing characters to gain new abilities and skills or improve existing ones.
· Unique turn-based combat system that allows players to have as little or as much control over combat as they wish.
· Semi-linear gameplay that allows the player to explore outside the main narrative through sub-quests and choose new solutions to puzzles and problems faced in the books.
