For months we’ve been gifted with screen shots and pre-production notes that have left us anticipating this digital venture into Peter Jackson’s rendition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. First installment from Electronic Arts in this series is the upcoming cinematic release of The Two Towers. While a lot of the early game play consists of scenes from The Fellowship of the Ring, the game evolves as a discussion between Aragorn and Eowyn which brings us through the events of The Fellowship of the Ring and explains to her how the Three Hunters and the White Wizard had made their way from Rivendell to Rohan.
First in our jaunt down memory lane is relived as Isildur during the Last Alliance of Elves and Men and the stripping of The One Ring from the hand of Sauron. Fighting through legions of Mordor Orcs the game presents its player with a beautiful region swarming with minions of Good and Evil, including High Elven Warriors and Lord Elrond! As these sequences come to an end the opening scenes from the Fellowship of the Ring continue and we’re brought to Weathertop as Aragorn fights off the Nazgul on their search for the Ring-bearer. One beautifully rendered sequence after another takes you through the events of the Watcher in the Water, the Cave Troll, and Amon Hen.
Graphically the artistic detail present in the Two Towers game is as close to the real thing as you can get without a plane ticket to New Zealand. Armor and Scenery are taken directly from actual film footage and digitally transformed into a Three Dimensional wonderland for Rangers, Elves, and Dwarves to enjoy. The detail the designers went into with this game seem to equal the detail and dedication of the WETA Workshop workers who first dedicated their creative efforts to bringing Middle Earth to life. Luckily, for all gamers out there, it doesn’t just end at detail.
As you progress through the Two Towers you unlock Exclusive Interviews from Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, and Sir Ian McKellan as the voice actors for this game were the actual actors from the film! We’re also treated to a preview of the Two Towers by Peter Jackson himself! Leveling up Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli unlock secret levels and art galleries, completing levels unlocks cheat codes and other such goodies. The secret and special content of this game is reminiscent of a DVD Special Features disk, which serves as an added bonus to the already amazing Game Play.
Overall the Two Towers from Electronic Arts delivers more than could ever be expected from a video game, with special features and stunning graphical presentation that will give other games a run for your money, for some time. The only flaws, if this can even be considered a flaw, is the opening load time with the title graphics from both EA and New Line, but after those short loading frames the following experience is second to none. I give The Two Towers from Electronic Arts a beautifully sharpened 9 out of 10.
Want to give The Two Towers a go? Swing by Amazon.com and pick up your copy now! Then drop us a line to Havens@TheOneRing.net and tell us what you think!
