Irascian writes: Here’s a short report on tonight’s UK press launch of the EA console game “Return of the King”
EA used the prestigious Science Museum as the venue for the official launch of their “Return of the King” game, scheduled to be launched for PS/2, Xbox, Nintendo and PC on November 14th in the UK, just four days ahead of the release of the extended edition DVD of TTT.
Press representatives were treated to seemingly never-ending wine, beer and canapés, free pass to the LOTR exhibition and a generous goody bag that comprised a CD press kit, TTT DVD. TTT Howard Shore soundtrack album, paperback copy of “The Lord of the Rings” novel and an “exclusive limited edition” Smeagol poster. It’s a hard life attending events like this, but I guess someone has to do it! The game itself was available to play on a number of two-player consoles scattered around the venue and showcasing the various platforms the game will be releases on: Nintendo, PS/2 and X Box.
An amazing rendering of Sean Astin as Sam
Company spokespeople were clearly fans of the game and book and movie, as one eager assistant explained that although the first movie hadn’t been made available as a game by EA on the Xbox, another company had released a version of Fellowship that he’d bought and enjoyed as a different type of game to that which EA offered with their TTT and ROTK console games. Refreshingly, the company admitted that they realised many sales went to hard-core fans, rather than real games players, who are apparently keen to get their hands on the advance footage and “behind the scenes” material included in the game. Not that the game itself is a poor show – in fact the graphics and motion are so impressive I found myself wishing the guys responsible for the game had been allowed to do that “Legolas digital double jumping off the cave troll” scene from the first movie. Unlike the game for TTT which was a single-player offering, the new game is a multi-player offering where you can play a friend, although, as we soon discovered, it helps if you work together rather than trying to head off in different directions! The game starts with Gandalf’s appearance at Helm’s Deep and moves on, if you’re clever and skilful enough, to the destruction of the One Ring itself in the cracks of Mount Doom. Admittedly neither myself (playing Boromir) nor my partner (playing Aragorn) would pretend to be, in any shape or form, games players, and indeed various orcs soon put paid to our efforts to destroy them, but I think the fact that we both admitted we’d be buying the game when released on November 14th says all you need to know about what’s on offer here. The graphics are amazing, and if you can persuade a chum to join you the game is great fun even if working out what all those buttons do can get a bit confusing at times.
Comparing the different versions it became clear that if you have access to an X-Box this is the platform to go for. The game is basically the same on all platforms, but on the PS/2 the graphics just didn’t appear quite so sharp or fluid, presumably because the platform is somewhat older.
Many of the products launched “Under license from New Line” have been of somewhat dubious quality. EA’s “Return of the King” certainly isn’t one of them and if it’s state-of-the-art gaming you want, with the added benefit of “behind the scenes” footage and exclusive commentary from the original movie cast, this is one movie tie-in product that should be high on your wish list. I’ve already placed my advance order!
The world’s leading strategy battle-games company Games Workshop is gearing up for the November launch of its newest game. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the third in the series of table-top battle strategy games based on New Line Cinema’s highly acclaimed movie trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. Carefully designed to mirror the excitement and thrills of the greatly anticipated third film that hits the big screen in December 2003, The Return of the King game will carry the adventures in Middle-earth onwards with new rules and heroes for players to use in their games.
The Battle of Helm’s Deep is Over – The Battle for Middle-earth has begun!
Following on the releases of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers games, The Return of the King mirrors the events of the forthcoming film of the same name. It will take players through the key events of the movie such as the fighting at Minas Tirith, the battle at the Black Gates of Mordor, and the culmination of Frodo’s quest to destroy the Ring. Just as the film raises the action to new heights, the action in the game also rises with the inclusion of new rules, warriors, and scenarios.
The Return of the King adds greater depth and detail to the previous games with 12 new scenarios that allows players to re-create the events of the third film. The 176-page, full color rulebook also includes a comprehensive forces section that gives players all the information you need to field warriors from any of the films. From older characters such as Isuldur to newer ones like the Mouth of Sauron, from the noble High Elves to the brutish Mordor Trolls and the horrific Shelob, players will now be able to draw on an incredible variety of characters, warriors, and monsters for their armies. New rules also cover using banners and musicians in games as well as special combat tactics such as firing massed volleys at the enemy. The rulebook also includes The War of the Ring, a special section presenting an additional 5 scenarios covering the great battles raging throughout Middle-earth plus a new character to use in them.
Exciting New Miniatures for the Game
Over the coming year, Games Workshop will be releasing many fantastic new models to support the game. From Aragorn the King to the twisted Gorbag, from the Knights of Gondor to the Mordor Uruk-hai – players will see a wide variety of new miniatures adding extra depth to their armies. New warriors such as the Eastlerlings, monstrous characters such as Shelob, and heroes such as Denethor will be arriving to bolster forces on both sides.
The new game itself will come with great new plastic models, including 24 plastic Mordor Orcs and 24 Warriors of Minas Tirith, each force armed with a variety of weapons. Players also get new plastic scenery, evocative of the unique appearance of Middle-earth as seen in the motion pictures. Future issues of Games Workshop’s monthly hobby magazine White Dwarf will feature painting and modeling advice along with new scenarios and gaming material to further expand the game.
Ongoing Support for The Return of the King
Support for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Strategy Battle Game will continue through 2004 with new models and rules. Following in March will be The Siege of Gondor, the second of Games Workshop’s supplements for The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game (the first being the recent Shadow & Flame). This 64-page book will augment the rules with sieges, war machines, and more reflecting the kind of large-scale battles seen in The Return of the King. Players will also get war machines for the forces of Gondor and Mordor to augment their armies, plus new characters and key locations of combats. The Siege of Gondor promises to be an invaluable supplement for gamers looking to expand their armies beyond small skirmishes and into larger scale battles. Future supplements are already in work to provide even more for players as well, drawing also on the literary works in the same manner as Shadow and Flame.
And Continued Support for The Lord of the Rings!
Though this film brings the epic trilogy to a conclusion, these releases are only the latest for The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game! Coming months will be seeing even more via White Dwarf magazine and new supplements, taking the action even farther in scope. Players can be assured that they can look for many years to come of miniature gaming in Middle-earth!
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tabletop battlegame will be released November 7th. It has a suggested retail price of $40.00 (released on November 3rd in Canada and sells for $60.00 Canadian).
Nadine writes: David Wenham (Faramir) has started the Awards season on a good note by picking up Best Actor at the Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards for his role in Gettin’ Square. [More]
He also got nominated for an Australian Film Institute Award for the same role – Film Finance Corporation Australia AFI Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. [More]
Even though other Ringers didn’t get nominated – the miniseries starring both David and Hugo Weaving (Elrond) “After the Deluge” conjured 8 nominations.
Orlando Bloom (Legolas) got a nomination in the Macquarie AFI Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Ned Kelly.
While Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers picked up a AFI Award nomination in the category “Best Foreign Film”. It will be going against Bowling for Columbine, The Hours and Whale Rider.
Amanda Cox (Principal Advisor for Parks & Forests in Greater Wellington) writes: Those fans lucky enough to be in Wellington New Zealand for the world premiere of Return of the King might like to explore the landscapes of the Upper Hutt valley on the day before the big party.
Greater Wellington and Upper Hutt City Council are running a guided bus tour of four film sites – Helms Deep (Dry Creek Quarry), River Anduin (Hutt River), Isengard (Harcourt Park) and Rivendell (Kaitoke Regional Park), followed by a barbecue lunch set in Kaitoke’s beautiful picnic area.
Visitors will get the chance to explore the new Pakuratahi River Walk, with its stunning views of native beech and rimu forest.
Buses depart Upper Hutt Railway Station from 10am and the last bus returns in time to catch the 5pm train back to Wellington. Seats cost $35 each and are limited.
Amanda Cox Principal Advisor – Marketing & Design Parks & Forests Greater Wellington – The Regional Council P O Box 11646, Wellington 142 Wakefield Street, Wellington P 04 381 7726 (DDI) F 04 802 0300 M 025 674 6687 www.gw.govt.nz
20 BOOKSTORES NATIONWIDE TO HOST LORD OF THE RINGS BOOK AND DVD EVENTS ON NOVEMBER 5
To celebrate the publication of three of Houghton Mifflin’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING film tie-in books on November 5, twenty bookstores around the country will host special, one-time-only video events featuring exclusive content from “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” Extended Edition DVD, to be released by New Line Home Entertainment on November 18. Stores will debut a documentary from the DVD entitled “J.R.R. Tolkien: Origins of Middle-earth.”
Houghton Mifflin’s three film books THE LORD OF THE RINGS: WEAPONS AND WARFARE, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING VISUAL COMPANION, and THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING PHOTO GUIDE offer an exclusive sneak peek at the final film in the award-winning trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” six weeks before its December 18 theatrical release.
The books and the special video preview of footage from “The Two Towers” DVD are sure to please LORD OF THE RINGS fans around the country.
Below is the complete list of bookstores debuting the featurette:
CALIFORNIA
San Mateo — Barnes & Noble, 11 West Hillsdale Blvd., Hillsdale Shopping Ctr., 7:00 p.m.
COLORADO
Colorado Springs — Media Play, 7720 North Academy Blvd., 7:00 p.m.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Barnes & Noble, 555 12th Street NW, 6:00 p.m.
FLORIDA
Tampa — University of South Florida Bookstore, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, 4:30 p.m.
ILLINOIS
Oak Park — Barbara’s Bookstore, 1100 West Lake Street, 7:00 p.m.
INDIANA
South Bend — Notre Dame Bookstore, Eck Center, 7:00 p.m.
KANSAS
Lawrence — Hastings, 1900 W. 23rd Southwest Plaza, 7:00 p.m.
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston — Barnes & Noble @ Boston University, 660 Beacon Street, 12:00 noon
MINNESOTA
Bloomington — Suncoast Motion Picture Co., Mall of America, 126 E. Broadway, 5:30 p.m.
MISSOURI
Brentwood — Borders, 1519 S. Brentwood Boulevard, 7:00 p.m. Columbia — Columbia Books, 22 South Ninth Street, 6:00 p.m. (Nov. 6)
So, you’ve beaten the odds and got yourself invited to a costume party tonight eh? Want to show off your uber-geekness for all things Rings? Well here is a list of ideas NOT to use….because too much geek can be a bad thing.
Top 5 Worst LOTR Halloween Costumes
5. The ‘Eye’ of Sauron:
No one likes costumes where you have to guess what you are, and if you’re walking around all in black with one eye open saying things like ‘I see you…there is no life in the void…only death!!!’ will NOT attract any of the prettier boys or girls at the party. Plus having one eye closed limits your depth perception greatly. You could be dipping your chips in the punch bowl all night.
4. Peter Jackson’s Cameo in ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’:
Again, this one would need serious explaining to the non LOTR-minded among your friends. And walking around with a giant carrot burping all night may make you more enemies in the long run.
3. Peter Jackson’s Cameo in ‘The Two Towers’:
See above, plus wearing chain mail and throwing rocks on people can get you arrested, seriously…don’t do it.
2. Frodo wearing The One Ring:
Wearing your One Ring replica at a party and pretending no one can see you is almost as annoying as any mime you’ve ever met. Plus…people can STILL see you…put on some clothes!!!
The number 1 worst LOTR Halloween Costume Idea is:
1. The Tom Bombadil Deleted Scene
This combines all aspects of the other 4 costume ideas into one. You’d have to explain to almost EVERYONE there who you are…and why you’re constantly singing. Plus all the ‘tiddly-ho, tiddle-he’ will seriously get you banned from any future parties. The dancing will also ruin any sort of cool reputation you may have been working on in the past. Also, stop harassing the cute blonde girl and chasing her around calling her ‘Goldberry’. Again…worst idea possible.
Hope this helps! Happy Halloween!!
eekfrenzy adds to the list with these:
Dressed as an Orc and carrying a toy arm or leg, yelling “Meat’s back on the menu!” Not a good idea, especially if your friends are vegetarian.
Dressed in brown and green with leaves, and t…a…l…k…i…n…g…r…e…a…l…s…l…o…w… Trust me, Treebeard’s no conversationalist!
Dressed in charred grey robes as Gandalf while battling the Balrog
Dressed in nothing but a beard as Gandalf come back to life — unless you have the body to carry it out.
Nadine writes: David Wenham (Faramir) has started the Awards season on a good note by picking up Best Actor at the Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards for his role in Gettin’ Square. [
Even though other Ringers didn’t get nominated – the miniseries starring both David and Hugo Weaving (Elrond) “After the Deluge” conjured 8 nominations.
Orlando Bloom (Legolas) got a nomination in the Macquarie AFI Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role in Ned Kelly.