Guardians of Middle-earth

21%
Game Brain Score Based on 795 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • stability
Guardians of Middle-earth Game Cover
A refined competitive strategy game that combines the high-paced action of League of Legends with RPG elements to add depth and more strategy after endless games.
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"Guardians of Middle-earth is a Fantasy Hack and Slash MOBA game set in the Lord of the Rings universe, allowing up to 10 players to compete in strategic 5v5 battles. Choose from 36 iconic heroes and villains, each with unique abilities, and purchase items and buffs using in-game currency. Despite poor game mechanics, it provides an authentic and groundbreaking MOBA experience in Middle-earth."

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

21%
Audience ScoreBased on 795 reviews
character development5 positive mentions
gameplay26 negative mentions
  • The character designs and abilities are well-balanced, providing a fun experience for players.
  • The game offers a unique take on the MOBA genre, focusing on strategy and teamwork rather than constant item purchases.
  • Playing as iconic characters from the Lord of the Rings universe adds a nostalgic and enjoyable element to the gameplay.
  • The game suffers from severe technical issues, including unresponsive controls and lag, making it frustrating to play.
  • There is a lack of players, resulting in long wait times for matches, often forcing players to compete against bots.
  • The monetization model is criticized for being pay-to-win, requiring additional purchases for characters and upgrades.
  • gameplay100 mentions

    The gameplay of this title has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users citing issues such as poor mechanics, unresponsive controls, and a lack of depth compared to other MOBAs. Players have criticized the game for being imbalanced, featuring a pay-to-win model, and suffering from severe connectivity issues, leading to a frustrating experience. While some appreciate the strategic elements and character design, the overall consensus is that the gameplay is clunky, uninspired, and fails to deliver a satisfying experience.

    • “The gameplay is surprisingly good, but navigating the menu system at first is a bit convoluted.”
    • “The in-match skill mechanics are more to do with teamwork and map awareness than twitch reflexes.”
    • “The gameplay itself is really nice; the characters counter each other fairly well, no one character is super overpowered, and the controls and movements are smooth.”
    • “Worst MOBA ever, no player base, totally broken movements, and boring gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is poor and the graphics are subpar.”
    • “Nothing works correctly, bugs are everywhere, mechanics don't make sense, and frankly the devs don't care.”
  • graphics52 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear dated and lack customization options, limiting adjustments to resolution and basic settings. While some appreciate the aesthetic and find them decent, others criticize them as subpar or even terrible, often citing poor performance and a lack of polish. Overall, the consensus suggests that the graphics do not meet the expectations for a modern title, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The graphics are as good as you’ll find on current-gen systems, if not a bit muddied.”
    • “The wait times for co-op matches can be annoying, but the real-time action makes gameplay fun, and the graphics are pleasant to look at.”
    • “All the champions are really responsive and the graphics enhance my immersion in Tolkien's world.”
    • “No graphics options to speak of that I could find, and the graphics are a little dated for a game that's only a couple of years old.”
    • “Graphics are a joke, this whole game is a very bad joke.”
    • “The graphics are garbage, the gameplay is derpy and glitchy, the AI is targeted to mess with your experience while your computerized team has an IQ of 20.”
  • stability17 mentions

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting significant bugs, glitches, and performance issues that render it nearly unplayable. Many players have experienced random freezes, lag, and poor controls, leading to a frustrating gaming experience. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy" and "low framerate" mess, with a lack of support exacerbating the problems.

    • “It's not completely finished and definitely has its fair share of glitches.”
    • “What could have been a solid MOBA turned into a content-lacking, buggy, low framerate, tired mess.”
    • “Horribly buggy, terrible controls, and completely imbalanced.”
  • optimization16 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting severe issues such as unresponsive controls, lag, and a lack of proper support for mouse and keyboard setups. Many players feel that the game is primarily designed for controllers, resulting in a clunky and frustrating experience on PC. Overall, the consensus is that the game suffers from poor optimization across various aspects, making it one of the least optimized titles encountered by players.

    • “The improved game engine performance dramatically boosted the game's overall feel until we get to the keyboard and mouse controls.”
    • “The PC version is not even optimized.”
    • “I was genuinely scared thinking that something happened to my brand new Redragon mouse, but as it turns out, the game is just poorly optimized with mouse controls.”
    • “It's beyond clunky, unresponsive controls and poorly optimized on just about every facet.”
    • “The improved game engine performance dramatically boosted the game's overall feel until... we get to the keyboard and mouse controls.”
  • monetization12 mentions

    The monetization model of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, heavily relying on microtransactions while offering minimal content and gameplay. Players express frustration over the lack of value in the paid experience, as most characters and features are locked behind additional purchases, leading to a perception of the game as poorly executed and exploitative. Overall, both MOBA fans and Lord of the Rings enthusiasts are advised to steer clear due to its ineffective business model and lack of engaging content.

    • “There are lots of in-game purchases available.”
    • “League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, and Demigod all started out at $30 - $40 initially but then transitioned to free-to-play with monetization.”
    • “This game had horrible control port when it was playable (if you provided all your own players) and all the in-game content was just a cash grab, for a game you already paid to install, that has no one playing it, with no extra content, with no extra gameplay dynamics other than, level up, smack guy, he smacks you.”
    • “Not to mention, this game has the absolute worst business model (it's pay-to-play with free-to-play microtransactions as well) of any game released to date and it shows in the nonexistent player base.”
    • “The game presents some mild redeeming value, with quite a lot of familiar faces from the Lord of the Rings series which are quite well modeled, but you will quickly find that 90% of the characters in the game are for purchase only, therefore turning the game into a bit of a cash grab.”
  • story7 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is largely criticized for being non-existent or uninspired, with many players expressing a desire for a co-op story mode similar to action RPGs. While some appreciate the game's connection to the Lord of the Rings lore, the overall narrative is deemed lacking, especially in comparison to other genres. Most reviews indicate that the absence of a single-player story mode detracts from the experience.

    • “In itself, the gameplay is pretty good, the story is non-existent as in most MOBAs, but it does carry the LOTR magic and essence within.”
    • “I really like the Lord of the Rings stories.”
    • “The characters are slightly different versions of the ones in the movie, the gameplay is boring, samey, and uninspired, and the story is boring as well.”
    • “Too bad it didn't have a single-player story mode; otherwise, it would be enough for some time waster.”
    • “No single-player or story to speak of as it is a MOBA.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by impressive character designs and a diverse selection of abilities that feel well-balanced. However, while the visual and audio elements are praised, many players feel that the overall depth and engagement of character development are lacking, leading to mixed feelings about the game's longevity.

    • “I love the character designs and wide selection; the abilities feel almost perfectly balanced across classes and characters.”
    • “The character design is great and borrows from the films, and the sound is pretty top-notch too.”
    • “It is very nice to see the character design of the LOTR characters, particularly the bad guys, because we don't know much about them and they look very cool!”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I was disappointed by the limited growth options for characters; it feels like they don't evolve much throughout the game.”
    • “While the character designs are appealing, the overall development system is underwhelming and doesn't offer meaningful choices.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game is generally described as pleasant and fitting, with a nice ambiance that evokes a sense of the Lord of the Rings. However, while some players appreciate the soundtrack, others find it unremarkable and overshadowed by gameplay issues. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, but it is not a standout feature.

    • “The music is nice and floating, creating a somewhat present LOTR feel.”
    • “Setting and music is great, gameplay is fresh and familiar.”
    • “The menu music is nice.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its poor execution and comparison to more successful titles like Heroes of the Storm, leading to a sense of irony rather than intentional comedy. Players find the game's flaws amusing, as it struggles with basic functionality and crashes, creating a frustrating yet laughable experience. Overall, the humor is more about the game's shortcomings than any deliberate comedic elements.

    • “Not the funny kind of joke, but it does make you laugh once you start playing (if you can defeat the crashes and actually find a match. See? This game is challenging after all, isn't it?)”
    • “Thoughts: Honestly, the game is so poorly made I can't really say much, but it's funny because Heroes of the Storm is almost a direct clone of this game but with Blizzard characters instead of LOTR characters, and everyone loves it, which is rather funny (I personally think HOTS is garbage).”
    • “Gameplay is humorous at best, having missed some of the tactile functions that make League of Legends and Dota 2 responsive.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a sense of heartbreak over its untimely decline, with players expressing deep feelings of loss and nostalgia for its potential. Despite its challenges, there remains a glimmer of hope for revival, underscoring the strong attachment players have to the game's legacy.

    • “The game had (and surprisingly, still has, if anyone would simply, properly look after it) all of the potential to stand among Dota, LoL, and MOBA games alike, yet unfortunately, it met an undeserving, heartbreaking end.”
    • “Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake.”
    • “There is still hope for this game, despite the problems described here as well as the moronic decision to charge players an admission price to access the game.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players appreciate the shift away from traditional gold farming mechanics, favoring a focus on experience points that encourages continuous team battles. The availability of most spells from the start, except for the ultimate, eliminates tedious grinding phases, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

    • “They should make it free-to-play; it would be a really nice MOBA that brings something new to the genre, focusing on experience rather than gold farming.”
    • “All spells available from the start except the ultimate, which removes the boring farming phase and replaces it with constant team fights.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players note that the game offers significant replayability through its diverse classes, encouraging multiple playthroughs to experience different gameplay styles and strategies.

    • “There is significant replayability with each class, allowing players to experience the game in diverse ways.”
    • “The game offers a variety of choices that make each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
    • “With multiple endings and character paths, the replayability factor is incredibly high.”
    • “The game lacks significant replayability, as the story remains the same regardless of the choices made.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there isn't much incentive to go back and play through it again.”
    • “While there are different classes to choose from, the overall experience feels repetitive after the first playthrough.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

59% average critic score

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Play time

155hMedian play time
111hAverage play time
21-200hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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