Lord of the Rings: War in the North

About Lord of the Rings: War in the North

Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a single player and multiplayer open world hack and slash game with fantasy, medieval, historical and violence themes. It was developed by Snowblind Studios and was released on November 1, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a co-op Action RPG that immerses you and your friends in a brutal new chapter in the War of the Ring. Snowblind Studios is in the unique position of drawing inspiration from both the literary and film rights to world of Middle-earth, allowing players to bloody their axes on a wide range of deadly enemies and traverse both established and never-before-seen…

Lord of the Rings: War in the North screenshot

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Reviews

78%Audience ScoreBased on 4,347 reviews

story538 positive mentions

stability207 negative mentions

Engaging story that expands on Middle-earth lore and features familiar characters.
Fun combat system with a satisfying mix of melee, ranged, and magic attacks.
Great co-op experience, allowing for teamwork and strategy with friends.

Repetitive level design and combat can lead to monotony over time.
Limited enemy variety and AI companions can be unhelpful in single-player mode.
Game has numerous bugs and crashes, particularly on certain hardware configurations.

story
1,504 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36% positive mentions, 58% neutral mentions, 6% negative mentions
The story of "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North" is generally well-received, offering a fresh perspective on the events of Middle-earth by focusing on the northern regions during the War of the Ring. Players appreciate the engaging narrative that intertwines with the established lore, featuring original characters alongside familiar faces from the trilogy, though some find the plot predictable and linear. While the game provides a satisfying side story with enjoyable co-op gameplay, it is noted that the story can feel somewhat shallow and lacks depth in character development.
- “The story is well crafted, offering a fresh perspective on the events of Middle-earth by focusing on the northern regions.”
- “War in the North is set in the Lord of the Rings universe and tells an untold story of a trio secretly serving the cause of the ring bearer and playing their part in banishing the evil that lurks in the east.”
- “The story fits perfectly into the greater LOTR canon and is a genuinely enjoyable jaunt through the periphery of the War of the Ring.”
- “The main drawbacks are that the combat can get repetitive, the levels are pretty linear (not much room for exploration), and the story's a bit underwhelming (it doesn't have many stand-out moments).”
- “The story is serviceable, but it leans heavily on middle-earth lore to keep you invested.”
- “The story is pretty decent as we work in the background to support the fellowship, and the characters are likable, but the overall narrative feels a bit hollow.”
gameplay
666 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions
The gameplay in "Lord of the Rings: War in the North" is characterized by a smooth and enjoyable hack-and-slash experience, featuring cooperative mechanics that enhance the fun, especially when played with friends. However, many players note that the gameplay can become repetitive due to limited enemy variety and simplistic mechanics, leading to a lack of depth over time. While the combat is satisfying and the RPG elements provide some character progression, technical issues and a linear structure detract from the overall experience, making it a mixed bag for both fans of the franchise and newcomers.
- “Gameplay is smooth and enjoyable, with a balanced mix of combat, exploration, and strategic decision-making.”
- “The cooperative gameplay made every victory feel truly earned, especially because for us it was a race to see who could grab the best loot before the other.”
- “The gameplay is a great fun due to balanced characters and cool combat skills and cinematic finishing moves, you got 14-15 hours to play in which you visit many different locations and everything is set in a great LOTR environment, influenced by both books and movies.”
- “The gameplay is some of the most repetitive and bland I have ever experienced--the vast majority of it consists of killing the exact same orcs over and over, just with a different environment.”
- “Unfortunately the gameplay is painfully repetitive, in effect I almost ended up like the enemies in it - dead of boredom.”
- “The gameplay is very repetitive either way, and if it weren't for the mildly interesting loot I doubt most people would bother finishing it.”
graphics
614 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34% positive mentions, 54% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions
The graphics of "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while they were impressive for their time (2011), they now appear dated. The visuals are often praised for their fidelity to the aesthetics of Peter Jackson's films, showcasing well-designed environments and character models, but technical issues, particularly for AMD graphics card users, have marred the experience for some. Overall, while the graphics may not meet modern standards, they still provide a visually appealing backdrop for fans of the franchise.
- “The graphics have stood up surprisingly well, the combat is simplistic yet fun, and one of the main characters is voiced by Laura Bailey.”
- “A must play for Lord of the Rings fans, good graphics at maximum settings, awesome ambience and very rich and diversified maps and regions.”
- “The graphics are excellent and the combat is pristine.”
- “The graphics are dated, but it is one of the most lore accurate LOTR games I've ever played.”
- “The graphics are a sore point for a 2019 gamer.”
- “The graphics are old and ugly and a lot of places are frighteningly similar to Skyrim.”
stability
210 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 99% negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that can disrupt gameplay and even corrupt save files. While some users found the game enjoyable despite these issues, many highlighted that the experience can be marred by game-breaking problems, particularly in later chapters. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "unpolished," making it a risky choice for those seeking a smooth gaming experience.
- “No bugs (occasionally very minor stuff, but nothing worth mentioning), no lag, no troubleshooting for a 14-year-old game, nothing.”
- “The game runs great.”
- “If you want a completely bug-free game, then this is not for you. Just play it with no expectations; this way, you will enjoy it more.”
- “If you manage to navigate a couple of game-breaking bugs (which will literally force you to start a new save) and glitches that don't allow you to complete certain quests (for achievements), then there is actually a pretty fun LOTR game you can play!”
- “Great game, but it loses your data frequently, crashes, glitches, bugs, freezes, etc.”
- “This game is a buggy mess that screams out the word 'budget'.”
music
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45% positive mentions, 51% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack for its ability to enhance the immersive experience of Tolkien's world, while others find it lacking compared to the iconic scores of the films. Composed by Inon Zur, the music is described as beautiful and fitting, though some players noted issues with volume levels that can overshadow dialogue. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated for its atmospheric qualities, it is often seen as not quite reaching the epic heights of the movie scores.
- “The soundtrack, in particular, is outstanding; one of the most memorable I've encountered in any game or film.”
- “Snowblind Studios did an exceptional job aligning the music with the gameplay, narrative beats, and environmental atmosphere, creating an immersive experience that truly transports you into Tolkien's world.”
- “The music does justice to the world of Tolkien, adding an extra layer of immersion to the experience.”
- “I was astonished at how forgetful the soundtrack for this game was, especially considering it was composed by one such as Inon Zur!”
- “I've never liked the term 'generic' when labeling music in video games, but damn, that's the only word that comes to my mind.”
- “I was initially going to not recommend it, the game is slow-paced, the audio, for a LOTR game, is bad, the music is barely audible, and it's kinda boring, nothing epic.”
replayability
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31% positive mentions, 65% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting its high potential due to co-op gameplay, multiple characters, and difficulty levels that encourage replaying. However, some reviews mention a lack of substantial content and linearity, which can limit the overall replay value. Overall, while there are enjoyable elements that promote replayability, the experience may vary significantly depending on player preferences and expectations.
- “One of the game’s strongest aspects is its replayability.”
- “The skill and leveling system is satisfying and rewarding with plenty of replay value, and gear is so much fun to level up.”
- “Replayability is high as it is a good length dramatic story which gives you the chance to try again at higher levels with interesting equipment.”
- “Not very replayable though.”
- “Not a whole lot of replayability unless you want to just smash some orcs in the face with a stick or something.”
- “The game is fairly short, but there is a lot of replay value.”
optimization
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15% positive mentions, 27% neutral mentions, 58% negative mentions
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, crashes, and high CPU usage, particularly on AMD graphics cards. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on powerful rigs, many others found the game nearly unplayable due to its poor optimization and lack of post-release patches to address these problems. Overall, the game's technical performance is considered subpar, significantly detracting from the overall experience.
- “Performance wise the game ran very smooth, download, install, play.”
- “Performance and art-wise it performs just fine even on older systems.”
- “Amazing performance for its graphics.”
- “A little dull but that's expected tbh, my fairly powerful rig went into hyperdrive though and that's just unacceptable bad optimization.”
- “Unfortunately, bad optimization for PC buried this game even back then, in 2011.”
- “I have an HD 8850M which is more than enough for this, but it's so poorly optimized that you will get stuttering every 2 minutes and the game will crash every 10 minutes.”
atmosphere
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48% positive mentions, 44% neutral mentions, 8% negative mentions
The atmosphere of "War in the North" is widely praised for its faithful recreation of the Lord of the Rings universe, effectively immersing players in Tolkien's world through strong visuals, evocative music, and well-crafted environments. While some reviews note that the graphics may feel dated and the gameplay can become repetitive, the overall ambiance, character portrayal, and sound design contribute to a deeply atmospheric experience that resonates with fans of the franchise. However, a few critiques mention moments where the atmosphere falls short, indicating a mixed reception in certain areas.
- “Snowblind Studios did an exceptional job aligning the music with the gameplay, narrative beats, and environmental atmosphere, creating an immersive experience that truly transports you into Tolkien’s world.”
- “It captures the atmosphere of LOTR beautifully, and is 100% what a LOTR RPG should be.”
- “They nailed the atmosphere for that area, and looking out at all the outstanding crags and jagged rocks planted in the rolling green hills gave me chills.”
- “The atmosphere is bad; it doesn't feel like Lord of the Rings.”
- “Voice acting and world atmosphere are also mediocre.”
- “While the combat can become somewhat repetitive over time, the strong atmosphere and faithful Lord of the Rings setting make up for it.”
grinding
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6% positive mentions, -4% neutral mentions, 98% negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to a lack of engagement and enjoyment. Many reviews highlight issues with combat being monotonous, character management being cumbersome, and missions feeling overly simplistic and repetitive. While some players appreciate the fast-paced upgrades and loot mechanics, the general consensus leans towards grinding being a frustrating experience that detracts from the overall gameplay.
- “The grinding in this game is rewarding and doesn't feel tedious, allowing players to gain experience without excessive time investment.”
- “I appreciate how the grinding mechanics are designed to be engaging and provide meaningful rewards.”
- “Grinding feels satisfying and is balanced well, making it a fun part of the gameplay experience.”
- “Equipping your allies is a nightmare; transferring equipment is worse. It just feels terrible and poorly thought out all around, grinding the game to a halt every time you pick anything up.”
- “Grindy combat, unsatisfying kills, and lackluster character progression.”
- “The combat is really tedious, and as the major part of the game, that killed our enthusiasm for playing any further.”
humor
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The humor in this game is largely derived from its absurdity and glitches, providing a source of unintentional hilarity, especially during co-op play with friends. Players appreciate the comedic elements in character interactions, voice acting, and the overall silly nature of the gameplay, making it a fun experience despite its flaws. While the game may not excel in storytelling or graphics, its humor shines through in the chaotic moments and quirky character dynamics, particularly with the dwarf character.
- “This game is just simple, dumb, hilarious fun.”
- “Great fun and absolutely hilarious with friends!”
- “The voice acting just adds to the fun as it's so hilariously bad.”
character development
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 21% negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of depth and meaningful progression for the characters. While some appreciate the character design and dialogue, others criticize the absence of relationships and personality, leading to a feeling of disconnect. Overall, the consensus suggests that character development is a significant shortcoming, detracting from the overall experience despite some positive aspects in gameplay and visuals.
- “Good progress in terms of character development.”
- “Two things I really like about LOTR: War in the North are that the game rewards exploration, by gaining access to secret areas and finding extra gear to either sell or equip; the other thing I also liked is the character design and the dialogue system.”
- “Third, the character development and replayability.”
- “The premise is good but the game itself is a crappy mess... horrible controls, poor story, and no character development.”
- “You control one of three characters with no personality or character development trying to chain as many finishers as possible, until you unlock Farin's explosive arrow and trivialize the game.”
- “There is no character development so far, no relationships between the protagonists who seem to just 'get along' from the beginning of the game for no apparent reason (lore-wise this doesn't make sense).”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
82% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 18% negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while players appreciate the realistic combat and high production values, the story is criticized for being forgettable and lacking depth, resulting in little emotional attachment to the characters. Despite some enjoyable moments, the narrative fails to evoke the emotional impact seen in other titles within the genre. Overall, the game offers wholesome fun but falls short in delivering a compelling emotional experience.
- “It makes you feel emotional.”
- “Although it can be rough around the edges sometimes, emotionally and in terms of character models, it's still a pleasure to play.”
- “The production values are high, and the little bits between fighting are interesting enough to create a wholesome package.”
- “At least have a separate storyline, but no, they have to come up with a completely unoriginal, boring storyline.”
- “Boring story”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The monetization of the game is perceived as a cash grab, with some elements suggesting a lack of genuine effort, likely aimed at capitalizing on the franchise's popularity. Overall, it is viewed as unremarkable and primarily focused on profit rather than quality.
- “To be fair, some random aspects of the game seem too good for an easy cash grab in a popular franchise, so probably a couple of people actually cared.”
- “This is nothing special, just another quick cash grab to capitalize on the success of the movies.”

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Play Times

13h Median play time

16h Average play time

12-20h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 17 analyzed playthroughs

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Game News

A dev tried to warn WB Games not to launch Lord of the Rings: War in the North 10 days before Skyrim, but was 'overruled'

August 14 on pcgamer.com

Skyrim eclipsed Lord of the Rings: War in the North's launch 15 years ago, so the WB Games lead who "argued vociferously" against the release is happy to see it get a second shot

August 14 on gamesradar.com

Aspyr to Release More Classic The Lord of the Rings Games Following War in the North

August 12 on gamingbolt.com

More Lord of the Rings Remasters Are in the Works Following War in the North Re-Release, Confirms Aspyr

August 11 on ign.com

It's official: Warhorse Studios is officially working on a new open-world Lord of the Rings RPG alongside 'a new Kingdom Come adventure'

May 21 on techradar.com

Lord of the Rings, Tomb Raider, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and more now overseen by new company from Embracer that'll make at least 2 "outstanding AAA products" a year

May 20 on gamesradar.com

Following rumours of Warhorse Studios visiting Middle-earth, Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics is now said to be working on a Lord of the Rings game too

April 1 on eurogamer.net

Unearthed concept art for Eidos-Montréal's canceled Lord of the Rings game suggests it focused on Aragorn before the events of the trilogy in a Telltale-like narrative

February 11 on gamesradar.com

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Frequently Asked Questions

Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a open world hack and slash game with fantasy, medieval, historical and violence themes. Common tags for Lord of the Rings: War in the North include 3D, female protagonist, linear, atmospheric, third person and others.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 16 hours playing Lord of the Rings: War in the North.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North was released on November 1, 2011.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North was developed by Snowblind Studios.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked Lord of the Rings: War in the North for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North

Platforms

Reviews

story

gameplay

graphics

stability

music

replayability

optimization

atmosphere

grinding

humor

character development

emotional

monetization

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