Lord of the Rings: War in the North

About

"Lord of the Rings: War in the North" is a co-op Action RPG set in a brutal new chapter of the War of the Ring. It offers visceral combat, character progression, and a wide range of deadly enemies. Traverse familiar and never-before-seen locations in Middle-earth, and fight alongside friends in this epic and intimate journey.

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Lord of the Rings: War in the North screenshot

+11

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,004 reviews

story380 positive mentions

stability152 negative mentions

Very nice story that fits well within the LOTR lore.
Good gameplay with satisfying combat mechanics and character progression.
Fun co-op experience that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.

Frequent crashes and bugs, especially for AMD graphics card users.
Linear gameplay with limited exploration and repetitive combat.
In-game voice chat cannot be disabled, causing issues with external communication.

story
1,074 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
59%
6%
The story of "Lord of the Rings: War in the North" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its integration into the larger lore of Middle-earth and its unique perspective on events occurring alongside the main trilogy. While some find the narrative engaging and immersive, others criticize it for being linear, predictable, and lacking depth, often describing it as a simple side story that doesn't significantly impact the overarching plot. Overall, it offers a mix of enjoyable character interactions and lore for fans, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more complex narrative.
- “The story fits perfectly into the greater LOTR canon and is a genuinely enjoyable jaunt through the periphery of the War of the Ring.”
- “War in the North in particular gives the player another perspective on the War of the Ring and tells a different story.”
- “The game tells a new story with new characters while remaining faithful to the lore and weaving in characters we all know and love.”
- “The story is so linear and full of cliché it actually hurts.”
- “The story is weak, while I appreciate it trying to add to the lore of LOTR, it feels forced and unconnected to everything else going on in Middle-earth.”
- “The story is very basic and bland.”
gameplay
490 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
49%
11%
The gameplay of "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North" is characterized by its hack-and-slash mechanics, cooperative multiplayer experience, and RPG elements, which many players find enjoyable, especially when playing with friends. However, it suffers from repetitiveness, simplistic combat, and technical issues, including bugs and crashes, which detract from the overall experience. While the game offers a nostalgic return to the LOTR universe with solid mechanics, it is often criticized for its lack of depth and polish.
- “Nice 'expanded universe' story from Tolkien's world + high quality gameplay with enough RPG elements and combat which feels great to this day.”
- “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.”
- “Great gameplay, fun with friends, impressive storyline.”
- “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.”
- “The moment 'War in the North' starts, it already shows how mediocre it is; for a 2011 game, it looks pretty crappy, with bland visuals and ugly animations. The gameplay is very repetitive and simplistic, you get a bunch of separated linear levels, and all you do is walk forward while the game throws countless enemies at you.”
- “Repetitive, average hack-n-slash gameplay, unfair checkpoints, bad-barebones dialogue; on top of that, the game suffers from major technical issues: this game keeps crashing to desktop and features poor graphics, it's basically unplayable if you don't downgrade your video card controllers.”
graphics
448 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
55%
13%
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its 2011 release, with many users noting that while they were decent at launch, they have not aged well compared to more recent titles. Despite some visual flaws and technical issues, particularly for players using AMD graphics cards, many reviewers appreciate the game's aesthetic ties to the Peter Jackson films and find the graphics acceptable for the gameplay experience. Overall, while the visuals may not be stunning by today's standards, they still contribute positively to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment for fans of the Lord of the Rings universe.
- “The graphics have stood up surprisingly well, the combat is simplistic yet fun, and one of the main characters is voiced by Laura Bailey.”
- “Good LOTR lore with visuals that thankfully resemble the Peter Jackson movies (still the best LOTR visual style by a mile).”
- “The visuals are amazing!”
- “The moment 'War in the North' starts, it already shows how mediocre it is. For a 2011 game, it looks pretty crappy, with bland visuals and ugly animations.”
- “Definitely won't recommend this game. I don't know what happened with the devs, but they never truly had after-release patches to fix the many graphical problems with it, including crashes on ATI graphics cards.”
- “The graphics are a sore point for a 2019 gamer. I still play lots of games released 5-10 years ago, but I really didn't like the graphics and the gameplay in this one.”
stability
152 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of crashes, glitches, and bugs that significantly hinder gameplay. Players frequently experience issues such as freezing, frame rate drops, and unresponsive AI, particularly in later chapters, making the game feel unpolished and frustrating. While some find enjoyment in the gameplay despite these problems, the overall consensus is that the game's stability issues detract from the experience.
- “Great game, but it loses your data frequently, crashes, glitches, bugs, freezes, etc.”
- “The real nail in the coffin for me....nothing annoys me more than enjoying a game all the way up to the last level then experiencing constant crashes, glitches and graphical errors.”
- “Chapter 2 and 8 are unplayable due to crashes, stutters, freezes and so on.”
music
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
63%
6%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its ability to evoke emotions and fit the game's atmosphere, while others find it lackluster and forgettable compared to the iconic soundtracks of the Lord of the Rings films. Composed by Inon Zur, the soundtrack is described as decent but not as epic as expected, leading to a sense of disappointment among players. Overall, while the music supports the game well, it lacks the memorable quality that many hoped for, with some noting its repetitiveness.
- “And yet, when you visit Bree and feel the melancholy that permeates the scene, or the peace of Imladris, when you fight orcs on top of mountain peaks, or travel the Coldfells infested by trolls... it just works... the art direction is perfectly honorable, the scenario, well, not amazing but fits properly within canon, and the music is lovely.”
- “Good game, awesome music and storyline.”
- “Very decent gameplay, beautiful environments, high quality music, interesting story moments.”
- “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.”
- “An entirely lackluster, anticlimactic game, with extremely underwhelming technology, controls, and a heavily uninspired soundtrack.”
replayability
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
66%
5%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate the satisfying skill and leveling systems, as well as the option for new game+ modes and co-op play, others find the content lacking and the linear nature limits replay value. Some players enjoy the unique character abilities and the challenge of higher difficulty levels, but there are also criticisms regarding tedious gameplay and glitches that detract from the experience. In summary, the game offers decent replayability, particularly for those who enjoy character customization and cooperative play, but it may not hold long-term appeal for everyone.
- “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.”
- “The replayability is pretty good because once you beat it on normal mode, you unlock heroic mode where you can play through again but stay the same level so you can unlock more things and get better gear.”
- “Not a whole lot of replayability unless you want to just smash some orcs in the face with a stick or something.”
- “There is no replay value in a game as tedious as this.”
- “That said, the game is rather short, and can be beaten with just a few days worth of gameplay, and the replay value is not extraordinarily high due to the game's linear nature.”
optimization
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
23%
62%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting severe stuttering, frequent crashes, and poor performance, particularly on AMD graphics cards and 4-core CPUs. Despite some users experiencing smoother gameplay, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from significant technical issues that detract from the experience, leading to recommendations against purchasing it without substantial patches.
- “Runs smoothly and is your all-round awesome hack and slash game!”
- “Graphics performance r9 280x, 1080p max settings: 60 fps (v-sync) all the time except for a few stutters when loading new textures.”
- “Definitely buy this game on sale; I have experienced some technical issues, frame drops, and it's not well optimized, but it's quite short for a game of this style.”
- “The game is so unoptimized for these cards that it becomes practically unplayable.”
- “Poor optimization as the game crashes quite frequently, so much so you can get a Steam achievement if there was one for game crashing.”
- “An excellent game if you can make it work, but unfortunately for me and many others, it has so many stuttering and crash issues that the game is unplayable.”
grinding
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and monotonous, with players noting that combat feels basic and unsatisfying, particularly in solo play. Many reviews highlight the lack of engaging character progression and the repetitive nature of loot gathering, which detracts from overall enjoyment. While some find moments of fun in the looting mechanics, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grind is a significant drawback, often leading to frustration rather than satisfaction.
- “Grindy combat, unsatisfying kills, and lackluster character progression.”
- “Tl;dr - tedious, thoughtless, monotonous gameplay, and that's before the technical issues that many people (not me) have.”
- “Solo this is boring and grindy since friendly AI.”
humor
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often derived from its quirky characters and amusing glitches, with players finding entertainment in both intentional comedic moments and the unintentional hilarity of bugs. While some reviews highlight the charm of cooperative play and references to beloved franchises, others note that the game's clunky mechanics can lead to frustrating yet funny situations. Overall, the humor is a mixed bag, providing laughs for those willing to overlook its shortcomings.
- “It has its fun moments and can honestly be hilarious at times with its many bugs.”
- “Biggest con is the glitchiness that occurs when a lot of stuff is on screen but it's generally a funny glitch, not a game-breaking glitch.”
- “They lead to some pretty funny ways of dying!”
atmosphere
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
25%
17%
The game's atmosphere is a mixed bag, with some players praising its authentic Lord of the Rings feel and beautiful visuals that evoke the iconic landscapes of Middle-earth. However, criticisms arise regarding dated graphics, mediocre audio effects, and a lack of immersive experience, leading to a sense of disappointment for some. Overall, while the atmosphere captures the essence of Tolkien's world, it struggles to deliver a consistently engaging experience.
- “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 game itself is very enjoyable and atmospheric, even if it is railroaded into making you follow only one path from start to finish.”
- “I enjoy a lot the graphics, especially the great 3D vision support, the music, and the unique Lord of the Rings atmosphere.”
- “Bad atmosphere; it doesn't feel like Lord of the Rings.”
- “Voice acting and world atmosphere are also mediocre.”
- “Veritable Lord of the Rings atmosphere.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
56%
25%
Character development in the game is widely criticized, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth and personality in the characters. While the game features a "3-tree" system reminiscent of Diablo 2, the choices are often obvious and uninspired, leading to a feeling of stagnation. Overall, the absence of meaningful character growth detracts from the experience, despite the game's strong audio-visual elements and engaging gameplay.
- “Except for occasional characters with bad voice acting, the game really makes you feel like you're in Middle-earth, with all the place and people names mentioned, sentence structures reminiscent of Tolkien, and good character design.”
- “Audio/visual: the landscapes and character design are extremely well done for a 2011 game, with details such as seeing the weaves in Elrond's shirt, rock patterns in the background, and blood splatter as you chop off the orc's head.”
- “The '3-tree' character development from Diablo 2 is here, but much like in Borderlands, it's extremely obvious what the best choices are.”
- “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.”
- “Also, there is absolutely no character development, and I think that if it wasn't for the good gameplay, I would have quit this game.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
While some users express that the game evokes strong emotions, they criticize the storyline as banal and unoriginal, suggesting that the emotional impact is undermined by a lack of engaging narrative depth.
- “It makes you feel emotional.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is criticized as a typical cash grab, aiming to exploit the popularity of the movies rather than offering a unique or valuable experience.
- “This is nothing special, just another quick cash grab to capitalize on the success of the movies.”