Heavy lore
Even in a world obsessed with fantasy series like game of Thrones, JRR Tolkien’s novels remain the gold standard for high fictional storytelling. And I’m pleased to say that this game incorporates more of that lore than you can shake a stick of lembas bread.
You will notice many references to The Hobbit, from Shire details to playable Beornings. And references to The Lord of the Rings abound, as your character’s story and that story are linked together.
Unfortunately there are no references to The Silmarillion in the game. Simply put, the developers didn’t have the rights to that tale.
Unique touches
Of course, for any game like this you have to turn to the oliphant in the room. Swords and sorcery, elves and dwarves, killing orcs … all of this will seem familiar to anyone who has spent time playing classics like World of Warcraft.
And it is true that much of this is familiar. In The Lord of the Rings Online, fantasy heroes team up to defeat fantasy villains and conquer everything from minor missions to major raids.
That leaves a big question: what actually sets this game apart from the competition?
The short answer is “many little things”. For example, there is no real PvP in this game (although there is a monster mode which I will describe in more detail later). Instead, the game emphasizes forming friendships and exploring detailed landscapes.
The classes are also very Tolkien-esque. While classes like Champion and Guardian might seem familiar to MMO veterans, classes like Burglar, Minstrel, and Lore-Master look very different. They serve as a reminder that this game is more than hacking and slashing.
Heck, there’s also an emphasis on music that Tolkien would love: players can enter a music mode and use the keyboard to play songs that others can listen to. You can even record your favorite songs and play as part of an online band!
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