|
Explore the mystical world of Middle-earth where you'll
need to jump gaping chasms, climb treacherous mountains, solve
puzzles and battle hordes of enemies just to survive. Meet
enchanting Elves, battle-ready Dwarves, a powerful Wizard,
massive Trolls, bloodthirsty goblins, and more as you traverse
from the peaceful lands of the Shire to the harrowing forests
of Mirkwood...
Anyone
over the age of 20 will already know that The Hobbit
is a prequel to The Lord of The Rings (You'd be surprised
how many teenagers have never heard of it). And, while it's
certainly not essential that you've seen the Lord of the
Rings movies, it will help to immerse you in this fantasy
world if you have seen the films.
You
start the game in the thick of a raging battle between elves
and humans Vs orcs and goblins. Unsheathing your trusty sword
you slay the bad guys all too easily... but then, as you awake
in your bed, everything becomes clear. It was all a dream.
Now the real quest begins.
The
first level sees you leave your humble dwelling to make it
to the pub (Ah! Now that sounds like something I can relate
to), in order to meet up with a band of dwarfs who are about
to embark on a great quest. But getting to the pub is not
going to be easy. You will have to run a few errands for the
local population and gather a few provisions for the huge
quest ahead.
This
first level is really a training level to help you get used
to the controls and the general gameplay. And it works too.
Aiming stones to knock down apples from tree branches may
seem pretty pointless, but you'll be grateful for the practice
when on later levels you are attacked by hungry wolves.
If
I have one complaint about this game, it is that there are
too many unnecessary characters milling around and it can
be annoying when you have to talk to half a dozen people to
find which one has a quest for you. That, and the fact that
you can spend ages wondering around a level trying to find
where to go. For example, in the "Roast Mutton"
level you have to go and see whether a distant light is actually
an enemy campfire. Sadly the ground and hills all look the
same (green) so you are never totally clear if you are going
around in circles or heading in the right direction. And the
graphics are a little too cutesy-poo for my liking.
One
of the novel ideas here is the lock-picking ability that you
have acquired from your mother's side of the family. This
allows you, with a little skill, to unlock chests that contain
goodies. But it means that you have to have good reflexes.
Each lock requires you to tap the X button to stop the action
of the locking mechanism at the right place (when it turns
green) but there are a number of different variations on the
mechanisms, so you never get too good with one sort of lock
- and you have to unlock a set number of mechanisms per lock
in a given time period.
The
gameplay is above average and the levels do get progressively
harder (so don't be under the misguided view that this is
a child's game and too simple for you to tackle - it's not).
While
it can be a little frustrating in places, this is still an
above average game with lots going for it. Fans of The
Lord of the Rings should certainly think about getting
hold of a copy.
Pete
Boomer
Buy
this item online
We
compare prices online so you get the cheapest
deal!
(Please note all prices exclude P&P - although
Streets Online charge a flat £1 fee regardless
of the number of items ordered). Click on the
logo of the desired store below.
|
|
|
£29.99
(Amazon.co.uk)
|
| |
|
|
|
£36.99
(Streetsonline.co.uk) |
All prices correct at time of going to press.
|
|
