The Lord of the Rings Online – PvP, but with a cool touch
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Standing Stone Games | Platform: PC | Release Date: April 24, 2007 | Model: Free-to-Play
What kind of game is this? The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) is a classic MMORPG that takes place in the quintessential fantasy world: namely J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, the template for almost every other fantasy setting in the Western world.
You play during the time of the War of the Ring, encountering numerous important characters, including icons such as Gandalf, Frodo Baggins, or Legolas. Your heroes can be anything from Hobbits to Elves, all of whom inhabit heroic races in Middle-earth.
In the game, you initially follow the plot of the books, but even after the end of the ring, the developers still plan to keep the venerable MMORPG alive.
The combat system is a static tab-targeting system where you aim at enemies and then unleash your skills in a specific rotation. While this may not be particularly modern, it serves its purpose and fits the down-to-earth fantasy setting.
What are the features? A special feature of LOTRO is storytelling. If you are a fan of Tolkien’s books or Peter Jackson’s films, you cannot miss this. This is especially true for the current expansions, which continue the story after the end of the film and book, delivering even more LOTR feeling.
The other highlight of LOTRO is role-playing. The game is a paradise for players who enjoy role-playing live. If you like, you can realize your creativity in a complex housing system and bake cakes for your friends. There has always been an active and helpful RPG scene in this game that not only does quests, dungeons, and raids but also plays them out accordingly while always “in character”.
How much PvP is in the game? The PvP mode of LOTRO is largely excluded from the regular game and takes place only in the Ettenmoors region. There, as a free-to-play player, you can only run around as a monster, like an Orc, and attack other players. Only those with a subscription can play as their “real” heroes.
This form of PvP is quite original and is appreciated by a minority of players. However, most LOTRO fans tend to stay away from PvP and are not greatly bothered by it.
Who is LOTRO ideal for? LOTRO is clearly aimed at fans of classic fantasy and the well-known MMORPG tab-targeting combat system. It offers exciting stories from one of the most famous fantasy settings and also provides a home for role-players.
Since the PvP mode only takes place in isolation, you do not have to deal with rude fellow players if you do not explicitly want to.
