After a solid year, is LoTRO indeed becoming the 'One Game to Rule Them All'?
If there is one universal truth in the world of MMOs, it is that an MMO lives and dies
by two principle attributes. The first is the stability of its launch, and the second
is how it evolves over time to truly make it a different experience from the competition.
By any standard, Lord of the Rings Online has been a resounding success in both areas. The
open beta was one of the smoothest and well run beta experiences in recent memory, and really
felt like one last stress test of a COMPLETE game. The launch was without any major hitch, and
Middle Earth was soon alive and thriving.
Turbine is known for their long term support of successful franchises. LoTRO not only illustrates
their superb skill to run the game in its live phases, but their ability to add compelling features
and quests on a nearly monthly basis. The new 'Books' (major update phases) have added incredible
amounts of content that competing MMOs charge as an 'expansion' / stand alone add on. Again, these
are free of charge.
To give an idea, two of the books (over time) added two new regions to explore, these are MASSIVE
areas, adding hundreds of quests, new items, people to meet and things to explore. They truly are
worth getting excited about every time they are announced.
The new areas alone would be enough, but Turbine takes it further by adding some major features
and fixing long standing issues. They didn't take the first year of their game and simply try
to balance classes, they were pretty well balanced on release. While they have made tweaks and
fixes to adjust concerns, they always seem more concerned with adding things new, fun and refreshing
to the experience.
Book 11 saw the release of Player owned housing. The feature was well thought out, creative, and
kept original with the idea of instanced neighborhoods. Book 12 saw major features and fixes added
per class.
As if all the free books and add ons weren't enough, Turbine has been very good about providing
live events related to seasons and festivals (the spring festival and summer harvests are some
of my fondest memories in an MMO, period).
With the first pay expansion on the horizon promising massive additions to the game that players
can scarcely imagine, it truly gives the player base something to look forward to.
LoTRO has provided something for everyone with every update, be it new storylines and quests to
undertake, new items/armor and features... the game continually provides the experience of a
royal feast. Just when you think you are about to clean your plate, new and different foods get
piled on for you to enjoy.
After a year, it truly is an experience that has to be played to be believed. If you've played before
and moved on, or if you've been on the fence as to whether or not to try it out, now is as good a time
as ever. Discounted subscription prices celebrate the one year anniversery, and if you're really
loving the game, you can get the Lifetime subscription at a discounted $199 until June. One time
payment and never pay a monthly fee for the life of the product again.
When it comes down to it all, LoTRO is an incredibly fun and detailed experience. Those eager to
live the Tolkein lore would be overjoyed with the attention to detail here. It never ceases to be
enjoyable, and the community at large is still (after a year) one of the friendliest and most fun
out there.
A shadow rises in the east, and the witch king's armies are on the move in Angmar... will you
pick up your sword and defend your home and the free peoples of middle earth?