A Decent Above Average RPG
The Game unfolds in the Third Age which would make you think that it takes place after the movies and would have some orginal awesome storyline. The game does have a Strong storyline but in reality it runs around the same time as the Movies the feeling is your always a day behind them as you constantly find movie scenes fleshed out into the game world.
You play as Berether who is a swordsman looking for Borimir who if you don't know if the only fellowship character to die at the end of the first movie. As your travel you are attacked by Ring Wraiths and your saved by a Eleven Warrior and the story goes from there..
GRAPHICS
This is a stunning game on all platforms. The Enviroments are detailed and polished and Character and Enemies character models look almost next Gen with the amount of detail on them. When you get new armor and weapons they change which can drastically alter your characters look. You really feel like there growing, You go from a person in rags to shining Silver Armor its a neat idea that helps explain why your character can deal so much Damage when he has the best of the best. You find them after killing enemies and finding them in chests there are no shops so you will always be happy to find a better sword. Spells and other battle affects are amazing looking and normally fill the screen with a bright vibrate color while they cast. Light blooming and other neat tricks give them a real edge.
GAMEPLAY
The Combat in the Game is solid but its also been used a thousand times. It uses the FF10 fighting engine so you can see who will attack when 10 turns from now or how a spell wil affect combat turns. Its useful becasue you will find yourself using spells like haste and slow alot more. Out of battle your travel massive ruins and landscape sometime these areas have alot to offer while other times there bland and boring.
SOUND
Sound is pretty good it has some epic sound peices from the movies and of course acting rights so everything feels polished and well rounded. Some sutle affects really add to the feeling like when the Balrog flies high you can hear the wind. It works well and its something that makes itself noticed.
Value
There is some replay value and the game is great all around it uses the movie title well and is a memoriable expierence al lthe way through. This is a game where no matter what system its worth checking out.