LEGO Lord of the Rings Rebuilds Middle-Earth

There’s no denying the LEGO games are hugely popular, but they’re certainly guilty of retreading the same format time and again. Thank Gandalf then, that LEGO Lord of the Rings promises to mix up the formula a little and deliver something that remains faithful to the series, but is fresh at the same time.

LEGO Lord of the Rings follows in the footsteps of its predecessors by bringing the best scenes from the movies to life, and putting you right at the heart of the action. You’ll venture deep within the mines of Moria, explore the splendor of Rivendell and endure the exhausting climactic battle against the Uruk-Hai at Helm’s Deep. Indeed, the Two Towers’ finale was one new area Traveller’s Tales showed off at Gamescom and its every bit as chaotic as it’s cinematic counterpart.

As the orc horde pours forward Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn look out over the ramparts. Seconds later the assault begins, with siege ladders slamming into the wall. You’ve got to push them back, using Legolas to shoot the Uruk-Hai clambering over the top, before switching to Gimli, whose extra strength is enough to shove the ladders back from where they came.

“

Much of the Helm’s Deep action is recreated scene by scene.

The attack continues, with more ladders funneling enemies into the firing line, before the camera tracks down to ground level to follow a torch-wielding berserker charging towards a cluster of bombs, They explode and the castle walls are blown sky high, and, this being a LEGO game, blocks of all shapes and sizes ping off in every direction before the relentless battle continues.

It all feels strangely familiar, but for once it’s not because we’ve seen the same gameplay rolled out for before, but because it’s follows the movies so closely. Much of the Helm’s Deep action is recreated scene by scene, and because the game uses dialogue ripped straight from the movies it feels like the most authentic LEGO game yet.

It is still a LEGO game though, which means it’s bursting with humour and puzzles, not to mention places to explore. This is best demonstrated in the new streaming hub world, which – literally – takes in every corner of Middle-earth. It co-exists alongside the main story game and as you beat different chapters of the game new areas of the map are unlocked.

“

It is still a LEGO game though, which means it’s bursting with humour and puzzles, not to mention places to explore.

You’ll start in the idyllic calm of Hobbiton before progressing on to Bree, Rivendell, Rohan and beyond. Climb to the peak of Weathertop and you can look over to the Misty Mountains and across to Isenguard, and of course ultimately Mordor. And once you’ve completed the story part of the game all of this is open to your little hero and you’re able to run from one side of the world to the other if you so desire.

However, there’s more to this hub world than just vast expanses of gorgeous terrain. There are enemies to fight and puzzles to solve, and well as secrets to discover. You’ll find LEGO blocks made from precious Mithril, which you can forge to make tough armour or boots that enable you to jump further, or trade in to purchase high-end magical items. There are new weapons to discover too, which you’ll need to use throughout the land to progress further.

Currently much of Middle-earth is bare, with Traveller’s Tales admitting its still populating the different realms to make it feel like a living, breathing world. But already it looks impressive and in places it smacks of Skyrim, albeit with little stubby guys running round, scooping up bits of plastic.

Certainly, it’s great to see the LEGO series take a bold step, and while it might not be in an all-new direction the addition of an entire world will be a welcome one for veterans and newcomers alike.

Source : ign[dot]com

Batwoman #12 Review

A number of changes have occurred since you last read a Batwoman comic: J.H. Williams III is back on art, the format is back to a relatively linear format, and Wonder Woman is featured prominently. I would have expected each of those changes to benefit the book, but, together, they push the book to its best form thus far.

Pairing Wonder Woman and Batwoman is a perfect move for this title. Wonder Woman is iconic and pure whereas Batwoman slugs her way through back alleys and the everyday problems of common citizens (think Superman and Batman). Still, they are both strong women who define themselves by their work. It’s a delight to let the storytelling, visual and scripted, wash over you, as Williams differentiates between truth and fiction through changes in his art style and the script wraps the two characters’ stories around one another. As the issue progresses and the stories begin to meld, the interface of Batwoman’s urban legends and Wonder Woman’s mythology serves as an appealing, if not entirely congruent, bridge between the two characters.

It’s impossible to overstate the boost that Williams’ return gives to this book. His layouts sell the confusion and fear of Batwoman’s funhouse experience while simultaneously presenting Wonder Woman as confident and (literally) centered. Whether they’re relaxing on a yacht or having a swim in a backyard pool, Williams breathes life into his characters so convincingly that it’s almost as if you’re seeing actors on film instead of hand-drawn squiggles on paper. It’s nice to see the water still factoring into the imagery, but the way it defines Wonder Woman’s transformation back to Diana at the issue’s climax is exquisite. I’d also like to tip my cap to Williams for single-handedly making Director Bones a new favorite of mine through nothing more than his visual depiction of the character.

Without question, Williams’ return is a huge boon to this book, but it’s not the whole story. The narrative has improved greatly, with a delightful new dynamic forming between Kate, Agent Chase, and Director Bones. Also, Wonder Woman serves as the perfect counterbalance to Bette, both of whom circle around Kate, defining one another by analogy and contrast.

I was expecting this book to be an improvement, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this good. The new dynamics between characters, the return of J.H. Williams III on art, and the potential represented by the Wonder Woman team-up have me as excited about this book as I am about any other book on the shelves.

Poet is a freelance writer, mid-core gamer, and frequent IGN contributor. Follow Poet on Twitter, or post a message on his IGN profile.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes - "Assault on 42" Review

Warning: full episode spoilers follow.

We've been seeing Earth's Mightiest Heroes transition towards a slightly more standalone format lately, rather than the episodic approach of the first half of Season 2. But if "Assault on 42" proved anything, it's that this done-in-one storytelling can yield impressive results. "Assault on 42" saw Cap lead a truncated band of Avengers into the Negative Zone to visit Prison 42. S.H.IE.L.D. is convinced that the Negative Zone is an empty realm devoid of any life, but naturally, that isn't the case at all. The showdown between the prison's residents and the savage, almost mindless bugs of the Negative Zone was inevitable.

Last week I noted how "Behold... the Vision!" seemed to be paying homage to Predator during the jungle hunt sequence. The EMH writers must have '80s sci-fi classics on the brains, because this episode gave off a clear Aliens vibe throughout. Early on, our heroes were hounded in dark corridors by an unseen enemy. Later, as the battle intensified, the creeping sense of horror exploded into all-out war between man and bug. For what is largely an all-ages show, this episode did a nice job of maintaining a grim, foreboding tone. The fact that the Avengers and their temporary allies were battling mindless bugs also allowed the episode to be more straightforward in its depiction of violence.

Speaking of temporary allies, the decision to include a number of past Avengers rogues in the battle lent a but of fun to the otherwise dark series of events. Some of these villains, like Leader and Abomination, haven't really been seen since the early episodes. Cap's decision to exclude Baron Zemo from the festivities was a nice touch. We saw Skurge the Executioner take a major step from simple villain to heroic warrior as he silently acknowledged Thor as a comrade and embraced his new mission. I was beginning to think the writers were going to borrow from the classic comic The Mighty Thor #362 and depict Skurge's iconic moment of sacrifice in slightly different surroundings. However, Thor's reference to Enchantress' current plight may suggest that big moment is coming down the pipeline.

On the other side of the battle, Annihilus had a memorable debut as this episode's central villain. The series is 2 for 2 so far when it comes to borrowing major Fantastic Four foes. The writers offered a cool take on Annihilus by rendering him entirely mute and only conveying his rage and motivations through the Leader's psychic probing. It helped emphasize Annihilus' inhuman, otherworldly qualities. I do wish there had been a bit more variety in Annihilus' drones. If anything, the bugs looked more like the Brood aliens from the X-Men franchise than the usual Negative Zone creatures on display in the comics. But given how much the Brood resemble the Xenomorphs from the Alien movies in form and function, that may have been an intentional design choice.

"Assault on 42" was necessarily that important in terms of advancing the currently open conflicts of the series. It was, however, a very well executed chapter that managed to go a little darker and more violent than the series usually strives for. Hopefully this level of quality is a sign of what we can expect as the series moves through the second half of Season 2.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com