The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Developer(s)	Hypnos Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts
Release date(s)	GameCube, PS2: NA November 5, 2003 EURNovember 14, 2003 JPN January 8, 2004 Xbox: NA November 5, 2003 EURNovember 14, 2003 PC NA October 31, 2003 EUR November 14, 2003
Genre(s)	Action, Hack 'n Slash
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Teen (13+) PEGI: 12+
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, GBA, PC, Mac, Mobile phones

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a video game by EA Games based on the movie of the same name. The game was released in 2003.

The game plays very much like its predecessor, featuring both the hack 'n' slash gameplay and branching level selection/storyline. A major change from The Two Towers is the ability to play as not only just Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, but Gandalf and Sam and, once unlocked, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Faramir.

Gameplay

Basic controls

The game controls are relatively simple, making the game easy to pick up. The true challenge comes from stringing together hits without taking damage for higher rankings (see below). Here are the main controls/attacks of the game:

• Speed Attack: The Speed Attack is useful for unshielded enemies, for unlike the Fierce attack it is quick and cannot break shields. The speed of the attack also helps block enemy attacks.

• Fierce Attack: Fierce Attacks are slow yet powerful, and the only attack that can break shields until a high level is achieved. By holding down the Fierce Attack button the player can use a Devastating Attack. Devastating Attacks must be purchased first, and they have several upgrades depending on that character's level.

• Physical Attack: This attack varies depending on which character is used. The hobbits, as well as Gimli push, Gandalf delivers a fierce knock with his staff, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Faramir use a kick. The Physical Attack is used in the top of Minas Tirith's wall to knock ladders over.

• Ranged Attack: By using a Ranged Attack the player can strike an opponent from far away. The attack is different depending on the character who's being used; Aragorn, Legolas, and Faramir use arrows, Gimli uses throwing axes, Gandalf uses his staff to shoot a beam, and the Hobbits use throwing knives. Ranged Attacks can be upgraded so they do more damage and produce different effects.

• Parry: Parrying is used to block most enemy attacks as well as arrows. It is also used in Linked one-combo kill moves.

• Killing Move: This move automatically kills a single enemy who has been knocked to the ground if it is used on them.

• Action: The Action command is used on a variety of things throughout the game, including picking up and throwing spears, launching catapults, etc.

• Special Ability: As with Ranged Attacks each set of characters has a different special ability, though there are much more drastic in difference. Everyone special ability lasts for a short period of time which is followed by a "cooldown" period before the player is able to use the ability again. Aragorn, Legolas, Faramir and Gimli's special ability gets them to Perfect Mode (see below) faster. Gandalf's ability is a magic shield that not only protects him but causes damage to the enemies that touch it. All the hobbits use their cloak to turn invisible when they use their special ability, and while invisible they can use their Killing Move to backstab enemies. Special abilities can be upgraded so they last longer.

• Note: The heroes can purchase upgrades that may make the attacks be more powerful or take less time so depending on how far you are in the game the moves may vary.

Playable Characters

• Aragorn: Character in "The Path of the King" with Andúril as his melee weapon and a bow for ranged attacks. His best combos are one-button combos, making him an easy character to play. Wielding the sword Andúril, He has the most melee range of all characters
• Legolas: Character in "The Path of the King" with two knives as his melee weapons and his famous Galadhrim bow for his ranged attacks, he possesses the strongest ranged attacks, but the lowest life.
• Gimli: Character in "The Path of the King" with his trusty two-headed axe as his melee weapon and throwing axes for his ranged attacks, Gimli has the most life of all characters and his fierce attack deals the most damage. Overall it is the hardest hitting melee character. However, all of his attacks are painfully slow and sometimes he cannot put up enough of a defense. His Orc Hewer combo can hit up to 7 times if the player aims slighty right by the end of the combo, 4 times the final fierce attack, killing trolls or commanders in one combo after their armor is off.
• Gandalf the White: Only character in "The Path of the Wizard" for his melee weapon he uses both Glamdring and his staff and for ranged attacks he uses burning lights which is shot from his staff.
• Sam: Feisty character in "The Path of the Hobbits" who uses his sword given to him by Aragorn and throwing daggers for his ranged attack. He has the fastest killing move of all characters.

• Frodo: Unlockable bearer of the One Ring and uses Sting for his responsible melee weapon and (the same as Sam) throwing daggers for his ranged attack.
• Merry: Unlockable character and has the same melee and ranged strategies as Sam and Frodo. His daggers are slighty stronger than other hobbits'. If playing the Path of the Hobbits in Co-Op mode, Merry is the default second player.
• Pippin: Unlockable character and also has the same melee and ranged strategies as Sam and Frodo. His light attack is by far the strongest of all of the characters, quickly defeating trolls and bosses, and eliminating standard orcs in a single hit.
• Faramir: Unlockable character with similar melee and ranged strategies as Aragorn, but he has shorter melee range, is slighty faster but weaker in melee, and has stronger arrows.

Experience System

The point/experience system is based on how many hits the player can get quickly without taking damage. The 4 types of kill rankings that are obtainable are Fair, Good, Excellent and Perfect. Perfect kills can only be obtained by achieving and during Perfect Mode. This is done by filling up the skill meter (which shows how many hits the player has gotten without taking damage). Some of the characters special abilities can help the player get Perfect Mode much quicker.

The experience acquired for those kills is tallied up at the end of a level and the player is given a mission rating depending on how many of each type of kill he or she got. Using the experience points allows for the purchase of new skills and combos depending on what level that character is. New to The Return of the King are "fellowship upgrades," which are options to spend more experience points to unlock a combo or other ability for use with not only the character the level was beaten with but with all the selectable characters—provided they are of sufficient level.

Spears can be used to quickly take down enemies, though they are best used against stronger creatures.

Level Design

The level design in the game is straight-forward but allows for some freedom. While there are few actual alternative paths, there are several interactive elements. In some levels the player can use ranged attacks to blow up wagons with explosives on them, in others spears are available for use against the enemies.

List of levels

Levels

Helms Deep (Gandalf Only)

This is a conclusion to the three Two Towers Helms Deep levels, this is a tutorial level where Gandalf kills some Uruk-hai and climbing a ladder to kill melee Uruks and Crossbowmen. After he must go down a Balista Hook and fire three balistas to win the mission.

The Path Of The Dead (Path Of The King)

After wading through mist some spirits attack you and must be killed to pass. After a few attacks, the player will reach a big cavern with archers and spearmen. After even more attacks the player will find a drawbridge, however if you turn the lever archers will attack. More misty water appears. After killing more then ten spirits, a cut-scene appears with spirits destroying pillars to make you do the long way. Push the Statue after this then turn the lever to open the gate. After moving to the cavern you must kill thirty-five spirits.

Music

The game includes music directly from the movie soundtracks. During the level-select screen, one of several tracks is randomly selected. Two of these tracks include The Leave Taking, which is from the Two Towers soundtrack, and Evenstar, which is also from the Two Towers soundtrack. The actual tracks are not listed in the game.

Synopsis

The game begins with the Battle of Helm's Deep (an event also featured in The Two Towers video game but this time from a different perspective) with the player taking control of Gandalf during the very end of the battle.

After the level is beaten, the game splits into 3 paths: The Path of the Wizard, allowing the player to control Gandalf; The Path of the King, allowing play as either Aragorn, Legolas or Gimli; and The Path of the Hobbits, allowing the player to control Sam (and later Frodo).

• The Path of the Wizard: After the Helm's Deep level, Gandalf first travels to Isengard where he helps the Ents fighting Saruman's minions. After that he rides to Minas Tirith which is split into two levels: The first is on top of the wall of the city where he helps kick down ladders, defeat enemies and launch catapults; and the second is in one of the courtyards of the city where he must hold off attacking enemies until 200 people have made it to a safe place inside. His final level is in front of the Black Gate , where he and the other Path of the King members hold a battle to distract the Eye of Sauron.

• The Path of the King: The first level in The Path of the King takes the trio of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli through the Paths of the Dead, where they must fight skeletons which have been brought to life by the spirits of the Oathbreakers. After making their way through the next level starts with the actual battle against The King of the Dead. After escaping the collapsing underground tunnel, they next head for Minas Tirith through the Southern Gate of the Pelennor Fields. Sauron's soldiers ambush them at the gate with the help of 2 mountain trolls , but after overcoming the enemy they precede through the open gate. They then fight at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields where they must kill Orcs, Easterlings and mûmakil. The Battle is depicted rather differently from the film (for gameplay reasons), taking place in a canyon. There are balistae on either side and the player must use them to kill mûmakil (who have explosives on them, presumably for some sort of suicide bombing attempt on Minas Tirith). The final level of the 3 is with Gandalf at the Black Gate.

• The Path of the Hobbits: The player first gets to control Sam as he and Frodo attempt to escape from Osgiliath. Using hiding spots to dodge the fell beasts, Gollum (more specifically the Sméagol side/personality of him) leads them through a sewer to safety. However, the Gollum side then convinces his good personality to trick the Hobbits into Shelob's Lair in order to get back the One Ring. However, Sam fights his way through the spiders and defeats the Shelob. Thinking Frodo dead, Sam takes the Ring from him and leaves his body behind, but discovers that the venom is not poisonous after overhearing a party of orcs discussing taking Frodo to Cirith Ungol. Sam then fights his way through horde after horde of Orcs in Cirith Ungol until he saves Frodo, who he then gives the ring back to. The two finally make it to the Crack of Doom where Gollum intervenes before the One Ring can be destroyed. Gollum takes the ring but Frodo and Sam manage to knock him off the edge and the Ring of Power is finally destroyed.

After the level "The Crack of Doom" is beaten, three more characters are unlocked: Merry, Pippin, and Faramir. Also, the player is able to play any of the levels using any of the characters, as well as a secret level, the "Palantir of Saruman".

External links

• Official site by EA
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at MobyGames

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