"Great game. Fans should be impressed."

Introduction- On Christmas eve, I had no idea what to ask for. So I let my mother decide, who made some very wise choices. One of those was The Hobbit, for the Nintendo GameCube. I booted up the game, managed my memory card, and was put inside of the book. Gollum was one of the first characters I had seen. Not as creepy looking, but the edges were smooth and the voice acting was impeccable. After many cut scenes, with or without the cursed character, I found that these areas, and many more, were quite generous in detail.

Game play- When you first start playing The Hobbit, you will find that many of the game play aspects are quite unique. You can collect silver pennies, play hide and seek, and even perform tasks that could happen in every day life. An example of this occurs in the second level. A bridge worker needs his hammer to rebuild a fallen bridge which of course, you need to cross. After finding his hammer, and a few nails as well, he will build you the bridge free of charge. This is what makes the game so unique. How ever, I found many tasks were a bit too simple, so that lowers the score only a tad. Final score: 8

Graphics- The graphics in this game are greatly smooth. The water will curve around your body if you are standing in a fast current. The items you pick up however, such as rocks or fruit, are two dimensional, but were drawn uniquely and thus, not lowering the score. The only real flaw I found is that many of the people in the very first level look the same. This favors the females of the game, especially. Final score: 9

Sound- The music in the game is superb. If it is rainy and you are fighting a troll, the music will add a dark and stormy effect. If it is cheerful and sunny, you are in a golden field filled with hay. And the voice acting is even better. Gandalf the gray has his some old, dark, mellow voice. And Bilbo of the shire has that hungry, fun loving hobbit sound. And as for Gollum, he sounded a bit less scary then I would intend. He sounded more like a loose steam line then a cursed creature. Final score: 9

Replay ability- With all the many items to see and collect, it will take quite awhile to finish your goal. There are items to buy and places to see, and a few walks in those areas wouldn't hurt. The game is slow paced however, so it will seem like the time will fly, or you will go fly, because of the boredom you will receive. So if you like to stop and smell the roses, I'd give this area a perfect ten. But many people are fast paced these days, playing games like F Zero, and thus this game gets a couple points depleted. Final score: 8

Final Recommendation- If you want a game with great storyline and game play, then The Hobbit is for you. The only real flaw I have found is the fact that many fast paced players wont have the patience. I would give my own feelings and be greedy, but a review is intended for all people, no matter what style of play they prefer. So if you want a game about a Hobbit's life, then by gum grab it. But if your looking for a game on a mercenaries life, I suggest elsewhere. Final score: 8

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/27/03