The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

"This game will make you want to pick up the nearest sword and fight an Uruk-Hai!"

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers video game is a video game based off of the movie with the same name that will be released to the public on December 18.

It also contains some elements of the first movie, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, but the focus is on the second movie.

This game is one of the few games (maybe the only one) that I have personally thought was worth even $5 to rent it. In this case, you may even want to buy it. It really makes you feel like you're in Middle Earth trying to prevent the Orcs and Uruk-hai from breaching Helm's Deep.

The game lets you control one of three characters (except the secret one, which I will of course not spoil): Legolas (The Bow-wielding Elf), Aragorn (The well-rounded Human fighter), and Gimli (The Gung-ho Dwarf that's all about fighting).

Now, let's break the game into some subcategories, shall we?

Story -- 10/10. Obviously, if you like the books or like the movies, you'll like the story of the game. Simple as that, since they are the same thing. If you don't like Tolkien's books (I personally don't see how that's possible) or even dislike the movies (Again, impossible in my mind) stay FAR AWAY from this game. Probably more so the movie aspect, since this game is more based off of the movies, unlike it's book-based video game counterpart, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Graphics -- 8/10. The graphics were overall well done, and they often made you feel like you really were in a big battle, while at the same time letting you focus on the situation at hand. Just like the movies, the environments were many and varied, so it doesn't feel like you're in the same place over and over again.

Sound / Audio -- 10/10. The sound is great! Of course, I must remind you all I liked the soundtrack from the movies. And yet again, I emphasize that this is another aspect of the game that you may dislike if you disliked the soundtrack from the movie counterpart.

Controls -- 9/10. The game includes many combos (many of which I guarantee you will never use). The controls are also very simplistic and have a very short learning curve. Any child that is about 8-9 even should have no problem picking this game up and be able to master it within a few hours.

Replayability -- 8/10. This game is great to pick up and play over and over again because you can play any mission with three different characters. There are also certain goals that are fun to try and achieve. For instance, any time you reach Level 5 with any of the three characters you unlock the interview for the actor that played that character. They even comment on how much they enjoyed the game! The only downside is, this game eventually does get boring. And, also on the downside, you'll most likely beat this game with all characters in a week, and get completely tired of it a week after that.

Final Decision? Buy or Rent?: Here's the big moment... I suggest a strong rent on this one.

Your first reaction probably will be, ''Then why did you give this game an 8?''. My answer is this: I believe that this game is the best licensed game I have ever seen. On top of that, it has some replay value. But, it is simply TOO SHORT.
If you think that you will never tire of this game, then by all means go out and buy it. It would be a solid purchase.

Summary: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers video game is a great video game that kids of all ages (especially those who are fans of the books and movies) will enjoy for the short time it lasts.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/30/02, Updated 12/03/02