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Home : Games : Previews : The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
We recently had a chance to try out a pre-release build, thanks to the recent public stress test. Here's what we learned.
In order to get as broad a look as possible in one short weekend, I gave each race a try, playing a Man, a Dwarf, a Hobbit, and an Elf. (In the initial release of the game, only the good guys are represented.) In each case, my character started out in an instanced area (meaning it was only me and computer characters in there). There were bad guys to fight right away, and NPC quest-givers instantly immersed me in enjoyably Tolkien-esque dialogue.
Before being whisked out of the noob area and into contact with other players, I was treated to an in-game cinematic moment. That means I could still move around -- but not fight -- while NPCs did things to carry the story along. For example, while playing a Dwarf I witnessed a troll attack Gimli, and was then tasked with going to his aid.
It's really easy to pick up the basics of play. In fact, if you've played World of Warcraft, you already know how to play! The similarities between the two games' interfaces are remarkable. In my opinion, that's not a bad thing; don't fix what isn't broken!
Playing as Race of Man, I had plenty of character class options: Burglar, Captain, Champion, Guardian, Hunter, Lore-Master, and Minstrel. I chose to be a Burglar. In the context of this game, that doesn't mean you'll be stealing valuables. The Burglar specializes in debuffing, or "robbing" enemies of the ability to attack you at full strength. Plus I imagine that, like Sawyer on Lost, this bad boy gets to score more often.
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