The mad lads at Aspyr have announced and shadow-dropped The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition on Switch 1 & 2, reviving a 2011 curio for modern consoles.
Boasting local co-op (not on Switch 1), 60fps gameplay (this too – sorry), a new auto-save feature, and numerous bug fixes, the Legacy Edition is available now at $19.99. Curiously, however, Aspyr has clarified that those on the EU eShop will have to wait until the 18th for the Switch 2 release.
Otherwise, this is the same action-RPG from back in the day, which means it’s probably not great, but potentially a fun little jaunt for fans of the LotR universe. Critics at the time noted the linear gameplay and simple, repetitive combat, with the game averaging out at 61 on Metacritic for the Xbox 360.
Still, regardless of its overall quality, it’s nice that it’s back and easily available once again for those who might be interested.
Here’s a look at the key features:
– Choose Your Orc-Bane: Seamlessly swap between three uniquely skilled characters with Eradan, the stealthy Dúnadan Ranger, Andriel, the magical Elven Loremaster, and Farin, the tank-like Dwarven Champion.
– Build a Fellowship in Co-Op: Play in a group of up to three players online or two players in local split-screen*, working together with your friends as you fight for the survival of your fellowship and all of Middle-earth!
– Deep RPG Progression: Customize your hero and party members with unique skills, abilities, and gear to complement your playstyle. Collect powerful weapons and armor, and even command the mighty Great Eagle Beleram to strike from the sky and turn the tide of battle.
– Iconic Cameos & Locations: Encounter familiar faces like Aragorn, Gandalf, and Elrond as you journey through lore-rich locations such as the Elven sanctuaries of Rivendell and Lórien and the foggy paths of Mirkwood.
– A Darker Middle-earth Full of Peril: Experience a mature story featuring brutal warfare and blood-soaked battlefields in a world gnawed by ruthless Orcs, deadly Wargs, spectral Barrow-wights, and the dark sorcery of Agandaûr’s forces.
– Character Hot-Swapping: New in this edition, swap between characters on-the-fly, adding the ability to fully assign equipment, skills, and abilities for computer-controlled allies for the first time.
– Additions & Enhancements for Modern Consoles: Enjoy modernizations like 60 FPS support, Triggering Secrets (see other characters’ secrets, like hidden supply caches, no matter who you’re playing as), the ability to lock-on enemies, and UI/UX optimizations such as visible Health, Mana and EXP bars, autosaves and additional save slots, and gyro/motion sensor support on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, along with bug fixes.
Images: Aspyr
We’ll have a look into providing a quick little review for this one in the coming days if you’re on the fence, but otherwise, it might be a fun little game to check out if you’re itching to step back into Middle Earth.
Well, what a surprise! Will you be playing this one? Let us know with a comment in the usual place.
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Nintendo Life’s resident horror fanatic, when he’s not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry.
