The Hobbit (2003). To the Jackson trilogy

The trilogy of the ring and the adventures of Bilbo Torbins (okay, okay, Baggins) of the authorship of Sir John R. P. Tolkien has long become a classic of fantasy literature, and Peter Jackson’s films have become loved for many (including the author of this blog). Unfortunately, the franchise suffers very much from controversial (and sometimes just terrible) projects. However, we will not about this.

Dating with popular franchises I had a little strange, and the lord of rings is no exception. The first I met was the game adaptation of the King Return on the computer. A fun cutting of monsters for some heroes-this is what I knew then about this game. Of course, there were films and books further, but among all this I remembered a very strange game about a semi -edge with hairy legs.

Two corporations

2002. While the audience was waiting for the war of Rohan and Ents against Saruman in cinemas, in the real world there was a battle between two giants for the rights to create franchise games – Vivendi Universal and Electronic Arts. We know the results of this battle: EA received the right to make games in films, and Vivendi received the rights to the book trilogy “The Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit”, but they began to make games as far from films.

The first swallow of VU was The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowsp of the Ring from Surreal Software (known by The Suffering series), released September 2002. Great hopes for the game. In addition, then the development of other books, War of the Rings and the future The Lord of the Rings Online were in the development.

Unfortunately, all games except MMO were met cool and did not pay off particularly. Subsequent projects were canceled, and the restructuring of the Vivendi internal studios from 2003 to 2006 led the company to the absorption of Activishion in 2007.

Returning to the main thing. The game was prepared as an exclusive for GameCube, but a long development forced Sierra Software (VU subsidiary) to prepare versions for all current platforms. Porporation on the PC was engaged in The Fizz Factor, known for the portion of the “Spider-Man 2” on the PC (openly damned memory).

“This is dangerous, Frodo, go beyond the threshold …”

Apart from a couple of introductory screensavers, the https://sistersitescasino.co.uk/casinos/spin-and-win-casino/ game meets the player one of the main points of the book – the battle of the five army.

For a children’s fairy tale, the developers chose a suitable genre – a third -party platformer. Everything here is classics: health hearts open to study location, a simple “combat” system and a lot of platforms and ropes that need to be jumped.

Let’s start with the platforming. You will not see revelations here: we jump, crawl along the ropes and climb a little to the ledges. Also, with the help of the staff, you can make a jerk, which slightly accelerates the passage of the level (Bilbo feels a little slow). To jump in this game, although it is not particularly pleasant, but swaying at the fifth point does not particularly happen.

The game will have moments where the hero shows the nature of the cracker and, ahem, “kicked”, but such places are very screept. Also, after meeting with Gollum, Bilbo will receive a ring that makes you invisible by pressing. But there is one restriction: dark forces smell the ring and can reveal you.

The developers apparently could not come up with a mystery level. So Gollum appears only in the screensaver

The combat system is simple and for some it is quite familiar. You can be guided by opponents, make ordinary strokes and attacks in the air that break the shields. Bilbo can also throw stones at opponents outside of reach and for solving puzzles. During the passage, you can find scrolls with techniques that improve attacks, and potions that give temporary bonuses to throws. Despite simplicity, the fighting has one problem: there is no parry here. You will always receive in the face, which makes some battles complex – good, there are almost always there are saving mushrooms that restore some hearts.

In addition to fights and jumping on platforms in the game there is a collection of various resources and items. Resources at levels of only four types: mushrooms, peasants, pebbles, coins and crystals of courage. If everything is clear with the first two, then you can buy potions and upgrades for coins at the end of each level. Crystals replace experience and give an additional heart for replenishment of the scale.

The levels are also hidden (or stand in sight) chests with various good. Some need to hack through mini games to the reaction or as a master that can be bought in the store.

In addition to the main task, there are additional ones that can be found by talking with the characters. They come in two formats: either “bring-down”, or “find parts and insert into the right place”.

There and back

The plot is also a cut of the most interesting moments from books. Some parts of the plot were expanded (from the search for the troll cave made a whole level, for example). Despite this, the game tries to follow the text of the source as much as possible, which is very commendable.

There are such small plot screensavens with illustrations between the levels. Of course, the game also has full-fledged cut-scenes (but a little of them)

The game is interesting for the game. While Peter Jackson adhered to landed realism, and in the 1977 film adaptation adhered to hypertrophied detail, the developers decided to make a colorful fairy tale. The game turned out to be bright and immediately remembered, which was a plus at that time. The design of the characters also differed from other works on the book and kept a fabulous atmosphere. Bilbo himself began to be more like a Link from The Legend of Zelda, which many were noticed by gameplay.