Codemasters Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria review

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Verdict:

Review Date: 26 Feb 2009

Price when reviewed: £10

Supplier: http://www.codemasters.co.uk

Reviewed By: Kevin Pocock

Our Rating 5 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

This boxed expansion pack signals a dramatic evolution for Lord Of The Rings Online (LOTRO). Middle Earth may not have toppled World of Warcraft, but Mines of Moria shows there's plenty of life left in this vibrant game.

Shadows of Angmar was restricted to the region of Eriador but Moria moves into Rhovanion via the ancient mines of the dwarves. The remains of this tremendous kingdom are rendered in astounding detail. Beyond Moria, the world now extends all the way to the elven forest of Lothlorien. Despite this geographical variety, quests are in the usual find-and-fight mould - typical of MMORPGs - and the enemies remain familiar.

The new legendary item system is an addictive and game-changing addition. You'll find items from differing eras in Middle Earth's history, each with different properties. These can be named, levelled up, given additional attributes and even scrapped for parts to make superior items. This ingenious system adds a further degree of customisation to your characters' equipment, and crafting the perfect gear is addictive and fun.

The two new classes - Rune Keeper and Warden - both add elements that were previously missing from LOTRO's combat. The introduction of these livens up both character creation and party-based play.

As well as these additions, there's an increase of the level cap from 50 to 60. This provides the original character classes with a welcome boost in abilities. All this costs just £10, plus the inevitable subscription charges to get the most from it. Mines of Moria extends LOTRO's reputation as one of the best massively multiplayer online games available.

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