Two Towers Makes the Cut

Turning J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece "The Lord of the Rings" into a film was one of the boldest undertakings of entertainment history. Turning his universe into a game is another. What appears to be another hyped up game that can be completed in a matter of one or two weekends is in reality not as it appears. The game is more of a testament to the gaming industry that the ability to capture the imaginative minds the past is becoming a reality. It is one thing to be passive in a movie theater and witness The Two Towers brought to life. It is an entirely different experience to become the heroes that millions have grown up with in books and place an active role in the fight against evil.

Gameplay: 9/10

Lord of the Ring: The Two Towers is in many ways similar to melee games such as Dynasty Warriors. The player is pitted against endless hordes of enemy troops and expected to execute flawless attacks in the hopes of leading troops to victory. However, this is not the case with the heroes Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. It is expected in the beginning that they are not perfect warriors. As the player progresses through the game, he is rewarded with upgrades that make the character stronger and capable of pulling off very impressive attacks. These can range from attacks by bow and arrow to offering blows to the enemy as the hero regains their balance after being knocked down. Essentially, all of these upgrades for the characters are the same and are something of a shortcoming, but nevertheless provide for many entertaining hours of combat.
Another innovative feature of Two Towers is the artificial intelligence. Rather than the enemy merrily orienting themselves toward your character from every corner, they attack your friends as well. In many cases you will find your comrades in distress from the enemy and must come to their aid.
The length of the game is relatively short based on the limited number of levels. However, these levels offer a very unique gaming experience. Many of the action scenes that take place are scripted, almost like the movie itself. For example, if the player must run into a burning house in order to save a family of peasants, they will find the stairway up to the attic blocked by a wall of flames. The game will then cause a peasant to fall from the rafters and onto the fire, thus making a crude passage for the hero. These "scripts" provide for a living, breathing atmosphere that draws the player in and turns the living room into another world.
Unlike other melee games, Two Towers is more than a game of mindless hacking and slashing random enemies. As one is playing, they must take into account the types of enemies they are fighting based on their various strengths and weaknesses. The player must form strategies that exploit the shortcomings of their enemies, as well as forming counterstrategies when these plans fail. What one must also take into consideration that offers tactical stimulation is the abilities of the characters. Gimli is excellent at hand-to-hand combat, but has a poor ranged attack. With other enemies that attack at a distance, and Gimli sometimes being unable to respond to them, the player must form unique attack patterns and defenses that suit their gaming personality and the situation at hand. What also provides for a mental battle is the variety in the quests and the ways in which they must be handled. While most missions demand that the player slay all of their opponents, there are secondary objectives. Sometimes civilian lives are at stake, the lives of other comrades, and even the position that one is defending. One must decide whether attacking that small pack of Uruk Hai would be as beneficial as rushing to the aid of another, and requires timing, planning, and cunning.

Graphics: 10/10

The graphics in Two Towers truly drive the power of Playstation 2's performance to the edge. Simply put, it is sometimes hard to tell the difference between graphics from the movie and graphics in the game. Before a mission is started, there will be brief clips from the movies. These clips play for a few seconds and become a transition from the real world into the game world. The change is quite subtle. The characters are extremely detailed and reflect the personalities and fighting stances of the characters from the movies. Legolas is agile and quick with his bow. This is reflected in his character design in the game from the way he attacks to the way he moves.
The levels in The Two Towers are stunning. Many talented programmers and artists have collaborated in order to make the levels from Two Towers reflect those from the movie. From the battle against the Wringwraiths on the stony ground of Weathertop, to the showdown at Helmsdeep, the levels and the graphics combined are very nostalgic of the films.
No game can be truly brought to life without environmental effects. These also add to the realism of Two Towers. A player will notice the detail that goes into these as flaming arrows stream by in deadly peals past his character, or the patches of dirt and mud that erupt from the ground when a Troll slams down its massive club.
The graphics of this game are very impressive and do an excellent job in painting the appropiate picture of Middle Earth.

Sound: 9/10

Electronic Arts has done an excellent job handling the sound scheme for Two Towers. In fact, they have gone as far as to employ the help of the actors' voices that are incorporated into the game. Several of the songs from the movie, including some new tracks, play an emotional role in the background. The sound effects are very realistic, from the clash of steel between swords to the explosions that occur when Orcs engage with their gunpowder units. With all of this, an incredible ensemble of sound is executed that greatly enhances the gaming experience. Possibly the only dissapointment coming from the sound is the brevity of the dialogue in the game. While it may be assumed that any gamer that purchased this game is already a fan of the series, it would have been nice to have dialogue sequences that truly stood as a testament to the storyline.

Replayibilty: 7/10

What this game suffers from, unfortunately, is how short it is. The levels are detailed, the gameplay is innovative, the inhabitants of Middle Earth almost seem alive, but the game can be completed by veteran gamers in a few days. However, there is a positive feature in beating the game. New features and levels are unlocked as rewards for meeting certain goals within the game. There are interviews with the actors as well as behind-the-scenes movies that show the labor of making the game. There is a secret character that is unlocked, but is very similar to the character scheme of Aragorn. There are a few secret levels that can be unlocked. There are also a number of upgrades in the game to master. The game can offer many hours of simply sharpening one's fighting skills against the phalanxes of the Orcs and Goblins.

Overall: 9/10

The Two Towers is definitely a game that stands out among others on the Playstation 2. Perhaps this is because it is fueld by one of the most popular fantasy books written. Perhaps it is the attention to detail or variety of skills that can be acquired. Or most of all, because this game truly offers what gamers demand.