A Forgotten Adventure Returns
The world of Tolkien has always been a deep love of mine, as it has for many others. I remember reading The Hobbit before getting into the epic The Lord of the Rings during my teenage years. When the films arrived in the 2000s, I was one of the first people queuing at the cinema and quickly bought the collector’s edition DVD set.
In the gaming world, however, The Lord of the Rings has been a bit hit-and-miss. I have fond memories of Middle-earth: Shadow of War, but not-so-fond memories of the more recent Gollum game. Now we have the return of a 2011 release that initially completely passed me by – The Lord of the Rings: War in the North. Let’s dive in.
Back in 2011, it was a packed release schedule, and this game got a little lost along the way. The developer recently said in an interview that the success of Skyrim didn’t do it many favours. Now the game has received a remaster, rather than a remake, in the form of The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition, giving us the chance to play it again in 2026. It’s an action RPG set in and around the events of The Lord of the Rings saga. You can play alone, but there is also the option to tackle the adventure in co-op.
A New Story in the Shadows of Middle-earth
You can choose between three characters who make up your team: a dwarf, a human and an elf. Each has different abilities and attributes, but in solo play you can also swap between all three characters at any time, which is a fun addition for this remaster. The story begins in the town of Bree, which you might remember from The Fellowship of the Ring. From there, the story weaves in and out of the wider Lord of the Rings trilogy. In Bree, you meet Aragorn at the Prancing Pony, who tells you about the Nazgûl, on the path looking for the Hobbits. Along the way, you encounter Elrond, Gandalf and Frodo while taking part in your own side adventure adjacent to the bigger story we all know.
I think this set-up is one of the strongest elements of the game and one of the more interesting ways of telling a story within this world. I like the writing, which feels earnest and suitably Tolkien-esque, while the characters are believable and fit comfortably into the universe. It is strange, though, to think that there are effectively two separate trios consisting of an elf, dwarf and human running around at the same time.
Old-School Hack-and-Slash Action
When it comes to gameplay, it is important to remember that this is not a remake. It still feels like playing a game from 2011 in certain areas, particularly in its pacing and enemy AI. You have the dwarf as the tank, the elf as the mage, and the human as the stealthier character. Once the action starts, though, things can become wonderfully chaotic as everyone gets involved. In co-op, there is more room for strategy.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition is a good old-fashioned hack-and-slash adventure with RPG elements. Loads of enemies will come at you, and it’s up to your team of three to take them down. You have light and heavy attacks, special abilities and, of course, defensive moves. When a team member goes down, you can revive them through healing, while things only really fall apart when the entire team is down.
You can also switch between melee and ranged attacks, which is a nice mechanic that adds a little more depth to the combat. Much of the progression revolves around upgrading your gear with loot collected from fallen enemies and gaining new powers as you move through the adventure. Then it’s on to the next battle. I think the gameplay loop works well, although it can become a little tiring after a while.
A Remaster That Still Shows Its Age
Visually, this Legacy Edition seems to have polished things up, but it’s clear that this is still a game from 2011. It has that familiar green-and-brown colour palette from the era. Some players will enjoy that older look, but visually, things have moved on quite a bit for me. The cutscenes are fine, and it’s always nice to see familiar characters appearing throughout the adventure. The voice work is very good, with names like Nolan North and Laura Bailey popping up in some of their earlier work. The effects are strong too, as is the suitably Rings-inspired soundtrack.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Is Worth Revisiting
I’m glad I finally got the chance to play a game from decades gone by; a game that I didn’t even know existed. There is something enjoyable about its old-fashioned hack-and-slash gameplay, even if the combat loop can become repetitive over time. For me, the story is the strongest part of the experience, offering an alternative tale that plays out in the shadows of The Lord of the Rings. The upgrade system helps keep the gameplay moving, but it is the narrative that kept me interested most.
Yes, it still looks like a game from 2011, even with the improvements made. But as a chance to revisit a forgotten element of gaming history, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition is an enjoyable adventure. Now, after this nostalgic trip, what would be nice is a brand-new The Lord of the Rings game going forward.
Important Links
The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North – Legacy Edition Shadow Drops On Xbox And More – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/the-lord-of-the-rings-war-in-the-north-legacy-edition/9NW5319WVF3H/0010
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/the-lord-of-the-rings-war-in-the-north-legacy-edition/9NW5319WVF3H/0010
