The season of triple-A blockbuster video games is over, but that doesn't mean there aren't any fun video games out there. Guardians of Middle-earth is a fantasy video game developed by Monolith Productions and set in the same Middle-earth as "The Lord of the Rings" film series.
The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles on December 4, 2012 via digital download on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade respectively. There is also a retail version that includes a download voucher for the game and a "Season Pass" for future DLC.
Guardians of Middle-earth cost 1200 Microsoft points and an additional 1200 points for the game's Season Pass. On PlayStation Network the game is $14.99 with Season Pass costing an additional $14.99. The retail version sells for $29.99 for both consoles.
Here is the game's official description from its website:
"A shadow grows over Middle-earth as the greatest armies of the Third Age prepare for the coming battle. Take up arms in the clash over Middle-earth with the most powerful heroes from the greatest fantasy epic of all time. Form memorable and unlikely alliances with and against friends as the wildly popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena genre comes to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network."
So is the game worth the 15 bucks? Here is our review round up for Guardians of Middle-earth:
VentureBeat gives the game a 70-out-of-100 and says, "Guardians of Middle-earth sacrifices a lot of complexity to work as a console game. Hardcore MOBA fans will disapprove of the changes, but genre newbies looking for some team-based, Tolkien-inspired fun will happily take these heroes and villains to war. It's nice to worry more about killing enemies and destroying towers than last hitting minions for an extra bit of gold so you can buy some expensive armor."
Machinima gives the game a 9-out-of-10 and says, "I am really impressed with GOME, AI issues notwithstanding. As a gateway to MOBAs, this game hooked me in a way I did not expect. It's got that immediate gratification spirit to it, where I finish a match and immediately want to jump into another. The texture of The Lord of the Rings is represented beautifully in the gorgeous visuals and diverse, detailed character roster."
Joystiq says, "Guardians of Middle-Earth is successful in translating the MOBA genre on consoles, and Monolith deserves a lot of credit for not only taking on such a crazy task, but also attempting some smart innovations as well. The game's not perfect, and if the genre doesn't already appeal to you, this probably won't be the entry to convince you otherwise." The reviewer gives the game 4-out-of-5 stars.
Gamers who are interested in the new game can always download the trial version for free. Check out the game's trailer below...