The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest
Encyclopedia
The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest is a two player, third-person action adventure
video game developed by Headstrong Games for Wii
and TT Fusion
for Nintendo DS
, PlayStation 2
, PlayStation 3
and PlayStation Portable
. It is the first The Lord of the Rings
game to be released by Warner Bros. Interactive, who obtained the lease following Electronic Arts
's titles.
about Aragorn
. These stories make up the game's levels, with players controlling Aragorn through the events of the three books. Gameplay consists mostly of sword fighting, with some spear fighting, archery as well as horse-mounted combat. In the Wii and Playstation 3 versions, a second player can drop in and play as Gandalf
at any time during the game. This feature is not available, however, in the DS, PS2, or PSP versions. These versions do however include an arena mode not appearing in the co-op versions. The perspective and controls also differ between the versions.
. Sam, now the mayor of Hobbiton, is preparing a grand party for King Aragorn, who is on his way to Hobbiton along with Arwen
. While awaiting the King's arrival, Sam re-tells the story of Aragorn's journey during the War of the Ring to his children and their friends, in which the player of the game takes part. The game's setting is largely based on the live-action film trilogy
, but also incorporates elements from the original books (such as Aragorn receiving the sword Anduril before departing Rivendell
with the Fellowship of the Ring), as well as expanded side-quests exclusive to the game.
in their E3 list of debuting titles. The game was officially announced in a press release a week later, on May 28, 2009, and marks the first title in a new franchise after Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment obtained the license for the Lord of the Rings series from The Saul Zaentz Company and New Line Cinema
after years of the series being licensed to Electronic Arts
. The press release noted the game would be available for Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and PSP sometime in Q3/Q4 2009. In August 2009, the publishers announced the game would be delayed until Q1/Q2 2010. No reason was given for the delay. On March 10, 2010, the publisher announced the game would also be available for the PlayStation 3
and support the PlayStation Move, a peripheral set to launch in Q3/Q4 2010. With this announcement also came a further delay, pushing the release date back to Q3/Q4 2010 for all platforms. Kotaku
speculates that the additional support for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Move was the cause for the delays. The game was released in September 2010.
awarded the Wii
version 7.0 out of ten and said "Despite some flaws, Aragorn's Quest is an engaging adventure across a well-realized version of Middle-earth."IGN
awarded the Wii
version 7.0 out of ten and said "Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest is fun and satisfying". However, they awarded the PlayStation 3
version 6.0 out of ten. Edge
magazine awarded it 5 out of ten and said "Headstrong's effort shows a developer of some calibre, with a clutch of decent ideas, bowed beneath the weight of a multimedia franchise and hobbled by family friendly obligations".Nintendo World Report
awarded it 5 out of ten and said "it is dragged down by too many small flaws and gameplay that can only be described as derivative". 1UP
awarded it a C+ and said "The swordplay is far from perfect and the adventuring itself overly simplistic sure, but its accessibility is, ultimately, its most prevailing quality."Gamezone
awarded it 4.5 out of ten and said "Surely, Tolkien deserves better." Game Revolution
awarded it a C- and said "This is one fantasy-adventure you may want to miss out on."
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game developed by Headstrong Games for Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
and TT Fusion
TT Fusion
TT Fusion is a software house based in Wilmslow, Cheshire, England...
for Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. It is the first The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
game to be released by Warner Bros. Interactive, who obtained the lease following Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
's titles.
Gameplay
Set following the events of the three books, players guide a young hobbit around The Shire (the hub world), who listens to stories told by Samwise GamgeeSamwise Gamgee
Samwise Gamgee, later known as Samwise Gardner and commonly as Sam, is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. Samwise is one of the chief characters in Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, in which he fills an archetypical role as the sidekick of the protagonist, Frodo...
about Aragorn
Aragorn
Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, one of the main protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. He is first introduced by the name Strider, which the hobbits continue to call him...
. These stories make up the game's levels, with players controlling Aragorn through the events of the three books. Gameplay consists mostly of sword fighting, with some spear fighting, archery as well as horse-mounted combat. In the Wii and Playstation 3 versions, a second player can drop in and play as Gandalf
Gandalf
Gandalf is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In these stories, Gandalf appears as a wizard, member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West...
at any time during the game. This feature is not available, however, in the DS, PS2, or PSP versions. These versions do however include an arena mode not appearing in the co-op versions. The perspective and controls also differ between the versions.
Plot
The game's present time is set in The Shire, 15 years after the War of the RingWar of the Ring
In the fictional high fantasy-world of J. R. R. Tolkien, the War of the Ring was fought between Sauron and the free peoples of Middle-earth for control of the One Ring and dominion over the continent. The War of the Ring took place at the end of the Third Age. Together with the Quest of Mount Doom,...
. Sam, now the mayor of Hobbiton, is preparing a grand party for King Aragorn, who is on his way to Hobbiton along with Arwen
Arwen
Arwen Undómiel is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium. She appears in his novel, The Lord of the Rings, usually published in three volumes. Arwen is one of the Half-elven who lived during the Third Age.-Literature:...
. While awaiting the King's arrival, Sam re-tells the story of Aragorn's journey during the War of the Ring to his children and their friends, in which the player of the game takes part. The game's setting is largely based on the live-action film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
, but also incorporates elements from the original books (such as Aragorn receiving the sword Anduril before departing Rivendell
Rivendell
Rivendell is an Elven outpost in Middle-earth, a fictional realm created by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was established and ruled by Elrond in the Second Age of Middle-earth...
with the Fellowship of the Ring), as well as expanded side-quests exclusive to the game.
Development
The existence of Aragorn's Quest was initially leaked by the Entertainment Software AssociationEntertainment Software Association
The Entertainment Software Association is the trade association of the video game industry in the United States. It was formed in April 1994 as the Interactive Digital Software Association and renamed on July 16, 2003...
in their E3 list of debuting titles. The game was officially announced in a press release a week later, on May 28, 2009, and marks the first title in a new franchise after Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment obtained the license for the Lord of the Rings series from The Saul Zaentz Company and New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
after years of the series being licensed to Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
. The press release noted the game would be available for Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and PSP sometime in Q3/Q4 2009. In August 2009, the publishers announced the game would be delayed until Q1/Q2 2010. No reason was given for the delay. On March 10, 2010, the publisher announced the game would also be available for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and support the PlayStation Move, a peripheral set to launch in Q3/Q4 2010. With this announcement also came a further delay, pushing the release date back to Q3/Q4 2010 for all platforms. Kotaku
Kotaku
Kotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...
speculates that the additional support for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Move was the cause for the delays. The game was released in September 2010.
Critical reception
The game received mixed to positive reviews. GameSpotGameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
awarded the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
version 7.0 out of ten and said "Despite some flaws, Aragorn's Quest is an engaging adventure across a well-realized version of Middle-earth."IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
awarded the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
version 7.0 out of ten and said "Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest is fun and satisfying". However, they awarded the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
version 6.0 out of ten. Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
magazine awarded it 5 out of ten and said "Headstrong's effort shows a developer of some calibre, with a clutch of decent ideas, bowed beneath the weight of a multimedia franchise and hobbled by family friendly obligations".Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report is a Nintendo-specific video game website that covers Nintendo's current consoles, the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, and Wii.-History:...
awarded it 5 out of ten and said "it is dragged down by too many small flaws and gameplay that can only be described as derivative". 1UP
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
awarded it a C+ and said "The swordplay is far from perfect and the adventuring itself overly simplistic sure, but its accessibility is, ultimately, its most prevailing quality."Gamezone
GameZone
GameZone is an American multiplatform video game website. GameZone's daily coverage includes reviews, previews, news, hints & cheats, and editorials. Additionally, GameZone offers downloads, a child-targeted website and in association with GameStop, hosts GZGameShop, an online retailer...
awarded it 4.5 out of ten and said "Surely, Tolkien deserves better." Game Revolution
Game Revolution
Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos...
awarded it a C- and said "This is one fantasy-adventure you may want to miss out on."