NetEase Games, a Chinese game developer that brought the first Marvel multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) gaming title “Marvel Super War” in the country, will also be including the Philippines among the first three countries to hold a closed beta test for the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War.
The franchise alone has produced roughly 30 titles across multiple platforms, seven of which can be played on mobile devices. Not only are the stories and timelines varying between these games, each one also differs in genre.
For example, “The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth” functions as a companion app for a real-world co-op board game for five players. Meanwhile, “Lego: Lord of the Rings” shines as a puzzle-themed Lego gameplay built on the trilogy comprised of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.
The “Lord of the Rings: Rise to War” is also a strategy game based on both the books written by JRR Tolkien and the film adaptations by Peter Jackson. Until mid-January of 2021, along with Australia and Canada, the country’s die-hard LOTR fans can command their own armies in Middle Earth and lead the charge against countless enemies.
The simulated warfare will depend highly on the players’ tactics and strategies on the tiles that recreate the terrains and waters for the rendition of Middle-earth, as well as the development of their own settlement, territory expansion, and the founding of the Fellowship.
The game begins when the player forges a unique Ring of Power that eventually leads to the acquisition of the One Ring. The basic objective is to grow an army by recruiting in-game forces and expanding territories, all the while collecting resources and repelling enemies simultaneously.
The game is currently only available through the Google Play Store with iOS App Store availability still without a definite date. The second closed beta test will end exactly on January 9 and all user game data will be wiped.
