The Lord of the Rings: Tactics

The Lord of the Rings: Tactics is a tactical role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation Portable. It features characters from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. However, it is a direct adaptation of Peter Jackson's film adaptations, and has characters that resemble the films' depictions of them. Tactics was published by Electronic Arts. The game was released for the Playstation Store on September 30, 2009.
== Synopsis (official) ==
A shadow is gathering above Middle-earth. The Third Age is drawing to a close, but its most dramatic and terrible chapter has yet to be played out. The board is set, the pieces are in motion. The question this time, however, is who will capture the One Ring?
In The Lord of the Rings: Tactics, exclusively for the PSP™ system, choose to join the Fellowship in its quest to destroy the One Ring ... or the forces of Mordor in their final push to bring all of Middle-earth under Sauron's merciless rule. The action draws from the entire film trilogy , beginning on Weathertop as the hobbits, Frodo and Sam, along with Aragorn, encounter Nazgûl led by the Witch-king. From there, battle on cinematic landscapes across Middle-earth, from the Mines of Moria across the Plains of Rohan, through the West Fold (sic), along the Road to Isengard, up to the Black Gate, and into the fiery heart of Mount Doom itself.
As you fight your way across open fields, through woodlands, and over mountains, you encounter many challenges. Whether you are fighting as Legolas in pursuit of a band of Uruk-hai or riding a Warg into battle against the soldiers of Rohan, you must learn the strengths and weaknesses of your team as well as get the lay of the land. Learn to navigate the different terrains and use them to your advantage. Claim the high ground, avoid deep water, seek shelter behind ruins and rubble, ambush your enemy, and much more. There is no lack of brilliant strategic minds in the Fellowship or Mordor, so you must employ your best tactics if you are to claim the One Ring for good ... or evil.
== Good campaign ==
The story of the good campaign is the same as that of the film trilogy, from Weathertop to Mount Doom.
=== Weathertop ===
Aragorn, Frodo and Sam meet each other in Bree and as Gandalf the Grey hadn't come, Aragorn decides to lead them to Rivendell. They decide to rest on a hill called Weathertop but are attacked by Ringwraiths at night. Aragorn, Frodo and Sam successfully drive them away but not before Frodo is stabbed by a Morgul-blade.
Units - Frodo, Sam, Aragorn
How to win - Hit the Witch-king for 30 points of damage
How to fail - All the player's units die
=== Mines of Moria ===
At the Council of Elrond in Rivendell, a Fellowship of the Ring is forged to destroy the Ring, consisting of Frodo, Sam, Merry(non playable), Pippin(non playable), Gandalf the Grey, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir. They aren't able to cross the Pass of Caradhras due to Saruman casting spells and they go through the Mines of Moria. In Moria, they are attacked by a Balrog called Durin's Bane, some goblins and a Cave-troll. While the others kill the Cave-troll and goblins, Gandalf sacrifices himself to save the Fellowship from Durin's Bane.
Units - Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli
How to win - Get Frodo, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli past the Cave-troll and off the bridge
How to fail - Frodo, Aragorn, Legolas or Gimli die
=== Dwarrowdelf (optional) ===
This is an optional level but a story can be made from it. Gimli wants to recapture Moria so he decides to lead an attack against the goblins there. The best heroes for this level are Aragorn because Gondorians are in this level and Gimli because he is recapturing Moria. They kill the 2 remaining Cave-trolls and goblins, and Moria is theirs again.
Units - Selected heroes, 3 Gondor Rangers, Gondor soldier
How to win - Kill all enemies
How to fail - All the player's units die
=== Amon Hen ===
The Fellowship go through the Elven realm of Lothlórien and receive gifts from it's rulers Celeborn and Galadriel and Elvish boats to go south. Then at Amon Hen Boromir succumbs to the Ring's power and tries to take it from Frodo by force but Frodo puts on the Ring and escapes. Aragorn appears and tells him to run away and continue the journey alone. Frodo runs away while Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli kill many Uruk-hai that attack. Sam accompanies Frodo on his journey even after he tells him not to. Boromir dies while defending Merry and Pippin while they are captured by Uruk-hai. The Fellowship kill the Uruk commander Lurtz and learn from the dying Boromir about Merry and Pippin's fate and decide to rescue them.
Units - Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, Legolas, Boromir
How to win - Kill Lurtz and keep Frodo alive
How to fail - Frodo dies
=== Fangorn Forest ===
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli try to track the Uruks that captured Merry and Pippin. They meet Éomer (replaced by Gandalf in the level) and his company of 2000 banished Rohirrim and learn that they killed all those Uruks along with their leader and burnt them. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli go to investigate and track Merry and Pippin to Fangorn Forest, only to find Gandalf resurrected in a new form called Gandalf the White (but players still control Gandalf the Grey till Minas Tirith-Courtyard and Gandalf the White is playable in any level after crossing the final level) who tells about how he killed Durin's Bane and how he died and was resurrected. We see a flashback in which an Orc called Grishnákh (non-playable) tried to kill Merry and Pippin, and was stabbed at the back by a spear. 2000 banished Rohirrim under Éomer arrive, and kill all the Uruk-hai.
Units - Gandalf, 4 Rohan warriors, and reinforcements of two Rohan riders
How to win - Kill all, or capture the flag while having Gandalf survive
How to fail - Gandalf dies
=== Plains of Rohan ===
Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli go to Edoras and free King Théoden from Saruman and Gríma Wormtongue's spell. To protect his people, Théoden decides to go to Helm's Deep along with his army and the people. On their way, they are attacked by Orcs on wargs. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Théoden(replaced by Gandalf and Éomer in the game) along with the Rohan riders fight and kill all the wargs while Théoden's niece Lady Éowyn takes the people to Helm's Deep.
Units - Éomer, 3 Rohan riders, one Rohan Warrior and reinforcements of Gandalf and one Rohan horseman
How to win - Kill all
How to fail - Éomer dies
=== The Westfold ===
Units - Gandalf, Éomer, two Rohan Warriors, 3 Rohan standard-bearers
How to win - Kill all
How to fail - All the player's units die
After this episode Gimli dons a new set of armor.
=== Helm's Deep - Breached ===
After the defense at the Deeping Wall, Uruk-hai's have breached it and all of the forces of Rohan has been scattered across the battlefield. Théoden commands all the units at the battlefield to retreat to the keep.
Units - Aragorn, Gimli, Théoden, 4 High Elf Warriors and reinforcements - Gandalf
How to win - Get Aragorn and Gimli to the door.
How to fail - Aragorn and Gimli die
After this episode Aragorn and Gandalf dons a new set of armor. 
=== Helm's Deep - Courtyard ===
Units - Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Éomer, 2 High Elven Warriors and 2 Rohan Warriors
How to win - Kill all enemies
How to fail - All the player's units die
=== Road to Isengard ===
Units - Legolas, Gandalf the Grey / Gandalf the White, 2 Ents, 2 Wood Elf bowman 
How to win - Defeat Saruman
How to fail - Gandalf dies
=== Paths of the Dead ===
Units - Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli
How to win - Kill 5 Dead in 10 turns
How to fail - Aragorn dies
=== Escape from Osgiliath ===
Units - Gandalf, Frodo, 2 Gondor Rangers, Gondor Soldier and Reinforcements - Faramir, Gondor Soldier
How to win - Kill the Witch-king
How to fail - Frodo dies
== Gameplay ==
The gameplay takes place on a grid. The game's characters move at the same time, rather than manipulating each entity individually.
Another feature of the game is called the Zone of Control. The Zone of Control means that if the player's character is next to his opponent's square on the grid, they must stop and fight. By using the Zone of Control, combined with simultaneous movement, the player can trap an enemy unit.
The player eventually gets to control a handful of heroes who progressively get more powerful. These are combined with a number of warriors. The user may play as the Fellowship or the minions of Sauron.
The player also has access to a shop which can buy different kind of draughts, potions and other kinds of things such as Old Toby (refreshes AP) and Athelas Leaf (refreshes HP). At the same time, player can improve their characters' stats by spending the money / cost they gained at the levels to buy skills or attributes such as increased strength or dextery. Heroes also have an access to skills which can be bought from shop. Every unit in the game has a different tactic, while units like Aragorn and Rohan Warriors can both fight at range and melee, some units has very bad stats at melee or ranged, which even some units such as Éomer cannot shoot targets.
== Playable levels ==
*Weathertop
*Moria
*Amon Hen
*Fangorn Forest
*Rohan
*Westfold
*Helm's Deep
*Isengard
*The Paths of the Dead
*Osgiliath
*Minas Tirith
*Shelob's Lair
*Southern Gate
*Pelennor Fields
*Cirith Ungol
*Black Gate
*Mount Doom
== Playable characters ==
=== Good ===
*Aragorn
*Samwise Gamgee
*Frodo Baggins
*Gimli
*Gandalf the Grey & Gandalf the White
*Legolas
*Men of Gondor
*Ithil Men
*Boromir
*Rohan Men
*Éomer
*Lothlórien Elves
*Ents
*Mirkwood Elves
*Faramir
*Dead Men of Dunharrow
*Théoden
=== Evil ===
*Witch-king of Angmar
*Mouth of Sauron
*Lurtz
*Goblins
*Balrog
*Isengard Uruk-hai
*Mordor Uruk-hai
*Wargs
*Saruman
*Gríma Wormtongue
*Ringwraiths
*Sauron
*Orcs
*Easterlings
*Uruk Trolls
*Hill-trolls
*Haradrim
*Mûmakil
*Dead men of Dunharrow
*Gothmog
== Reception ==
Lord of the Rings: Tactics has received scores of 6.5 from GameSpot and 7.7 from IGN.
== External links ==
*The Lord of the Rings: Tactics - Review from GameSpot
Category:PlayStation Portable games
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