Monster Play
Since everyone in LotRO plays a good guy, Turbine took a unique approach to PvP that allows you to temporarily take the form of a monster. The Ettenmoors is a special area designated specifically to player monster vs. player character battles, and it contains numerous objectives to fight over. Although monster play becomes available at level 10, your monster begins life at the current level cap of 50. Monsters aren't near as customizable as normal characters, but their name is retained between sessions and they can advance in rank. To play for the Free Peoples you'll need to get your character to level 40.
Running around as a giant spider is definitely a treat, and the Ettenmoors is a great break from questing. Although there is likely a need for further balancing, this part of the game is bound to get better as more players reach the upper levels. These PvP matches are purely optional, but I can see them extending the game's playability for those that grow tired of relatively predictable AI encounters.
Economy and Crafting
Several recent MMORPGs have tried to improve on crafting, with varying amounts of success. Harvesting and crafting in LotRO are quite conventional by comparison. It's a simple operation that requires the correct ingredients, the appropriate crafting station, the right tools, and your trusty "make" button. There is a good selection of crafting skills to pursue, including farming, which is something you don't see in every MMORPG.
I'm not sure why certain wares sell for less at a vendor than the ingredients needed to craft them. While you can still auction them to other players at a profit, there are a few aspects of the economy that seem odd. Repair and training costs are quite a blow during the early levels, and items in your pack take just as much damage as equipped items. The cost of "swift travel," horses that carry you quickly between towns, is also rather expensive, leaving you running quite a bit just to save money.
Making Music
Starting at level 5 you can actually play a musical instrument using your keyboard. The /music command allocates musical notes to the numbers 1 through 8 on your keyboard, allowing you to tap out crude songs. It's a novelty, but players have had a lot of fun with it, and Turbine intends to expand the system so you can download and share songs.
WoW in a New Skin?
It's inevitable that comparisons to World of Warcraft are going to come up, and there are a lot of similarities between the two games. To Turbine's credit, they've learned from WoW's success rather than ignoring it, and it shows in LotRO. From the basic controls to auction houses to the email system to "swift travel" on horseback, Turbine has understandably borrowed a heap of features from previous titles which gamers have since come to expect. Downtime is minimal and death penalties are soft. Still, LotRO has enough of its own nuances and character to make it feel different, and it also has the mother of all fantasy franchises on its side. While there's plenty of lore behind WoW, LotRO makes the story a central part of the game rather than a mere curiosity.
One big difference between this game and WoW is that LotRO does not have an evil faction akin to the Horde. Monster Play, although fun, is a great deal more limited than the array of PvP options available in WoW. It remains to be seen if this feature is popular enough for Turbine to build on it in the future.
The Bottom Line
Although it's not going to dominate the MMORPG landscape, there's a lot to be said for Lord of the Rings Online, and I'd venture that it's the best game of its kind released since WoW. Middle-earth, while not flawless, has been constructed with care, it's incredibly beautiful, and Turbine conveys the epic story of "The Lord of the Rings" in a compelling fashion even though we all know the ending. I think most Lord of the Rings fans will find romping through The Shire, Rivendell, and other familiar places from the books very enjoyable. They've included content for casual players, and they appear determined to continue adding chapters to the adventure. There's nothing revolutionary going on here, but if you like Tolkien and you don't need a lot of PvP, Lord of the Rings Online could be the perfect opportunity to get in touch with your inner Hobbit.
