10 Best Lord of the Rings Video Games, Ranked

The Lord of the Rings has expanded into the realm of video games with great success for over forty years. The timeless adventures of Bilbo Baggins, the Fellowship of the Ring, and the innumerable characters that have fought alongside them have delivered tales of action, suspense, and camaraderie across the land of Middle-earth. From its earliest days on home computers to the most cutting-edge video game consoles today, The Lord of the Rings has produced some truly amazing video games.

Whether the games follow the narratives of the original novels, or whether they are tied to the popular trilogy of films, fans have always been able to anticipate a stellar experience. With so many different developers bringing so many different visions to life across a multitude of stories and settings, The Lord of the Rings has enjoyed a great many different kinds of games over the years. For fans who have yet to embark on their voyage to Mount Doom, or for those who can count themselves as a storied warrior of Gondor, these are among the best video games available for fans of The Lord of the Rings.

10 War in the North is a Flawed, but No Less Solid Action RPG

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The War of the Ring was an event that engulfed the entire world of Middle-earth. While the exploits of Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship were absolutely crucial to the destruction of the One Ring, their feats may have amounted to nothing had it not been for the valor and bravery of other lesser-known heroes. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North seeks to shed light on those forgotten heroes. Rather than covering ground discussed in the novels or the films, War in the North forges its own path, taking liberties from both to tell of how a brave band of warriors aided the forces of good in the War of the Ring. What’s particularly interesting about War in the North is that it is the very first Lord of the Rings game to include content from both the original novels and Peter Jackson’s films, as Warner Brothers had finally acquired the rights to both.

As amazing as it was to play as new and original characters, War in the North suffered from too many bugs upon its release. Had the game ran more smoothly, perhaps critics would have been softer on its characters and narrative. Described as repetitive and shallow, War in the North did not perform well on launch but has since become welcomed more favorably by fans in recent years. A classic example of how just a little bit of polish can work wonders, War in the North is a game worth playing for fans eager to see the less frequented lands of Middle-Earth.

9 Shadow of Mordor Granted Players a Truly Complex and Engaging Battlefield to Explore

When the human warrior Talion is killed by the forces of Sauron, his spirit becomes bound to the wraith of the elf Celebrimbor. Possessing a single body, Talion and Celebrimbor begin a quest of vengeance, cutting down orcs and other monsters without abandon. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor received considerable praise upon its release as an action title across all fronts. Of particular note was the Nemesis System, a mechanic that allowed enemy units to hunt players and gain rank and power if they were successful in doing so.

While the development team consulted with many different sources to ensure that their story would not conflict with either the films or Tolkien’s original works, there are still some strange narrative choices that can make fans frown. To begin with, elves’ souls travel to the Halls of Mandos in The Lord of the Rings, so the very idea of Celebrimbor’s ghost lingering about to fuse with Talion cannot work. That being said, Talion is still an interesting, if not slightly generic character, whose exploits in both Shadow of Mordor and its sequel, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, carve out their own non-canon saga. Had the games aligned a bit closer to the original stories a tad closer (looking at you, sultry lady Shelob) they could have ranked higher on this list.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a third-person open world action-adventure video game, where the player controls a ranger by the name of Talion who seeks revenge on the forces of Sauron after his family, consisting of his wife and son, are killed by those that lead them.

Systems

Platform(s)

PS3 , PS4 , Xbox One , Xbox 360 , Linux , macOS

Released

September 30, 2014

Developer(s)

Monolith

Publisher(s)

Warner Bros. Interactive

Engine

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence

How Long To Beat

16 Hours

PS Plus Availability

N/A

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8 Riders of Rohan Put the Fate of Rohan in Player’s Hands

Set within the events of the second novel of the original trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Riders of Rohantasks players with the daunting task of fending off the encroaching orcish forces of Mordor. By commanding smaller units to larger forces, battles, and skirmishes occur across the land of Rohan, with the game offering a nice blend of tactical war simulation and strategized combat. It may look dated by today’s standards, but Riders of Rohan is no less an engaging tactical game.

For those who are unfamiliar with The Two Towers, success may be hard to achieve. Riders of Rohan follows events from the novel closely, which can be exciting for players eager to prove their mettle in the Lord of the Rings mythos, but it can also be disappointing for those looking to flex their own strategic wings. With a detailed map of Rohan, numerous units to command, a useful Tutorial, and an in-depth character encyclopedia, Riders of Rohan is a wonderful treat for fans of The Two Towers.

7 The Hobbit Was the Very First Lord of the Rings Game to Ever Be Made

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When the hobbit Bilbo Baggins heard a knock on his front door one afternoon, he could never have imagined how his entire life would change forever. The events of The Hobbit set in motion the entire The Lord of the Rings trilogy, a pivotal narrative that introduced fans to Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo Baggins, Gollum, and of course, the One Ring. As a DOS text adventure, The Hobbit was groundbreaking in how it utilized an advanced parser that allowed for even greater world interaction.

While its sequels, 1985’s The Lord of the Rings: Game One and 1987’s Shadows of Mordor: The Lord of the Rings Game Two boasted double the amount of interactive words (800 versus The Hobbit’s 400), The Hobbit still stands as a truly exceptional text adventure experience. The amount of freedom players have to interact with the world, tackle obstacles, and survive dangerous encounters was unheard of for its time. The way NPCs would act of their own accord was revolutionary for its time, as well, producing playthroughs that could be radically different each time. As the very first Lord of the Rings video game ever made, The Hobbit is a landmark title for the series.

6 J.R.R. Tolkien’s War in Middle Earth Allowed Players to Command Armies Across All Middle-Earth

Predating Riders of Rohan by three years, War in Middle Earth doesn’t just give players the chance to partake in one portion of the war against Sauron, it gives them the entire world of Middle-earth to fight across. Following the events of the novels, War in Middle Earth is a large-scale tactical war simulation. Players may control multiple units across the entire map at once, with battles and interactions all occurring in real-time.

Much like Riders of Rohan, War in Middle Earth tends to favor outcomes that align with events from the novels more so than those born of ingenuity. It can be frustrating for veteran strategy players to be beholden to specific goals, but for fans of the novels, fighting against the entire army of Sauron had never been as large and in-depth before. It may be rather primitive for modern gamers, but War in Middle Earth was a grand achievement for the series upon its release.

5 The Handheld Version of The Return of the King is a Thrilling Diablo-Style Adventure

Released as a tie-in for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King movie, the Game Boy Advance version of the game plays much differently than its console counterparts. An isometric hack and slash, the handheld incarnation of The Return of the King is closer to Diablo than Gauntlet. As key characters from the film, players must explore the war-torn world of Middle-earth, defeating enemies, collecting items, and upgrading their stats, skills, and gear.

As a handheld Diablo clone, The Return of the King is a super solid experience, especially considering the game allowed for multiplayer link play across multiple Game Boy Advances. It was an exceptionally cool move for the Game Boy Advance port of the game to be its own unique experience as opposed to trying to adapt the fully 3D action of the console titles. Even today, those who are feeling the itch for a good Diablo-style experience would do well to dust off their Game Boys and hunt a copy of The Return of the King down.

4 The Two Towers Was a Major Achievement For 3D Action Lord of the Rings Games

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The success of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings films can never, and will never, be overstated. Seminal moments not just for filmmaking, but in cross-media adaptation in general, Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings fired off on all fronts, boasting not just amazing films, but amazing video games as well. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers blew the door off the walls with its action-packed retelling of the titular film. For the first time, fans could relive pivotal moments from the film, complete with accurate motion capture and voice work from the actors.

As Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, players could hack and bash their way through the endless waves of orcs that assailed them. Simple in its gameplay, while admittedly rather short, The Two Towers excelled as an arcade-style action title that offered fantastic co-op play. It may not be the deepest of games, but The Two Towers reinvigorated The Lord of the Rings as a video game franchise.

3 Battle for Middle-earth II is a Superb RTS That Does Lord of the Rings Proud

It would only make perfect sense for The Lord of the Rings to receive a true RTS installment. Classic titles such as War in Middle-earth and Riders of Rohan set the foundation for Battle For Middle-earth II, which despite being much smaller in scope and scale, performed admirably well as an RTS. By taking control of different factions, players must manage resources, construct buildings, and produce a sufficient number of units to achieve their goals throughout the game. It may be standard RTS fare, but Battle for Middle-earth II is an exceptional video game that delivers the very best it can in every way.

As a sequel, Battle for Middle-earth II introduces brand-new factions to play as, including dwarves, elves, and goblins. Through both the Good and the Evil campaigns, players can explore and battle their way through various scenarios from completely different points of view. Universally praised as a true improvement over the first game in every way, Battle for Middle-earth II was also given praise for its outstanding production values. To truly taste battle in Middle-earth, few games come as close as this.

2 The Return of the King is the Gold Standard of Lord of the Rings Action Experiences

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As the forces of men and elves band together for one final battle against the forces of Sauron the fate of Middle-earth hangs in the balance. As Frodo and Sam travel through the blasted lands of Mordor in an effort to destroy the One Ring, Aragorn and the other heroes of the Fellowship of the Ring bring naked steel to orchish flesh on the battlefield. The Return of the King is the triumphant sequel to The Two Towers, improving on its predecessor in virtually every way.

By blending scenes from the films into the gameplay itself, The Return of the King sought to give players the most interactive experience possible. With music, voice work, motion capture, and battles lifted straight from the film, as well as an abundance of unlockable content, The Return of the King was a treasure trove for fans. With deeper gameplay, better visuals, bigger missions, and an improved campaign, The Return of the King remains one of the most exciting and satisfying Lord of the Rings games of all time.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Systems

Platform(s)

Game Boy Advance , GameCube , PC , PS2 , Xbox

Released

October 31, 2003

Developer(s)

EA Redwood Shores

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

How Long To Beat

9 Hours

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1 The Lord of the Rings Online is the Best Lord of the Rings Game That Has Always Flown Under the Radar

Every Lord of the Rings fan’s dream is to be able to fully explore the world of Middle-earth. Not just for the glory of battle or to stand side by side with the realm’s greatest heroes, but to simply explore its countless secrets and mysteries. The Lord of the Rings Online is the closest fans can come to fully realizing that dream, an MMO that received absolutely glowing praise from critics upon its release. Often considered to be one of the most underrated games of all time, forever standing in the shadow of bigger MMOs such as World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV, The Lord of the Rings Online is the complete package for fans of Middle-Earth.

In typical MMO fashion, players are able to create their own characters across a variety of races and classes. As a character drawn into the conflict of the War of the Ring, it is inevitable that players travel the realms, battling and exploring. With seven expansions to its name, each expanding the world of Middle-earth further and further for players to explore, The Lord of the Rings Online has forged past the events of the War of the Ring and has allowed players to explore Middle-earth in bold new ways. With gorgeous music, vibrant graphics, years’ worth of content to dive into, a free-to-pay structure that is welcoming to new players, and a dedicated player base that is still active today, The Lord of the Rings Online is the definitive Lord of the Rings video game. For a franchise that has seen some truly marvelous highs and some truly awful lows, The Lord of the Rings Online is a testament to the heights the series is capable of reaching if enough love and spirit are applied to it.

Lord of the Rings Online

Middle-Earth is a much busier place since Lord of the Rings Online went free-to-play. Elves ride giant goats through the cobbled streets, and a hobbit stands on a wall playing the Legend of Zelda theme on a lute. To the east, the killing fields are full of adventurers blasting bats and boars back to the Second Age. There’s a good reason for this renewed popularity.

Systems

Platform(s)

PC

Released

April 24, 2007

Developer(s)

Standing Stone Games

Publisher(s)

Daybreak Game Company

ESRB

T For Teen due to Blood and Gore, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence

How Long To Beat

150+ Hours

Metascore

86 (Shadows Of Angmar)

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