Facebook
Reddit
Email
In this list, we shall go over the six best The Lord of the Rings video games and rank them from the worst to the best.
Over the course of 80+ years, the Lord of the Rings franchise has made its mark across all forms of media. First appearing in 1937, the franchise has been recreated and expanded upon through musicals, stage plays, films, TV shows, and, naturally—video games.
The Lord of the Rings video games have been a mixed bag, but they are not without their gems. In this list, we shall discuss the six best Lord of the Rings video games, ranked from worst to best. Take note that the ‘worst’ in this list are solid video games in their own right.
6) LEGO The Lord of the Rings
The LEGO The Lord of the Rings brings you all three films packed in one single playable package. The game features the traditional lighthearted LEGO humor sprinkled throughout the story, making familiar scenes feel fresh.
The gameplay is fairly simple, featuring platforming sections and easy-to-master combat. So, the title is easy to pick up and can be enjoyed either alone or with friends through co-op. LEGO The Lord of the Rings is one of the best ways to re-experience the story and feel like a child once again.
5) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The early 2000s saw several movie blockbusters and big franchises come into the fray. These big franchises were also, almost always, accompanied by movie tie-in video games that loosely adapted the film’s story and threw in a few familiar faces to sell copies. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, however, was far from a cash grab. The game features story beats from the first two films, paired with hack-and-slash gameplay.
The combat, while showing its age, tends to cling to its charm and is still fun in 2024. While short in length, the game is highly atmospheric and easy to pick up and replay, making it one of the more fun Christmas titles.
4) The Lord of the Rings Online
As MMORPGs slowly made their way into the mainstream in the early to late 2000s, every IP wanted a piece of the cake. The Lord of the Rings franchise made its entry into the MMORPG space in 2007 with The Lord of the Rings Online.
The game allowed you to live out your fantasies in the world created by Tolkien. You could create your character, picking from a selection of four races, and would then be thrown into a fully explorable Middle Earth. Despite the game finally showing its age in 2024, it continues to hold a sizeable following and player count.
3) The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Considered by many to be the greatest The Lord of the Rings film, if not the greatest film ever, Return of the King wowed audiences in theatres upon release through its gorgeous cinematography and epic battles.
The film’s tie-in game, holding the same name, sets out to bring you to those very battles. The game treads the same path as the film in terms of narrative and cycles you through multiple playable characters. There’s lots of combat, lots of exploration, and lots of platforming. The Return of the King is a benchmark for movie tie-in games.
2) Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor was a sleeper hit in 2014, defying the decline of licensed games altogether. The game took notes from the combat of the Batman Arkham series and put its own spin on it by making it lethal combat.
The game’s addictive combat was made better with the Nemesis system, which gave every orc a unique personality. If an orc killed you, they would rise up the ranks and become a bigger threat. This made for a rotating line of ranks for you to conquer, offering hours upon hours of gameplay.
1) Middle Earth: Shadow of War
The sequel to Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, Middle Earth: Shadow of War, went the traditional sequel route and made everything bigger and better. The orc battles went from small arena brawls to large-scale castle sieges and battles (Hence, the ‘War’ in the title).
The critically acclaimed Nemesis system made its return and was once again paired with the buttery smooth combat. The game had a few hiccups at launch, notably related to predatory microtransactions. These issues, however, were later ironed out, making Middle Earth: Shadow of War the best Lord of the Rings video game.
Looking For More?
Thank you for reading the article. We provide the latest news and create guides for Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, ARK Survival Ascended, and more. Also, watch Deltia play games on Twitch or visit his YouTube channel!
