Well, I'm back.

I finished Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, the XBox (and PS2, and Game Cube) role-playing game from EA, this evening. I’m depressed, and not because the game is over. I’m depressed, because the game didn’t redeem itself in the end. Role-playing games need a story. Role-playing games need characters. The Third Age hadContinue reading “Well, I'm back.”

A Thought for the Day

Gandalf’s judgment on Denethor as given in Lord of the Rings: The Third Age: Thus is the havoc when a steward breaks his solemn bond with his people. Gondor shunned counsel, chose to dominate its subjects. While its sons were sent to die in hopeless causes, alliances faltered. Hope withered. Armies were squandered, leaders lost.Continue reading “A Thought for the Day”

For Geekoid Fanboys Only

In the summer of 1999 I reread The Lord of the Rings for perhaps the dozenth time. With that particular reading I studied, really studied, Appendix D on the calendrical systems in use in Middle-Earth in the Third Age. I was drawn, in particular, to the Hobbit calendar and decided to write a quick-and-dirty computerContinue reading “For Geekoid Fanboys Only”

Return of the King: The Video Game

This morning’s Raleigh News and Observer published an Associated Press review of EA’s video game, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, a tie-in to the upcoming New Line film. As reviews go, it wasn’t a bad one, and I thought I would offer my own perspective on the game. I’ve had theContinue reading “Return of the King: The Video Game”

Alternity! A Lord of the Rings counterfactual

Electronics Arts released last week a video game based on the Return of the King film, with voice-overs done by the trilogy’s cast and a liberal sprinkling of film footage from the three films bridging the gaps between missions. As with a DVD, there are bonus films that can be unlocked, and earlier this evening,Continue reading “Alternity! A Lord of the Rings counterfactual”