People have many different tastes when it comes to video games. Gaming itself has become a significant pastime for people around the world, and as time goes on, more and more people get into gaming as a hobby. Games come in many different varieties, and they have evolved significantly since the early days of Nintendo and Atari.

The days of pixelated graphics and limited sounds are in the distant past, and gaming has been able to reach more and more people as time went on. As technology continues to improve, so do video games. And the more they improve, the more lifelike they become.

As mentioned, video games come in many different varieties, from first-person shooters and real-time strategy games to massively multiplayer online role-playing games and online casino games. In this article, we will be focusing on MMORPGs, and more specifically, The Lord of the Rings Online, and why you should play it.

The Setting

The Lord of the Rings Online, or LOTRO for short, takes place in the fantasy world of Middle-Earth, created by J.R.R. Tolkien. In today’s day and age, most people are familiar with this fantasy world, especially since the first movie came out in 2001. The films have introduced many people to the world of Middle-Earth, and since then, the majority of fans have been craving a good video game based on either the books or the movies.

LOTRO manages to capture the setting as detailed as possible, with most of its places being inspired solely by the books themselves. The original developers, Turbine, have managed to bring to life the northern parts and the rest of Middle-Earth in great detail over time. As a franchise, The Lord of the Rings is as strong as ever, especially now with Amazon’s upcoming Lord of the Rings TV Show based on the second age of Middle-Earth.

The Game

The world in LOTRO fits very well together. It is a calm and enjoyable experience with plenty of beautiful scenery and things to do with some fascinating moments here and there. Since its debut, the game has remained consistent in its approach to gameplay, and it sets the player out on a more personal tour of Middle-Earth.

The world flows very naturally from one area to the next, in a way that areas are not thematic gimmicks but rather actual regions. There are many natural-looking places and scenery that people can find in our worlds, such as deltas, open fields, grasslands, and dense forests. The regional details mentioned in the books are wonderfully recreated in-game, such as the Shire, Bree, Rivendell, among others.

The Community

A lot of people have been playing this game for years, and they are known to be one of the friendliest MMO communities out there. They are very keen to help new players that are just starting out and will not hesitate to come to the aid of new players if they ask for guidance.

No gaming community is perfect, however, and there will always be the occasional troll or the naysayers who are unhappy with the game’s direction. Yet, there is no gaming community out there that better encapsulates the source material’s themes better than The Lord of the Rings Online. The community is also one of the most generous out there. Each day you log into the game, you get to see someone giving away their valuable items to a new player or returning vet to get them started on their way. Also, when you take a break from Lord of the Rings, you can also play an online casino game with your friends. 

Final Thoughts

The Lord of the Rings Online may not find itself at the very top of MMO experiences; however, the game has demonstrated that it has what it takes to compete with more prominent titles on the market. It has a beautiful world to experience, a great community, and many great storylines and activities to participate in, that will make it worth your while.