Conquest is one of the many games based in the world of The Lord of the Rings. As a child, I considered this game my favorite LOTR game because of its story and multiplayer modes. The game was released across multiple consoles, but I only experienced it on the PlayStation 3. This system was a game-changer, so a game like Conquest made using the PS3 much more fascinating. 

I had many long nights playing Conquest, especially with my childhood friends. We were all pretty big fans of The Lord of the Rings. Being able to replicate some of the most interesting fight scenes, like the Battle of Pelennor Fields, was one of the coolest experiences of my childhood. Reminiscing on my time with the game, I still miss the days I would ride off on a warg into battle. 

A Conquest Overview

The best way to get to know Conquest is through its story mode. Yes, the game does offer a tremendous multiplayer dynamic, but in keeping in line with what Tolkien created, it all comes back to the story. The creators designed it to be direct and concise, and it paid off in the long term for a game focused heavily on its multiplayer aspects. 

War of the Ring

This story mode follows the main characters through important events within the timeline of The Lord of the Rings. From segments of The Fellowship of the Ring, to the final parts of The Return of the King, Conquest’s storyline allows players to experience the entire trilogy in a condensed format. The unique thing about Conquest’s storyline is that once players beat the heroic storyline, they can play a more villainous storyline.

Rise of Sauron

In the Rise of Sauron campaign, players get the experience of completing The Lord of the Rings storyline from the villains’ perspective. Yes, this means players had the opportunity to play as Sauron and defeat the heroes of Middle-Earth. It is not canon, but this unique feature makes players who beat Rise of Sauron curious about what could have happened in the actual story had the fellowship not succeeded with their mission. 

Between the two story modes offered by Conquest, it is clear that this game went out of its way to provide a captivating experience for players of all backgrounds. Whether new to The Lord of the Rings or simply looking to give another game a shot, these campaigns were made to tell captivating stories without overbearing the player. Additionally, it doesn’t take away from the multiplayer experience that the game was inherently built around. 

Conquest Multiplayer

If you have ever played the 2000s Star Wars Battlefront games, you will be a fan of Conquest’s multiplayer. Players can play various heroes, villains, and races from the series and interact with many animals and components around each map. 

Online, up to 16 players can play. Offline, 4 players can play. This dynamic allows the game to beat any preconceptions of what it means to play a LOTR game. The head-on collision that occurs in multiplayer gives this game the presence often overlooked by other LOTR games. Players quite literally face off against each other from opposing sides of the battlefield in some of the most epic places in LOTR.

Multiplayer did a great job of giving the players the experience of playing the characters they truly enjoyed from the movies or the books. 

Powerful Moments

Conquest should get a lot of recognition for making the most out of a player’s experience with the different characters. Some parts of Conquest are made up for the sake of the game, like the arc outlined in the Rise of Sauron. However, Conquest takes players into the perspectives of Middle-Earth’s many famous characters and lives. 

Additionally, the characters available for play are awesome, to say the least. The fact players can play as both Sauron and the Balrog is something I never expected. Interacting with the animals was another great layer for the player experience. Conquest made many NPCs playable, which was truly unique. This feature still goes unmatched when it comes to The Lord of the Rings multiplayer games. 

Again, this game is unique. It could be more appealing for hardcore gamers, but If you are a hardcore gamer and lover of Tolkien, you most definitely have given or will give this game a chance. Who wouldn’t want to play as an Orc Warrior and then Aragorn with just a few minutes of separation? I know I would.

Concluding Thoughts on Conquest

LOTR Conquest is such a well-put-together game. Piggybacking off of other developments, Conquest offers players an interactive experience unlike any other LOTR title.

Overall, the game deserves 5 out of 5 stars on the TAG scale. I can’t say if Tolkien would agree, but he would be impressed.

By Thomas Hernandez

My name is Thomas James Hernandez, and I am a storyteller from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! My entrance into gaming started with playing Call of Duty and Yu-Gi-Oh! alongside my older brother. My current interests in gaming are action-adventure games, tabletop games, and new gaming technology!