The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)

2009-05-25T20:03:37Z

174.23.80.214: /* Gameplay */

{{expansion}}
{{video game infobox
| image=[[Image:EA's The Lord of the Rings- The Return of the King box.jpg|250px]]
| name=The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
| developer=[[Electronic Arts]]
| publisher=[[Electronic Arts]]
| platform=Playstation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh
| releasedate='''GameCube, PS2:'''   NA: 5 November, 2003   EUR: 14 November, 2003   JPN: 8 January, 2004 '''Xbox:'''   NA: 5 November, 2003   EUR: 14 November, 2003 '''PC:'''   NA: 31 October, 2003   EUR: 14 November, 2003
| genre=Action
|}}
'''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King''' is a video game by [[EA|Electronic Arts]] based on the movie [[Peter Jackson's The Return of the King|of the same name]]. The game was released in [[2003]].

== Gameplay ==

The game plays very much like its predecessor, featuring 'hack n' slash' combat based around three offensive—speed attack, fierce attack and physical attack—and one defensive move. All characters also have a ranged attack and a group-specific special ability which can be activated periodically to make it easier to gain exp, take no damage or turn invisible depending on the character.

Players traverse generally linear levels fighting hordes of progressively more difficult enemies and usually a boss at the end. There is usually a few interactive level elements such as carts of explosives which can be detonated by shooting arrows at them, doors which must be opened by operating levers and spears which can be picked up and thrown at enemies.

There is also an RPG element: each character accumulates experience points (EXP) after defeating an enemy. Players can gain more EXP per enemy by stringing together attacks and combos without taking damage. EXP is used to level up, making new combo moves available. As in ''The Two Towers'' EXP is spent at the end of each level on new combo moves and increases to health, however there is also a strategic element to how this is done in ''The Return in the King''; with players being able to chose between unlocking a move for just one character or for the entire fellowship, at a cost of extra EXP. Each character must still reach the required level in order to use an unlocked fellowship move, however.

=== Characters ===

The game has eight characters are split into three groups: the path of the [[Wizards|wizard]], the path of the king and the path of the [[Hobbits|hobbits]]. At the beginning of the game only [[Gandalf]] (path of the wizard); [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]], [[Legolas]] and [[Gimli]] (path of the king); and [[Frodo]] and [[Sam]] (path of the hobbits) are available. Each group has its own special ability and its own set of levels, but after completing the final level the player can play any level with any character. Completing the final level also unlocks the final three characters: [[Merry]], [[Pippin]] and [[Faramir]].

==Cast==
The cast of actors is not specified by role, other than the actors who reprised their role from the movies. Footage from the films is used, however, the actors remain uncredited.

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Role !! Actor
|-
| [[Frodo Baggins]] || [[Elijah Wood]]
|-
| [[Gandalf|Gandalf the Grey]] || [[Ian McKellen]]
|-
| [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]] || [[Chris Edgerly]]
|-
| [[Samwise Gamgee]] || [[Sean Astin]]
|-
| [[Éowyn]] || [[Lorri Holt]]
|-
| [[Gimli]] || [[John Rhys-Davies]]
|-
| [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] || [[Dominic Monaghan]]
|-
| [[Peregrin Took]] || [[Billy Boyd]]
|-
| [[Legolas Greenleaf|Legolas]] || [[Orlando Bloom]]
|-
| [[Gollum]] || [[Andy Serkis]]
|-
| [[Faramir son of Denethor II|Faramir]] || [[David Wenham]]
|-
| [[Witch-king of Angmar]] || [[Andy Serkis]]
|-
| [[Saruman|Saruman the White]] || [[Christopher Lee]]
|-
| [[The Mouth of Sauron]] || [[Roger Jackson]]
|-
| [[King of the Dead]] || [[Jarion Monroe]]
|-
| [[Shagrat]] || [[Andrew Chaikin]]
|}

[[Category:EA Games]]
[[Category:Action games]]
[[Category:Playstation 2 games]]
[[Category:Gamecube games]]
[[Category:Xbox games]]
[[Category:Game Boy Advance games]]
[[Category:Microsoft Windows games]]
[[Category:Apple Macintosh games]]

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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)