Summary
There seems to be a recent resurgence inLord of the Ringscontent of late. Not only do fans have the next season ofRings of Powerto look forward to, but Warner Bros. is also planning new movies set within Middle-earth, starting withLord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. ThisLord of the Ringsresurgence is not confined to movies either as multiple video games are taking the franchise for a spin. While all these projects range in quality, it feels like a fun time to be a fan.
SinceLord of the Ringsis everywhere right now, it feels like the perfect time to take some risks.The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moriaseems to be taking a substantial risk with its concept, which hopefully will pay off. If it does, then the next riskyLord of the Ringsendeavor needs to follow in the footsteps of theFire EmblemandLegend of Zeldafranchises by exploringtheDynasty Warriorsconcept.
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Dynasty Warriors Was Made for Lord of the Rings
The focus ofLord of the Ringsmay be onFrodo Baggins' journey across Middle-earth, but during that journey, there are plenty of massive battles taking place. The entire fate of the world is at stake as Sauron’s forces attempt to spread across the land, yet no modern game has truly captured that feeling. No modern title has really put those battles front-and-center. That could change if a studio is willing to take the risk.
TheDynasty Warriorsserieshas been putting massive battles at the forefront for years, which seems to have paid off immensely. Because of this success, some of the biggest video game franchises have started dabbling in the concept with their own spin-off adventures.The Legend of ZeldahasHyrule Warriors,Fire EmblemhasFire Emblem Warriors,Dragon Questtook it for a spin withDragon Quest Heroes, and evenPersona 5used it forPersona 5 Strikers. Since most of these were successful, there are likely even more franchises considering adoptingDynasty Warriors' musou genre.
While not everyDynasty Warriorsclone is great, they do help show just how versatile the concept is. Even the unlikeliest of franchises seem to mesh well with the concept, which is whyLord of the Ringswould be perfect. That franchise seems to fit right into the mold as some of its most memorable scenes involve massive fantasy battles. Now feels like the perfect time to let players experience them firsthand.
Back in 2009, EA published agame calledLord of the Rings Conquestthat did throw players into these pivotal battles, but it was quickly abandoned after release. Furthermore, it was aStar Wars: Battlefrontclone instead ofDynasty Warriors, which prevented it from taking the concept as far as it could. While the gameplay could be fun with the right team, its rougher edges hurt the entire experience. However, it did help show that a war-focusedLotRgame has potential, so now it is time to deliver on that potential.
Players could take control of one oficonic heroes like Gandalfor Legolas, head out onto a massive battlefield, and fight their way to victory. They could experience the entireLord of the Rings’story through this lens while taking part in popular battles like the Battle of Helm’s Deep or the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. It could be a great new lens through which to view the franchise, if some developer is willing to give it a chance.
