The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition Reviews
Has Aspyr managed to turned a mediocre title into a must-buy, or should the studio have focused its efforts on a different Lord of the Rings title?
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North may hold a niche legacy as a middling-to-decent multiplayer action RPG that serves Tolkien diehards above all else, but I can't help feeling like it deserves a more spirited revival than this.As it stands, this Legacy Edition is a (largely) functional way to play the game on modern hardware that includes some nice yet non-revolutionary tweaks and additions. That holds merit in itself, but once you've spent time revisiting the repetitive gameplay loop or chafing up against the unpleasant bugs present in this re-release, you may find yourself wondering if this particular title was better off staying a pleasant memory from a simpler era of gaming history.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North remasters the 2011 classic with improved resolution, textures, UI, and some quality of life improvements. Instant hot-swapping between the three characters is much appreciated, and the game is far more enjoyable to play as a result. It still suffers from the same issues that the original game had, including some bizarre enemy placements and a slow beginning, but this is still an incredibly entertaining action RPG that does both the books and the films proud.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is back with a new Legacy Edition that has come out of left field, but should service fans nicely.
It’s not a bad game. It’s just a competent one. In today’s crowded gaming marketplace, where gamers have higher expectations, War In The North is a tough sell. It will appeal to Lord of the Rings fans and those who have some nostalgia attached to the original game.
Sure it's more than a bit janky, the combat is a touch simplistic and the visuals, despite Aspyr's generous sprinkling of 4K resolution and 60 frames per second goodness upon them, still feel rather dated. Yet despite all of that, Lord of the Rings: War in the North feels oddly refreshing with its straightforward sensibilities and design resulting in an action RPG that remains good, solid fun - especially with friends and represents good value at its budget, sub $20 price point. Overall, it's just nice to have a decent Lord of the Rings game doing the rounds again, don't you think?
Even for the most avid Tolkien fans, War in the North is only worth playing for a short jaunt with friends.
Return to Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition. After 15 years, this action RPG gets another chance to shine with improved features, co-op gameplay, and a story that explores a different side of Tolkien’s world.
Legacy Edition is a respectable revival that improves many of the original's age-related rough edges, but it can't address its dated foundations.
In the end, War in the North is a mediocre solo action RPG, but it remains an easy recommendation for anyone who admires Tolkien’s fantasy world. The Legacy Edition does not fix the repetitive combat, unreliable AI or underdeveloped protagonists, but it preserves an enjoyable story, meaningful progression and one of the better cooperative interpretations of Middle-earth.
Classic The Lord of the Rings experience given a second chance on current-gen consoles
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition is exactly what I expected, a slight improvement for the original game, while retaining its soul and character.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition* can't make up for some of the major shortcomings it already had 15 years ago, but at least it has given us a version that is clearly more enjoyable and entertaining.
Review in Greek | Read full review
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Legacy Edition makes an effort to bring back a 15-year-old game, but it doesn't really modernize much beyond facilitating online cooperative multiplayer, its strongest point. While the story might give it a chance if you're a fan of Tolkien and his Middle-earth universe, it's best played with others, as the gameplay can become repetitive and there isn't much to experience in the role-playing aspects outside of the action combat.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Legacy Edition has a really strong foundation, with some fundamental issues that really can’t be fixed in a simple remaster. Framerate issues, terrible difficulty spikes and brainless AI definitely took some fun out of the sails while I was playing through the game, but when everything was going smoothly, I was having a wonderful time playing through the well-thought-out levels within the Tolkien universe. It definitely helps that the gameplay is engaging, and it has a wonderful story that can easily work within the canon. Thankfully the game is pretty cheap so it isn’t a huge investment if you and some buddies are interested, but definitely be prepared to struggle if you plan on playing solo.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition is a welcome surprise that every Tolkien fan should experience. It rekindles that longing for Middle‑earth, and for an adaptation, there’s no higher goal than that.
Review in Persian | Read full review
War in the North still delivers a fun Middle‑earth adventure, even if its age shows. The Legacy Edition brings the game to modern hardware with smoother performance that helps the combat feel more responsive, but it does not change the core strengths or weaknesses. The hack and slash action remains enjoyable, the characters are great to play and the world still has plenty of atmosphere. However, dated visuals, repetitive encounters and a checkpoint system that can send you back long stretches of progress stop it from feeling fully modern. It is a solid return for fans of Middle‑earth, just not a transformative one.
Lord of the Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition is limited, dated, and silly. It didn’t do anything particularly well back when it was released, and the re-release doesn’t change that. However, it does provide an enjoyable co-op experience, especially in local co-op. As a Steam Deck game, it offers a good medium-length play session and runs smoothly, bar the odd hiccup. For the price, War in the North is a simple, decent (and accessible for all levels) co-op experience. Frustratingly, it still touches the edges of being something better, but never quite gets there.
Despite its flaws, Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition is a good action RPG. Its story is solid and the gameplay is enjoyable, although it becomes a bit repetitive over time. In short, it lacked a bit more boldness to be a good choice beyond fans of the franchise and its own genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition is a flawed yet enjoyable throwback action game, bringing a fresh trek through familiar faces and locales.