War in Middle Earth
{{Short description|1988 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = War in Middle Earth
| image = Newwimebox.jpg
| developer = Synergistic Software
| publisher = Melbourne House
| designer = Mike Singleton[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0406330/ IMDB Game Page]
Alan Clark
Robert Clardy[http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/jrr-tolkiens-war-in-middle-earth Moby Games Game Page (MS-DOS Version)]
| engine = World Builders
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|1988|EU|1988}}
| genre = Real-time strategy{{cite web|url=https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=39070|title=J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle Earth|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101010101/https://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=39070|archive-date=2014-01-01|url-status=dead|website=AllGame}}
| modes = Single-player
| platforms = MS-DOS, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Amiga, Atari ST, Apple IIGS
}}
War in Middle Earth is a real-time strategy game released for the ZX Spectrum, MSX, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, MS-DOS, Amiga, Apple IIGS, and Atari ST in 1988 by Virgin Mastertronic on the Melbourne House label.{{cite web |title=Back Cover Scan |url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/zxdb/sinclair/entries/0005629/WarInMiddleEarth_Back.jpg |website=Spectrum Computing |access-date=25 November 2021}}
The game combines both large scale army unit level and small scale character level. All the action happens simultaneously in game world and places could be seen from the map or at the ground level. Individual characters can also be seen in larger battles (in which they either survive or die). If the battle is less than 100 units, approximately, it can be watched on ground level. Otherwise it will be only displayed numerically. On ground level characters can acquire objects and talk with non-player characters (such as Radagast or Tom Bombadil).
Reception
The game was reviewed in 1989 in Dragon #147 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 3 out of 5 stars.{{cite journal
|title=The Role of Computers
|last1=Lesser|last2=Lesser|last3=Lesser|first1=Hartley|first2=Patricia|first3=Kirk
|journal=Dragon
|issue=147
|date=July 1989
|pages=76–83}} Computer Gaming World gave the game a mixed review, noting that, although it faithfully recreates the events of the books, genuine strategy is lacking and the game plays very similarly on subsequent playthroughs.{{citation | date = May 1989| last = Lombardi | first = Chris | magazine = Computer Gaming World | title = Mordor, They Rode! | pages = 10–11 |issue=59}} Compute!{{'}}s review was more positive, only criticizing an anticlimactic ending to "an otherwise impressive game" that was "faithful to the Middle Earth story line".{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/1989-10-compute-magazine/Compute_Issue_113_1989_Oct#page/n135/mode/2up | title=War in Middle Earth | work=Compute! | date=October 1989 | access-date=11 November 2013 | author=Gingher, Robert | pages=134}}
The Spanish magazine Microhobby valued the game with the following scores:(Spanish) [https://www.soloretro.com/spectrum/war-in-middle-earth-zx-spectrum-de-melbourne-house-1988.php War in Middle Earth - ZX Spectrum (1988)] - article on Soloretro Originality: 80% Graphics: 70% Motion: - Sound: 50% Difficulty: 100% Addiction: 80%
Reviews
- Computer and Video Games (Mar, 1989){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/cvg-magazine-089/page/n69/mode/2up|title = CVG Magazine Issue 089|date = March 1989}}
- ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (May, 1989){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/ace-magazine-20/page/n78/mode/2up|title = ACE Magazine Issue 20|date = May 1989}}
- Commodore User (Apr, 1989){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/commodore-user-magazine-67/page/n43/mode/2up|title=Commodore User Magazine Issue 67|date=April 1989}}
- Your Sinclair (Apr, 1989){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-40/page/n45|title = Your Sinclair Magazine Issue 40|date = April 1989}}
- Info (Nov, 1989){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/info-magazine-29/Info_Issue_29_1989_Nov_Dec/page/n65/mode/2up|title = Info Magazine Issue 29}}
- Crash! (Mar, 1989){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Crash_No._62_1989-03_Newsfield_GB/page/n71/mode/2up|title = Crash - No. 62 (1989-03)(Newsfield)(GB)|date = March 1989}}
- Zzap! (Apr, 1989){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-048/page/n65/mode/2up|title = ZZap!64 Magazine Issue 048|date = April 1989}}
- Power Play (Mar, 1989){{Cite web|url=http://www.kultpower.de/archiv/heft_powerplay_1989-04_seite50|title = Kultpower Archiv: Komplettscan Powerplay 4/1989}}
- The Games Machine (Apr, 1989){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/thegamesmachine-magazine-17/page/n53/mode/2up|title = The Games Machine Magazine Issue 17}}
- Amstrad Action (Mar, 1989){{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/amstrad-action-042/page/n36/mode/2up|title = Amstrad Action Issue 042}}
- ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (Feb, 1989){{cite web|url=http://www.kultboy.com/index.php?site=t&id=1505|title=Alle guten dinge sind|website=kultboy.com|language=de}}
- Jeux & Stratégie #58{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/jeux-et-strategie-58/page/64/mode/2up | title=Jeux & stratégie 58 | date=May 1989 }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/jrr-tolkiens-war-in-middle-earth|name=J.R.R. Tolkien's War in Middle-earth}}
- [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0005629 War in Middle-earth] at World of Spectrum
{{LOTR}}
{{Middle-earth video games}}
Category:Real-time strategy video games
Category:Synergistic Software games
{{strategy-videogame-stub}}