Like Allistair back at E3, Monolith Productions’sGuardians of Middle-earthhas gotten me interested in the MOBA scene finally. Personally, I’ve avoided games likeDOTA 2, andLeague of Legendsas what I usually see or hear of those games involves hardcore PC master race pro players in the tournament scene.
AfterGuardiansthough, I actually want to start getting into MOBAs thanks largely to the easy to understand appeal of the newestLord of the Ringsbased game.
For those that have been paying attention to the game since it was originally revealed, Warner Bros. announced four new playable characters during gamescom this week. Arathorn (Aragorn’s father), Legolas, Runsig, and the Witch-king. The video above shows off Legolas and Witch-king’s abilities, with the Witch-king featuring some pretty evil attacks.
Runsig:
Arathron:
In particular, I love the Witch-king’s Death ability which turns former enemies into his minions.
So what made me finally interested in MOBAs? It’s largely thanks to the console controls. All the attacks are mapped out on the controller, streamlining the process of battle. You just need to hold the right trigger to attack in combination with the face buttons to perform magic spells like the ones described for the characters above.
It’s a simple setup, but hardcore fans of MOBA games shouldn’t worry. There will be a more advanced setup available, plus there’s a lot going on with how you’re able to customize your characters before a match. And if the concept of a MOBA is still flying over your head, then know that there will be a tutorial system to help players out who are completely new to the genre.
I feel like the more I play and learn fromGuardians of Middle-earth, the more I’ll feel confident joining the PC master race with all the other MOBA goodness. ExpectGuardians of Middle-earthsometime this fall on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade.
