The Lord of the Rings: War in the North has received a surprise re-release on modern platforms. Developed by Aspyr, the action RPG, originally launched in 2011, is now available as the Legacy Edition. This updated version brings the game to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.
War in the North is set in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, drawing inspiration from both his novels and Peter Jackson's film adaptations. The game introduces original characters and storylines alongside familiar elements. Players control a trio of heroes fighting Sauron's forces in the North, with the ability to switch between characters freely in the Legacy Edition. The game supports three-player online co-op and two-player split-screen co-op.
Key improvements in the Legacy Edition include 60 frames per second performance, user interface and user experience optimizations, additional save slots, autosave functionality, and gyro and motion controls on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. These enhancements aim to modernize the experience for contemporary hardware.
Upon its initial release, The Lord of the North received a mixed critical reception, with a Metacritic score of 61 for the Xbox 360 version and 66 for the PC version. The game had been unavailable for digital purchase since 2019, making this Legacy Edition a notable return for fans.
Aspyr has also indicated that this release may herald more classic Lord of the Rings titles. A press release stated that fans can anticipate "even more classic releases by Aspyr from the beloved franchise in the future." This suggests a potential pipeline of remastered Lord of the Rings games, similar to Aspyr's work on numerous Star Wars titles. The prospect of replaying other beloved Lord of the Rings games on current-generation consoles is likely to appeal to long-time fans.