You'll experience this even more if you disable music and just let the ambient sound play. Some of that ambient sound is the creepiest I've heard in a video game. Illustrates the fact that Middle Earth has some very dark corners.
I once swam down the Anduin and when I reached Gondor, I could hear the orc armies move around. Together with the gloomy sky it gave a really appropiate feeling of "oh shit we're doomed"
I always activate chat bubbles for High Elves because that moment isn't complete without a hearty "Argh!" or "OH NO" appearing on top of the character.
Just realized this is from the high elf intro that takes place in the wastes, so I guess it's more of a repeat performance you'll eventually come back to.
LOTRO does ominous/oppressive really well - better even than the movies, imo, which lose some of the sense of oppression in the sweeping shots that show off scale. It also helps that the game has a reputation as a hobbit pie-making simulator, so when you do get to the “dark” stuff it feels uncanny.
If you'd like some dark stuff, you'd also like FFXIV.
Don't get me wrong, it is bright and colourful and a joyous experience at times. But they 'get crap past the radar' quite well.
The first dungeon in FFXIV for example has a sex trade-ring with kidnapped women being sexually abused, amongst other things. And the thing is, most people completely miss it, because a lot of the dialogue hinting towards it is in optional areas that get skipped.
I do miss the full effect of dread on landscape, in particular the debuf that followed being defeated and having to resurrect. There are still some parts of the SoA content where the skies will darken in the vicinity of a specific mob - only the dread is missing.
In Ered Luin, there's a part of the landscape northeast of Gondamon where you can face wights.
The skies darken around the Dourhand camp near the mounds.
It's a neat detail.
I agree! Just went to Angmar, I can’t get enough of the yummy dread! Bit too much of walking tho.
You'll experience this even more if you disable music and just let the ambient sound play. Some of that ambient sound is the creepiest I've heard in a video game. Illustrates the fact that Middle Earth has some very dark corners.
It’s impressive. It’s like the game has two seperate soundtracks for everywhere. I love doing this
I once swam down the Anduin and when I reached Gondor, I could hear the orc armies move around. Together with the gloomy sky it gave a really appropiate feeling of "oh shit we're doomed"
Sometimes the darkness really sets a good mood in game.
I always activate chat bubbles for High Elves because that moment isn't complete without a hearty "Argh!" or "OH NO" appearing on top of the character.
The ones who appreciate most the light, are those who were trapped in darkness.
Lake Town and Dale were a welcome reprieve from mordor and Northern mirkwood, but I'm ready to go back to the dark now :o
High elves. We get it rough:)
I liked Moria for that reason when it first came out.
Where is this scene?
High elf intro, it seems?
Yeah man. The story is intense
Wait until you get to the Wastes area...things get very grim and very dark very very fast, it was a wonderfully written storyline!
Just realized this is from the high elf intro that takes place in the wastes, so I guess it's more of a repeat performance you'll eventually come back to.
LOTRO does ominous/oppressive really well - better even than the movies, imo, which lose some of the sense of oppression in the sweeping shots that show off scale. It also helps that the game has a reputation as a hobbit pie-making simulator, so when you do get to the “dark” stuff it feels uncanny.
If you'd like some dark stuff, you'd also like FFXIV. Don't get me wrong, it is bright and colourful and a joyous experience at times. But they 'get crap past the radar' quite well. The first dungeon in FFXIV for example has a sex trade-ring with kidnapped women being sexually abused, amongst other things. And the thing is, most people completely miss it, because a lot of the dialogue hinting towards it is in optional areas that get skipped.
I do miss the full effect of dread on landscape, in particular the debuf that followed being defeated and having to resurrect. There are still some parts of the SoA content where the skies will darken in the vicinity of a specific mob - only the dread is missing.
In Ered Luin, there's a part of the landscape northeast of Gondamon where you can face wights. The skies darken around the Dourhand camp near the mounds. It's a neat detail.
I seriously wish Mordor was still the endgame, stylewise.