"Explore the mystical world of Middle-earth where you'll need to jump gaping chasms, climb treacherous mountains, solve mind bending puzzles and battle hordes of enemies just to survive. Meet enchanting Elves, battle-ready Dwarves, a powerful Wizard, massive Trolls, bloodthirsty goblins, and more as you traverse from the peaceful lands of the Shire to the harrowing forests of Mirkwood. And that's just the beginning."
I have the power!
That's right folks; J.R.R. Tolkien's classic The Hobbit is finally coming to all major consoles and a PC near you this September. Based on the timeless classic which opened the doorway for the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Hobbit allows you to assume the role of Bilbo Baggins as he joins Gandalf and the dwarves on a quest to battle hordes of orcs, goblins, wargs, and more in their epic quest to retake the Lonely Mountain. Told through action and page turning transitions which is deemed "living the story"; Vivendi Universal is bringing one of the most accurate depictions of Tolkien's universe to new and old fans this holiday season. With development which follows directly with the original literary descriptions; gamers will have the opportunity to relive the classic adventure which started it all.
Bring it sport!
At a special press event in Los Angeles, Vivendi Universal showed off it's latest build and released more details on this upcoming feature. For those who have read the book or seen the classic Warner Home Video cartoon version released in 1977, you already know that The Hobbit was intended to be a children's story. Vivendi has taken that aspect and produced a game that will definitely strike a chord with Tolkien fans the world over. Spanning 11 levels which take our hero from the hills of Hobbiton to the deepest layers of the Lonely Mountain, Bilbo must use his burglar-like skills to help the dwarves reclaim their kingdom and defeat the ferocious dragon Smaug. Along the adventure Bilbo will encounter teams of enemies taken directly from the literary works which must be defeated using elements of combat, stealth, role-playing, and puzzle solving skill.
Upon startup, you instantly join Bilbo in the frays of combat as you land right in the middle of the epic Battle of Five Armies. For those of you who aren't familiar with the novel, the Battle of Five Armies was a massive clash of races as the Dwarves, Humans, Elves, and Hawks take on the vicious Orc and Goblin horde. As you weave your way in and out of combatants in an attempt to find Thorin Oakenshield, the great Dwarf leader, you essentially learn combat and get some early puzzle solving experience. Not to mention trying your best to stay alive as Orcs and Goblins try to make 'short' work of you. Now you may be asking yourself why they would start a game at the tale end of the adventure. Well, rather then boring players to death with a longwinded tutorial as most titles seem to do these days, Vivendi has chosen to throw you into the middle of the action to earn your feel for the game. With all his abilities provided here, players will instantly get to experience all the skill and knowledge Bilbo will pick up along the way.
Upon completing this level, you'll be pleased to know that this battle was nothing but a dream. In reality, Bilbo is still safely in his home at Bag End as Gandalf is attempting to revive him. It seems after Gandalf has told him of the journey to come, our brave warrior simply passed out from fear. After Gandalf brings you up to speed, you must make your way out of Hobbiton to catch up with the impatient Dwarves who have already begun the quest without you. This is an excellent opportunity to see the beautifully recreated environments taken directly from descriptions in the novel and even see a few surprises fans may not expect.
