At the beginning of the adventure; Bilbo starts out with his handy walking stick. This is a necessity for all travelers according to Tolkien's world and it makes a handy first weapon for beginners. Of course Bilbo will eventually get a hold of the famous Sting, but that comes later in the story folks. Along the way, Bilbo will have a variety of weapons and tools such as the One Ring (Come on, you know they wouldn't leave that out right?), and special stones which will provide a variety of attacks to aid Bilbo in his quest. From freezing spells to equipment, there will be lots of helpful tools to make Bilbo's life a little easier. During the adventure, Bilbo must also collect special gems which are usually left behind from fallen enemies or hidden in bushes and breakable objects along the way. These gems are known as courage points; they range in value by color, but they provide Bilbo with much needed health increases so he can survive his quest.

Of course that's all very good; but what about the real weapons? Sting, the One Ring; how does he use those items? Well, being true to the literature, Vivendi has included all aspects of their use down to the smallest detail. The sword known as Sting (For those of you who don't know, this is the sword which Bilbo passes down to Frodo in the Lord of the Rings) has its normal slicing and dicing uses just like any other sword. However, just like the epic, it will glow a bright blue signifying any approaching Orc or Goblin. This will come especially handy once you get down into the depths of the Goblin City and have to sneak around to retrieve the captured Dwarves. The One Ring is also very handy in a pinch. As you know, anyone who wears it will become invisible. You have to remember folks, during the Hobbit, the ring did not show it's evil intent to Bilbo. That comes later so don't worry too much. However, how hard can a game be if you could stay invisible all day? Well using the One Ring does have a twist. You can't stay invisible for very long. There's a slowly depleting meter which gauges the ring's power and can get you into some serious trouble if you think you can leave it on all the time. But of course you have to get the ring first; and there is a certain creature who may give you some trouble.

As with these famous items, Bilbo does have a few unique skills of his own. Using his skills as a burglar, Bilbo will need to rely on his stealth to get around tight situations. Of course, burglars can pick locks as well. So Vivendi included a handy little lock picking puzzle game which will kick in when you comes across a locked chest or possibly a doorway. This element can hold a significant enjoyment to players once they get the feel of it. But watch out, some of the games demonstrated proved to have disastrous results if you can't do it right.

Overall, the latest build which was demonstrated at this event showed some promising features that make a game truly successful. With the large fan base behind the Tolkien world, this is definitely a title which will be thoroughly enjoyed. Not to mention the raging success of the Lord of the Rings films will surely draw in those new fans who want to know how this whole mess with the One Ring began. We still have quite a way to go until its projected release this September. But as more details are shed on this title, the Tolkien fans out there will have to satisfy their need with these screens and character renders supplied to us by Vivendi Universal. Believe me, once you get the opportunity to see the beautifully done 3D representations of epic locations such as Mirkwood, Hobbiton, and the Goblin City, you'll see why The Hobbit is a title to keep an eye out for this holiday season. For you Tolkien fans/gamers out there; once to see Smaug's layer done in full 3D I'm sure you'll rush right out and get this one for your collection. The team at Vivendi has definitely done their homework with this one.