<s>
The	B-Device
Lord	I-Device
of	I-Device
the	I-Device
Rings	I-Device
:	I-Device
The	I-Device
Third	I-Device
Age	I-Device
is	O
a	O
2004	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
EA	O
Redwood	O
Shores	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Application
and	O
GameCube	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
turn-based	B-Application
tactics	I-Application
version	B-Device
of	I-Device
the	I-Device
game	I-Device
was	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
by	O
Griptonite	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
a	O
loose	O
adaptation	O
of	O
Peter	O
Jackson	O
's	O
Lord	O
of	O
the	O
Rings	O
film	O
trilogy	O
;	O
The	B-Application
Fellowship	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Ring	I-Application
(	O
2001	O
)	O
,	O
The	B-Application
Two	I-Application
Towers	I-Application
(	O
2002	O
)	O
and	O
The	B-Application
Return	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
King	I-Application
(	O
2003	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
reviewers	O
praised	O
the	O
graphics	O
,	O
but	O
many	O
found	O
the	O
storyline	O
and	O
character	O
development	O
weak	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
gameplay	O
somewhat	O
too	O
derivative	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
X	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
in	O
third-person	O
mode	O
,	O
the	O
HUD	B-Application
displays	O
a	O
map	O
with	O
the	O
current	O
objectives	O
(	O
primary	O
and	O
secondary	O
)	O
marked	O
on	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Third	O
Age	O
is	O
an	O
RPG	O
in	O
the	O
style	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
turn-based	B-Application
combat	I-Application
system	O
is	O
similar	O
to	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
Xs	O
"	O
Conditional	O
Turn-Based	O
"	O
system	O
(	O
CTB	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
replaced	O
the	O
"	O
Active	O
Time	O
Battle	O
"	O
system	O
(	O
ATB	O
)	O
used	O
from	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
IV	I-Application
to	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
IX	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
primarily	O
seen	O
insofar	O
as	O
the	O
party	O
are	O
present	O
during	O
certain	O
battles	O
which	O
in	O
the	O
films	O
are	O
solo	O
fights	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
when	O
Gandalf	O
faces	O
the	O
Balrog	O
in	O
The	B-Application
Fellowship	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Ring	I-Application
or	O
when	O
Éowyn	O
faces	O
the	O
Witch-king	O
of	O
Angmar	O
in	O
The	B-Application
Return	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
King	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throughout	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
Gandalf	O
'	O
speaks	O
 '	O
to	O
Berethor	B-Application
by	O
means	O
of	O
"	O
Epic	O
Scenes	O
"	O
;	O
film	O
clips	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
collect	O
and	O
which	O
feature	O
original	O
narration	O
by	O
Gandalf	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
clips	O
give	O
context	O
to	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
plot	O
and	O
serve	O
to	O
offer	O
advice	O
to	O
Berethor	B-Application
of	O
events	O
in	O
the	O
wider	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
dawn	O
of	O
the	O
Second	O
Age	O
,	O
after	O
the	O
defeat	O
of	O
the	O
Dark	O
Lord	O
,	O
Morgoth	O
,	O
the	O
elves	O
forged	O
Rings	B-Application
of	I-Application
Power	I-Application
to	O
help	O
themselves	O
,	O
the	O
dwarves	O
and	O
men	O
rule	O
Middle-earth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Returning	O
to	O
Mordor	B-Application
,	O
he	O
regained	O
his	O
strength	O
,	O
eventually	O
capturing	O
Minas	O
Ithil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Around	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
,	O
the	O
One	O
Ring	O
was	O
found	O
by	O
a	O
Hobbit	B-Device
named	O
Sméagol	B-Application
,	O
who	O
became	O
utterly	O
corrupted	O
by	O
it	O
,	O
living	O
in	O
the	O
caves	O
of	O
the	O
Misty	O
Mountains	O
,	O
and	O
physically	O
transforming	O
into	O
a	O
creature	O
known	O
as	O
Gollum	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
five	O
hundred	O
years	O
,	O
Gollum	B-Application
was	O
consumed	O
and	O
corrupted	O
by	O
the	O
Ring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Just	O
prior	O
to	O
Sauron	O
's	O
departure	O
,	O
the	O
Ring	O
passed	O
to	O
another	O
hobbit	B-Device
,	O
Bilbo	O
Baggins	O
,	O
who	O
used	O
it	O
to	O
assist	O
in	O
the	O
victory	O
of	O
elves	O
,	O
men	O
and	O
dwarves	O
at	O
the	O
Battle	O
of	O
the	O
Five	O
Armies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sixty	O
years	O
later	O
,	O
Gollum	B-Application
was	O
captured	O
by	O
uruk-hai	O
,	O
and	O
taken	O
to	O
Mordor	B-Application
,	O
where	O
he	O
was	O
tortured	O
into	O
revealing	O
the	O
owner	O
and	O
location	O
of	O
the	O
Ring	O
;	O
Bilbo	O
Baggins	O
of	O
the	O
Shire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
information	O
given	O
him	O
by	O
Gollum	B-Application
,	O
Sauron	O
,	O
still	O
unable	O
to	O
take	O
physical	O
form	O
,	O
thus	O
sent	O
the	O
Nazgûl	O
to	O
the	O
Shire	O
to	O
retrieve	O
the	O
One	O
Ring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aragorn	O
protected	O
the	O
hobbits	B-Device
on	O
their	O
journey	O
to	O
Rivendell	O
,	O
and	O
upon	O
their	O
arrival	O
,	O
Elrond	O
formed	O
a	O
Fellowship	O
with	O
the	O
goal	O
of	O
bringing	O
the	O
Ring	O
to	O
Mordor	B-Application
to	O
destroy	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
begins	O
with	O
Berethor	B-Application
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Rhys	O
Lloyd	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
captain	O
in	O
the	O
Citadel	O
Guard	O
of	O
Gondor	O
,	O
travelling	O
to	O
Rivendell	O
to	O
find	O
Boromir	O
at	O
the	O
behest	O
of	O
Denethor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Seeing	O
her	O
convoy	O
under	O
attack	O
by	O
Isengard	O
orcs	O
,	O
she	O
and	O
Berethor	B-Application
intervene	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
soon	O
learn	O
that	O
Boromir	O
is	O
dead	O
,	O
that	O
Frodo	O
and	O
Sam	O
have	O
headed	O
towards	O
Mordor	B-Application
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
Ring	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
Fellowship	O
have	O
gone	O
to	O
Rohan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Berethor	B-Application
fights	O
,	O
he	O
suddenly	O
hears	O
the	O
voice	O
of	O
Saruman	O
telling	O
him	O
he	O
shall	O
be	O
punished	O
for	O
his	O
betrayal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gandalf	O
then	O
explains	O
to	O
Berethor	B-Application
why	O
he	O
heard	O
the	O
voice	O
of	O
Saruman	O
–	O
Berethor	B-Application
was	O
captured	O
by	O
Saruman	O
,	O
who	O
put	O
him	O
under	O
a	O
spell	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Saruman	O
believed	O
Boromir	O
would	O
take	O
the	O
Ring	O
from	O
Frodo	O
,	O
and	O
Berethor	B-Application
's	O
job	O
was	O
to	O
take	O
it	O
from	O
Boromir	O
and	O
return	O
it	O
to	O
Saruman	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knowing	O
of	O
Saruman	O
's	O
plan	O
,	O
Gandalf	O
and	O
Galadriel	O
sent	O
Idrial	O
to	O
find	O
Berethor	B-Application
and	O
stay	O
by	O
him	O
until	O
the	O
spell	O
could	O
be	O
broken	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
the	O
destruction	O
of	O
Orthanc	O
,	O
Berethor	B-Application
is	O
freed	O
from	O
the	O
spell	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
they	O
await	O
the	O
arrival	O
of	O
the	O
army	O
,	O
Berethor	B-Application
muses	O
that	O
Osgiliath	O
seems	O
familiar	O
to	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
party	O
realize	O
that	O
Berethor	B-Application
is	O
that	O
man	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
they	O
leave	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
Berethor	B-Application
learns	O
the	O
reason	O
he	O
fled	O
Osgiliath	O
was	O
because	O
he	O
was	O
stabbed	O
by	O
a	O
Morgul	O
blade	O
,	O
the	O
tip	O
of	O
which	O
is	O
still	O
within	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
reach	O
the	O
city	O
just	O
after	O
the	O
Mordor	B-Application
army	O
has	O
breached	O
the	O
main	O
gate	O
,	O
with	O
orcs	O
rampaging	O
through	O
the	O
streets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
battle	O
moves	O
to	O
the	O
Pelennor	O
Fields	O
as	O
the	O
Rohirrim	O
charge	O
the	O
Mordor	B-Application
army	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soon	O
thereafter	O
Aragorn	O
arrives	O
with	O
the	O
Army	O
of	O
the	O
Dead	O
,	O
who	O
wipe	O
out	O
the	O
Mordor	B-Application
army	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
aftermath	O
of	O
the	O
victory	O
,	O
Gandalf	O
tells	O
Berethor	B-Application
he	O
will	O
face	O
more	O
adventures	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
Your	O
tale	O
has	O
hardly	O
begun.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Arts	O
first	O
mentioned	O
The	O
Third	O
Age	O
as	O
early	O
as	O
October	O
4	O
,	O
2002	O
,	O
shortly	O
before	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
launch	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Two	I-Application
Towers	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
EA	O
announced	O
they	O
would	O
be	O
making	O
a	O
Return	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
King	I-Application
video	O
game	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
in	O
roughly	O
twelve	O
months	O
time	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
an	O
as-yet	O
untitled	O
role-playing	O
game	O
based	O
on	O
all	O
three	O
films	O
,	O
slated	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
Fall	O
2004	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nothing	O
more	O
was	O
heard	O
about	O
the	O
game	O
until	O
April	O
27	O
,	O
2004	O
when	O
EA	O
officially	O
revealed	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
on	O
three	O
current	B-Application
generation	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
(	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
)	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
explained	O
that	O
rather	O
than	O
the	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
nature	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
two	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
franchise	O
,	O
The	O
Third	O
Age	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
was	O
now	O
officially	O
called	O
,	O
would	O
be	O
a	O
turn-based	O
RPG	O
,	O
with	O
gameplay	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
X	O
and	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
X-2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
had	O
begun	O
in	O
mid-2002	O
,	O
when	O
The	B-Application
Two	I-Application
Towers	I-Application
was	O
still	O
in	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Work	O
intensified	O
towards	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2003	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Return	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
King	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Executive	O
producer	O
,	O
Steve	O
Gray	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
and	O
Parasite	B-Application
Eve	I-Application
for	O
Squaresoft	O
,	O
explained	O
he	O
had	O
wanted	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
Lord	O
of	O
the	O
Rings	O
RPG	O
since	O
the	O
1990s	O
,	O
but	O
had	O
never	O
gotten	O
the	O
chance	O
,	O
until	O
EA	O
acquired	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
the	O
film	O
trilogy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
rejected	O
idea	O
was	O
that	O
in	O
Evil	O
Mode	O
,	O
the	O
good	O
characters	O
against	O
whom	O
the	O
player	O
would	O
be	O
fighting	O
would	O
replicate	O
the	O
actions	O
taken	O
by	O
the	O
player	O
when	O
they	O
had	O
played	O
through	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
;	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
actions	O
during	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
replicated	O
by	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
controlled	O
party	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
EA	O
announced	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
about	O
five	O
times	O
as	O
long	O
as	O
the	B-Application
Return	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
King	I-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Device
Lord	I-Device
of	I-Device
the	I-Device
Rings	I-Device
:	I-Device
The	I-Device
Third	I-Device
Age	I-Device
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
reviews	O
"	O
across	O
all	O
systems	O
;	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
version	O
holds	O
an	O
aggregate	O
score	O
of	O
74	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
on	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
twenty-five	O
reviews	O
;	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
73	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
thirty-five	O
reviews	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
version	O
75	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
,	O
based	O
on	O
thirty-eight	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
's	O
Patrick	O
Garratt	O
scored	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
version	O
7	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Comparing	O
the	O
combat	O
system	O
to	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
X	O
,	O
he	O
wrote	O
"	O
it	O
's	O
a	O
great	O
formula	O
 [ ... ] 	O
but	O
there	O
's	O
nowhere	O
near	O
the	O
depth.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
she	O
praised	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
,	O
concluding	O
"	O
The	B-Device
Lord	I-Device
of	I-Device
the	I-Device
Rings	I-Device
:	I-Device
The	I-Device
Third	I-Device
Age	I-Device
molds	O
Middle-earth	O
into	O
a	O
traditional	O
turn-based	O
frame	O
,	O
and	O
while	O
the	O
results	O
are	O
n't	O
all	O
that	O
great	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
carries	O
some	O
pretty	O
good	O
features	O
and	O
should	O
appeal	O
to	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
source	O
material.	O
"	O
</s>
