The War in Middle Earth game on Commodore 64 is a simplified version of its 16-bit counterpart, focusing solely on strategy rather than questing and RPG elements. Players take on the role of good forces in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, aiming to destroy the One Ring by getting it to the cracks of Mount Doom. The game begins with the Fellowship forming in Rivendell, Frodo Baggins carrying the ring, and the ultimate goal is to reach Mount Doom without being killed or corrupted by the ring's influence. The player must also avoid Sauron's forces capturing Minas Tirith.
The gameplay involves three different views: Middle Earth Map, Campaign Map, and Battle Screen. Orders are given on the Campaign Map, where units can be told to move or join other units. Time is paused during command input, allowing for strategic planning. Battles are fought in real-time, with individual soldiers ordered to attack or controlled directly with the joystick. Characters have different ratings for damage, strength, and energy depletion rates, as well as virtue ratings that determine how fast the ring corrupts Frodo. Many characters from the book are featured, including the Fellowship, Gollum, and leaders of the free peoples.
The game allows players to choose their strategy, such as sending a solo army or keeping Frodo escorted and breaking into Mordor through the front gate. The starting positions of units match those in the book, offering flexibility for different playthroughs.
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