FFG: ‘The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth’ Announced
Fantasy Flight Games has announced a new way to travel “there and back again” with a brand new App-assisted Board Game set in Middle-earth. Gather your friends and embark on an epic journey!
From the Sleepy Shire to the dread lands of Mordor, Fantasy Flight Games is gearing up to launch another series of adventures in the Lord of the Rings universe. This time, you’ll not only want to bring a few friends, you’ll also want to bring the App along for the ride, too.
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth lets you embark on your own adventures in J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic world, embodying heroes of the Free Peoples and fighting back against the oppressive might of Sauron. You’ll battle villainous foes, make courageous choices, and strike a blow against the evil that threatens the land—all as part of a thrilling campaign that leads you across the storied hills and dales of Middle-earth.
This new game is an adventure game for 1-5 players who will take on the role of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, and Man as they traverse through Middle-earth. Battle foes and face challenges pulled straight from the pages of Tolkien as you create your own story in Middle-earth!
The Game is a mix of physical components and the App-assisted game play. Now, if the phrase “App-assisted game play” has you concerned I understand. I was also worried about the very same phrase. That was until a few years ago when I got to actually play a few of FFG’s App-assisted games and became a believer. For many games out there that try to combine the digital and the analog games, they quite frankly suck at it.
Many of those games are playable with JUST the digital component – so why do we need the board/models? Or sometimes they use the digital component as JUST for it’s RNG and nothing else (which means a deck of cards or a set of dice would have worked). But FFG has found a balance between actually needing the board/physical/analog components to play AND the digital app to help run things. That is, of course, as long as the players are committed to NOT cheating/lying about their results in the app.
That said, if FFG can continue to strike that balance then the World of Middle-earth is a perfect place to explore. Who wouldn’t want to adventure around with the App as the Game Master?!
Players will assume the roles of different characters from the series and each of these heroes has their own unique skills and abilities. In addition to that, players will also have a hero deck that can be tweaked depending on the different roles you have available. FFG mentioned playing as a “Pathfinder” on game and swapping over to a “Hunter” for the next.
The scale of the game will also shift as well. One game you might stay in the “overworld” map. Or you might have a combat encounter that brings you down to the scale of a skirmish battle.
This mix of digital and physical assets is very intriguing to me as mentioned above. With the app basically controlling the 25 enemy miniatures and providing them with different behaviors, it’s going to be exciting to try and figure out how to best defeat and overcome the challenges the game throws out.
FFG also has plans to make this journey different every time:
But this story does not remain the same between one playthrough and the next. Whether you’re searching for lost treasure or seeking out forgotten lore, Journeys in Middle-earth is continually surprising and highly replayable, adjusting the enemies and allies that you encounter, the events that plague your heroes, and even the size and layout of the map with every adventure. Beyond the individual adventures, the overall campaign also features branching narratives and side quests that you can unlock. Combine that with your options for upgrading your hero’s power, finding new items or titles, and diversifying your skill deck, and it’s plain to see that no matter how many times you play the campaign, you’ll live a new story each time.
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth is slated for arrival in the second quarter of 2019. Are you willing to take that first step on an epic adventure?
The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth $99.95
Embark on your own adventures in J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic world with The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth, a fully cooperative, app-supported board game for one to five players! You’ll battle villainous foes, make courageous choices, and strike a blow against the evil that threatens the land—all as part of a thrilling campaign that leads you across the storied hills and dales of Middle-earth.
Each individual game of Journeys in Middle-earth is a single adventure in a larger campaign. You’ll explore the vast and dynamic landscapes of Middle-earth, using your skills to survive the challenges that you encounter on these perilous quests. As you and your fellow heroes explore the wilderness and battle the dark forces arrayed against you, the game’s companion app guides you to reveal the looming forests, quiet clearings, and ancient halls of Middle-earth, while also controlling the enemies you encounter. Whether you’re venturing into the wild on your own or with close companions by your side, you can write your own legend in the history of Middle-earth.
If they can nail X-COM and Arkham Horror with an app-assisted format, I think they can handle LotR, too!
