The Lord of the Rings was published back in 1954 and still has a huge fanbase. That is in part due to Peter Jackson’s trilogy released in the early 2000s. Since then, the owners of the fantasy series have released a series of merchandise, toys, spin-off series, and video games.
While many of the games based on Tolkien’s Middle Earth have been fantastic, the books have been lauded as some of the most inspirational works of fiction in history. As such, there are always new games being released that have clearly used The Lord of the Rings as a reference point. Many of these video games are perfect for fans of the films and books.
7 Fable Series
Fable (2004)
- Platform(s)
- PC , Xbox (Original) , Xbox 360
- Released
- September 14, 2004
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Once The Lord of the Rings Trilogy had ended in 2003, fantasy fans were left yearning for more fantasy content to fill the gap. Luckily, that content came out one year later in the form of Lionhead Studio’s Fable.
While the first game did not deliver everything the marketing promised, this choice-based RPG was perfect for fans of The Lord of the Rings. Set in the medieval fantasy realm of Albion, players could use magic, archery, or a sword to become a benevolent hero or an evil tyrant. Complete with a dry wit and many other British sensibilities, the Fable series is perfect for fans looking to have some sway over a Tolkienesque landscape.
6 Mount and Blade Series
Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- October 25, 2022
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG , Strategy
One of the biggest bonuses of the Lord of the Rings movies is that fans get to experience huge battles unlike anything ever seen in cinema before. Sadly, there is little in the way of video games that offer the same experience, particularly for those who do not enjoy playing an RTS. Fortunately, both the Mount and Blade games allow players to command and engage in full-out war on open plains just as if they were Theoden charging across the Pelennor.
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Mount and Blade: Warband and Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord are imaginative RPGs that allow players to experience a historically based medieval kingdom. Start out as a merchant or fight in epic wars for your king. The only thing missing from this Lord of the Rings-themed war simulator are the fantasy creatures.
5 Age of Empires 4
The first Age of Empires game is one of the few medieval army games that pre-date the first Lord of the Rings movie. Now that the franchise has continued to grow into its fourth installment, Age of Empires 4 is the latest version of the real-time strategy series that allows players to command legions of troops and villagers to become the strongest empire in the land.
While there is little in the way of fantasy elements in Age of Empires 4, the game does offer the chance for players to grow and advance their own medieval empire. Engage in combat on horseback, on foot, by boat, or with rampaging War Elephants. The choices are only limited by the player’s imagination.
4 Dark Souls
Most players who have not played a Dark Souls game have probably only ever been told about the difficulty. However, all the Dark Soul’s games take place in a breathtaking fantasy world, full of sword and sorcery shenanigans.
While the content of the Souls series may be a little darker than that of Lord of the Rings, the player will still encounter plenty of dragons, giant spiders, knights, and spirits. Also, like with reading the Lord of the Rings, there is always more to discover with every new Dark Souls playthrough.
3 Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3
- Franchise
- Baldur's Gate
- Platform(s)
- PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
It is no secret that the fantasy RPG board game, Dungeons and Dragons, was largely influenced by The Lord of the Rings. Therefore, fans of the books and films should love a video game franchise based on a dice-rolling epic fantasy world created by Gary Gygax.
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Baldur’s Gate 3 allows players to create and control their very own Dungeons and Dragons character as they meet and interact with allies and enemies to fight goblins, trolls, and demons. Any good Dungeons and Dragons campaign should make gamers feel like they are on an epic quest in Middle Earth, and that is exactly what Baldur’s Gate 3 provides.
2 Dragon Age: Origins
The first console game to try and recreate the Dungeons and Dragons formula was Dragon Age: Origins. Released a bit closer to the Lord of the Rings films in 2009, Dragon Age: Origins allowed players to choose to start their adventure as a man, elf, or dwarf. From here, the game took players on an epic quest to slay monsters and make allies.
While Dragon Age: Origins is a bit more limited in choices than other games in the same genre, it was a huge step at the time for fantasy fans. It even birthed a sequel in the form of Dragon Age: Inquisition.
1 The Witcher Series
The Witcher series of games is like Lord of the Rings in the fact that they are also based on a series of books. Set in the fantasy world of the Continent, players control a monster slayer called Geralt as they explore a large open world.
The most popular game in the series by far is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt released in 2015, and the Nordic fantasy series has even inspired a streaming series on Netflix. The game balances fantasy creatures and real-world enemies in equal measure. Players may be fighting some local wildlife early on, but then a few hours later they are fighting all manner of monsters or humanoid enemies. All the while, players go on lengthy quests that take them to breath taking locations that will easily remind them of Middle Earth.