12/2025:
In a surprise as we approach the end of 2025; I’ve entered into the world of Lord of the Rings Online on my Steam Deck. I saw a YouTube video posted of Frodo walking for 9hrs to Mordor, had my curiosity piqued and started looking into this old game. Especially in light of Amazon’s recent LOTR game cancellation, which had already got me thinking about already existing LOTR games.
It was immediately interesting to me that an old MMORPG would have such an expansive world. After I read a few comments complimenting the game, its dedication to recreating Middle Earth, as well as folks speaking of how easily they play the game on their Deck and still enjoy it 20yrs later, I figured I’d check it out...
Back in the early 2000s I was fascinated when I first saw & heard about Everquest, and later franchised-MMORPGs such as FFXI, the Matrix Online and Star Wars Galaxies, I thought it was awesome that a persistent online world could exist for me to explore and play around in. I always had dreams of playing SWG with the main goal of opening my own cantina on some small planet.
In a world before almost any form of entertainment was immediately available at any time; I lived as an only child, latch key kid who dreamed of freedom and exploration. I had plenty of fun playing outside in my neighborhood when I could, but my mom didn't want me out when she wasn't home/was at work. So I had many many many hours home alone, stuck inside, attempting to figure out ways to use my imagination, limited SNES/PSX libraries (including their technical limitations, which resulted in more simple and less expansive pre-GTA 3 era games), physical toys and daytime TV (not always cable either, as we couldn't always afford it) in order to "pass" time. This was the true allure of expansive video game worlds back then, for kids like me at least. I didn't care about the social, metaverse aspect, so much as I just wanted something deeper and more complex to spend time with than what my SNES or PSX could offer. That's why I spent countless hours in Driver and Driver 2 just screwing around making up storylines in my head as the cops chased me through various polygonal cities.
Sadly, due to my lack of a proper gaming computer at the time, the dream of finding a virtual world to get lost in when I couldn't go out into the real one, was never realized. And by the time I returned to consistent gaming as an adult with plenty of freedom and endless video game options; it was no longer a novelty to online game, open worlds were taken for granted, and all of it was a bit less awe inspiring. So I never really ended up playing much of any MMO game outside of a handful of hours trialing FFXIV.
The gaming zeitgeist has moved on for the most part from these types of games as we all know, and outside of niche servers, the Matrix Online and SWG have been long dead. So it’s very cool that LOTRO is still chugging right along. I’ve long been a fan of LOTR and just re-read it last year, so I think it’ll be fun to try and explore as much of this virtual Middle Earth as I can. I’m also particularly interested in these old MMOs still in existence, as they give me a cool liminal space energy that I’ve been curious to explore.
Update 1:
It’s an old game, and I’m playing on my Deck, so some control jank is to be expected. But so far, so good. It’s awesome looking at these early 2000s graphics on Ultra High settings, and the controls work well enough thanks to the community controller layout and the Deck’s good ol track pads. Played about an hour last night to get a feel for things, and I don’t see why I wouldn’t continue to come back for more. Especially since my main mission is simply to explore the place and take it all in. It’s been as enjoyable as my brief foray into FFXIV was; except a bit better because it’s old, there’s no subscription required, it’s free without feeling like a gacha game, and most importantly it’s a seemingly very cool & very large representation of Middle Earth. The place is freaking huge! I’ve read it’s a deep and fun game, and my intro to it is already solid enough to make me want to come back for another sesh.
Although there is a lot of empty space in the world, I enjoy it a lot, as it adds to that liminal space feeling I spoke of, and also emphasizes the magnitude of your journey. Getting place to place by foot or horse even in that little opening town of Archet wasn’t necessarily full of short and quick trips. It can take a bit to get places, but luckily the world is beautiful and you feel like you’re in Middle Earth due to the vastness and level of attention paid to the settings. But of course there are quick travel options to be had as you unlock points/stables/etc when needed.
Update 2:
This game rocks so much. I am definitely biased as an LOTR nerd, and also perhaps because I’ve yet to really dig into any MMORPG prior to this. But it doesn’t feel grindy at all, and it’s pretty easy to start upgrading your character just by doing the main missions - which have been enjoyable enough considering they’re essentially a tutorial for the larger game. I didn’t read any instructions, guides or tips; I just went straight into the LOTRO experience. To its credit, and despite its depth, I’ve had no issues figuring things out as I go. Also surprised at how well it runs and plays on my Steam Deck in handheld mode. I tried it on my monitor with mouse/keyboard to really get that PC gamer feel, but it didn’t run as smoothly and it was a lot clunkier to control. Having custom button mapping to the Deck itself with community layouts really are a gaming godsend. Hotkeys ftw!
As I was wrapping up my intro missions, I took a nap in the Hunter’s lodge and had a visitor in my dreams. Looks like there are some interesting things going on elsewhere in Middle Earth as old Thorway begins to properly head out on his adventures…
Update 3:
After my recent sessions playing around with the Lord of the Rings Online; having a good time, but not a great time, and most certainly a dated time, just about as expected. It dawned on me that I should just be playing Elden Ring. I haven’t been looking for a MMO to get into so much as just having an enormous world to explore and build my character in. So as I was thinking of what modern game would scratch such an itch, I felt dumb for not having given Elden Ring a proper go yet and decided it is time to do so.
LOTRO was just what one would expect from an almost 20 year old MMORPG. So while it was cool seeing an open world Middle Earth to explore, there’s just no way I could realistically enjoy continuing to complete rote missions, utilizing janky combat with bad animations, dated UI & laggy servers. Ultimately I just couldn’t see myself investing much time into such an outdated game, in order to really be able to explore its world as I want to. No matter how awesome I think it is, it ended up feeling a bit too inconvenient due to its age.
So as I was pondering what I should play in order to keep living out my video game fantasy open world fun, I was like duh dude, it’s time to play Elden Ring. It’s not Middle Earth, but it’s certainly a huge beautiful world full of stuff to explore, taken with a laissez faire approach I appreciate. Providing such minimal direction and apparent story, that I can just enjoy my role playing and exploring as I see fit. It feels as though I’m more than welcome to go explore (and die) wherever I want immediately, and I like that a lot.
I tried this game briefly on my former Series X back when it first came out, as it sounded like my perfect game. But my life was too hectic & stressful to be really enjoying games then. Especially one as demanding as Elden Ring. So I appreciated it and loved looking at it, but never invested in it enough to decide if I actually like it or not. I’m familiar enough with the game’s basics/opening segments, gameplay, etc. and don’t have anything new to offer impression-wise amongst the many already existing Elden Ring takes. But I think I’m going to enjoy it a lot now, all things considered. Been looking for one game to put many hours into, and I can see this being the one.
