Monolith Crafting Accessible Middle-Earth MOBA Experience to Meet (And Defy) Player Expectations

Evolution is a funny thing. It’s ironic that one of the original high fantasies is at the center of a huge leap forward, breaking new ground. Guardians of Middle-Earth is set to bring the MOBA genre to consoles for the first time, but only by understanding why this is so significant can you truly respect Monolith’s leadership and leap of faith.

[browland1]

Not being a PC gamer, I have yet to experience what MOBA games have to offer. Hopefully their leap into the realm of consoles will change that.

[Theo1130]

it's going to be hard, aside from an fps version of a moba; I really can't see it happening aside from striping abilities from characters.

[PaladinXII]

I've played it, and it works. Putting players in direct control with a controller is a big part of the solution.

[Theo1130]

@ Pal

Rts games "work" on console, but that doesn't mean they are the optimum way to play.

Direct control is alright, but part of the appeal of the dota type games is the planning, and waiting for the right time to pull off a kill, direct control doesn't encourage that type of play style, it turns it into an brawler.

[ostgar]

Curious, not a MOBA fan, but I do like Middle Erf.

[Larry L]

I can't reply, I just get an error page, so I'll just reply down here

@Theo
What can't you see working about this genre on consoles? From the description of the controls in the article, they sound pretty straight forward. Much like when people say the same thing about Diablo, or MMORPGs, I don't understand why people say these games can't....or it will be hard to get to.....work on consoles. This genre is just kind of a blend between like a Champions of Norrath blended nicely with some Tower Defense. Both of which work perfectly on consoles.

And for me the Champions/Diablo genre works BETTER on consoles, where it started with games like Bard's Tale on Atari and Gauntlet in NES (ok arcades first).

In fact, doesn't a game sort of similar to MOBAs already exist on consoles, and one that was highly rated by critics and gamers? Dungeon Defenders is kinda/sorta like a MOBA, isn't it? It's just co-op, not competetive.

Anyway, right now this is just about my #1 most wanted upcoming downloadable title, behind only the whole series of The Walking Dead (I'm waiting to buy until they're all released). It really does look incredible. Maybe the best MOBA to date, weird considering it's a licenced franchise (has there been a good LOTR game yet?lol). I'll be buying Day 1 and I hope there are alot of players on PSN. I'll definitely be playing alot of co-op vs A.I. on this at the beginning.

[Theo1130]

I'm not saying it can't come to consoles, but it will be a waterdown version. You need to have precision especially with characters that have teleport abilities, or if you're hexing or using a an ability that only works if you specifically target a character, and he's among a bunch of minions. In the Moba type games, precision is key, and I don't think you can really have that, espcially with a controller.

Dugeon Defenders isn't like a moba game, that's more of a tower defense game. It's sort of like a moba game in that you defend structures, but the majority of the time is spend on farming for cash and killing other players, you only really go for towers so you can farm without the tower annoying you.

[Larry L]

Ahhh, I see. Well, I think they'll be able to get it all working well. It seems as though the attacks are less pinpoint in this game, and more directional and AoE like a Diablo or Champions.

I guess we'll just have to wait for more gameplay videos, not just an edited montage, to see if it's going to live up to the potential I'm seeing from the current teaser. Fingers crossed.

[lastdual]

This sounds ok, but I wish Monolith would make a new Condemned (in the spirit of the original).

[Sandwich Bender]

Oooh, I think the way you think. That series doesn't seem to get the love it deserves.