Shadow of War isn't the only game sending its players to the black gates of Mordor. Despite being one of the oldest MMOs on the market (having first launched in 2007), Lord of the Rings Online (LotR Online) is still going strong thanks to frequent updates and content expansions from its developers, the latest of which will allow players to enter Tolkien's infamously evil region. Simply titled Mordor, the expansion is currently set to launch on July 31 later this month.
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There's about an hour of gameplay available on the studio's official YouTube channel, so if you've got the time feel free to take a look:
For those who don't have time, the main features of this expansion include five entirely new areas to explore, as well as a raised level cap. Players will now be able to gain an additional 10 levels, rising from the previous cap of 105 to 115. In addition to this, virtues (which are a kind of trait system for players to invest points into) will similarly have their cap raised to 20.
Other new features in Mordor include access to the High Elf race, who players will able to select when creating new characters. High Elves can level as almost any class, with the only exclusion being (reasonably) the Burglar. There's also a new allegiance system that involves earning unique cosmetic rewards from different races by pledging your character to them and completing quests, and a bartering system that will hopefully reduce complaints about RNG by giving players ashes to exchange for their desired, evasive loot.
Equally important is the arrival of a barber to LotR Online. Yes, you heard that right. After 10 years, players will now be able to restyle each character's individual characteristics (excluding race, of course.)
For more information about the Mordor expansion, or about Lord of the Rings Online in general, you can follow the development studio Standing Stone Games on their Twitter account, or visit the game's official website for access to community forums and future media releases.
Lord of the Rings Online is available free to play for PC. The game's expansion Mordor is currently $39.99, with increasingly more expensive editions available as well.
