TechRadar Review: 'Lord of the Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition' Is an Average 'Middling-Earth' Remaster

TechRadar reviewed the game on Nintendo Switch. The Legacy Edition is available on PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch, with a release date of 11 August on PC, PS5 and Xbox and 18 August on Nintendo platforms. In the review, the outlet said the remaster adds 60fps support for newer consoles and quality-of-life improvements such as autosaves, while graphics and frame rates are much improved on Switch 2, PS5 and PC.

The game is set alongside the Fellowship's quest, as players control an original party consisting of Eradan, a Dunedain ranger; Farin, a dwarf warrior; and Andriel, an elf Loremaster. The characters meet familiar figures such as Aragorn, Arwen and Gandalf, and visit both familiar and new locations. TechRadar noted that fans of the books will enjoy exploring the Barrow-Downs and fighting barrow-wights. Agandaûr, a fallen Numenorean and one of Sauron's trusted servants, serves as the main villain.

According to the review, the title plays like a typical action RPG, with light and heavy attacks, special maneuvers and spells that need cooldowns and power management. The quick-swap character system allows combos such as using Eradan's escape skill, moving to Andriel for a healing field, then switching to Farin to unleash War Cry. TechRadar said this creates strategic depth beyond simple button-mashing.

The outlet found several areas where the package shows its age. Technical bugs make some brief sections borderline unplayable, and the game keeps many old constraints, including no jumping and weapons constantly drawn. On-the-fly character switching, while novel, can feel awkward, particularly in inventory management. These issues mar the experience at key points.

Despite these problems, TechRadar said there is a lot to like, especially for players who enjoyed the original version. Dedicated Tolkien enthusiasts may find the story's fan-fiction-like liberties egregious, but the reviewer said the game is meant to be fun and that they enjoyed fighting Sauron's forces and meeting previously unadapted characters such as Elrond's twin ranger sons, Elladan and Elrohir. The review described the Legacy Edition as 'diverting fun and well-priced for what it is,' while ultimately remaining 'fine, if not spectacular.'