Lord of the Rings: The Third Age Preview

GameDaily has written up a preview of Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, the upcoming Middle-Earth RPG from Electronic Arts. An excerpt:

One of the main complaints with many RPGs this generation is the fact that they seem very linear. EA has taken this concern to heart by creating a completely open gameplay system for Lord of the Rings: Third Age. Players will be able to take on side quests, uncover secret characters that will join your party, and discover rare weapons, armor and items to boost the stats of your party members.

In addition to the open style of gameplay, players will also have complete control of the camera. This should hopefully eliminate and camera issues that players may have experienced in previous Lord of the Rings games. This will also allow players to be completely aware of their surroundings. You’ll need to pay close attention to be sure you don’t miss anything that could lead you to a side quest or uncover hidden characters or artifacts.