Lord of the Rings: The Third Age Updated Preview

IGN PS2 has published an updated preview of EA’s Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, based upon a new build of the RPG. Here’s a taste of what has changed:

Facial expressions have been cleaned up and now look more defined. Armor, shields and helmets benefit from the same treatment. Although subtle, these improvements ultimately serve to enhance the overall game experience. After all, a huge chunk of fun associated with playing a big license game is having it look like the property it’s based on.

Character animations have also been sped up, most noticeable during combat. One of the few complaints I had with the earlier build was the slow speed with which characters performed special attacks. Nothing entirely brain-detonating, as Final Fantasy fans know that awesome spell attacks are worth waiting for, but the boost in speed is a welcome change nonetheless. EA has also done a snazzy job of making character animation during magic attacks and special moves look smooth, marking a definite improvement over earlier builds.