The Lord of the Rings Online Interview

Game Informer has posted a two-page interview with Turbine’s Jeffrey Steefel, quizzing the executive producer about the soon-to-be-released The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar.

Q: Can you explain how you plan to indulge players’ darker impulses, since characters can’t align themselves with Sauron?

A: Players can explore their evil sides through monster play. Monster play gives you the opportunity to join the ranks of Angmar’s Army. When you reach level 10 in the game, you can go to the town of Bree and find your way into the Monster Play areas in the world. From there, you will be able to start building your stable of monsters with which you can wreak havoc on Hobbit villages, ransack ancient keeps, or battle PvP against other players for control of ancient castles or valuable resources like ore or wood. You will be able to grow your monsters in power, capability and in appearance, just as with your player characters.

At launch you can choose what type of monster you would like to inhabit including Orc Reaver, Spider Weaver, Uruk Blackarrow, Uruk Warleader or Warg Stalker. Players can also bring their main characters into the Ettenmoors when they reach level 40 to battle the player-controlled monsters in the region.