Final Score

8.25

Pros

New Instances  New Mount and Combat Systems  Skirmishes, Skirmishes, Skirmishes

Cons

Gear is Still Gaiting Raid Encounters  On the Small Side for Content

Other important updates to the game's systems are a little less obvious than brand new features or dungeons to crawl through. The expansion brings with it the Mount System 2.0, which makes each mount now a skill the player learns, freeing up valuable bag space.

On top of that, emotes can now be performed from atop the mounts, NPCs can be interacted with, and while the health system determining when you are knocked off is still in place it's now far easier to understand. In my experience, I found the new way of riding your pony to be a vast improvement. Finally being able to talk to NPCs and accept or complete missions while riding my mount is a big relief given how long it takes to re-summon the mount.

Another game system that received a much needed update was combat. Previously LotRO's auto-attack and skills worked in a way that meant players were often waiting for their skill to trigger even though they'd pressed the corresponding hotkey seconds prior.

With Mirkwood, the auto-attack now runs in the background of most skills so that players will find their skill usage much more responsive. For veterans this might make the gameplay a little tricky after a couple years of getting used to the old way, but as a Warden myself, I'm thrilled with the ability to rattle off gambits much more quickly. All weapon speeds were normalized as well, making it so that players need not sacrifice their weapon of stylistic choice for the sake of high end critical damage. While it may seem like a needless change to some, I'm just glad it means I might see more Burglars wielding daggers instead of maces. The real boon to this change is that combat now feels far more responsive. World of Warcraft set a precedent with its extremely responsive UI, and after two and half years LotRO now matches that aspect.

But not everything is fun and games in the newest addition to Middle-earth. The $20 price tag is not there just because the title can only be digitally downloaded, in this reviewer's humble opinion. In terms of size and scope Mirkwood is much lighter than Mines of Moria was a year ago. There is a lot less "new" to be found here, and were it not for the Skirmish system I would hesitate to call it a true expansion. But still, for $20 it's not hard to see the value. Some of the quests in Mirkwood go far beyond what the game once launched with in terms of fun and ingenuity. And while many players no doubt hit level 65 within days, for the average player the task will take weeks. In addition there are really not a whole slew of new skills to look forward to for your class of choice. So while a character will gain five levels in Mirkwood, and they will become invariably more powerful, you won't really notice a difference in terms of what rests on your hotbars.

Overall, I find myself heartily impressed by what's offered in Siege of Mirkwood. I honestly can't clamor loudly enough in favor of Skirmishes, the new zones are fantastically rendered and brought to life, the dungeons that I've experienced thus far have been some of the very best Turbine's offered, and the base system upgrades are highly welcome. It may be a little light on content, but for $20 you'd be hard pressed to find a better value in the crowded MMO arena. And what's even more heartening is that the game is really starting to ramp up to the darker and more heroic days of Lord of the Rings. The Shire's always nice to visit, but Siege of Mirkwood brings with it a true sense of impending war. I can't wait to see where Turbine takes us next.