LotRO: Mines of Moria - Review @ IGN

Another good review for Mines of Moria.

There are three new areas in The Mines of Moria: the Mines themselves, and the bordering zones of Eregion in the west and Lothlorien in the east. Though the two outside zones have their own content, the real star here is the Mines. This vast, sprawling zone is easily one of the most impressive MMO environments we've ever explored, both in terms of overall layout and mood. The scale here is simply ridiculous and it's a credit to the art and technology teams that they've created a space that really feels like a giant underground kingdom. Even in the most open of areas, of which there are many, you never lose the sense that there's an entire mountain just hanging over your head.

Given the associations fans have with the book and the movies, it's commendable that Turbine has come up with a Moria that is at once both familiar and unpredictable. The dwarves' geometric stone work provides a sure sense of magnificence and history, with lots of little details that emphasize the disrepair and dustiness that have taken hold since the kingdom was originally lost. The areas controlled by the goblins are even more rundown and ramshackle, and this contrast works well to highlight the personalities and agendas of both races. Treasuries, libraries, throne rooms, waterworks and a host of other specific locations reveal that Turbine has tried to design Moria as a coherent, functioning kingdom, and not as an arbitrary collection of generic rooms.