monolith productions

Whoever coined the phrase, “Too much of a good thing,” likely never played a video game. Sure, mostly because the saying dates back to well before Pong ever pinged a virtual paddle, but in some small part because anyone that’s ever really connected to a great game knows the bittersweet sorrow of wrapping it up. Xbox Live Arcade is no stranger to great games — however you choose to define the word: fun, dense, deep, powerful – there’s something for everyone in our little digital corner of video games proper.

With that in mind, we take a look back at the heavy hitters, the ones that make you set down the controller upon completion and want to know more. XBLAFans’ Friday Top Five is back, bringing you the top five Xbox Live Arcade games (in no particular order) that require a sequel.

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Fans of Monolith Studios’ Lord of the Rings: Guardians of Middle-earth have a vast array of characters to choose from. In addition to the characters included with the game a whopping 14 DLC characters have been released. The latest of these additions are the Elf lord Elrond of Rivendell, and the villainous Mouth of Sauron — once a member of the race of men, now corrupted both morally and physically from years of service to the dark lord.

Both characters are now available for 160 MSP each, and are not included as part of the season pass. Of the 14 released characters, only the first eight are part of that pass. Should you be new to Guardians, the season pass nets you those first eight characters plus a new survival mode for 1200 MSP. Purchasing these nine items separately is 1600 MSP, so you’re saving 25% if you want it all. The Mouth of Sauron character trailer can be viewed above. Hit the jump for Elrond’s.

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The ring bearer finally has his chance to join the fray and defend Middle-earth. The game is set before the days of the Fellowship, but Frodo rounds out the …
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Guardians of Middle-earth continues to bolster its roster of playable heroes in rapid-fire succession, as Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Monolith Productions announce Saruman the White. As Chief of the Wizards, Saruman holds dominion over the rest of the order, including Gandalf the Grey and Radagast the Brown, both of whom have already joined the struggle for the lanes of Middle-earth.

Saruman brings powerful enchanting abilities to the battlefield with a bevy of skills designed to hinder opponents and lay down significant damage in a wide area. Using his Spies of Saruman ability, the White Wizard slows his opponent, dealing damage over time and revealing hidden enemies. For more straightforward encounters, Saruman can focus his magic for area-of-effect ability damage and a useful stun and transition from the defensive to aggressive with his bursting shield, which silences the enemy upon detonation.

Saruman marks the first downloadable character revealed since the conclusion of the Season Pass. As such, he is not accessible by those who’ve already purchased a pass and must be unlocked separately for 160 MSP. To check out Saruman laying waste across the lanes of Middle-earth, check out his official character trailer after the jump.

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The newest addition to the ever-expanding roster of playable characters in Guardians of Middle-earth has waded into the fray. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment together with Monolith Productions, developer of the console-based MOBA, have announced the Barrow-wight Lord, the undead Enchanter bent on twisting and corrupting everything he sought to protect in life.

Utilizing the essence of death, the Barrow-wight Lord casts grim magics on his opponents, damaging them over time and draining their life to regenerate his own. Should he become overwhelmed and succumb to his enemies, his passive Undeath ability grants him immunity in his final hour, allowing him to teleport and envelope his opponent for significant damage.

The Barrow-wight Lord joins the already robust cast of characters perpetually battling for the lanes of Middle-earth. Available as a singular purchase for 160 MSP or included free for those with a Season Pass, the Barrow-wight Lord marks the final guardian to be included with the pass, though further purchasable content is expected to be announced at some point in the future.

As the last character freely accessible with the Season Pass, the Barrow-wight Lord brings the total number of goods therein to eight guardians and one additional mode. Added together, that’s a 1600 MSP value for the 1200 MSP price of the Season Pass. To see the Barrow-wight Lord in action, be sure to check out the character trailer after the jump.

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Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment and Monolith Productions unveiled a new game mode for Guardians of Middle-earth. Survival Mode will be available soon for …
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Guardians of Middle-earth now has a third DLC character, the flesh-hungry Goblin, Snaga. It is now available for purchase for 160 MSP and is free for Season …
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While physical retail software sales appear to have trailed off at this stage in the  Xbox 360’s life cycle, XBLA has reportedly experienced its strongest year yet in 2012. …
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Guardians of Middle-earth‘s ever-expanding stable of seasoned heroes was bolstered again today, as Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Monolith Productions inked the newest name to the roster. Radagast the Brown, the nature-conscience wizard recently featured in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, lends his particular set of skills to the ongoing war for Middle-earth.

Radagast enters the fray as an enchanter, similar to Gandalf, dealing ability damage and crowd control through with his many area-of-effect spells. To compliment his arsenal, Radagast is able to increase his attack speed, and reduce controlling effects on himself and his allies, making for a potent ally in any skirmish. You can see him working his magic in action by checking out the character profile video, after the jump.

Everyone eager to battle with the brown wizard can purchase him individually or as part of the Season Pass, which includes all existing and future downloadable characters, as well as the forthcoming Survival mode for 1200 MSP. Additionally, players will have the opportunity to compete in “The One Road” challenge this weekend. Running February 1 through 3, the competition requires you rack up the “Most Wins on a One-Lane Map” in order to walk away with 500 XP, 20,000 Gold, and three Mithril level items to outfit your utility belt.

Those not yet waging war across the lanes of Middle-earth can get up to speed with our Guardians of Middle-earth review and helpful guide.

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The first new additions to the already robust Guardians of Middle-earth roster are now available. Joining the ranks are Bilbo Baggins, the titular star of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, who fills the role of a striker with his blade, Sting. Tipping the scales for the forces of darkness, Bert the Troll brings considerable firepower as yet another tactician, using his abilities to secure lanes and push toward enemy installations. Both guardians can be individually purchased for 160 MSP, or as part of the Season Pass, which also secures future downloadable content for 1200 MSP.

Also available for download, The Shire map skin brings 3-lane warfare to the rolling green mounds of Hobbiton. The Shire plays similarly to the existing 3-lane map, though players will notice shrine locations are slightly changed, and bushes scattered throughout the map present new opportunities for potential ambushes. Part of a compatibility update, The Shire map skin is free of charge, joining the random map rotation once downloaded.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Monolith Productions plan to release more content over the course of the coming months, including several new guardians and game modes when they become available. For a better look at Bilbo, Bert and The Shire, check out the trailer after the jump. Anyone not yet knee-deep in the battle can see what all the fuss is about in our Guardians of Middle-earth review.

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