The Lord of the Rings War in the North Collector's Edition

Middle-earth got the collector's treatment it deserved, and there's a snow troll on your shelf to prove it. The Lord of the Rings War in the North Collector's Edition on Playstation 3 shipped with an exclusive snow troll figure, a Steelbook case, a War in the North art book, and a behind-the-scenes look at the game's music recorded at Abbey Road Studios. This is a deep cut in the LOTR gaming catalog, and the collector's package reflects that commitment.

The snow troll figure is the kind of inclusion that separates a generic special edition from something with real display value. It's chunky, menacing, and immediately recognizable to anyone who's spent time in Tolkien's world. The art book delivers concept art spanning key characters, enemies, and the environments of Middle-earth, offering a window into the visual development that most players never see.

Where this edition gets genuinely special is the music component. The Inside Look feature includes interviews and footage of composer Inon Zur working at Abbey Road Studios, plus coverage of the E3 2011 concert event, along with three tracks from the game's original soundtrack. Abbey Road is hallowed ground for audio of any kind, and having documentation of a video game score being recorded there gives this package a cultural weight that extends beyond gaming.

War in the North was the rare LOTR game that ventured into the darker, less-explored corners of Tolkien's mythology. This collector's edition matched that ambition with physical goods that reward display and revisiting. The Steelbook alone earns its place, but paired with the figure and the art book, this is a complete package for anyone building a Middle-earth collection.