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LOTRO Isengard expansion unveiled

Orthanc: a tower wizard walls.

Earlier this week, Eurogamer revealed that The Lord of the Rings Online will soon take you to Isengard and to a face-off with treacherous wizard Saruman. Today, Turbine and Warner Bros. have officially unveiled new expansion Rise of Isengard.

Rise of Isengard will arrive next autumn and bring with it an increased level cap of 70 as well as a revamp for the PVP Monster Play part of the MMO. And with a nudged-up level cap comes new skills, class quests, traits and virtues.

The story involves leading the Grey Company of Rangers - Aragorn's chums - into Isengard, while picking up any allies who dare to stand against the ferocious army being formed there.

The Rise of Isengard announcement comes two weeks after The Lord of the Rings Online turned free-to-play in Europe.

To keep up with the considerable changes made to virtual Middle-Earth, Eurogamer decided it was about time for a Lord of the Rings Online re-review. What did we think? "Standing on its own merits, the game comes as close to knocking on the door of a perfect 10 without quite making it as any other you'll play."

In other words: try it, it's free.