NOTE: As their name suggests hints are not exactly The Return of the King cheats, and are usually just simple (but very useful) tips on how you can unlock secret level, features, find hidden areas and such. Hopefully these will make playing The Return of the King even more entertaining.
Quick start
Start the game with the +forcemenu main command
line parameter to start the game faster.
Palantir of Saruman level
Successfully complete the game by finishing the Crack Of Doom level.
Palantir of Sauron level
Successfully complete the game by finishing the Crack
Of Doom level with a Gandalf, Sam, and either Gimili, Legolas,
or Aragorn at level 10.
Play as Any Character / See Interviews
Successfully complete the game to play as Faramir, Play as Merry, Pippen, and to see interviews with Andy Serkis,
Billy Boyd, David Menham, and Dom Monaghan.
Black Gate
There are two checkpoints in this level, but it is
still difficult. First, you will have to defeat a big, black caped
enemy. He is very easy to defeat if you use fierce attacks. Then,
you must defeat six fat Orcs with green health bars above their
heads. As they approach, you will have to fight many Orcs and
protect your friends. Their health bar will be at the top of the
screen. When it gets low, go to them and help them kill the Orcs.
When you stand next to your friend, he will glow and get health.
Make sure you stay next to him to get his health up. After three
big Orcs are destroyed, the Orcs will attack ou from three different
directions. Keep helping your friends and killing Orcs. Once you
have killed all six fat Orcs, you will reach a checkpoint. Three
Nazgul will appear. Kill them by shooting your ranged weapon (arrows
or axes). Once all three of them are killed, the level will end.
Black Gate: Defeating the Nazgul
When you get near the end of the Black Gate level,
you will face three Nazgul warriors. The best way to defeat them
is use the flaming spears. Alternately, play as Legolas at level
15 and use the Mithril Arrows with the Double Shot.
Cirith Ungol: Easy kills
As Sam, wait for someone to knock over another Orc
then run up and quickly kill him. Eliminate them one by one and
eventually get up to the Boss. An easy way to kill him is to keep
throwing pikes at him. Make sure time does not run out while fighting
the Orcs.
When you are fighting the hordes of Uruk-Hai at the bottom of
the staircase leading to the Boss, look for the vats of lava.
Use your invisibility move to sneak up on it. When you think the
Uruks are close, press [Action] to spill the vats, killing
all the Uruks. If there are any that remain standing, use the
flame-tipped pikes.
This level does not have any checkpoints, but has many Orcs. Take
Sam through the level and destroy eighty Orcs. After killing them,
you will have to fight a fat Orc. Use fierce attacks to kill him,
then hit the catapult to kill off the Orcs. Remember to look for
buckets of fire to knock down to kill the Orcs. Also, when you
reach bridges that you must pull down, put them down when Orcs
are underneath to kill them.
Crack Of Doom: Defeating Gollum
Gollum is not effected by swords. You must parry and
push him towards the edge. Once you do so, he should lose his
balance and start to fall. He will try to climb back up. At this
time, stab his hands with your killing move. It will take awhile
to defeat eat him.
Go to the edge near the top of the screen and repeatedly parry
as Gollum attacks until he steps back, goes into in an upright
position, and shakes his head at the sky. When he does this, stop
parrying and move out of the way. He will jump to where you were
on the edge. Repeatedly do a speed attack until he starts flailing.
Then, do a fierce attack and when he is hanging on the edge, stab
him with the killing move. Repeatedly do this until he dies.
Escape From Osgiliath
When the Nazgul arrives, hide under anything that you
can get under. When the Nazgul's life meter appears, hide.
Paths Of The Dead
After you defeat the King of the Dead, you have to
run back through the level as the whole place comes down on your
head. When you get to the white mists that really slow you down,
try facing the opposite direction and jump backwards. This lets
you get through the mist faster.
Paths Of The Dead: Defeating the King Of The Dead
When fighting the King Of The Dead, always approach
him when you see the green/yellow/red bar above him (depending
on how much damage you inflict on him) and parry first. In the
beginning he will attack three times (usually with a green bar
above him), four times (usually with a yellow bar above him),
and five times (usually when a red bar is above him). Timing is
also a factor. As a rule, you want him to have a yellow or red
damage bar above him by the time he summons "Winds Of The
Mountain".
After awhile, the king will set up to use his "Wind Of The
Mountain" attack. You will start behind a rock on the very
right side of the level. If you go immediately, you can make it
to the other rock to the left without taking damage. When the
king pauses to recharge, step out from behind the rock. Then,
pour on the ranged attack. If you hurry, you can get five shots
off each time. If done correctly, you can take out a quarter of
his life each time he tries to set up the wind attack. If you
have any skill, he will not be able to use his wind more than
twice.
When fighting the King Of The Dead and he goes into his wind attacks
during that time that your are positioned behind a rock, between
attacks, jump out, then fire your range attack repeatedly. Make
sure you get behind the rock again before the wind starts. This
is most effective when playing as Legolas, as he can fire faster
than Gimli or Aragorn. This will prevent you from fighting the
dead champions (the dead soldiers with the green bar above their
head) later, which saves time and life.
When the King Of The Dead sends out his little minions, run all
the way back to where the cliff is located. Once his men appear,
they will not see you. Take out your bow and shoot one. He will
start to run towards you. Fight him, then repeat. Note: A similar
strategy also works at Shelob's Lair.
Road To Isengard: Killing Orcs
When you get to the part where you have to kill 65
Orcs, there is a small crack that you can hide in while the three
Ents kill all the Orcs. There are some that will stop at the opening
where the Orcs appear. You can just kill with your ranged attacks.
Shelob's Lair: Easy experience
When you get to the part where Sam says "I can't
get by this", fight all the Orcs. Once you have finished,
go to the top of the ridge where you push off the rocks. Push
the rock and the Orcs will be there, giving you more experience.
Shelob's Lair: Defeating Orcs
You can defeat a lot of the Orcs before you enter the
next area. For example, after you burn the spider web and go through
it, you will see an Orc meeting at the end of the tunnel. Go back
to the torches and pick one up. Even though you cannot see far
ahead, throw it in that direction. Amazingly, you will strike
every time. You can clear up the room before you even enter it.
Just throw the torch and you will hear the "hit" sound.
This will also work with the archers in the left tunnel ahead.
Fire will be useful if you use it to clear your way ahead, even
if you cannot see your enemy. It seems that Sam has great aim.
Shelob's Lair: Defeating Shelob
To easily defeat Shelob, make sure that you have the
move "Poison Blade" before entering this level. Charge
the move up when Shelob backs away, then strike when she approaches.
This will make the battle go much faster.
Southern Gate: Easy experience
Complete all the tasks until you have the gate open.
Do not go through the gate. Just fight all the creatures you can
as they keep respawning. Try to use combos to get into Perfect
mode then most of the enemies are worth 300 experience points.
When you cannot fight anymore, leave. Some small creatures give
out red health potions, allowing you to fight for a long period
of time.
As soon as you step on the drawbridge, you are ambushed by Orcs
and a Troll. Quickly run from the Troll and shoot the catapults.
Once this is done, do not go up on top of the gate. Kill all the
surrounding Orcs. Travel down as far as you can from the catapults
(not towards the gate). Once you have gone as far as you can,
turn and run left. When you cannot go left anymore, there should
be an area where Orcs are appearing. Keep killing them with arrows
before they reach you, and they will eventually stop. Then travel
to the right until you see another area where they are appear
from. Destroy them all here until they stop. Then, travel to the
right some more and do the same thing. In all, there should be
four different Orc spawning locations. When they stop coming from
all of these, they will no longer appear.
If you have already completed the game, you can go to the Southern
Gate level with a character that has a low level (for example,
Merry). When you are fighting the Orcs, stay there and keep fighting
them as much as needed. When your health gets low, use the "Health"
command and restore it.
At the end of the level after you have opened the gate, do not
use the pots to kill the extra Orcs. Instead, go down and fight
them by hand. By doing this you will gain about 2,000 more experience
points.
Southern Gate: Defeating Trolls
As soon as you step on the drawbridge, a giant Troll
will appear. Go back a few steps and pick up the spear. Throw
it at the Troll and it will die instantly.
Southern Gate: Endless enemies
Contrary to popular belief there is not an endless
supply of enemies in this level. Although it may seem like the
Orcs will not stop appearing, there are actually about 300 to
400 enemies.
Walls Of Minas Tirith: Courtyard
This level is difficult if you have not completed the
game. You have to keep fighting with Gandalf until you have saved
two hundred people. The level will start with twenty already safe,
but many Orcs will try to kill the free people. Trolls will appear
during the end of the level. To kill them, press Z to get
a spear and throw it at them. They will die automatically. Once
two hundred people are saved, the level will end.
Walls Of Minas Tirith: Siege towers
Destroy the first siege tower with the catapult near
the middle of the wall. It requires two hits to topple. For the
second tower that rolls over to the far right, you can just use
your projectiles to take it out. Keep firing at it in order to
bring it down.
Multi-player mode: Double kill
In co-operative multi-player mode, if one player you
starts to do a Bane (Orc, Warrior, or Sauron's Bane), attack the
enemy that the other player is using the Bane on to get two kills.
Note: The other player will get a Perfect while you will get either
a Fair, Good, or Excellent.
Defeating the Mountain King
When fighting the Mountain King, play as Gimli. Parry
until he stops attacking you, then speed attack him three times.
Throwing axes at him has no effect.
Purchasing upgrades
When you have the option to purchase new skills, make
sure you get the skill that allows you longer life, then purchase
skills for the entire team starting at level 2 and working up
to level 8 first.
Link moves
Learn how to "Link Move" (any special move
that requires you to parry first then followed by the combo move).
It will immediately place you in Perfect mode.
Entering Perfect mode
Use the following trick to enter Perfect mode very
quickly without taking any damage. When surrounded by a group
of enemies, rapidly press [Parry] to block all incoming
attacks. As you block, your special meter rises very quickly,
bringing you to Perfect mode. You can now quickly take out all
nearby enemies while racking up the Perfects. This is very useful
in Pelennor Fields. Another way to get to Perfect mode is to use Orc Bane, Bane Of
Saruman, or Warrior Bane, or to use Orc Hewer many times.