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A genuinely cinematic RTS experience LOTR: Battle for Middle Earth is a game that largely succeeds in capturing the epic scope, look, and feel of the Peter Jackson movies. It is not without flaws, but these are forgivable and easily overlooked when you get into the heart of the action. My general impression of the game is that the title is fitting to a degree seldom seem in the RTS genre. BFME focuses on exactly what you might expect- the clash of the forces of Middle Earth at varied locations, many of which are taken verbatim from the movies, but some of which appear only in literature. The four playable factions- Rohan, Gondor, Isengard, and Mordor- feature units and structures that are instantly recognizable to anyone who has seen the films. There is little micromanagement, as buildings can only be built on specified camp areas, and resource gathering is done by structures rather than units. However, this doesn't mean you can ignore your base- buildings gain veterancy that allows production of superior units or more resources. Losing veteran structures can very well mean losing the war. Not only are the graphics visually representative of the movie look, but they function and behave like them too. Cavalry can run over foot infantry like so much grass, Mumakils charge into a dangerous frenzy when badly wounded, and Nazgul make devastating flyby attacks. Troops cower and run when something big (e.g. a Balrog) comes charging at them. Many units have special capabilities that add both uniqueness and strategic depth, such as the troll's ability to pick up and heave rocks at enemies. Heroes are likewise unique, critical to success at higher levels, and offer many interesting abilities. The voice acting, sound, and visual effects are all of the finest quality. Of particular notice is that many of the original cast members did voices for the game. There is a limited degree of freedom in the single play game, in that many objectives are optional and there is a 'living map' mode where you can choose areas to attack. At some points in the campaign you are drawn to pivotal events (e.g. Frodo entering Shelob's lair) that loosely follow the Tolkien script. This is where some purists might cry foul, as it takes pretty significant liberties with the plot. You don't have much choice in fulfilling the main objectives, either, so Gandalf is going to have to walk out of Moria after putting the Balrog in its place. Then again, it is kind of fun to do something different, rather than just replaying the story as we know it. The interface, music, and overall production values are superb. BFME uses the C&C Generals engine, though the gameplay and quality is generally (no pun intended) superior. The game is exceptionally stable- I've played it for at least 40 hours, and it has not crashed a single time. This is literally unheard of in my (extensive) gaming experience. Unit balance is well done, with good balance of numbers vs. quality for the various races. Pluses aside, there are a few problems with the game. Units move around as squads, in a manner similar to the Total War series (though with far fewer units in general). On occasion, however, I've had individual men get stuck on buildings, rocks, or nothing in particular. The AI is also rather deficient, often attacking stupidly despite taking heavy losses or sending piecemeal forays at heavily guarded areas. It doesn't seem to know how to use the (very handy) light or dark powers to good effect, and units in general don't respond to being shot at by archers. Additionally, when there are many units on the screen performance can take a serious hit. I had to turn down detail several times to make the Minas Tirith level run decently. I must also say that the single play campaign is a bit too easy and forgiving. You can resurrect dead heroes at any citadel, so in any mission where you have one, it's really hard to not have the hero continue the campaign. If you're at all good at RTS type games, you'll soon have a crack corps of veteran units that simply can't be defeated, no matter how many hordes the enemy throws at you. I also dislike the look of upgrades in general- the glow weapons and armor take on looks silly, even if it does clearly identify such troops. Many campaign missions also suffer from repetitive objectives- just go out and kill them all. There are a few surprises, but not as many as I'd have liked. Fortunately, all of the areas are unique rather than randomly generated, which adds diversity to the look of Middle Earth. For those who are interested, there are skirmish and multiplay modes. These add the rather amusing ability to play as good vs. good or evil vs. evil, and you can pick most of the campaign areas to wage multiplayer warfare. The tactical aspect of the game is interesting enough to make this fun, but I've so far found the campaign to really be the meat of the title. If you enjoy the LOTR movies and like real time strategy games, BFME is a must-have. Even if you're not that big a fan of the series, the cinematic quality of the game is really something that must be seen to be be believed. LOTR: BFME is also a great strategy game in its own right, and certain to bring many hours of enjoyment.