The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II PC
Metascore
84 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
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  1. Pelit (Finland)
    92
    Innovative, fun to play and a joy to watch. A breath of fresh air in the stale real-time strategy genre. [Mar 2006]
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  2. GameShark
    91
    This doesn't feel like a knock-off Lord of the Rings game, rather it comes off as a true labor of love from designers that have a very good understanding of the material from which they are working and the finished product is much better because of it.
  3. AceGamez
    90
    Ultimately, playing games should always be about fun and that's why I absolutely loved playing this game.
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  4. GamesRadar
    90
    It's not often you come across an RTS with production values this high; every part seems to be polished till it shines.
  5. IGN
    90
    Battle for Middle-earth II is proof that EA was serious about getting back into the good graces of serious RTS fans.
  6. Gamezilla!
    90
    It helps all the more if you can recognize the subtle genius in zerging an enemy base with a battalion of Lothlórien elves, but even if you can’t, it’s still worth a long look.
  7. PC Gamer
    90
    It's hard to find much fault in this fun and well-balanced game. It's set in arguably the best fantasy universe ever and its production values are sky-high. [May 2006, p.68]
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  8. Gamer 2.0
    90
    Ounce for ounce, this sequel improves upon its predecessor in every imaginable way, and as a result, is even more delightful. It’s fun, exciting, and beautiful to see and hear.
  9. GamePro
    90
    Improves upon the original in several fundamental ways. Most importantly, it allows you to build your fortresses and buildings anywhere on the map, rather than pre-set building zones, opening your strategy up and allowing for a lot more variation in gameplay.
  10. Computer Games Magazine
    90
    All that said, Battle for Middle-Earth II is undeniably a labor of love, a grand work of art, and easily the best-looking game of 2006 so far. [Jun 2006, p.65]
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  11. Game Over Online
    88
    If you think you’d be up for a fantasy RTS title that takes its combat halfway seriously, you owe it to yourself to at least try the demo. If you like that small taste, you can be sure that the retail version is a full course.
  12. Just RPG
    88
    A solid RTS experience. With beautiful graphics and sound, balanced gameplay, and six different factions to play as, RTS fans won’t want to miss this one!
  13. GameZone
    87
    What self-respecting Tolkien fan can be without this title? While the game does have a few stumbling points, this is a well-done RTS that enables players to experience the turmoil of the fantasy world, or just to create their own legacy within this fantastic realm.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.0 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 230 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 66
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 66
  3. Negative: 22 out of 66
  1. GameDogsLeader
    10
    The Lord of the Rings, Battle for Middle-earth II, Is an Extremely good RTS game. That any RTS player should give a try. Its campaign is good good with voices and music. Outstanding game play I never get tired of going back and playing a match in multiplayer or even a little of campaign. With the Create a Hero and War of the Ring It gives more game play. The create a hero is Amazing I would be sitting there making heroes with strategy's for each one, But sooner or later I would have 100 heroes and never use a majority of my strategy's. As the game is great go play it and if you don't like it then you aren't a fan of Lotr. Well thats fine but that dose not mean its not a great game. The balance is very good but still some mess ups there.… Full Review »
  2. kane148
    6
    After playing and enjoying the first Battle for Middle Earth, I was excited about this game, but ultimately was disappointed. The game succeeds in taking us to previously-unseen places and allowing us to command new forces, but for all the glamour I never found it particularly compelling. I suppose that's what happens when it lacks the known characters of the original but fails to create new memorable characters or story. I did like that unlike its predecessor this game allows you to (mostly) freely build structures instead of using nodes, but this is small comfort. This was definitely a game that I finished more out of duty than enjoyment.… Full Review »
  3. M.Braun
    6
    Bad performance caused by bad programming, very unbalanced units, online almost not possible not to rush - online games are to 90% about 15-20 minutes long. Heroes too strong for the relative cheap price.… Full Review »
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