Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critics What's this?

User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 65 Ratings

  • Summary: Based on the PC version of the same name, The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II for the Xbox 360 will bring players into the heart of Middle-earth to live the battles seen in the blockbuster New Line Cinema films and classic J.R.R. Tolkien literary fiction. The game boasts a new and intuitive console-specific control scheme that will allow novice players to enjoy the game’s signature strategy gameplay while giving expert players the flexibility needed to engage in a deeply complex strategy experience. Players will directly control hundreds of units in an attempt to defeat enemy armies, conquer new lands, and seal the fate of Middle-earth. [Electronic Arts] Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 50
  2. Negative: 0 out of 50
  1. Sure, the camera can be a pain and the map isn't in any way natural to use, but you get used to these quirks and they don't get in the way of the very engaging gameplay, while very authentic renditions of every aspect of the LOTR world, both visually and aurally, are spread across the various campaigns and multiplayer game modes.
  2. We have seen the future of real-time strategy on Xbox 360, and its name is Battle for Middle-Earth II. [Sept 2006, p.76]
  3. The controls and easy command selection allow anyone to enter the fray, while the ferocious battles will keep skilled players at bay.
  4. Probably the best console RTS that we’ve ever played in terms of flexibility and control, but it will still prove frustratingly slow and awkward to seasoned PC and Mac users. [Aug 2006, p.116]

See all 50 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 26
  3. Negative: 6 out of 26
  1. This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This real time strategy game that takes you through all new Middle-Earth environments, new factions, characters, units and buildings. Set in the same time frame of the movies, book and original Battle for Middle-Earth game, BFME2 takes players on the the edge of their seats. All the excitement in the movies of what happens next is in this game, BFME is here again, with the most outstanding graphics never seen before, audio and solid game play.

    Battle for Middle-Earth II contains three game play modes all different for one another; campaign, skirmish, and War of the Ring modes. In addition, there is multiplayer player capability for both skirmish and War of the Ring game modes. which makes the game a lot more exciting, you have to hunt for your own resources you have to defend; your land, your castle, and your leaders. you need to upgrade your armour your weapons, at a pace in order to survive against you enemy. Build your watch towers, build your barracks, build you castle, and most of all build you walls here come the biggest fantasy , tactical war game you have ever played. There are two single player campaigns within The Battle for Middle-Earth II with one played as a good faction and the other played as one of the evil factions of Middle-Earth. The overall flow and story of the campaign mode is exciting. Each campaign is broken up into a series of missions that tell a story, to progress through this story you'll have to achieve certain objectives within each mission. to achieve this you will be defending or attacking on one of the many skirmish maps. so be prepared
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  2. LazarA.
    10
    This is a cool game. I love it. I can not stop playing it. Thanks for making it.
  3. CarcasG.
    8
    Take it from me the game is good and it deserves a nine but anyone who would dare rate any lord of the rings game below a 6 or 60 is craz. Long live Tolkien and Peter J. Expand
  4. ReelW.
    4
    Good graphics, but I really just couldn't get into the control scheme. As pointed out, RTS games are better on PC than console and this one proves the point. Points for graphics, and voice overs, but if you really want to sink your teeth into an RTS game, I'd do it on the computer instead using the trusty mouse instead of a controller. Expand

See all 26 User Reviews