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To produce a console RTS game that equals its PC counterpart is no mean feat, and here Electronic Arts has even surpassed it slightly in some areas.
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Simple enough to pick up and play after only a cursory glance at the control scheme, but it also provides the sort of depth that genre fans crave. Far from being a kiddie version of a PC game, Battle simply streamlines the controls down to their quick, intuitive essence.
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AceGamezSure, 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.
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Much like Bioware's "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Middle-earth II" has been created from the ground up with the Tolkien fan in mind. Those who appreciate this incredible body of fiction will love being able to wage epic battles with the touch of a few buttons.
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There is a lot of gameplay to be enjoyed in the game thanks to the highly entertaining multiplayer mode, the presentation is superb (albeit somewhat less so if you’re playing on a SDTV), and the game makes good use of its source material.
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A great game for anyone who enjoys The Lord of the Rings, fantasy, strategy games, or Xbox Live. It’s a surprisingly well ported game that really shouldn’t play anywhere near as good as it does.
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The controller is a very suitable replacement for the mouse, the situations within the game are appealing and interesting, plus you can play online with up to four people.
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The controls and easy command selection allow anyone to enter the fray, while the ferocious battles will keep skilled players at bay.
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EA has taken great care in delivering a solid storyline that aficionados of the series will certainly enjoy while at the same time creating the world’s greatest console RTS control scheme.
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One of those rare licensed games that actually transcends its license to provide a great gaming experience for anyone willing to give it a shot.
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Official Xbox MagazineWe have seen the future of real-time strategy on Xbox 360, and its name is Battle for Middle-Earth II. [Sept 2006, p.76]
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Play MagazineThe control scheme, though a bit Byzantine, works well. [Aug 2006, p.58]
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As engrossing as it is pretty, while also offering up a rare control system that allows the game's core real-time strategy component to remain the right side of intuitively 'real-time' without ever lapsing into finger-breaking trials of game-pad frustration.
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It’s not without minor flaws, but overall, it’s a really satisfying experience that broadens the horizons of console gaming.
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The title is packed full of features and boasts fun gameplay, with good graphics, and sound.
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Games Master UKA genuinely successful console RTS and a sumptuous slice of strategy. [Sept 2006, p.74]
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Pelit (Finland)I thought it was impossible to play an RTS with a gamepad, but I stand corrected. BFME2 is an expertly crafted console conversion of a good strategy game, but you definitely need a high-definition television to play it. [Aug 2006, p.39]
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Apart from the control scheme, the game is virtually indistinguishable from the PC experience. As such, this is a pretty good introduction to real-time strategy for console gamers, and a good way to discover the joys of building up huge armies and using them to crush your opponents.
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It a shame it took developers this long to come up with a console RTS control scheme, but alas it is here and it is glorious.
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The game is deep with 16 single-player missions, and a hefty set of maps in five Xbox Live multiplayer modes should give it online legs. Like I've been saying all along, this is the sleeper hit of the summer on Xbox 360.
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The control scheme feels comfortable, albeit not quite as precise as a good old keyboard and mouse, and is paired up to an equally well-executed interface.
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This title is easily the best RTS game seen on consoles. The control scheme allows anyone to jump into the game fairly quickly, although you cannot get as detailed with your strategies and forces.
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EA should be commended for creating a console control scheme that works well in real-time strategy games. But that doesn’t mean that this is the best way to play Battle for Middle Earth, or an Xbox 360 game for that matter.
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With the new control system there is a bit of a learning curve, especially if you're not familiar with other RTS titles. However, if you give the game a few missions and a chance to learn the controls properly, BFME2 should appeal to most RPG and Strategy fans out there, and even a few of the action-oriented gamers.
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The single-player may be over in a day or two, but you'll spend many more happy weeks and months starting skirmishes or challenging friends online.
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I'm very pleased with how TBfM-eII on the 360 turned out, and while it does have some issues, it's a shining example of how persistence and well-constructed game design can bring a classic genre of games to the unlikely console platform in true style.
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Yes, the RTS genre has been seen on consoles in the past, but never to this level, and with this much polish.
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Our main gripe with BMEII? The battles aren't big enough. Though the unit sizes have been increased from the previous PC version, they're still pitifully small. [Aug 2006, p.8]
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Game InformerTaking into account the uphill battle this title had to fight, it comes out much the same as the PC edition (minus the Risk-like War of the Ring mode)--which is not a bad thing to say. [Aug 2006, p.86]
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The controls aren’t quite 100% satisfactory, but an incredibly brave attempt has been made and should be applauded.
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This slow-paced strategy game is just as successful on console as it is on PC - in fact it's hobbit forming.
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RTS based on the LOTR franchise seems like a perfect fit, and the fact that it plays so good on a console makes this one a clear winner.
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360 Gamer Magazine UKThe definitive LOTR game. [Issue #12]
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It is very nice to know that RTS games are very much so playable on the 360, and this can only mean that the trend will be upward.
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Let’s face it: there’s only so much you can do with a simple Xbox 360 controller. I think EALA has really taken advantage of the peripheral in question, and has also tweaked the gameplay enough so that micromanagement is less of a need.
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Being able to (mostly) control an RTS on a console is great, but it still has a few control and graphics snafus to work through.
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Electronic Gaming MonthlyEach campaign mission plays out in wonderfully designed stages created specifically to capture your imagination. [Aug 2006, p.86]
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A quality console RTS game. There are still times that I’d prefer playing this type of game on a PC, but overall I found the controls easy to work with and although I was frustrated at my lack of ability I didn’t think it was the fault of the controls at all.
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As far as multiplayer goes, while a couple heroes dispatching entire enemy armies on their own might seem true to the spirit of the films, it hardly makes for a balanced and satisfying online encounter.
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This superport does an admirable job of taking a complex PC game from an intimidatingly complex PC genre and making it an accessible console title. If any part of your heart enjoys playing on Live, you'll be too busy crushing the hobbits to even notice that you can't quite select the unit you were aiming for.
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Remaining credible to the works of Tolkien, EA LA have adapted The Lord of the Rings into the mechanics of an RTS with some success, though there are one or two niggles that stop this from being a classic.
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games(TM)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]
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It's hard to imagine how this epic strategy game's control scheme could be any better on a console, but it's still not quite a match for the precision of the PC version.
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Something of a disappointment. One cannot fault EA for trying to bring an intelligent strategy game to the console yet at the same time the removal of the dynamic campaign shows that the publisher wasn't quite convinced the game would fly on the console.
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One of the best console RTS titles in a long time, if you've avoided RTS titles in the past on consoles then this game will change your perception on whether they can work or not.
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X-ONE Magazine UKAs long as you're a fan of the RTS format, it's hard to fault Battle for Middle-Earth II on anything other than the controls. We think most will adapt soon enough, though. [Issue 9, p.84]
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Ultimately, it's ony worthwhile for those that don't have a decent gaming PC.
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While Battle does a serviceable job of distilling the requisite commands into an intuitive sequence of button taps on the controller, it doesn't come close to the convenience of the tried-and-true keyboard and mouse combination. Playing on the 360 feels like flying an airplane using only the ''cabin lights off'' switch.
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BFME 2 presents a visual spectacle that's quite engaging, as long as you're playing it through a high definition display. Drop it down to a standard definition TV, and you'll find yourself looking at tiny units and blurred text.
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I’ll give EA credit for trying what few companies have the cajones (or cockiness) to do –stick an RTS on a television. Unfortunately, the result of their effort is somewhat inconsistent and misses the smooth, intuitive play of the original.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 86 out of 109
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Mixed: 12 out of 109
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Negative: 11 out of 109
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Dec 17, 2013
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ReelW.Aug 18, 2006
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Nov 28, 2013