Instead of writing an in-depth review of the game, I want to present the feel of the game via a recorded summary of the actions/movements that were performed as we played the game. I think this summary speaks to the ability of the game to create incredibly dramatic and cinematic moments, while being very evenly matched and tense at the end!

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Initially the Fellowship, knowing what they had to do started moving toward Mordor to destroy the One Ring. They started in Rivendell slowly but surely moving south. Nevertheless, the Nazgul were quick to discover the whereabouts of the fellowship and work on corrupting the ring bearers.

With this, Gimli and Boromir split off from the fellowship in order to get things started. Their goal- to awaken the Ents in the forests of Fangorn to take on the growing threat of Sarumon in Orthanc.

While this was happening, the Free peoples (forgetting they could retreat into Strongholds before battles began) were woefully ill-prepared for battle in Gondor losing the Fords of Isen and the Stronghold of Dol Amroth.

While Sauron was building and moving armies in the north, Sarumon was also waging battles just outside the borders of Orthanc causing the free people in Rohan to retreat to Helm’s Deep. But in doing so, Orthanc was left suceptible to an Ent attack ultimately leading to the demise of Sarumon.

Building on this success, Legolas took a small army up north to regain some ground, but Sauron’s army started to move further into Rohan besieging Helm’s Deep.

Sauron, pitying the scared troops in Helm’s Deep, bolstered troops in the north preparing to take on Rivendell and the Woodland Realm. The fellowship continued to advance, but was suffering heavily from the corrupting power of the One Ring. Luckily, Strider, still guiding the fellowship was able to protect them as they traveled until they arrived in Lorien.

The mighty Gandalf the White and Gimli made there way to Helm’s Deep and we’re able to fight back the seiging army, freeing Helm’s Deep from Sauron’s encroaching grasp. Meanwhile, Sauron was bolstering his armies in the North.

While Rivendell was able to put up a fight, the leadership of Peregrin Took was simply not enough to take on the Witch King, and he was killed in battle as Rivendell fell to the Shadow People.

Things were looking bad for the Free People, but not all was lost. Boromir and Strider had broken off from the fellowship and made their way to Minas Tirith to prepare for the fellowship to make their way south. Upon his arrival, Strider was able to fully realize his potential as Heir to Isildur, becoming his much more powerful alter-ego, Aragorn. Frodo and Sam then, had to turn to Gollum to help guide them on their way to Mordor.

Ultimately the fellowship made it to Minas Tirith, eagerly awaited by Boromir and Aragorn. They continued on their way and eventually arrived in Mordor with only a few more steps to secure victory.

But while all this was happening, Sauron’s army had successfully overtaken the stronghold at Lorien. At this point, if the Woodland Realm were the fall, the war of the ring would be over, and all would be lost.

And after a relentless assault…. The Woodland Realm fell to Sauron’s army… BUT at that very minute, Aragorn had led the Dead Men of Dunharrow on an assault on Pelargir and retaken the city! Things were bleak… but not all was lost. Yet.

Sauron continued a relentless assault on both Erebor and Pelargir. The dwarves were able to muster up enough strength to take a counter-offense approach, but Pelargir was falling fast.

Frodo, Sam, and Gollum had made it through to the depths of Mordor, 40% of the way to throwing the ring in. Three steps to go. Pelargir holds strong. Just two more steps. Pelargir is down to two defenders and Aragorn. Just one step and the One Ring will be destroyed… but Aragorn can’t hold out any longer, and just like Pelargir, he has fallen. Yet at that very same moment, something else was falling… the One Ring. It had been thrust into the fury pits of Mount Doom at the very last second and the Free People had claimed victory in the War of the Ring.