The Battle for Middle Earth II

[roadrunner]

I used to love these games but I finish the single person too fast and usually get my butt kick in multi therefor I have avoided them recently. I did play the demo and I admit it was fun.

[Outbound]

I like the makeover of the first one, but I still have issues with it. Your units are much "smarter" if you tell them to take aggressive stances, because they actually attack enemies that get close. However, if something out of their range attacks them they just stand there, and unless you've got your eye on them they're dead. I've had the problem of NOT putting them in aggressive and they'll just sit there until specifically attacked, once again by something in their range.

Another issue is that weak buildings are too weak. The farms and towers go down WAY too fast, especially considering the fact that the enemy computer is always using Zerg tactics and you have to spread out your farms to gather resources. Unless you have something protecting each and every farm that isn't right next to your base, it will fall. On the other hand, if the enemy is limited to going through one place you can block them off and just sit there leveling up.

And that's the other issue. Leveling up is REALLY fast in this game, and like the last game, leveled up squads are insanely powerful in comparison to normal squads. Heroes seem to be harder to level up than in the last game, but they're still extremely tough even on Level 1, and like squads can be pulled back and healed the moment there's a problem. To me an RTS should have elements of sacrifice, but if you're playing effectively you won't lose a troop.

All in all I like it better than the last one, but it didn't overcome some of the fundamental problems the first had.

[Gunther]

Although I did not get this game for myself, I purchased it as a Birthday gift for my 14 year old nephew (dumdrumer). Hopefully I can play it on his machine some time.