The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth

 PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 332 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 282 out of 332
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 332
  3. Negative: 9 out of 332
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  1. Josh
    Apr 3, 2005
    10
    Anyone who says it is below 5 is just plain rubbish at it. It is an amazing game and it has been made to its full portential.
  2. ObiewonKabobie
    Dec 6, 2004
    10
    I think this game is perfect in every single way.
  3. TerranceB.
    Jan 6, 2005
    10
    Maybe not the deepest RTS ever, but it's a beauty of a game. A lot of fun without all the tedium of a traditional RTS.
  4. Zac
    Dec 20, 2004
    10
    An absolute ripper of a game! Don't think about buying it, just buy it!
  5. AndyG.
    Nov 1, 2005
    10
    Best pc game ever!
  6. Carl
    Feb 23, 2006
    10
    sipley the best game ever great grapics and sounds this game is the best game in the world!
  7. DillonN.
    Jun 13, 2006
    10
    This game is awesome. You know exactly what to do and hot to do it. It gives you a really good tutoriul that doesnt just tell you how to play it, but it also sums all the movies up so you know what you are fighting for. The game is awesome!
  8. SereneT.
    Dec 8, 2004
    10
    Great polish game! Definitely a must buy for RTS fans!
  9. Sam
    Nov 7, 2005
    10
    Excellent game.
  10. JasonH.
    Nov 25, 2004
    10
    A masterpiece. Buy it.
  11. AndyS.
    Dec 11, 2004
    10
    This game is cool the best player you can be on this is the gondor people because you can have a well fortified base.
  12. Sesshomaru764
    Sep 27, 2010
    10
    Battle For Middle-Earth is a really fun and enjoyable game it is very well made and has years upon years of gameplay and has stunning graphics for such an old game. This games campaign will drag you inside MIddle-Earth and allow you to follow in the footsteps of the movies. If you are a Lord Of The Rings fan this is a must get, I have been playing it for some time now and I enjoy it muchBattle For Middle-Earth is a really fun and enjoyable game it is very well made and has years upon years of gameplay and has stunning graphics for such an old game. This games campaign will drag you inside MIddle-Earth and allow you to follow in the footsteps of the movies. If you are a Lord Of The Rings fan this is a must get, I have been playing it for some time now and I enjoy it much more then any other game like StarCraft2. It has a few problems because if you have a large monitor for whatever reason doesn't let you start up the game but that can be fixed my going to the EA website and finding the solution to that problem. The people of EA LA are a great game developer and hopefully they will keep up the great job.… Expand
  13. Empyrea
    Jun 9, 2018
    10
    Strategy game and The Lord of The Rings: you mix it and you get an awesome game. I really loved this game.
  14. Nikitosss95
    Feb 13, 2021
    10
    This game is super satisfying for hardcore LOTR fans, I simply love it for its interesting campaign as well as custom battle system
  15. Sagorgot
    Dec 10, 2021
    10
    Отличная стратегия в любимой вселенной. А главное, не менее счастливое детство.
  16. NoahsNexus
    Apr 6, 2023
    10
    The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth is an absolute masterpiece of a real-time strategy game. The attention to detail in recreating the epic battles and iconic characters from J.R.R. Tolkien's legendary fantasy world is nothing short of incredible. From the opening cinematic to the final battle, the game immerses you in Middle-Earth like no other.

    The gameplay is both deep    The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth is an absolute masterpiece of a real-time strategy game. The attention to detail in recreating the epic battles and iconic characters from J.R.R. Tolkien's legendary fantasy world is nothing short of incredible. From the opening cinematic to the final battle, the game immerses you in Middle-Earth like no other.

    The gameplay is both deep and accessible, with intuitive controls and a satisfying progression system that rewards strategy and skill. The ability to control legendary heroes like Gandalf, Aragorn, and Legolas in battle adds a level of excitement and strategy that few games can match.

    The visuals are stunning, with detailed character models, beautifully rendered environments, and stunning special effects that bring the battles to life in ways that surpass even the films. The soundtrack is also top-notch, with memorable themes that will stay with you long after the game is over.

    Overall, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth is an absolute must-play for any fan of the books or films, and any fan of real-time strategy games in general. It's a masterpiece that sets the bar for what a licensed game can and should be. 10/10, without a doubt.    … Expand
  17. [Anonymous]
    Dec 20, 2004
    9
    I love it! If you take you time to play it a little more, learn it (and have a good computer), you will see that it is a very good game! it really captures very well the lord of the rings feeling. A must play!
  18. Johan
    Sep 1, 2005
    9
    Great game, very, very, addictive. Super sounds, fantastic graphics and good AI. Altough the engine could be better; When fighting big battles the engine slows down a bit, even on high-end PC's. Overall: BUY IT!!! When you love RTS.
  19. ChrisL.
    Jul 27, 2007
    9
    This game was awesome. It's worth it. Much better than its sequels. It's a familiar world that you can furthermore explore (If you watched the movies).
  20. CharlesH.
    Dec 8, 2004
    9
    This game offers a unique balance of figuritive characters and an epic RPS, truly remarkable.
  21. Kurt
    Oct 25, 2005
    9
    The game does have some minor flaws, but the multiplayer aspect is outstanding. Get a friend or two to play along with you and it will be an instant classic.
  22. Chapy
    Jul 22, 2011
    9
    The game was a rare gem and one of my first and fondest competitive gaming experiences. The gameplay was unique and focused on battles and strategy first and foremost. It was easy to pick up and fun to play, and I don't think there has been any RTS games that have scratched this same itch since its death, not even its sequels did it justice. Now we can only hope for a BFME 3 with similarThe game was a rare gem and one of my first and fondest competitive gaming experiences. The gameplay was unique and focused on battles and strategy first and foremost. It was easy to pick up and fun to play, and I don't think there has been any RTS games that have scratched this same itch since its death, not even its sequels did it justice. Now we can only hope for a BFME 3 with similar gameplay to BFME 1 but with much needed UI and community interface improvements.… Expand
  23. molemaster43
    Mar 8, 2013
    9
    I'd say that this is one of the best strategy game out there. It turns the beloved Lord of the Rings series into one video game featuring all of our favorite characters and battles, such as Helm's Deep, Minas Tirith, and Amon Hen. The alternate evil campaign is also very interesting. It features a brand new evil sequence set to represent the evil taking over Middle-Earth. Both campaignsI'd say that this is one of the best strategy game out there. It turns the beloved Lord of the Rings series into one video game featuring all of our favorite characters and battles, such as Helm's Deep, Minas Tirith, and Amon Hen. The alternate evil campaign is also very interesting. It features a brand new evil sequence set to represent the evil taking over Middle-Earth. Both campaigns are incredibly challenging and are lengthy, which makes this a great game. Skirmish mode is a fun as well. Overall, an incredible strategy game with awesome gameplay and heated battles.… Expand
  24. ElleryHQ
    Dec 20, 2020
    9
    Из всех игр по властелину, эта была единственная, что передала атмосферу фильма. Геймплей плохо сбалансирован, но тем не менее очень хорош.
  25. Genek13
    Nov 15, 2019
    9
    Great RTS form C&C Generals makers.
    Very faithful to the movie - units, buildings etc
    It's a shame that I cannot buy it digital anymore....
  26. Hochbichler
    Jan 10, 2023
    9
    The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth is a classic RTS game, developed on license in 2004 following the huge success of the Lord of the Rings movies. As a big fan of the LOTR, both books and movies, I was rather sceptical of this game before its release, because license games made only with the vision of emulating the success of the original work very often fail. But I wasThe Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth is a classic RTS game, developed on license in 2004 following the huge success of the Lord of the Rings movies. As a big fan of the LOTR, both books and movies, I was rather sceptical of this game before its release, because license games made only with the vision of emulating the success of the original work very often fail. But I was wrong, very wrong in fact. I distinctly remember buying the DVD in a local games shop, spending more than a months worth of pocket money on it. But I was not disappointed and nor am I today, after replaying the game 18 years later. First of all, the graphics was just amazing, for a 2004 RTS game, it looked really great and it still looks very good today. Second of all, the license stuff, like actor likenesses, voice acting, clips from the movie, is used in a really clever way, it does not appear forced or unnatural. The good and evil campaigns are narrated by Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Christopher Lee respectively. Especially the very distinct voice of Saruman is truly amazing. The fantastic movie soundtrack also makes for a fantastic game soundtrack it appears. But even the gameplay side of the game is really well done. The campaigns are great and the fact that an evil campaign where you kill the fellowship one by one and end up with Sauron ruling the Middle-Earth is very nice addition. The story missions take you through the major battles of the War of the Ring, the remaining missions are a bit repetitive, but the gameplay is fun so at no point was I getting bored. You can level up all your units and take them with you from mission to mission. So you can either build and train one super powerful army, take care of the men, heal them, not let them die and end up with a level 10 superarmy or you can just use your troops as cannon fodder and simply swarm your enemy with sheer number (this especially makes sense when playing for evil). Frankly I am struggling to find any negatives about this game. There were some problems with balance early on, but they were eventually fixed, as I said the filler missions are pretty repetitive and there is not that many of the story missions, but those are not major flaws. No microtransactions and no SJW.

    Fantastic RTS which managed to transform the great movies into a great game. That is an achievement on its own. In my opinion, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth is the best LOTR game of all times. Final Verdict: 90 %    … Expand
  27. BreathOfShadow
    Feb 20, 2022
    9
    Таких стратегий больше не делают к сожалению
  28. MrBrooun
    Oct 13, 2022
    9
    забавно, что электроники когда то издавали такой шедевр, как же давно это было
  29. LeeA.
    May 24, 2005
    8
    Solid game that makes good use of the license and concentrates on the action elements rather than base building. It would be a perfect entry to strategy gaming but offers enough to keep hardcore strategy gamers who are fans of the film interested especially in the film levels (Minas Tirith, Helms Deep etc). The levels offer different challenges and it can be challenge to keep all your Solid game that makes good use of the license and concentrates on the action elements rather than base building. It would be a perfect entry to strategy gaming but offers enough to keep hardcore strategy gamers who are fans of the film interested especially in the film levels (Minas Tirith, Helms Deep etc). The levels offer different challenges and it can be challenge to keep all your heros alive. The game gets easier as your heros level up but if you dont cheat and restart a level if a hero is killed then it would add to the difficulty level. Will require a top spec machine with a good DVD drive.… Expand
  30. PabloEscobarL.
    Dec 27, 2004
    8
    This game is way different from everything I played before so I am not use to it yet. But I must say that it means my expectations. The graphics and sound are great if you have a bad ass computer like mine. There is a lot to improve in this game, but overall is pretty good to play against each other online. PS. World of Warcraft is way better game.
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Awards & Rankings

35
#35 Best PC Game of 2004
22
#22 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
35
#35 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. Warcry
    85
    The plain gameplay, awkward balance, and poor optimization are flaws to be sure, but they are offset by stellar graphics, sound effects, and voice acting (all of which make for a very immersive atmosphere).
    Read full review
  2. Next Level Gaming
    80
    So how do the graphics look? Well I must say I was wholly unimpressed.
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  3. IGN
    83
    The focus on combat is great, I just wish the combat had been as sterling as I had imagined it would be. The small number of units just doesn't provide the depth that I was hoping for.
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