One RTS to rule them all!!
The gameplay for BFME II, is very good. Since this is the seconed time ive played an actual RTS game, i loved it. Everything really evolves around the A button, A to select, A to choose power, move ect, double tap A and you select everyone on screen, and Hold A to get formation view up. And when you do select a hero or battlion, you press A on the enemy again, and they begin fighting. And while your fighting, it depends on what type of troops it is if you want to win, like say if Gondor soldiers are fighting Gondor Tower Guard, the Gondor Soldiers will win, but if its cavalry fighting Gondor Soldiers, the Gondor Soldiers will loose, its goes around you see. Spearmen kills cavalry, cavalry kills archers, archers kill soldiers (unless in close combat) and soldiers kill spearmen/other soldiers. Then again heros come, and can kill everything. So yeah, the gameplay in BFME II, is great. There is naval ships, and boat wars, but there not the much used, and not that good either. The graphics in the game are a nice touch, but the charector models dont look all the great close up (only when there ontop of the walls in Helms Deep and Minas Tirith, so it doesnt really matter) but look great from a distance. Especially when there fighting, it is epic. The water on the other hand, looks amazing. Everything reflects of it, the sun shines in it, and just looks great. Explostions, special effects and animations are fantastic. The fighting animations, running, standing still and 'ready' animations are fantastic, its like watching real men running around fighting, but all they had to do was make more fighting animations. Ocasionly you'll see soldiers doing the same hits, and isnt all that great. But overall, it 'is; great.
The sound in BFME II is downright fantatstic. All of the songs from the movies are here, and the voice overs are sweet. All the cast from the movies are here and lend the voices in hand, and Gandalf, would have to be my favourite. It is so cool when you winning a war and the well known LoTR soundtrack jumps in and makes it all, epic. And with all these amazing effects, it tops it off with a 10
The value in this game is big, two campaignes, Evil and Good ones, Skirmish and a well done multiplayer service. It may be annoying when EA servers go down, but doesnt happens for me that often. The capmaign usually lasts a few days (if you try and get achievments like Servent of the Secret Fire where no heros die through out the campaign) but it is worth it if you dont have XBL, becouse theres a skirmish mode where you can just fight AI bots. Theres alot to this game, factions, maps, heroes ect. It really is worth it. But then again, if you dislike RTS and not a big LoTR fan, you might not get into this game.
Overall, i think it is a very good game, should be given a chance by all. Look out for Jimmy171, i'll be playing this one for a very long time.