The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II is a real time strategy computer game published by Electronic Arts
The most important new feature is the 'build anywhere' style. Players cannot build on uneven terrain or in trees. Players start with builders and can use them to create any structure they can afford. This allows more freedom and faster troop production. Some veterans of the original game dislike the new feature since it removes one of the unique features that the series had. Making the whole game simpler and close to other games (like Command and Conquer: Generals).
The Citadel that was the center of a base in the first game has been removed, and replaced with a fortress. The fortress is much more powerful than the citadel, as it can be upgraded with many defenses, including up to 6 catapults, arrow towers, walls, and faction-exclusive upgrades (like mines for Isengard) that can branch off it. Still the fortress serves the same functions as the citadel, which is training heroes. However, the walls of the fortress cannot have troops sitting on top of them. While this was considered in production, it was decided they were too bulky.
Resource gathering has been changed as well. Originally, all resource gathering structures would generate an amount depending on their level. Now they are more influenced by the terrain surrounding them (although they can still gain levels). To prevent players from creating large amounts of resource buildings, for the resources as well as command points, any resource generator too close to another will receive a substantial loss to income. Generators grant an initial 50 command points, as well as 25 more for each level, totaling a possible 100 command points.
Most of the units come in a battalion (for good factions) or horde (evil faction). Only bigger units don't do this. Almost all units may be upgraded, some upgrades need to be purchased by the player, while others only require the unit to increase a level or two. This upgrade system is a simpler version of the original game's unit upgrade system, where the player had to research it first and buy it for his units.
Plot
The campaign is divided into two parts, Good Campaign, and Evil Campaign, as further described below. Instead of the world-map overview as given in the last game, the player goes through eight missions that are rather short and easy to complete. This was considered a downgrade from the last game, but the War of the Ring mode was a replacement for the former campaign.
Setting
Unlike its predecessor, the game is set mainly in the northern regions of Middle-earth, and focuses on the events on the war there. Factions include the Elves, Dwarves, Men of the West (Gondor and Rohan combined) and the Goblins, along with Mordor and Isengard. For the Good campaign, the story starts in Rivendell where the Goblins from the Misty Mountains are poised to attack, while the Fellowship of the Ring journey south. For the Evil campaign, it begins with the siege of Lórien from Mordor's stronghold of Dol Guldur.
The story highlights some of the events of the novel which may be unfamiliar to audiences of the New Line films. As Electronic Arts had acquired a license from Tolkien Enterprises as well as one for the films, they used the battles in the north as the focal point, which are only briefly hinted at in the Extended Edition of The Return of the King DVD, and noted in the Appendices of the novel.
In the novel, it is explained that while the front of the war that the members of the Fellowship of the Ring are experiencing (which is directly depicted by the films) is the primary one, it is in fact a war fought on many fronts across Middle-earth.
However, the game and its version of the war in the north should not be seen an accurate record of what Tolkien actually wrote, since many liberties have been taken.
Locations
The Battle for Middle-earth II has over forty different locations in Skirmish mode, including: * Caradhras (the Redhorn Pass) * Ettenmoors * Mirkwood * The Shire * Fangorn Forest * Dunland * The Black Gate
The game also boasts a few fortress maps, allowing the player to command or siege a fortress.(Although these are best played multiplayer as the AI rarely cooperates). * Minas Tirith * Helm's Deep * Isengard * Minas Morgul * Dol Guldur * Mithlond * Erebor * Rivendell
War of the Ring Mode
The War of the Ring mode was not unlike the Campaign from the previous game, but with major changes that benefit gameplay. You choose one of the six races and battle throughout Middle-earth, capturing domains controlled by your enemy until you or your enemy controls the entirety of Middle-earth. You can garrison troops in territories you control, making it so that if your enemy attacks, you have soldiers there to defend. Once attacked or when you are attacking an enemy, you can choose to either simulate it, and let the computer determine the outcome, or fight it out while actually commanding your units, playing just like the normal skirmishes in the game. It should be noted that you will more than likely lose more units simulating when attacking than if you simply fought it out RTS style.
Collector's Edition
Here we can see the heroes of the game, minus Tom Bombadil, who is summoned using Evenstar points, and Eowyn - near the bottom right Galadriel can be seen - the most powerful character there. She can destroy a whole unit with one swipe. Gandalf is also using his lightning sword; he is aiming it at a Haradrim building, used to build Haradrim soldiers and soldiers of Rhun. The enemy's encampment has been destroyed. NOTE: This is the collectors edition screenshot. The battle scene/map is of Osgiliath. This is in skirmish mode - NOT in storyline.
Here we can see the heroes of the game, minus Tom Bombadil, who is summoned using Evenstar points, and Eowyn - near the bottom right Galadriel can be seen - the most powerful character there. She can destroy a whole unit with one swipe. Gandalf is also using his lightning sword; he is aiming it at a Haradrim building, used to build Haradrim soldiers and soldiers of Rhun. The enemy's encampment has been destroyed. NOTE: This is the collectors edition screenshot. The battle scene/map is of Osgiliath. This is in skirmish mode - NOT in storyline.
Besides the normal edition of The Battle for Middle-earth II, Electronic Arts released a Collector's Edition of the game exclusively for the PC-version. This edition has five additional maps, including Weathertop and Argonath, new monster skins and models, slightly changed special effects and in multiplayer games the "Create-A-Hero" gets a star on top to identify Collector’s Edition gamers during on-line play or Skirmish. It also contains a bonus DVD with e.g. Making-Of Videos, an Artwork-Viewer, the game music or the complete ingame videos.
People however, found the slogan advertising the Collector’s Edition, "Control the Dragon", somewhat misleading, because it implied only Collector’s Edition owners could control the in-game Dragon. But in reality, the Collector’s Edition owners only gained several more skins and a different model for the Dragon. Xbox owners can also "control the Dragon" Many people though, did not make a giant issue out of this controversy, seeing as in some countries the Collector’s Edition shipped for the same price as the normal game edition and the Collector’s Edition was regarded as a good buy.