In a nutshell:
Real-time strategy games are not normally the sort of thing you see on a console but EA have pulled out all the stops to make The Battle for Middle-Earth II work on the Xbox 360, with easy to learn controls and mountains of online options.

The lowdown:
Although most real-time strategy games are designed around using a PC keyboard and mouse they usually never get to appear on a console. With this game you’d never have guessed there was ever a problem with just a few button presses allowing you to direct vast armies and construct huge castles and encampments. Although the game is set during the same time period as the movies the action is focused elsewhere in Middle-Earth, although there’s still plenty of familiar faces. Although it benefits more than most from a HDTV screen the only real problem with the game is a slightly short single player campaign, but that shouldn’t be enough to put you off this rare console strategy treat.

Most exciting moment:
The best way to play the game is undoubtedly online, with five all new and very different game modes. The capture the flag mode works particularly well and ensures that multiplayer games never drag on too long or get too defensive.

Since you ask:
The success of this game will not only influence EA’s decision to bring Command & Conquer 3 to the Xbox 360 but THQ are also considering console versions of their real-time strategy games Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War and Company of Heroes.

The bottom line:
The first proper console based real-time strategy game for years.
HARRISON DENT