Lord Of The Rings - An Alternate View

More of this Feature • Part 2: Brian Stephens' Review of LotR • Part 3: Free Scenario for Bag End to Rivendell    Join the Discussion What do *you* think of the Lord of the Rings board game? In the Forum     Related Resources • LotR Board Game Links • Rate LotR • Session Report: IVG • Session Report: SSG • Session Report: WBG    From Other Guides • LotR Movie Trilogy • LotR Action Figures

When the cooperative Lord of the Rings board game (compare prices) designed by Reiner Knizia hit stores, the reaction from gamers was immediate.

The game uses a cooperative system that means every player wins or every player loses -- there is no individual glory to be found, unless you play with a rules variant. This rather unique concept is played out over several game boards as the team tries to destroy the ring while avoiding the ever-approaching Sauron.

Many players loved it, claiming the game captured the sense of J.R.R. Tolkein's famed series of novels very well. Others thought the game fell short, giving players too few options as they worked to achieve victory.

I fall into the first category, though I readily admit that I haven't played enough to form a completely educated opinion on the matter. (There are those who continue to enjoy the game after repeated plays; for others, the enjoyment tends to wear off. There also is a third group whom never saw much to like about it in the first place.) A brief report on my first play was posted in the About Board Games Forum.

When I played, the team of hobbits inlcuded two people whom I always enjoy gaming with and a non-gamer who is a big fan of The Lord of the Rings novels. This combination surely enhanced my reaction -- Knizia has creating something which is as much an experience as it is a game.

Whether or not you enjoy Knizia's Lord of the Rings, it is a game which has sparked as much discussion as any I can recall. Recently, I received the following review of the game from a gamer who lives in Australia. It reflects his experience that playing the game once or twice is plenty, thank you very much.

Read his thoughts, then visit the Forum to rate the game and post your own reaction.

(By the way, if you don't think you're interested in this game but you do enjoy LotR, keep an eye out for a completely new two-player LotR game to be released by Rio Grande Games in the U.S. and by Kosmos in Germany.)

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