The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II (Xbox 360, 2006)

Return to Middle-Earth with The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth II for PC. In this sequel to the critically acclaimed The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth, the focus shifts to the North. With 3 new factions –- Elves, Dwarves, and Goblins -- players lead their armies to victory, with the aid of new heroes, weapons. Based on battles that were hinted at in the Tolkien books and film adaptations, this jam-packed sequel offers 16 new campaigns and 40 skirmish maps, guaranteeing months of exciting gameplay. Protect the Elven city of Rivendell from an invading Goblin army. Make those meddling Hobbits pay and destroy the Shire.

Pros: I've read many forums giving this game praise. I can't stress enough, if you're an avid RTS gamer or have played them in the past, You need to pick up this game. It won't let you down! It's really fun to play using Xbox Live and the built-in VoIP chat. And yes, the control scheme does work... Even the single player is fun, as it takes stuff from the books that parallel what you see in the movies. This game is remarkably fun. I had my doubts at first, but the control scheme was setup very well and it hasn't lost my interest yet. Either way, playing a Stategy game on the console is really fun, especially since you can kick back and play from your favorite gaming chair or couch.

Cons: Yes, the performance is a slow at times, but it's a very complex game, both visually and gameplay-wise... the fun factor far outweighs the performance slowdowns.