Hands down the best Middle-Earth game around. The story and the land fits superbly into the RTS genre. Controlling armies of Rohirrim and Uruk-Hai is excellent fun, as well as the main characters of the story leading them. A brilliant game that should be played by any gaming Lord of the Rings fan.
Story - 10, storyline fits well and being able to change some of it, like saving Boromir or destroying Minas Tirith is a great addition.
Gameplay - 9, almost perfect RTS gaming.
Visuals - 6, the only let-down. The graphics are not very detailed, although it barely affects your enjoyment.
Music - 10, both movie scores and new music are great.
Controls - 9, mouse controls and keypad hotkeys. Works well.
Multiplayer - 9, Local and online are both very fun.
Originality - 8, maybe a simple crossover of Middle-Earth and RTS games, but it hasn't been done before.
Characters - 10, control all of the Lord of the Rings characters and make your own battalions.
Fun - 10, the best Lord of the Rings game, no question.
Overall - 9.0