Ares Games | War of the Ring 2nd Edition | Miniatures Board Game | Ages 14+ | 2-4 Players | 120+ Minutes Playing Time

The very fact you're looking at this review means that you've probably heard about War of the Ring before, and want to find out if it's worth the price tag. I can heartily recommend this game to any Lord of the Rings fan. It's certainly matches the series' epic scope. Predominantly, it's a tactical war game but there are loads of Lord of the Rings themed game mechanics. This isn't just Risk with Lord of the Rings tacked onto it. The game is 2-4 players, but realistically it is mostly a 2 player game, with an option to share your various tasks with another player(s) if needs be. Games last about 3 hours, so you'll have to set aside plenty of time to play. On your first attempt, be prepared that it might take nearer 5 hours, as you double check rules and such like. The rules aren't complicated on their own, but there are a lot of them to remember, so you might want to sit down with the instructions the night before. Fortunately they're well written and comprehensive. Once you've got "in" to it, this is a 5 star game. There are tons of different strategies to try out, and both sides offer very different experiences, so there's lots of replay value. There are two small downsides to the game, so I better include them in my review. The main problem is that it's very hard to tell which army figures belong to which nations, as they're all the same colour (despite the nations having different colours on the board), most people have got around this by simply painting the rims of each figure's 'stands' the colour of their respective nation using model paint. That's what I did and it's saved me an awful lot of time during the game set up. I'd also say that the five 'ordinary' six sided dice that come with the game (that are meant to be shared by both players) are tiny and a bit rubbish. I've bought a set of better quality dice, five for each player. It makes the game run an awful lot smoother. Baffling really because everything else that comes with the game is super quality. I hope I haven't put you off too much by my review, because I can assure you... the game is excellent. If I've made it sound hard-core, it's because it is, but it's well worth your time and effort because after a couple of games, you (and your opponent) will be hooked!

Amazing game, lots to think about and lots to do, first game was a slog 6hrs learning rules and remembering stuff, but after that first game couldn’t stop thinking about it, the second game was so much better and so much fun. On my 5th game now and this just gets better it’s now in my top 3 board games of all time it’s just so well done a true strategy game that keeps me coming back

Yes the rules are complex and take some hard work to get used to but once you’ve mastered them it provides hours upon hours of enjoyment and versatility. Takes you into Tolkien’s world and in my experience most games go right down to the last few moves whether you play as the shadow or the free peoples. So if you think you’d fancy conquering minas tirith with Sauron or helms deep with Saruman or throwing the ring into mount doom with Sam and Frodo or perhaps sending Gimli to defend Erebor then this game is for you!

Really funny, enjoyable mostly in two but is funny enough even in 3 or 4 players. Very long game especially in the beginning when you don't remember very well the rules, a game could take even 4 5 hours. Very suggested if you love:epic battles, long games, rule's complexity, american dice system(every face of the dice means an actions), lord of the ring, or evil/good clashes well this game is perfect for you..... In the last the figures are unpainted, could be a good or bad thing that depend on you....i think is amazing paint your figures on the way you want

Fantastic game that really makes you feel like you are part of the LOTR campaign. It's an epic and will require a patient friend to play with as you work your way through the rules and game. Once you get the hang of it it will be worth the time and effort. One side note, I was missing a set of pieces for one of the races and I contact the company (Ares Games) on their website and they asked for my address and sent out the replacements free of charge promptly. I was pleasantly surprised by their customer service.

This is a very good game and highly recommended. But the quality of the figurines is not what I had expected. If you compare them to the Games workshop LOTR figurines, they are of a much lower quality. Spears and other small parts are bent and the plastic used is too soft. I had axpected better quality figurines.

Fantastic game for any lord of the rings fan. This game requires patience when you first begin to play due to the extensive rules to the game. I would recommend watching a tutorial on how to play as well as reading the instructions. Once you begin to understand how the game works you can then begin to become more tactical with how you want to play it. Have only played as a 2 so far which worked out really well. I would recommend this game for anyone who is very much passionate about strategy board games and has a whole day to spare!

Really really great game! Great replay possibilities. Big board and get set for a rainy afternoon of gaming with a friend or family. Game is best played with 2. I would have loved it even more if it would have come with the 8 different nations in different colors, now all are either blue or red. But because they are different, after a game or 2, one does distiquish them. But different colors would have been nicer. Great game anyway, even if you're not a Tolkien fan.