A friend came over this weekend and I introduced the game to him. He has the Risk LOTR game and he absolutely loved it. We played it with open hands in order for him to learn as we played and then we he got the gist of it he was doing more on his own. He ended up beating me, also. This is one of the best games that has come out in awhile, along with Axis and Allies: D-Day. It represents the books very well with the different storylines represented with the cards. I took the time to paint all 200+ pieces to make them more realistic. The Trolls came out great! Blood dripping off their axes and everything. If you are a LOTR fan and a gamer...This is a must have! I even play it solitare. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS GAME.