Risk: Lord of the Rings

Pictured Top: Risk LOTR, Pictured bottom: The very popular boardgame Risk

by Sean Minch

I'm especially glad to report that I have finally found a gamer here
in Memphis, Tennessee, USA with whom I can get some gaming done.
Yess!! And, boy, does he have some neat games, too.

Last night we
played Risk's Lord of the Rings. Oh, man.

This is a very very good
game for two to four players. The map is simple enough to understand
after a bit of time but complex enough to keep even clever people on
their toes. Also there are cards that can and sometimes must be
played that can really affect battles or create random events to
modify everything, if briefly. Yes, Guillaume, there is certainly a
randomness factor in the dice but, like most in most things, you make
your own luck (read: even though I had some awesome lucky streaks, I
still lost!). Good game. Took us about 6 hours. Oh, there is one
other component besides the regular features of winning a territory
card for taking territory on your turn which can be mixed/matched for
units later. There is a ring. It must travel across the map along a
plotted course and reach Mt. Doom in order for the game to end and
points be counted up. There are various little things that can
affect this movement... in case you are winning and want to hurry it
up or the opposite. Just a little neat touch. Also prevents
looooooong games from hell where nobody seems to be able to 'win the
game' by 'risking out' the other guys. Good game. Check it out!