Battle For Middle Earth: A Classic Remake
I rediscover my original copy of Battle For Middle Earth, and it seems like many other gamers have fond memories of the classic as well. There’s a strong, active community for Battle For Middle Earth II, with an abundance of added content available through mods like Age of the Ring. As I dive in to reminisce about my childhood gaming experiences, I find that Battle For Middle Earth seems like a classic, almost a treasure, that holds a special place in many gamers’ hearts.
Many players recount how they played the game as children, sometimes even receiving it as a special gift from their parents. As I look around the comments and see players reminiscing about funny moments, pranks they pulled while playing with friends, the sense of wonder they felt when they first started playing, I can’t help but smile.
“I’ve played it since I was 12,” one player remarks. “And I’m now 35.” They add, “I still have my old save files and I’d love to replay it. Can still see my little brother’s name in the Elf village.” They say that Battle For Middle Earth “just had a special charm that the second one doesn’t quite capture,” while others express their excitement to play again, to relive the memories.
“I would replay it,” another player says, “but I can’t find a legitimate way to do so.” Others recall the effort they put into acquiring the game, whether it was saving up money as a child or eagerly waiting for it to arrive in the mail. Some players even say they’re still actively playing it, even after all these years.
“I loved the custom heroes and I could wreak havoc with powerful wizards and dragons,” another player reminisces, “the simplicity and fun gameplay just makes you not want to stop playing.” I can certainly relate to that, whether it’s Battle For Middle Earth or other, similar games from my childhood, like Star Wars Empire at War. Some players even mention other games from their childhood that invoke a similar feeling, like Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
If you’re looking for a similar, comparable RTS I’d recommend Empire at War or Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, if you can get it to run on Windows 10. Check out the r/bfme subreddit if you want to connect with other fans.
I’m also happy to see some players are still actively playing, even after all these years. Maybe I’ll dust off my old copy and join you.
“If it wasn’t for the community, I don’t think I’d still be playing,” one player says. Another remarks, “I still play with friends,” while someone else says, “I would replay it but I have no one to play with.”
I also notice quite a few comments expressing a desire to play the game again, but then mention that they can’t get the second game to run on Windows 10. The lead designer of Battle For Middle Earth, Dustin Browder, is also praised quite a bit, along with his work on other popular RTS titles, like StarCraft II and Halo Wars 2.
If you’re a fan of Battle For Middle Earth, or any other classic RTS, we’d love to hear from you.
