[Old Scratch]

Chris, I read your review over at boardgamegeek and followed the discussion there, and...

...I have to agree with Shannon. Having played both games, I've found that Shadows has a much stronger theme than LotR. You are probably as puzzled by me and Shannon's perspective as I am by yours.

I suppose it could be something as simple as the components. Taking your Knights and moving them around the board for example, but I think its more than that.

When playing LotR (the basic game, without the expansions) it did become a number crunching exercise. And it wasn't fun. People argued and fought over the best routes, which to complete, when to press towards the end. It seemed too abstract.

Because the cards are unknown, some quests are solo while others are group quests, and because of the presence of the Traitor, its harder for one or two players to monopolize play and set the pace. LotR seems to have one or two players arguing over strategy while everyone else does what they say, while SoC has moments of group activity and unity and other moments of questionable moves and raised eyebrows.

SoC has different rewards with different purposes and different quests which may be playing poker hands but seems far more enjoyable, where as LotR felt like a chit collecting exercise. I won't say there wasn't a burst of enthusiasm when we won, but there wasn't a whole lot distinctly thematic or evocative about it, other than the corruption track (and I *know* you'll disagree, but the Corruption track in War of the Ring struck me as more evocative and terrifying).

Anyhow Chris, thanks for your other review and feedback, and I hope you can elaborate a little bit more, perhaps it will increase my enjoyment of LotR.