This game is perhaps the most underrated game to date, and currently stands as the best thematic gaming experience I've had, with 'Star Wars: Outer Rim' being a close second.
1. Theme
As an avid fan of the lore, I wanted a gaming experience that allowed a full emersion into Middle-Earth, where I had the self autonomy to explore the entirety of each beautiful location, engage in combat if I chose, accept quests, upgrade my character, engage in secret missions, interact with characters from the books/films, all while working together towards a common cause. In addition, I wanted a game that was not simply cooperative, but competitive against a real, thinking, human agent--not a random stack of AI cards *cough LOTR LCG cough*. In addition, I wanted a game that was designed with more than 2 players in mind. A game that wove together the heart of Middle-Earth from the books, while allowing players to tell a story of their own that could fit nicely within the actual cannon of <PERSON>'s work. Let me be clear: this game is all that, and much more! If you are looking for a game that allows you to experience a different and unique story each time you play, without sacrificing quality gaming mechanics for thematic appeal, you will not be disappointed. I believe the balance between thematic story and mechanical composition is the best I've seen in the genre.
2. Combat
By far the single greatest quality of this game is the way in which participants combat with one another. In MEQ, combat is a chosen engagement that players participate in and have total control over. Players use cards in their hand, along with their character's unique (upgradable) abilities, in the from of round-based combat against an opponent they encounter--fighting until a player is killed or both players are exhausted (forced, or by strategic choice). Rather than relying on the roll of a dice, which you may be able to manipulate (if you're lucky), here combat is 100% a game of wit and outsmarting of your opponent's move. Based on players individual strengths/weaknesses, which are public knowledge, players have full control over how they play their hand, and in what sequence. This not only makes combat a great aspect of the game for those engaged in the combat itself, but also an exciting gladiatorial spectacle for non-combat engaged players at the table! Thank next level SCYTHE combat x100!
3. Asymmetry
As mentioned above, MEQ is not simply a cooperative game, but also a competitive one. 366
One player will control the Shadow forces of the Dark Lord and seek to find the One Ring, corrupt the free people's of Middle-Earth, and increase his influence across the lands. Inasmuch, the <PERSON> player plays an entirely different game than the heroes. For the <PERSON> player, thwarting the heroes from achieving their quests, spreading influence as a means by which to corrupt players, and wielding the dark forces of such characters as the Mouth of Sauron and <PERSON>, are all part of the game. This Asymmetric style of competitive gameplay, combined with the cooperative aspect of gameplay for the hero player(s), really hits a sweet spot in the Board Game genre--allowing fans of either/both styles to enjoy a fun thematic experience.
4. Number of Players
Finally, a game that scales great for up to 4 players set in Middle-Earth. This is the single greatest reason I went with MEQ over WOTR. I still hope to play and probably own WOTR someday, but any game that requires 3+ hours of time, should scale itself as a group activity. 'nough said.
5. Art
Part of what makes a game feel thematic, is how much the game design incorporates things like: quality tokens/miniatures, amount of flavor text, visual game board emersion, and theme art. After all, there's only so much a physical board game of cardboard and plastic can do to transport you to another world. A game can have solid mechanics, but lose any sense of emersion really quick without esthetic composition done right. And it's here that MEQ really hits a home run. the board map is large and stunning, with individual magnified-like sketched-drawings of each location in Middle Earth highlighted over a beautifully colored board map. Along with enormous amounts of thematic text from the books, most cards have a verity of art, bringing to life the pre-Lord of the Rings events as they unfold in the story players create. And finally, while the mini's are not top notch, their size and presence adds a sense of agency between player and story, that captures the essence of what makes the game great. 366