In my opinion this game does not deserve a "9.3" as given to it by IGN. While the Nemesis system is extremely cool and unique it falls by the way side when you become so powerful that killing a War Chief is easy, let alone a lone officer.

Gameplay

Biggest Complaint: If you've played Assassin's Creed or the recent Batman series you've played this game. Everything from Eagle Vision, Towers, hiding in bushes, air assassinations, and strongholds is almost verbatim in the Assassin's Creed games. The combat is a mix of the exponential ease of killing that comes with Assassin's Creed and the acrobatic fight styles of Batman.

Story

Biggest Complaint: Without getting into the LOTR lore, everything has been over-done. Now stories have to be made between major events. If you know anything about the LOTR timeline you know this story will have little effect on the future.

Biggest Complaint: The Boss fights are so disappointing, killing The Hammer was the first, and hardest (hardest != hard), killing The Tower was a game of hide and go seek. Last, and least: you don't even get to fight the Black Hand. He has less screen time than your family who you were supposed to care about somehow. And fighting The Dark Lord is a quicktime event.

Overall, 7/10.