MIDDLE-EARTH QUEST kind of came out of nowhere. When it was announced last year around the time that the WORLD OF WARCRAFT ADVENTURE BOARD GAME came out, I was already well into railing against boring, repetitive adventure games and the thought of yet another Tolkien-themed game wasn't exactly something I was anticipating with excitement.
But here it is then, the best game of 2009 reviewed at Cracked LCD. MEQ is yet another masterfully designed and executed highline FFG title with a Corey Konieczka design credit. Between STARCRAFT, BSG, and now MEQ I think Mr. Konieczka has demonstrated that we do not have to be playing and designing the same games we've been experiencing for the past 25 years- we can go new places and do new things, even in worlds that we've been before.
Yes, I got this game for free, they sent it to me. And no, it doesn't matter if I paid $200 for it, it'd still be the same incredible game.