Alternate history game of Lord of the Rings?

October 21, 2017 8:23 AM

A few years ago I thought I read about a game -- not sure if it was a video game or a board game-- set in an alternate version of Tolkien's legendarium in which Frodo descends into the Mines of Moria with the Ring but never emerges again; the game proceeds with the forces of the Free People having to fight off Sauron without the Ring in their back pocket. Does anyone know the title?

It's possible I misunderstood a review of SHADOW OF MORDOR or something, but I think it the piece I read was pretty specific about the alternate history framing. Help me, Gandalfs!

posted by gerryblog to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Best answer: Was it Lord of the Rings: Conquest?

The game's campaign and battles mostly portray those seen in the live-action film trilogy, but also feature several battles that are not seen in the films, like the attempt to recapture Minas Morgul by the Free Peoples prior to the assault on the Black Gate. The good campaign closely follows the events as depicted in the movies and books. Finishing this campaign in turn will unlock the evil campaign, which follows a what if scenario if the Nazgûl had killed the Ringbearer at Mount Doom and reclaimed the ring for Sauron, unleashing his wrath upon Middle-earth, to which Middle-earth would fall to Sauron and the enslavement of all of the Good Races would follow.

posted by brook horse at 8:46 AM on October 21, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Hmm, that wasn't quite what I was thinking of -- I still think it was specifically about a hopeless campaign against Sauron after Frodo never emerges from under the mountain -- but man, that's wild! Thanks!
posted by gerryblog at 9:01 AM on October 21, 2017

Response by poster: Just thinking about it further, that's so close to what I was asking that it must be right, unless the other thing rings a bell for anyone else...
posted by gerryblog at 9:04 AM on October 21, 2017

Could it be Midnight? Although all the trademark stuff has been scrubbed off, Midnight is clearly a "what if Sauron had won" setting for a tabletop rpg.
posted by Mogur at 12:21 AM on October 22, 2017