Middle-earth in turn-based form, on the edge of the great battles, narrated by the voice of Gandalf.

On few votes, but with striking consistency, The Third Age shows a high profile almost everywhere. The urge to rediscover it puts it ahead of 88% of games, soundtrack ahead of 89%, fun ahead of 86%, desert island ahead of 85%. Even attachment and art style hold strong, in the upper tier. No tension here, rather an emotional coherence: a game people keep in their heart, one they'd dream of finding again untouched. Caution still applies, each criterion rests on two to four votes, so these early signals need confirming.

In Final Fantasy-style turn-based RPG, and carried by the Tolkien license, this profile of a game cherished by its community fits a PS2-era keepsake well.

So, who's it for? You, if you love Middle-earth, turn-based battles and memories you want to relive. Much less so if you want a modern, snappy and technically flawless RPG.