I love the way that the original 7WD mechanisms were adapted to fit the LOTR theme! It genuinely enhances the game play and I find it to be a balanced experience. As with the original 7WD, there is high replayability and I find that the modified mechanisms actually make each win-con avenue more appealing than in the original. The biggest change in win-con is how victory points are dealt - now there is a spatial aspect as you try to win battles throughout Middle-Earth. I honestly prefer this over pure VP count as it makes the game feel more dynamic (and I say this as the loser in my first two plays :D).
