Easy - buy all three LCGs, then feel intense regret on your decision to buy three gigantic money sinks and ask yourself why you are like this. 100% hypothetical scenario here, I am not speaking from experience. *Sweating*

What I love of Lord of the rings is that the game get to the table fast if everyone have already build their deck. I really like Arkham but sometimes it can take a long time to prepare a scenario. Both are good. Just different.

In LotR you play individual scenarios with different party members each time, with an immersive theme. In AH you play a series of connected scenarios ( you can play them individually if you wish) with the same party. As mentioned in LotR the enemies are in an area on the board. AH uses cards to make a map and sometimes the map changes as play progresses. In AH you feel like you are travelling more than in LotR because of this. Basic mechanics and combat are very similar for both. Replaying scenarios in AH results in very different results each time, and adding different investigators (up to about 60 at this point) and the Return To (Nightmare) expansions add even more variation to the replay results. I have both and play AH much more for these reasons.

Have both - love both. LotR is my #1 solo and AH is better with more players 🙂

Lets not forget that all the LOTR "reprint" cycle big boxes recieve the Campaign Saga-Upgrade with additional cards for the campaign mode (like they did with the revised core). But those cards will always be free print&play for all those people that already have the full cycles.

Arkham is such a well designed game but I hate horror. Wish they would just use that system with LOTR as I LOVE LOTR lore. I enjoy Marvel a lot but I feel LOTR needs that deep storey telling that Arkham delivers.

I have both and while LOTR is a great game with a great gameplay, AH is just a unique blast! You can replay the campaigns with different investigators and every ending makes the campaign go in a way or another so replayability is great too.

I have both since I love The Lord of the Rings as well as Lovecraftian settings. Both games are challenging but so satisfying as they both pull you and immerse you right into the setting.

When I play a LoTR campaign, I create a 15 card sideboard for each deck. Going through the campaign, I freely swap cards between the deck and the sideboard at the start of each game. I think this makes the deck build very challenging, but goes a long way towards making each deck viable throughout the whole campaign. Thank you for making videos, gentlemen. I hope I’ve said this at least once in the past, but if not, today is the day.

Thanks for this. I was pretty sure Lord of the Rings wasn't the game for me, but this helped solidify that.

I own both games. They are equally good but AH is more refined than LOTR. In AH players actually move and investigate while in LOTR you move (or do quest) because you tab cards. One mechanic that LOTR has better is ally card. In LOTR ally card works like real ally as it can do action. In AH ally card feels more like attachments (to the investigator) because it does not do action. I wish that ally in AH could do 1 specific (or limit) action per turn to represent that it is really alive.

Thanks for being my number 1 place to get Arkham tips. I like your comparison here, LOTR was a very different game. My wife and I tried to build one deck to do it all and got very frustrated. I guess we thought it would be cheating to build a deck that can only beat one scenario. In Arkham you kinda fall in love with your beat cop and it can be hard to take them out when upgrading. I mean best cop won the game doing that last point of damage... There must be someone, something, else I can replace instead

I agree with the sentiment that LotR leans towards being more of a puzzle.With a decent collection it is still perfectly possible to build thematic decks that you can keep for an entire cycle with a fair chance at winning each scenario. Also hallofbeorn would surely agree with Bryn’s approach towards synergistic deckbuilding :)

Nice comparison guys! I think I prefer AH but I enjoy both :)

Excellent video. I think I’ll stick with AH’s story driven gameplay for now.

As much as I love Fantasy Flight and everything they do, the LOTR card game has some real problems. Arkham Horror feels more like what they wanted LOTR to be.

Let's go! Comparison AH vs MC should be cool. Except I already know for answer for myself, that I don't prefer that solitaire game over arkham. ;)

I prefer LOTR theme but AH is the best game for me. I love the campaign system. Adding a card or two feels more rewarding like you are improving your character in a roleplaying game. The puzzle game of LOTR is less thematic. You can enjoy the scenarios but the campaign system is only narrative. It doesnt affect what you do in a scenario to the next.

I do wonder what Lord of the Rings would look like if it had come out now after Arkham & Marvel - it feels like a lot of the negatives around Lord of the Rings is due to it being the first co-op LCG - the other 2 games definitely feel like they benefit from stumbles made by Lord of the Rings, and built on area's of the game Lord of the Rings did not do well. Like imagine Lord of the Rings with Arkham like maps/locations you move between instead of the more abstract threat/quest/travel system it uses - or if the characters had signature cards that dictate the base of your deck (to represent that character better, like in Marvel) - or Arkhams deck construction rules for the heroes. One thing I do love in Lord of the Rings, that the other 2 games don't, is the use of bad weather (rain, storms, snow etc.) as treacheries/bad events that hinder your party. It can be very thematic and helps give the feel of going on a long journey.

Thanks for the comparison. I was thinking about getting LotR, but now I know its not something for me :)

Definitely AH for the progression and not having to face check a scenario repeatedly. In the small amount of LOTR I've played, it feels more like a puzzle game where, after beating a scenario, I have little incentive to replay it. There's branching, that I'm aware of, and after figuring out the puzzle, the turn by turn play is less engaging. Comparison with Marvel Champions at some point?

If you want a genuine horror experience, filled with danger and monsters and impossible odds...pick LotR.

I love and have both but sometimes Arkham just gets too long on setup

People who are new to these kind of games Arkham Horror is better

Very helpful, thank you!

It's hard for me to pick a favorite child here, but fortunately I don't have to! It's worth another emphasis of how different the games are in play. Justin is right: Lord of the Rings will not hesitate to kick you in the throat. Arkham is both the new design and the kinder game, but the consequence of their relative design choices means higher highs and lower lows in Lord of the Rings. There are some incredible scenarios designs in that game.

I play all 3 LCGs (marvel,AH,LOTR) and they all fill a need. Marvel is a nice light game if I want to play but not have to do too much thinking. Arkham is a nice step up from marvel and a better story experience and LOTR I liken a lot to MTG and there is a lot of strategy and thinking involved which depending on how my work day has gone, is the last thing I want to do 😂 Love all 3 and coming from TCGs the money spending seems like a better value since I’m actually playing with the cards and i know what im getting

I want what you describe AH as but in a lotr theme

I prefer LOTR overall. It has real problems in the scenario design. Really kicks you hard sometimes. The campaign and location systems in arkham are so much better. Deckbuilding part is less interesting, but the experience system feels so good.

I just want to say: Incredible thumbnail on this one, it somehow feels real next level! And congrats to 10.000, it's well deserved! 😍👏👏

I would love a comparison for Marvell Champions. Also, the “How to Win” series for each game would be awesome.

I think Arkham is the better game overhall, i honestly think Arkham is the evolution of what Lotr was supposed to be. I love deckbuilding so i love Lotr a bit more and i like how much unforgiving it is, BUT is also unbalanced as hell in 4 players so i get how someone can find it annoying. Only real problem is my wallet

I have a question. I started with the revised core set of Lord of the Rings and it's nowhere near as difficult as people have made it sound, even when I'm not playing the new campaign stuff in the revised core set. Could it be that the multiple copies of each card makes the game so hugely easier?

How does Marvel Champions compare? For new players, it’s now really a 3 way choice

Let’s have a three way fight Arkham vs LOTR vs Marvel!

Answer=All three. Marvel Champions needs to be included in this duo.

AH vs MC

I owned and sold Arkham horror LCG. I loved the stories but hated the setup time. Lord of the rings made it much simpler by just matching the icons on the scenario card. That alone is a huge win for me.

what about marvel champions vs ahlcg?

BBBB

Both are a scam designed to sell endless amounts of cards to a bunch of idiots who grew up playing Pokemon and other kid "games". I hate deck building...worst money-grab ever perpetrated on dim-witted gamers ever.