Based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien and the films by Peter Jackson, The Battle for Middle-Earth took players into the world of The Lord of the Rings in the format of a real-time strategy game. Featured in the game are places, characters, monsters, and other features of Middle-earth as depicted by the film trilogy. A campaign mode takes players through the story of The Lord of the Rings, and Skirmish mode allows the player to battle at any Middle-earth location as a selected army against any faction. This game was preceded after two years by The Battle for Middle-earth II.