My recommendation: fans only.
Also, the simplicity of the combats can make the ones searching for a more solid and deep system (hardcore ones) stay a little frustrated and, if wasn't the scripted elements from the game, like protect someone, the game can be easily finished, mainly when your character is in the higher levels. The combos are equal for every character and being Legolas or Aragorn don't make difference when you use a bow or when you use a sword with Sam or Gimli.
The level system is also a good implementation. Every time that you kill any enemy, you'll gain points depending of your "Combo Gauge", that will fill when you hit enemies without getting hurt. With these points, you can buy many implementations for characters, and some of them can buy unique implementations, and this depends of the level that your character is. But you can also level up in the middle of the battle, making any ability that's already purchased be available instantly.
The AI left much to be desired and always will be a pain when you're have some allies to help you. But they're work more like bait, making less enemies come for you. The problem is when they cannot die... And you can discovery that the camera can be another pain.
The controls are very well adapted. I'm commenting that because the controls can be a very complicated problem in this kind of game and you don't "must need" a joystick to play The Lord of the Rings (see Devil May Cry series and Resident Evil 4). Maybe the fact that you don't need to jump or access any inventory, but the controls are very simple and is easy to be used to it.
The sound and musics isn't nothing more that you wouldn't expect watching a Lord of the Rings movie, including the voices. All are there and the movies sequences that almost always are in the opening of the missions can help to remember many things from the movie.
The graphics are good and make its job, with nice light and fog effects, but the models are ugly and Legolas can be more ugly than a orc! And I need to say that see all that elements from the book and the movie in a closest way with more details and be in the middle of all, is just something that any fan can't miss.
Need to mention the Cooperative mode. It can be very attractive and can make the replay value be higher, but the already mentioned camera problem can be much more a real problem. The camera just can't find a good position for the players and, because of the AI problem, can make a easy game be a pain in the neck.
More positive points:
- great level design;
- nice "movie feeling" while you play it;
- superb design of the level tree;
- many extra features.
Some more negative points:
- simple combats;
- repetitive combos;
- frustrating checkpoint system;
- repetitive enemies;
- few boss battles.