Quoted from PinMonk:Batman, Transformers, Avengers, Deadpool, Wrestlemania, even NoES:Freddy had whitewoods - all crap games. Whitewoods are no guarantee of a good game. AP had various incarnations of Houdini "on tour" for most of the year before release, and it was tweaked throughout. At least that's more location testing than Stern does now.
LOTR plays like a clunky f$&@inv whitewood and it’s a pretty great game. You can most definitely polish a turd with great code!