Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor attempts to follow closely to the storyline present in J.R.R. Tolkien's works and is set between the narratives present in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. The game stars a former Ranger of Gondor who has gained many abilities of the wraith after he and his family is executed and the warrior is revived to extract his revenge on the forces of Sauron. The game's plot is interesting and full of interesting characters including some new ones that help push the storyline forward at an exciting pace. Longtime fans of the Lord of the Rings series will be able to point out flaws and plot holes all throughout the game's narrative, so the title isn't the most accurate representation of Middle-earth, but the game is still easily enjoyable for anyone but the pickiest fans of the popular fantasy setting.
Gameplay in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is presented in an open world fashion, so that players are free to explore Monolith's version of Middle-earth and complete the game's 20+ hours worth of main storyline missions at their own pace. The missions include interactions with some memorable characters such as Gollum or Celebrimbor, master blacksmith and creator of the Rings of Power. The cutscenes during and between missions are interesting and voice acted very well. There are a good mix of objectives present in the main campaign missions featured in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, but battling against the Uruk is the primary attraction of the game.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was developed with the use of a new tool known as the Nemesis System. The new platform is prevalent in the next generation and PC versions of the game and make each encounter with an enemy something truly special. Nemesis keeps tracks of battles so that enemies can change, level up and progress right along with the player. Should a player defeat an enemy, the enemy may return later in the game in an enraged state following the literal scarring the player left on the enemy Uruk. Likewise, an Uruk general can level up and gain new abilities in combat after defeating a player in combat, and the enemy will even gain some new taunts following the victory that are sure to get players excited for a rematch. The incredible new system is one of the most impressive developments to come around recently for any game developer. The intelligence of an AI enemy to remember player encounters and react according to how the fight played out the first time helps make Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor a truly memorable experience.
Combat in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is similar to that of the Batman Arkham series, and while it doesn't present anything truly revolutionary, it's still a strong battle system that could see Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor competing for Game of the Year considerations when all is said and done. The game features free flow combat in which players will attempt to chain together attacks before landing impressive execution attacks on damaged enemies. Players will almost always be outnumbered in combat, and plenty of counter attacks are available for players to combat these unfavorable odds. Animations in combat look fantastic, even when the player has to cut an attack mid-strike in order to counter a different enemy. The game also incorporates a variety of enemy types and gives enemies many different skills and abilities so that one battle is never just like another.
Talion has access to two distinct skill trees in the game. Players can choose to level up and acquire moves from the Ranger of Gondor path to learn abilities that help players learn stealth tactics and assassination type moves useful for cutting down on the number of enemies before ever being detected, or players can learn wraith related moves that simply make the character difficult to kill and powerful enough to combat even the largest foes of the Uruk armies. Despite having access to all sorts of awesome moves and skills that will make players feel like a true badass in combat, the game never seems to get too simple, as death is always waiting for a player that charges into a overwhelming encounter unprepared.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor has an excellent presentation that begins with excellent voice acting. Talion is voiced by the talented Troy Baker that seems to be in every Game of the Year candidate over the last few years, and there are plenty of other impressive performances from the rest of the cast as well. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is full of exciting fantasy themes that rival those heard throughout the exciting Peter Jackson films. The game's graphics are also impressive and include ultra high settings on PC for gamers with high end gaming rigs to fully enjoy all the game has to offer.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is an excellent title and the best Lord of the Rings based game to release for any platform in the last decade. The title offers exciting combat, an interesting take on the world from J.R.R. Tolkien and multiple hours of gameplay that will have players happy to complete main story quests and track animals alike. The most devoted fans of the franchise may take issue with some of the game's writing, and there are plot holes in the game to be sure, but no gamer could argue that the title's combat is anything but extraordinary. Journey through the world that Tolkien created in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor out now for next generation consoles, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC and can be purchased for $59.99. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is rated M by the ESRB for Blood and Gore & Intense Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor website.
Game Features:
- Single Player
- Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien Series
- Master the Powers of Ranger and Wraith
- DLC Support
- Trophy/Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer: Monolith
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PlayStation 4 (reviewed), PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 & PC
Release Date: September 30, 2014
