Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014)

This LOTR title is a game that successfully captures the brutal atmosphere of Mordor while delivering an experience that feels fresh and engaging. Rather than relying solely on its connection to LOTR universe, the game establishes its own identity through responsive combat, rewarding exploration, and a satisfying progression system. Even years after its release, it remains one of the most influential action games of its era, especially because a lot of action games at the time started becoming very uninspiring and generic. This is due to the success of certain formulas, the most notable one being the open-world feature, though the vast majority of games don't really have an interesting enough world to explore. And while this is not one of them, it still not interesting enough in my opinion, but I particularly think this is due to my limited interest in the Tolkien universe.

The game's defining feature is the Nemesis System, an innovative mechanic that transforms ordinary enemies into memorable rivals. Orc captains remember previous encounters, gain new strengths and weaknesses, and even return after surviving battles, creating personal stories that emerge naturally through gameplay. This system makes victories feel earned and defeats meaningful, encouraging you to adapt their strategies instead of relying on the same tactics every time. Though if you vary your leveling route enough it becomes very flexible so you to deal with most situations. While I enjoyed this mechanic very much, it left a bad taste in my mouth because the company behind this idea decided to lock this via a patent. This means that nobody else can use this mechanic in other games, limiting its capabilities and creativity in gaming. Despite all that, this creates some funny moments which you can fight the same Nemesis over and over, and they even come back with scars from the previous battle.

Combat is fast, fluid, and cinematic, combining swordplay, stealth assassinations, ranged attacks, and supernatural abilities. The controls are responsive, allowing you to seamlessly chain together attacks, counters, executions, and mobility skills. While the combat shares similarities with games like Batman Arkham series, it introduces enough unique mechanics through wraith powers and enemy variety to establish its own identity. But unfortunately it sometimes becomes a mess to deal with due to the high amount of enemies on screen, making it quite easy to miss your target, especially when it comes to special moves such as executions. Another somewhat problematic mechanic is the platforming, which can be quite inconsistent at times. And this is due to it highly focusing on automating your actions as much as possible, which can lead to some frustrating incorrect assumptions of what you were trying to do.

Visually, it still holds up surprisingly well, the environments effectively portray the harsh landscapes of Mordor, while detailed character models and strong lighting create a convincing dark fantasy atmosphere. The OST complements the action, and fit the game's tone quite perfectly. If you are fond to fantasy epic soundtracks such as those from the God of War series, the you'll have a great time with what this title has to offer. The voice acting helps sell both the game's original characters and its intimidating orc hierarchy, it has a ton of unique quotes that are quite memorable and unique. This is also the case for the cutscenes, in which there are not many of them, but the voice actors deliver the same level of quality as the movie series counterpart.

As for the story, it follows the ranger Talion and his mysterious wraith companion as they seek revenge against the forces of Sauron. While the narrative occasionally takes significant liberties with Tolkien's established lore, it remains entertaining on its own terms. If you are looking for strict faithfulness to the source material may find certain plot elements controversial, but the engaging gameplay consistently remains the main attraction. This is one of the biggest pain-points for the LOTR community, this is a title seems that takes itself very seriously when it comes to its source material. But at the same time, in terms of execution, it feels like the lore is just a backdrop, and the main focus is really in the gameplay loop and the mechanics. As I already said, me not being particularly a fan of the LOTR universe and lore, but while I like the movie series (especially The Hobbit), I don't really cared much about the level if liberty they decided to go with.

The game's biggest weaknesses lie in its repetitive side missions and limited mission variety. Some objectives begin to feel formulaic over time, and the open world is not as densely populated with activities as modern open-world games. And despite me praising how unique this game was, and still is, it really is one of those games which you can play while listening to some music or a podcast. This is due to the fact that, a lot of games at the time of this release, decided to go full open-world, even when it really didn't made any sense, and unfortunately this created a lot of empty and repetitive games, such as this one. Nevertheless, these shortcomings rarely overshadow the excitement generated by the Nemesis System and the constant sense of progression, and it also helps a lot balancing out the difficulty level, depending on how much you want to grind. It can even make the main mission quite easy if you decide to go after every optional content, like I did.

Overall, the very first Middle-earth entry is an exceptional action game that introduced one of the industry's most creative gameplay systems. Its satisfying combat, memorable enemy interactions, and immersive world make it easy to recommend to both fans of action games and newcomers to Middle-earth. Even more than a decade after its release, it remains a landmark title whose influence can still be seen in game design today. This is a must-play if you like open-world action titles to any extent, and not necessarily like the LOTR universe, such as myself. Just keep in mind that you are definitely not forced to engage with all of its available mechanics, but in my opinion, this is one of the most satisfying titles to do so. I highly recommend going for the 100% because most of the optional content is worth experiencing, even though this is a very grindy title most of the time.

First time playing this one in YEARS. Honestly, I think it's my first time playing it this console generation. I have really fond memories of this game and when I dove back in I was quickly reminded why, this game kicks ass!!

Arkham-styled combat, a hard M-rating with lots of gore, a story that feels like it fits comfortably into the lore, a lovingly recreated portion of Middle Earth, and of course, the Nemesis System!

Man, the fact that they only used this gameplay mechanic for this game, then Shadow of War, trademarked it so no one else could use or recreate it, and then never used it again before the studio shut down is heartbreaking. What a waste of one of the coolest additions to modern gaming.

The game's shortcomings stem from the mission repetition, the constant "MAN SWINE" interrupting the combat flow, the fact that the second map, although cool to have, and all of its "main missions", feels completely pointless (sorry Torvin but like, why are you here?) and the final big boss fight is a 15-second QTE...

However, I do remain mostly positive about it. The combat is insanely fun, the abilities you have are great, it nails the "Peter Jackson" Middle Earth vibes, the Nemesis System is amazing and it's an addition to the Middle Earth universe that I feel like most people actually enjoy.

I'm at least glad I gave this game a go. I've been in a Lord of the Rings mood lately and picked this up on a Holiday sale.

The plot was interesting enough. But the controls were really, really bad. And the audio was deeply grating. The orcs snarling and jeering combined with elaborate un-skippable menus that pop up every time you die and seem to go on forever with more orc howling every second, oof. Yeah. I didn't like this game.

The camera was also fairly iffy. If the controls weren't so bad, the camera wouldn't stick out so much in my opinion. Also not entirely sure why there isn't an inventory system in the game, either.

Either way. I didn't like this game.

When I finished Batman: Arkham Asylum, I fell in love with the freeflow combat system and started looking for other games that had a similar mechanic. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, which not only had a combat system based on the freeflow mechanic, but also:

• I could behead and explode the heads of orcs; and
• There was an innovative nemesis system that allowed my enemies to level up and get more powerful as they made a name for themselves!

Both of these additions were wins for me, even as the nemesis system occasionally frustrated me. The story was fantastic, with interesting tie-ins to the Lord of the Rings movies even as it occurred in an entirely different time frame. The symbiotic relationship between Talion and Celebrimbor made sense within the context of the world, as well as lending differing sets of abilities and talents to essentially one entity in a believable way.

Aside from the gratification that comes from the fulfillment of the main narrative and side quests, I actually found this game to be a very therapeutic form of catharsis. Orcs and uruk-hai are essentially the zombie Nazis of this franchise, and going around Mordor, making them pay for breathing the same air as me by separating their head from their bodies and their bodies from their lives was an IMMENSELY satisfying form of stress relief.

Got in an argument with a co-worker? Go thresh some orcs.

Feud with a housemate? Decapitation therapy.

Not enough time in the day to get all the adulting things done? Find, stalk, and go ballistic on as many uruk-hai as you want.

It got to the point that I would start immediate beef with and attempt to assassinate any new nemeses that revealed themselves to me. Oh, you want to throw down a gauntlet in public? Let's see how that same orc audience reacts to me shoving a blade in your gullet within minutes of you doing so.

Yeah. This game was great for that kind of release. Loved it.

Here's one of my live streams of this game, where you can hopefully see how much I'm enjoying it.

3.5 stars.

Mordor is a fun setting. Story is quite barebones but not dragged out too long. The combat swings between a walk in the park (most of the time) and unwinnable (occasionally) without ever really finding a satisfying middle ground. The orc system feels a bit embryonic but it does land really well at times - I was genuinely scared of my nemesis showing up because I knew he’d kill me in about 5 seconds regardless of what I did.

Probably just a personal gripe but most Americans can’t do non-American accents, and listening to them try in this game was very grating. Had to play a lot of it with the sound down or off to protect my sanity.

I dont really have much to say about this game other than it was fun but not exceptional. Its like a stealth game but you can also go on a killing spree.

The abilities are fun and give you a lot of creative ways to kill opponents. The story is....there. Its really not a strong point of the game but it adds some padding because simply killing uruks so many times gets boring after a while and it gave me the motivation to finish side quests because I wanted to be prepared for the final boss fight (which was honestly disappointing). After the final story mission, I got bored of finishing the outcast side quests and left the game at 25 hours of playing.

I did try playing the Bright Lord DLC but it was honestly frustrating because you constantly had to focus on branding uruks and had to be careful not to accidentally kill your followers in battle. I signed up for going on killing sprees, careful isnt on my to do list. The cutscenes in the DLC are nonexistent, which is a shame because I really wanted to see more of Celebrimbors story. Perhaps it would have been nice to see him gradually lose himself in the one ring. Instead we just get him and Sauron roasting each other via telepathy. The abilities you have are reduced so its not as fun killing uruks and you get swarmed by enemies much quicker precisely because youre trying to brand them and not kill them. They also throw at you a million berserk and shield type enemies so youre literally just jumping over enemies trying to get a breather and weaken them so they can get flash branded.

I would recommend the DLC if you really want the game to get hard (plus it is pretty neat to fight Sauron at the end) but the base game is fun and pretty easy. I would advise on purchasing this during a sale though because its not a game that I see myself playing again and it didnt impress me beyond belief.

The game initially seemed to have a quite interesting concept. Talion is killed by one of Sauron's servants, but is resurrected by a Wraith. This gives Talion immortality and the ability to control his enemies.

The gameplay is generally quite enjoyable. The combat system involves defeating enemies using a variety of attacks and abilities. Additionally, the game features a progression system where Talion can upgrade his skills and acquire new weapons and armor.

The story is also quite good. Talion's revenge story is supported by interesting characters and an immersive narrative.

However, the game does have some flaws. For example, the world design can be a bit monotonous, and the puzzles are not very challenging. Additionally, the game can get a bit repetitive towards the end.

I absolutely loved this game. As soon as I started playing, I immediately fell in love. From the first time I was set loose in the world and every Uruk I faced was terrifying, to the endgame where I could walk into a Stronghold and kill everything in it, I had a blast playing through this game.

This game has a little bit of everything, but for the most part, it doesn't do too much. I found everything to be in good, healthy doses.

It's an open world game, with two large maps, but it never feels overwhelming, and every area is covered with detail that makes exploration a joy.

It's also a collectathon, with Ithildin, Artifacts, herbs, and beasts spread across both maps, forcing you to explore and see everything the world has to offer.

There are main story missions that you can take at your own pace and, to an extent, in an order of your choosing.

There are also side quests that, while a little repetitive, force you to practice the different types of playstyles and utilize your large array of powers. With the exception of Outcast Rescue missions, I found there were just enough of these, so that just playing the game and enjoying myself I made it to the end of the game right around the same time I finished the side quests.

On top of all this, the gameplay loop is incredible. The Nemesis system allows for an endless cycle of Uruk Captains and Warchiefs that interact with you and each other and can grow and adapt depending on how you encounter them. I'm not the greatest at combat-heavy games, but this combat system is really easy to pick up, and the game introduces new elements at a really nice pace.

There's a ton to do in this game, but not too much. I went for 100% completion, and I only needed about an hour after I beat the game to pick up anything I missed, because during my playthrough I found it quite natural to complete side quests alongside the main quests (which is not something I always do). But there are so many side quests that there is something to do wherever you go, so as I walked to my next objective, I would just do whatever side quests popped up along the way.

It was only in the last few hours when I started getting a little tired. My whole playthrough took just over 30 hours, which I think is a pretty good length for a game, and the fact that it took me about 28 or 29 hours to start getting tired is saying something.

The only part I found to be a bit of a slog at the end was finishing the Outcast Rescue missions. While they did get more interesting and difficult at the end, most of them are very similar, and frankly there are too many of them. It was the only part I felt was a little bloated.

My only other complaint was that the final boss was a little underwhelming. It was neat that the whole ending sequence gave you a little bit of everything: heavy combat against powerful foes, a stealth mission, and quick-time events, but I found it pretty easy and was underwhelmed by the conclusion.

Still, this is absolutely one of my favourite games of all time. I tentatively ranked this number 8, right behind EarthBound and Kingdom Hearts III (another game that was incredibly fun despite some unfortunate flaws).

This action/adventure game set in pre-Fellowship Mordor has strong elements of Assasin's Creed and Zelda, but it feels more modern than either of those titles did at that time. It has things like auto-follow during escort missions, real-time tracking map markers, and customizable resource loops - do you want your slow time to recharge from decapitation kills, and your arrows to reload when you get a combo? Or do you prefer getting more health from stealth kills? There's a surprising amount of depth to the RPG elements, but they don't get in the way of the simplfiied Arkham style combat, which always feels smooth and stylish.

Talion feels fast and strong from the get-go, but you quickly unlock teleport-kills and chain-possessions that turn enemies into allies. Honestly, this game was a joy to play. While the platforming is perhaps a bit dated, and there are a few hitches here and there in some sequenced events, it is not quite as slow and frustrating as pioneers in the genre like Uncharted or God of War, and you're never stuck in any one sequence for long - carving your way through a horde of Uruk until a chieftain walks in with a WWE introduction is always the main meat('s back on the menu) of the game.

For $10 (or less?) on a steam sale I honestly cannot recommend this game enough, and I'm very excited to start the sequel (which I got free from PS+). While I haven't completed every single odd challenge and achievement steam's complete edition has to offer, I did every side quest, unlocked every upgrade, and completed all three of campaigns.

Played on a PC that's about a decade old, with a PS4 dual shock.

An excellent game, where you can play with a badass ranger from The Lord of the Rings universe. Exploring the tragic backstory of Talion, in a place where good things fade and everyone is your enemy. The gameplay borrows a lot from the Batman Arkham games, twisting those elements with a deadly formula. The NEMESIS system is a unique addition, which guarantees, that no two playthroughs will ever be the same.

The Good:

• Interesting story, that extends the lore of Middle-Earth

• The simbiose of Talion and Celebrimbor provides us an interesting
  story telling mechanism

• Similar combat system to the Batman games, but your hand is not bound back here (You can chop off lots of Orc heads ;) )

• The branding ability gives you a way to turn your foes against each
  other

• Movement is seamless, you can also ride deadly beasts into battle

• You can learn about the Uruk society's hierarchy, each Uruks motives, strengths and weaknesses, that you can utilize agains them

• Gathering your own army by recruiting the Captains and Warchiefs, so you can use them for your own goals

• You begin your journey as a captain and build up yourself to a real
  Wraith level, who can terrorize Uruks as he wishes

The Bad:

• Wish the story was longer, I could play this forever ( I know there is a sequel ;) )
• There could be more ways to use your Uruks, like your own bodyguards, or teaching them new abilities, like caragor riding
• Side missions tend to be a little boring, but the secondary goals make them a bit more challenging
• The Trials of War challanges are monotonous and are all about killing captains

Playthroughs: 3x