Middle- earth: Shadow Of Mordor
Doesn’t bork the Orc
Release Date: OUT NOW!
Format reviewed: PS4 Also available on: PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC Publisher: Warner Bros
Tie- in
videogames – especially Lord Of The Rings ones – have a bad rep for good reason. Thankfully, Monolith Productions had an idea for a gaming foundation atop which this tradition- breaking Middle- earth sandbox adventure could unfold. Say hello to the Nemesis System.
Playing as ranger Talion on the cusp of Sauron’s rise to Third Age prominence, you’re thrown into Mordor during its tectonic shift into darkness. Hunting down the villains responsible for your family’s murder, you take on the role of assassin.
Your ultimate aim is to tackle the warchiefs who sit at the peak of Sauron’s armies. You can stroll right into their midst, making things tough for yourself as they call upon their bodyguards. Alternatively, you can set yourself a series of miniobjectives, to take out the bodyguards individually with your Batman: Arkham- like swordfighting skills or Assassin’s Creed- inspired stealthiness. Thanks to the Nemesis System, Orcs come in all shapes and sizes, each packs a procedurallygenerated personality and with each death your enemies grow in power, occasionally being promoted off the back of killing you.
The fact that Shadow Of Mordor’s combat and traversal mechanics are a touch derivative might be a blemish, but the Nemesis System provides a leg up for what should be a running series. Matthew Gilman Upcoming downloadable content will allow you to play as the Wraith who possesses Talion, Celebrimbor, and fight Sauron!