Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, the latest gaming title from publisher, Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment, has received rather positive reviews from different gaming websites.
The game takes place between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and is an open world game where players will be able to roam around and pursue numerous side quests.
Players will be playing as Talion, a ranger with wraith-like abilities. The game will have a new system called Nemesis System that will remember the conversations players had with certain characters and will thus adjust and behave in a similar form throughout the game.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor was released on 30 September 2014 in North America for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions will be released on 18 November, 2014.
Review Roundups:
- GameSpot - 8/10
"This is a great game in its own right, narratively disjointed but mechanically sound, made up of excellent parts pieced together in excellent ways. I already knew what future lay in store for Middle-Earth as I played Shadow of Mordor; I'm hoping that my own future might one day bring another Lord of the Rings adventure as stirring as this one."
- GamesRadar - 4.5/10
"Shadow of Mordor isn't just the greatest Lord of the Rings game to date - it's also one of the most entertaining open-world adventures around. By the time you've concluded Talion's journey, you'll feel like you've experienced your own personal odyssey through Middle-earth, locked in a struggle against adversaries that only you truly know. The thrill of undermining the Uruks' hierarchy doesn't last forever, but the memories of the villains it generates will stay with you for a long time."
- Game Rant - 4.5/10
"Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor seems like a clear winner for best Tolkien-inspired video game ever. The game respects the lore of the universe, but doesn't require that players come in with an encyclopedic knowledge of Tolkien to feel attached to the characters. The combat and leveling systems are familiar in a way that there is a low learning curve, but they are both unique enough that it doesn't feel like you are just playing Batman with a new skin."
- IGN - 9.3/10
"Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor stands out from other open-world action games by putting a great new layer on top of the trail that Batman blazed. I was surprised at how well it integrates its excellent combat with rewarding feedback and progression not just for me, but also for my enemies. I've had many more memorable and unpredictable battles with its randomized Warchiefs and captains than I did in the scripted campaign missions, and I expect those to keep on coming."
- Destructoid - 6/10
"Ultimately, like many ambitious projects, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor doesn't deliver on everything it sets out to do. Although Monolith's heart is in the right place and the studio honors the lore, it doesn't really add anything that's worth seeing outside of some solid open world gameplay. It isn't a bad game, it just feels far too repetitive for its own good."
- Polygon - 9.5/10
"The gameplay foundation of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is very strong, which makes it all the more incredible that it's also the least exciting thing about the game. Most video games choose to either tell you a story or give you a world in which you can create your own stories; very rarely are these two paths mixed, and even more rarely with any success."
"Shadow of Mordor is that ultimate rarity. It tells a fun little story that would be enough to hold up most games on its own. But it also provides all of the tools to ensure that the most interesting tales to come out of the game will be the ones that were not scripted."
- Eurogamer - 8/10
"There's plenty to see and do in Mordor when you're dead; all that's left, in the words of a wise old wandering wizard, is to decide what to do with the time that is given to you."
- Joystiq - 5/5
"What would have otherwise been a competent sandbox game with solid combat mechanics and an interesting twist on a known fantasy world is elevated by the Nemesis System. Shadow of Mordor is the strategic person's action game."
- The Escapist - 4.5/5
"As an open world game set in Middle-earth, Shadow of Mordor delivers unique emergent gameplay, finely-tuned combat mechanics and a story which avoids typical fantasy fare. While the main storyline can be finished relatively quickly, there is a lot of content in Mordor for you to pursue however you like."
- GameInformer - 8.25/10
"Shadow of Mordor is an unabashedly challenging and complex experience, sometimes at the expense of accessibility. I'm thrilled that we've got a new franchise in the fertile ground of Tolkien's fiction. Add in a borderline revolutionary approach to mission design, and this is a firm foundation for a stellar new series."
Gameplay Walkthrough
Here are some of the gameplay walkthrough by Machinima.
(YouTube Courtesy: Machinima)
(YouTube Courtesy: Tetra Ninja)
(YouTube Courtesy: Tetra Ninja)
(YouTube Courtesy: Tetra Ninja)
Launch Trailer and Season Pass Details
The launch trailer shows the dark side of the Tolkien universe. The trailer also makes reverences to Tolkien lore with the appearance of the creature, Gollum and the great Elven King, Celebrimor.
(YouTube Courtesy: ShadowofMordor)
The Season Pass trailer gives out details on it. The Season Pass is priced at $24.99 and will be inclusive of three new missions, extra modes and items.
(YouTube Courtesy: ShadowofMordor)
