Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor - Review

“No war should be fought alone” – A review of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. 

If you give me an opportunity to explore Tolkien’s world, I will jump at it. The Lord of the Rings are my favourite books and films of all time, and any opportunity to engage with Middle-earth will have me more excited than a hobbit discovering a pint. There have been several games based on Tolkien’s universe over the years, but I would argue that Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is up there as one of the best.

Developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros., Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is an action-adventure game set in, well you guess it, Middle-earth. The game was released in 2014 and bridged the gap between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and it gave fans the opportunity to explore, and get to know the inhabitants of, Mordor.

You play as Talion, a ranger from Gondor who is looking for vengeance after suffering a devastating loss at the hands of the dark forces of Sauron. He is possessed by the wraith of the legendary Celebrimbor, an ancient Elven smith well known by any self-respecting Tolkien fan, as he sets off on his journey to find redemption and revenge. The story is engaging, with themes including grief and power throughout, and seeing Mordor is an incredible experience. You would expect it to be bleak, and it is, but it’s also incredibly atmospheric and looks absolutely brilliant.

The best thing about this game is the gameplay though. The combat system is fantastic and will be familiar to anyone who has played the Batman: Arkham series. Swords, stealth, and wraith powers allow you to either attack enemies head on or sneak past without being seen, delivering stealth attacks before moving on. The parkour is great too; it’s tight, and stealth is genuinely a joy to use, making exploring Mordor really fun.

My favourite thing about this game is the Nemesis System. Every Orc and Uruk you encounter has their own personality, their own strengths and weaknesses, and of course their own ambitions. If you fight and orc and they win, they raise in rank and if you meet again, the orc will not only remember you but will even taunt you for past losses. This creates a really clever hierarchy in Sauron’s forces, and creates some really fun, dynamic rivalries. I would add that the system also adds so much replayability to the game, which is always an added bonus, as each playthrough can be completely different.

The character models are pretty detailed, and the landscapes are bleak but full of plenty to see and explore. The weather effects are striking and adds realism to the world, making it more immersive, and the soundtrack is atmospheric and ominous.

I do have a few minor complaints about this game. I would say that the open world is for the most part really fun to explore, but there are a few areas that feel a little empty. The side missions are pretty fun, but over time start to feel a little repetitive, which is a shame. Whilst I enjoy the story, I do think it takes a bit of a back seat to the gameplay, which again is a shame.

With that said though, I do think Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a really great game and a fantastic adaption of Tolkien’s work. The Nemesis system, fun combat and incredibly atmospheric world makes for a thrilling and deeply enjoyable experience, and whilst it’s imperfect, I do think it’s probably the best Lord of the Rings game out there. Now, let’s go hunt some orc.

Written by Tam Page

Posted by Mr. Tomney

Share Article: