Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Reviews

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is ranked in the 95th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Apr 28, 2015

From the get go you are introduced to Talion, a Ranger of Gondor as well as Captain of the Black Gate. Who is in the midst of training his son Dirhael and gives you the chance to learn some basic combat moves.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 31, 2014

Shadow of Mordor more than qualifies as being one of the most polished and entertaining games to ever bear the Tolkien namesake.

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Dec 15, 2014

The sandbox nature of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is what makes it such a great game.

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8.5 / 10.0
Oct 2, 2014

Shadow of Mordor provides Lord of the Rings and high fantasy fans with an interesting take on the Assassin's Creed formula. A visually stunning experience paced well and complimented by the Nemesis system.

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8.5 / 10.0
Aug 21, 2017

Middle-Earth: Shadow or Morder successfully delivers an experience that you will enjoy from start to finish. The hours will just fly by as you fight through the detailed land of Mordor. The Nemesis system and Uruk Hierarchy in Saurons Army is something fresh and will keep you entertained throughout the experience. It’s a shame the story couldn’t have been a bit longer. The game is so much fun to play that it’s a real let down when you get to the end of it so soon. This game is a must buy for anyone who is a fan of fantasy hack and slash RPGs. Regardless of your knowledge of the Lord of the Rings franchise you will find your self hooked to this game.

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9.3 / 10.0
Aug 21, 2017

In conclusion, Shadow of Mordor is the best LOTR game I have played in a long time, it reaches the expectations and although some are very critic on the similarity with the assassin's creed system, I have to say I really enjoyed playing this epic game full of emotion, adrenaline and a soundtrack that will blow up your mind. The challenge of completing the campaing 100% will make you spend hours of fun, as the secondary missions are very attractive and challenging but keeping a balance that makes them achievable for any player investing a moderate quantity of time, it is not just a game that incudes high definition graphics and sound quality, but much more than that.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 6, 2014

Shadow of Mordor is an excellent game that is elevated by the Nemesis System and its many other features working together. It's a great tale in Middle Earth that is faithful to the concepts of Tolkien's world and echoes the tragedy of the likes of Hamlet and Macbeth. I highly recommend this game on new-gen platforms and PC where you can truly appreciate the Nemesis System and open world in all its hi-def epic nature.

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6 / 10
Aug 28, 2017
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) Review 6/10 video thumbnail
83 / 100
Oct 7, 2014

It’s sad to say, but the story of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is dismissible, luckily in favor of the facilitating gameplay that does manage to captivate for hours on end, with less need for drab exposition to boot.

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Unscored
Oct 8, 2014

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor isn't an earth shattering, game changing title. But it does do enough to move the genre on a bit.

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8.7 / 10.0
Oct 16, 2014

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor definitely isn't for everyone, but I can almost guarantee that everyone who gives it a shot will find something enjoyable about it, regardless of whether you are a Tolkien fan or not. It perfects the gameplay it emulates, and it opens up an incredible world of forced strategy with the action-adventure genre. I'm sure I don't need to point out how infrequently this happens.

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Gamers Heroes
Johnny Hurricane
Top Critic
8 / 10
Oct 3, 2014

The two things stated above do not change the fact that Shadow Of Mordor is amazing game that should be played by any action game fan. While it certainly needs a few tweaks to be a perfect game it has a legitimate shot at game of the year. The journey is well worth taking and you will not regret playing Middle-earth Shadow Of Mordor.

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Oct 8, 2014

A fantastic start for what we hope will become a fresh Tolkien franchise. There are some solid (if not borrowed) foundations and the Nemesis surpasses our expectations by providing a fresh experience to enemy design. Improvements next time should see a little more variety added to the combat brawls, but you're going to love taking advantage of an enemy's weaknesses from afar with the rich range of underhanded subterfuge tactics. Well played, Monolith.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 10, 2014

The Nemesis System is an achievement, one that overshadows any faults Shadow of Mordor otherwise has through sheer fun factor, and I can't wait to see its influence spread.

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ThisGenGaming
ThisGenGaming
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Oct 12, 2014

Shadow Of Mordor might end up being the surprise hit of the year due to its fantastic combat system, intriguing and original nemesis system, and a whole lot of things to keep you entertained in this amazing open world game. While it does have its similarities to other successful games like Assassin's Creed and Batman Arkham series, it doesn't just copy and paste everything, they put their own special sauce on it and make it even better. One of the only real problems I had with the game was the story wasn't really that good, but everything else is done well making this a must own game!

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86 / 100
Oct 16, 2014

Monolith Productions has created a new standard for Middle-earth games with Shadow of Mordor. The combat is gratifying, the visuals are gorgeous and the unique features such as the nemesis system combine to create a great action game experience.

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8.7 / 10.0
Sep 30, 2014

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a game that delivers the fantasy goods in spades. The ultra-anal Tolkien lovers might take issue with Talion and how the game is presented, and the AI and frame-rate issues are clear. That being said, this remains a wildly immersive, engaging adventure with an excellent combination of action and platforming elements.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 30, 2014

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the rare Arkham clone that transcends its status. It borrows heavily from Batman: Arkham Asylum but does enough new, interesting and distinctive things that it doesn't feel derivative. The core gameplay mechanics are some of the most enjoyable I've encountered this year, and the game is fun from start to finish. A lackluster plot and odd use of the source material holds the game back slightly but not enough to interfere with the unadulterated fun of the core concept. Shadow of Mordor may not be the deepest or most meaningful game released this year, but it sure is one of the most fun.

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8 / 10
Oct 12, 2014

We can easily recommend Shadow of Mordor to fans of either aforementioned franchise, action-adventure lovers, and to anyone that won't mind spilling gallons of Orc blood. It's one of the year's biggest surprises.

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Drew Hurley
Top Critic
8 / 10
Dec 3, 2014

Shadow of Mordor shows that the Tolkien licence still has a lot of life in it yet. It falls short a little in that some of the aspects feel like they don't quite live up to what they promised, but this is a great first step for a brand new IP. Hopefully this won't be the last we see of Talion.

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