Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Reviews
Shadow of Mordor more than qualifies as being one of the most polished and entertaining games to ever bear the Tolkien namesake.
The sandbox nature of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is what makes it such a great game.
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.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the biggest "pleasant surprise" of 2014. A solid side-story from an established universe with spot-on gameplay makes this a surprise contender for one of the year's best games.
So, is Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor worth buying? Absolutely. It will appease hardcore fans of games like Assassin's Creed and the Batman: Arkham series, while introducing new gameplay mechanics that fundamentally change the structure of the game. A unique experience for any gamer indeed.
Living and fighting and dying in an organic, dynamic world is utterly spectacular. Shadow of Mordor can offer nothing better than that: the plot is average, and side missions range from the severely limiting 'kill x orcs in this specific way' to the unreasonably tedious 'free these identical human slaves (again)'. But existing within this open world is a satisfying experience, purely because your enemies feel more rounded, more genuine. The Nemesis system is Shadow of Mordor; it's as simple as that.
With the addition of the Nemesis system, Shadow of Mordor becomes something truly special, giving the player a more dynamic experience, which allows us to have our own unique adventures, with enemies we'll make a personal history with.
If you're fond of Tolkien, you should enjoy this side story without being too offended by the updates to popular lore. If you've enjoyed Assassin's Creed, you may appreciate the visceral change of pace the game brings to the genre of open-world stealth. The world feels alive and treacherous, the combat gives you lots of gruesome options, and the enemy army is always evolving. It might not offer the challenge you crave, but if you enjoy killing orcs, there are two maps filled with the savage monsters and they're all looking for a fight.
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.
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.
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.
The tech specs are demanding, but this is the Middle-Earth game to rule them all.
While expectations may have been fairly low for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, there was still a certain amount of hope within me that Monolith could produce an enjoyable experience. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor soared past those expectations and not only produced an enjoyable experience, but also one of the best experiences with a video game this year. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a very well crafted adventure that will keep you hooked for hours on end.
The landscapes and exploration elements might not be on the level of some of its open-world brethren, but Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor delivers one of the best games to feature the intricate lore of J.R.R. Tolkien—and its innovative, addictive Nemesis system could redefine the way developers design enemy encounters in the future.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor is a strong foray into the Tolkien universe, backed up by popular combat from other major action series, with its own free-running style to boot.
The bottom line here is that if you have a passing interest in Tolkien's work, and you liked the Arkham or Assassin's Creed games, then you owe it to yourself to give Shadow of Mordor a shot. As for avid fans of Tolkien, the retconning of certain pieces of lore might upset you but this is hardly the first time a Lord of the Rings game has done that, and at least the "game" part is actually good this time. Just don't go in expecting a story on the scale of The Lord of the Rings or detailed environments, they just aren't there.
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.
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.
A challenging and fascinating adventure in emergent gameplay, but not without growing pains
With a brilliant blend of silky smooth yet brutal combat and some memorable stealth sequences, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor offers up some of the best open world combat we have seen in quite some time. It is not without some faults, and will frustrate many to the core, but in the end you are left with an excellent Lord of the Rings game that should please any "Mature" gamer.