Middle-earth: Shadow of War Reviews
Even though I liked the first game better it obviously is superior to its predecessor. The new Ork system 2.0 has very much improved and fighting down bug castles is a blast. The loot system should be in the game but fortunately it's not needed at all to progress nicely.
Review in German | Read full review
Shadow of War is bigger and better than its predecessor. With a revamped Nemesis System, there are limitless possibilities for each player. You'll definitely spend most of your time hunting and recruiting Orcs for your army. Microtransactions also make an appearance in this game, but can be completely ignored if you don't want to spend more than the full game value.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a worthy sequel to the original Shadow of Mordor game in many ways, but it manages to fall short in a handful of others that are impossible to completely dismiss. That is a shame, since Mordor was my contender for Game of the Year when it released, and I had high, similar hopes for Shadow of War that unfortunately doesn't reach those lofty expectations I had hope for.
I never really got into Shadow of Mordor the way many others did. Shadow of War, however, is another story entirely and is definitely one of this year’s games that you should not miss.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is amazing and I totally loved every moment of my time in the game, the new improved nemesis system, fortress and a shed load more glorious goodies, makes this installement worth the purchase.
I rubbed my ring finger and murmured "my precious" – as I had grown really fond of my War experience. I'd wager it'll be in my top five games of the year, without a shadow of a doubt.
By operating under the maxim that "bigger is better" Monolith has turned in a sequel that's technically superior but lacking the efficiency and focus of its predecessor.
Middle-earth: The Shadow of War is the perfect synthesis of modern action-adventure. Thanks to an impeccable combat system, a fascinating story and an incredible story, the latest fantasy creature by Monolith Productions and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is not just a repetition of the gameplay that has characterized the previous chapter but, conversely, draws inspiration from them to give us a more free and, in many respects, daring adventure.
So, Middle-earth: Shadow of War has taken the addictive nature of Shadow of Mordor, thrown in various new beasts, creatures and Orc types to enhance the experience and made sure there’s a shed load of stuff to do across the massive regions within. Having spent many hours already slaying and recruiting, I can assure you that it’s a real joy to be back in Middle-earth.
The game is fun, wide and well done. The sound makes everything even more appreciable. I enjoyed completing it almost 100% and I spent the last 10 days doing it. I did not regret it and recommend it to everyone. In a video game where you want everything right away, perfectionism is a manna from the sky. However, the game is not free from defects. Some missions, long and especially towards the end, may be repetitive but not a special note. What I did not appreciate was the ability to make micro-transactions by buying the pincers (both real and real money) to find objects and followers as well as bonuses to various experience and token. This was not necessary for me: the game is perfectly feasible without spending a single coin (especially referring to real money), but sometimes it can be a short cut for "lazy" players in finding the strongest object for pure luck without engaging in discovering legendary objects after finishing certain missions. After that, the title really deserves and is a perfect follow-up to L'Ombra di Mordor!
Review in Italian | Read full review
There’s a lot to like and the nemesis system is really great but I wish that the game built around it was more interesting and engaging.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War plays to the strength of its predecessor by doubling down on the Nemesis System. In a lot of ways, this works in the game’s favor. Creating rivalries and forced companionship out of the wildly eccentric hordes under Sauron is an absolute joy. Whether Talion is attacking strongholds or defending his own, these personalities punctuate the action. The height of this achievement quickly reveals the areas of Shadow of War that have fallen short, such as the narrative that dips into a monotonous grind and the overly cluttered systems present in the menus. Still, Shadow of War‘s attention builds itself around the Nemesis backbone and it succeeds more than it fails by doing so for the majority of this adventure.
Shadow of War is absurdly fun to play, with excellent combat mechanics, a deep progression system, and plenty of enemies to defeat. However, it's let down by an incoherent plot and its disappointingly poor treatment of Tolkien's work.
Shadow of War managed to grab hold of me much harder than any other open-world game ever has. Despite its inherant faults, I still had a great time playing through, and can’t say I regret the hours I put in to it.
While the story feels half-baked at times, the follower and Nemesis systems and the consistency of the world of Mordor make Shadow of War a remarkably fun romp through Middle-Earth.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Middle-earth: Shadow of War. I'm a huge fan of the lore and world here, so that should come as no surprise. What ultimately clinches the deal however, is just how much fun this is to play. I'm utterly addicted to the Nemesis system and everything it churns out, not to mention taking part in epic sieges and open warfare. Yes, the soundtrack is honestly a letdown. On top of that, I'm wary of the very idea of lootboxes touching a singleplayer game, even one as content-packed as this. Not to mention, if you aren't enjoying everything the game has to offer, it might feel like a bit of a grind towards the end. Ultimately however, that doesn't take away too much from what Monolith Productions has accomplished here: An epic conclusion to the story that was started in Shadow of Mordor, a legitimately living world that reacts to player decisions or indecision, and a game set in Middle Earth that feels awesome to play.
Shadow of War is a worthy sequel and we've given it a Must Buy. However, note that the Loot Box system is optional if you're willing to work with the game's system and actually play the game (which is what you should be doing!).
Unfortunately, while Shadow of War is a decent enough game, it never manages to capture what made the original so special. Bigger isn't always better and in Shadow of War's case its doubly true.
It’s the best Lord of the Rings game I’ve played to date and I recommend this game to any lord of the rings fan who’s into the lore.
So, I’m not giving this the recommended sticker. It’s too inconsistent for that. But I will say by ignoring the microtransctions and accepting the story for what it was I did have a blast playing Shadow of War, and found myself constantly going back to track down a few more Captains or to just play around with Nemesis system.