Shadow of Mordor Review
Developer Monolith Productions
Publisher Warner Bros Interactive
Platform Gen3, Gen 4 & PC.
Release Date Out Now
Reviewed by Denis O’ Gorman on PS4
Shadow of Mordor took gamers largely by surprise when it launched last year. By setting you in the muddy boots of a grief stricken ranger named Talion it offered a different take on Tolkien’s universe.
As you battle across the blood soaked open world you will find a game that has taken elements from similar titles implemented them well, and built on that base with some innovative ideas of their own to deliver an exceptionally entertaining experience despite some obvious flaws (most notably the lack of an in-depth storyline to tie together the exceptional elements, which are rightly praised).
Equipped with just a dagger, a bow and a sword, the emphasis is shifted towards character development rather than unlocking better weapons. In an age where games are increasingly offering a dazzling array of weaponry it is a nice change to focus on getting the best use from the limited weapons you have while also ensuring you become invested in the character.
The nemesis system is far and away the best example of the unique way in which this game keeps the player coming back time and again. With the obvious lack of a compelling story, nemesis acts as a sort of build your own adventure. You can interrogate Orcs to gain valuable information on your foes, find their strengths and weaknesses, and formulate a plan of attack.
You need to fight different ranking Orc leaders, each of which is unique in not only name but also appearance, and skill. If you die in a battle the Orcs learn from you and become more powerful. The next time you encounter him on the battlefield you may find the early slip up of letting him live comes back to haunt you.
What makes the Nemesis system truly innovative is the ability to manipulate it. By assisting low level Orcs, having them spy or assassinate for you, you can turn your foes against one another.
Through defeating Orc captains you can level your character up. The higher the rank of the Orc the more you can gain. In turn you can use this XP to upgrade your character. This can be spent focusing on strengthening Talion or increasing his ability with his weapons and his speed.
There is no difficulty level as such given the nature of the nemesis system. Some low level and lightly guarded Orcs are simple to attack. While others move in high powered packs, defending fortresses and require far more planning to attack successfully. This means that you need to pick targets carefully, only moving to attack more powerful opponents when you stand a chance of success. Defeat means making your opponent even more powerful and thus ever harder to neutralize.
The game is open world and the feel of Mordor is vibrant in the colours, tones and architecture of the world and the characters are incredibly detailed. This being said, there are times when you will find yourself running through the same areas killing the same packs of Orcs which can be frustrating.
However despite this minor annoyance, the beauty and detail of the world immerses you into something even those who disliked the films can identify with, a living breathing work of art, with a haunting soundtrack. The rusting bushes, the sound of the battle horns, and the scrape of steel draws the player into the fight for the future of Middle-Earth.
If there is a down-side to this game, it is the lack of challenge in the latter part of the game. Enemies pose little in the way of a challenge due to the combat up-skilling of your character.
The lack of story becomes a little jarring later on. Whether this was a decision purposely taken or forced on them, Shadows of Modor makes a deliberate effort to avoid delving too deep into Tolkien’s works and in doing so it fails to put its own mark on the universe.
Overall this is a game worthy of a playthrough, it will swallow dozens of hours and has huge re-playability due to its nemesis system. The combat, open-world detail, and sound are second to none. For those who love a story-driven narrative there may be some disappointment, but don’t let that put you off playing a game that matches most other top action games in this genre.
Score 4/5
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