ONE GAME TO RULE THEM ALL
Also for: Linux, Macintosh, Playstation 3, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One
We have all played droves of these open-world adventures before. You know: action,
stealth, random loot, endlessly respawning enemies, climbing mechanics,
collectibles, quest markers, generic story - the list goes on. How can
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, which consists of so many of these recycled
gameplay elements, engage me so much? Well, the answer might lie in the
execution. If the quality of a movie doesn't lie in what it's about,
but in how it's about it, can't the same be said about
games?
Shadow of Mordor contains just about all the usual open world tropes, but you get to experience them through mechanics tweaked to perfection and silky smooth controls. Another
thing worth considering is that it doesn't meander. My playthrough clocked
in at "merely" 24 hours, even as I went the extra mile to collect all
of the pointless trinkets and Ithildin door poems, and finished more than half of
the optional side-content. It ends long before the fun gameplay has worn out its welcome.
And it does more than just polish and recycle. It actually throws something
unique into the mix, giving it a strong identity in the overcrowded open-world
market. The brilliant, so-called Nemesis system procedurally generates an endless horde of enemies, each with unique looks, names, personalities, motivations,
strengths and weaknesses. As you proceed through the game, they grow more
powerful through their victories until you finally defeat them.
Even as the written storyline and characters feel bland, the Nemesis system creates a super-engaging systemic storyline on the side.
These three elements - neat polish, great pacing and inventive enemy design -
combine to elevate a seemingly unremarkable game to great heights, even to this day when we're fast approaching the game's tenth anniversary. Never mind that the written story
doesn't hook me, nor that the characters are bland and shallow. The cinematics
are short, to the point and leave room for me to spend most of my time doing
the things that matter.
The title reveals that the game takes place in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy
realm of Middle-earth. And to those familiar with the lore, the mere mention
of the land of Mordor doesn't exactly elicit inspiring natural poetry - it's basically a Hell on
Earth. Everything is scorched, meaning the only "colors" are different shades
of grey and brown. With such expectations, the second half of the game
surprised me with a fresh visual overhaul as I opened up a pathway into the
heart of Mordor. At least it invigorated the color scheme a bit.
In Shadow of Mordor, you control Talion, a ranger of Gondor, who stood watch
at the Black Gate as it fell to the dark forces of Sauron between the events
of Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. At the
onset, we learn that Talion, along with his wife and son, got executed by
Sauron's henchmen. With his last breath, he assured his family that they would meet in the afterlife, but destiny had other plans.
Talion soon reawakens as a restless spirit on the same spot he died. By his side another spirit appears, one of an amnesiac elf seemingly as befuzzled about
the situation as Talion. They both decide to avenge Talion's death by
searching for the perpetrator, whilst trying to learn about the elf's true
identity. Without spoiling much, I can reveal that he turns out to be a seminal character in Middle-earth lore. And
he's not the only one of importance you'll come across.
As soon as the introduction is out of the way, the game quickly reveals how
much Monolith Productions was inspired by
Assassin's Creed. But Shadow of Mordor outshines its source of inspiration
on almost every front, with much improved controls for combat, stealth and
exploration. Although the written story does nothing for me, the game offers
me a lot of leeway to craft my own legend through its bitesize mission
structure. The pacing is great, and although the world design lacks aesthetic
splendor, it has a playground appeal that fits the gameplay systems like hand
in glove. It's quick and easy to traverse and exploit.
Again, the greatest feature is undeniably the brilliant Nemesis system, which
creates dozens upon dozens of unique, randomly generated Uruk captains. They
all have their own motivations, grudges and alliances, forming an innate
hierarchy, all competing for the top spot in every region of the game world. In all their self-obsessive individuality, they all have that one ambition in common - a fact that Talion is quick to exploit.
Your task is to disrupt and manipulate the enemy's growth by different means. And any Uruk that would survive his encounter with you will remember you. If one of them kills you,
he quickly advances through the ranks, grows in stature and becomes even more
powerful. His stats increase and he might gain bodyguards, new abilities and
better equipment. And after you resurrect, he'll taunt you and gladly fight you again with renewed confidence and better support. Out of variables like that, the game spawns endless
sidequests, bossfights and fun situations.
Every time you encounter one of these captains or warlords, the game
hilariously introduces your opponent as if you're about to enter a boxing
ring, with the crowd chanting his name. It reminds me of the
"Maximus!"-scene from the movie Gladiator (2000). If you gather
enough intel, you should know the best way to defeat them - they all have
certain weaknesses to exploit, some of which may even cause them to flee in
panic. The way you can manipulate them, assassinate them or even recruit
them and then level them up makes for countless hours of enjoyment. It's
possible to farm a veritable army of Orcs and Uruks and trick them into
fighting each other.
The combat engine itself is a more streamlined version of the one from the publisher Warner Bros'
own Batman: Arkham Asylum, with added bow- and mounted combat
mechanics. They are unremarkable, which is another way of saying they work
well, but add nothing that we haven't seen before. It is nevertheless fun
to sneak around the numerous enemy camps, shooting explosive barrels,
rattling up hornets nests or setting free trapped beasts to even the odds before going in for the kill.
My gripes are minor. The climbing mechanic, although relatively swift, still
feels a bit clunky at times. The ending is a snub and felt very rushed, with
one of the most anti-climactic final boss fights (if you can even call it
that) I've ever seen. The story is full of clichés and has a vibe of fan fiction to
it, although the voice acting is excellent and the animation and sound
design is great for its time. Also, I think the game could've done a lot
more with the collectible herbs and different status effects.
But we got what we got, which resulted in a game I wouldn't have missed for
the world. This was actually my second playthrough, and all the skills I've picked up since the first one made the game even better. Contrary to what you might expect, Shadow of Mordor isn't food for thought, it's a feast for your lizard brain. The experience grows with
player skill, and all the systemic fun the Nemesis system provides makes
Shadow of Mordor a must-play as a sandbox experience.
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