Middle-Earth : Shadow of Mordor (Review)

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2014 hasn’t been the most glorious year in gaming history. With many disappointing games that came out in 2014, I am pleased to say that Middle Earth came just in time to prevent the year-end from becoming a huge blunder for games. Middle-Earth : Shadow of Mordor is one of the best games I have played in a very long time and the content is so deep that one can literally lose hours playing what the game has to offer. Adapted from the Middle Earth Franchise(lord of the rings), Monolith Studios and Warner Bros. have done justice to J.R.R Tolkein. The game is the best looking game on next Gen consoles and the way it plays has rendered me speechless.

The world of Mordor is beautifully realized in the next Gen console and it left me awestruck. The diversity of foliage, activities and quests kept me busy for well over 40 hours with the game. The story mode and various other game modes are experienced through the eyes of Talion, a Ranger at the Black Gate who is responsible for protecting the people of Gondor from Sauron and his captains (a lot of lord of the rings references). The game itself begins brutally when the Talions family is ritualistically murdered right in front of him. Although Talion is technically dead, he is brought back to life by an elvish wraith called Celebrimbor. Together, Talion and Celebrimbor embark on a journey to find and exact their revenge on Sauron and his Black Captains who are responsible for their deaths.

The story mode is short but crisp. What I loved about the game more than anything was the combat system. Adapted directly from the Batman series, the game has the same free flow combat we saw and loved in the Arkham series. But, unlike Batman, this game is brutal. Packed with so much gore, the game offered everything from severing heads of Orcs to placing that very head on a pike and showing it off. Brutal and packed with action, this combat system is hard to forget. As you upgrade your character, there’s more to see as far as the combat system is concerned. With a wide variety of powers and abilities at your disposal, you will feel like a God as you progress through the game.

Nemesis System

Warner Bros. has worked hard on this game and has brought something new to the table, something which hasn’t been seen in any game till date. Its called ‘The Nemesis System’ and this system changes how one can approach the game entirely. The Nemesis System shows all the Captains and Warchiefs present. These captains are no easy task. One has to study their individual strengths and weaknesses before one can attack them or else be prepared to die countless times before you can actually kill one captain. If exploited properly, the weakness of any captain can let you take him out in just one strike. Its all a matter of how you would like to approach the game. Each perspective is different and offers a new experience. And let me tell you, no two people’s nemesis system is the same. This system is dynamic and complex and is different for each person’s gameplay. If for instance, you face one enemy in your gameplay, I may not face the same one during my gameplay. Use the Nemesis System wisely and you can rule over the lands of Mordor. The game offers you every opportunity to feel powerful, so I suggest, use it.

There’s more to this game but remember how in other games if you die, you just respawn at the last checkpoint like nothing ever happened? Yeah, well this game is not like that. If you die at the hands of a Captain or a Warchief, he is going to level up and gain more power. He will remember that you were defeated by him and will gloat about it the next time you too ever face off. If killed at the hands of some random Orc, he levels up and will get promoted to captain. One death can change the nemesis system in many ways. In this game, dying matters. If you die, the one who killed you will remember you and will be even more cautious the next time you two face off. This made the game feel alive and it is something which added to the unforgettable experience of the game. Every step of the game makes you think about your approach and needs caution.

The Verdict

With a huge open world and a massive nemesis system, Shadow of Mordor is a game which can keep you fixed to your television screen for hours to come. Everything about this game is new and the experience is one which surely is unforgettable. The variety and sheer enormity of what the game offers the players is enough to make it a good game but all the extra details to it making it one of the best games of all time. If one needs a break from the routine RPG games out there in the market, Shadow of Mordor is the stuff to try. I rate the game a very high 9.6 out of 10 and hats off to the chaps at Monolith Studios. Shadow of Mordor opens up a new chapter in the history of gaming. A must buy for gaming fanatics out there.

Publisher : Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Awards : The Game Award for Best Action/Adventure
Platforms : PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows
Developers : Monolith Productions, Behaviour Interactive
Rating : 9.6/10
Price : At Amazon   |   At Flipkart

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