Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PS4) Review

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Ask Tatjana: What's it REALLY like to work at GameStop? Anxiety has grown for the long awaited arrival of a game that would set a standard for the future of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. That game has finally arrived. This entirely new IP is not a remake or a past-gen port, as many current gen titles have been so far. Not only does this new title take “triple A” games to the next level, but it has already overcome what some would call a tremendous feat which is, creating a game that is deserving of classic Tolkien, Middle-earth lore. Many have tried and many have done well, but none have hit such a high pitch as Middle- earth: Shadow of Mordor. BEFORE THE FELLOWSHIP The universe of Middle-earth is composed of numerous timelines, golden eras and dark periods, similar to the real world. Hence, choosing the perfect time frame for such a massive universe would seem to be a challenge, but after experiencing it for myself, development team Monolith chose the perfect era for their game. There is the shire- sweet calm of Middle-earth that you’ve seen in most of The Hobbit or, “pre-Fellowship of the Ring era”. This less fearful timeline is filled with not-so intimidating goblins, prideful dwarves and mischievous hobbits. None of this is present in Shadow of Mordor. This world created by Monolith embodies the darker, savage side of Middle-earth mythology; filled with blood lust, carnage and corruption. You play as a ranger captain, Talion, who is living within the walls of Black Gate with his wife and son. Although it is never clearly stated, one may assume that Talion and his family inhabited this tower before Sauron’s army rose to occupy Black Gate, or before the ring of power had been located and Frodo’s journey began. For those who have forgotten or may not know, Black Gate is the final location where the Fellowship is stationed Flash version 10,1 or greater when Frodo destroyed the ring of power and the black tower crumbled. The only explanation as to why Talion, his family and many others would choose to occupy such a is required dangerous region in Mordor could only be due to the fact that Shadow of Mordor takes place between the time of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. Unfortunately, You have no flash plugin installed and as one may predict, Black Gate is eventually overrun with Uruk forces which leads to Download latest version from here a very unfortunate end, and beginning to Talion’s story.

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Talion and his wife. Flash version 10,1 or greater After the Uruk invasion at Black Gate, Talion and his family are ritually sacriﬁced to is required summon a dark Elf lord. In Talion’s murder, Talion is unknowingly linked to a wraith, which is the only reason he was able to survive the ritual. Caught within a purgatorial You have no ﬂash plugin installed and spiritual bond, Talion and this wraith wander Middle-earth to seek revenge for Talion’s family and the destination of the wraith’s long forgotten memories. Download latest version from here In order for one to become a wraith, one must have their lives dishonorably stolen through the use of dark magic or necromancy. The Ring-wraiths made famous in the Lord of the Ring trilogy, were given nine rings of power and their souls were stolen, forcing them to serve Sauron and the ring for all eternity. If Talion’s wraith shares any similar story to theirs, we may have another revenge plot on our hands, aside from Talion’s. Flash version 10,1 or greater is required

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Talion and his wraith companion ﬁghting in unison You have no ﬂash plugin installed

Download latest version from here FIGHT LIKE A RANGER Shadows of Mordor plays beautifully. The free flow counter, stun and climactic mechanics feel similar to Batman’s Arkham games, but with amazing upgrades. Watching Talion move through pools of enemies with relative ease is amazing to behold. Unlike the Arkham games, my thumbs never felt too tired after constantly countering and attacking due to the upgrade in fighting functionality. Rather than basic button-mashing, Talion has a wide range of options when approaching a fighting scenario. When Talion fights face-to- face using his sword, he simply flows through battle areas without ever feeling too grounded or stuck in between enemies. Similar to Batman’s adventures in Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, the world feels large and enemies are everywhere. While some Uruks are ground level, others can be found Flash version 10,1 or greater hiding in high towers with bow in hand, ready to alert their companions of your presence. With the overwhelming amount of Uruks on the scene, Talion’s stealth is needed in is required almost every situation. Some quests will require you to take down Uruks found in strongholds which are the hardest areas to infiltrate. Becoming familiar with Talion’s You have no flash plugin installed stealth will allow you to maneuver through dangerous areas without sounding alarms or Download latest version from here failing a mission. Talion’s stealth options are incredible. Even while scaling walls, Talion is able to grab Uruks above and pull them off the edge to their deaths. He can also pounce on enemies from above and, my personal favorite, lure foes into vulnerable spots so he can slit their throats. Although the game can feel challenging at times, the weapons customization alleviates some of that difficulty. Defeating Uruk captains will reward players with rune upgrades for weapons, which will in turn power them up for stronger foes, such as “gain health bonus with each execution”, etc. Although these weapon enhancements allow Talion to Flash version 10,1 or greater level up and become stronger, he hardly feels personalized. There are no fighting classes, perks or concentrated abilities of which the player can choose from; Talion utilizes each is required weapon equally, leaving him feeling less personalized and a little too configured. There are skins available for Talion in the game’s startup menu though, which will allow players You have no flash plugin installed to dress Talion in different outfits — another similarity to the Arkham games. Although Download latest version from here there aren’t many choices for customizing Talion, you feel invested in him regardless. I mean, if you’re going to be stuck within a character’s persona that is not of your own choice, he may as well be a badass, right? Talion is given a dagger, sword and bow. His dagger is used for stealth kills while the sword is his most frequently used weapon. The bow functions through the use of the wraith’s ability and is charged with Elf Shot ammunition, which is found scattered around the world. The main way to consume this Elf Shot is by absorbing the life source of Uruks Flash version 10,1 or greater scattered around the plains; and let me tell you, nothing felt more satisfying than raising a slave-driving Uruk into mid-air so that I could consume his very soul. Through Talion, I is required was finally able to punish the very enemies I have always despised in the Lord of the Rings series and inside I was screaming, “This one is for Boromir!” You have no flash plugin installed

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Uruk captain in-game descriptions. This where you ﬁnd their location and strengths/weaknesses (depending if you have gained intel on them).

Shadow of Mordor has numerous side stories, scattered artifacts and enemy intel missions scattered around the map; these side quests are set apart from the main mission which allows players to have a longer, more enjoyable experience. Aside from these main and side quests, there is the Nemesis System. Uruks are constantly at war with each other, battling for superiority, while still delegating their own gang rivalries. Within each of these Uruk groups, there is an Uruk captain, each possessing their own strengths and weaknesses. Your job is to take out these Uruk captains one by one. Some of these guys are not easy to take down and this is where enemy intel comes in. Lesser ranked Uruks that possess enemy intel are highlighted green in wraith mode, and when you capture them, they will give you details in regards to any Uruk captain of your choice. This allows you to know what you’re fighting against, and your chances of winning. If you fail to defeat an Uruk captain and die however, these Uruk captains will be promoted and gain new abilities. This war system is such an amazing addition to the game, and adds a significant amount of player time to the game’s length. I loved that each captain had their own personality, voice actor and persona. Some captains were noticeably terrifying cannibals, while some looked like burly ogres that could break me in half. This portion of the game is probably one of the most enjoyable parts, and is my personal favorite. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a remarkable game. I find that no matter what mood I’m in or how I’m feeling at any given time of day, I can’t wait to get home and play this title. Although the added lore was not a part of Tolkien’s grand creation, it fits well nonetheless, which is impressive of such a largely sophisticated universe. I am certain that Tolkien enthusiasts and action gamers alike will have no trouble immersing themselves into this dark, gritty and thrilling atmosphere. This game is not only on my “game of the year” list, but on my “favorite games of all time” list as well. Hats off to you, Monolith.

World view Talion and his linked wraith in combat Talion and Rat Bag

Uruk information menu Wraith bow Reward gained after defeating an Uruk captain

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Stephanie Burdo WordPress Author Box Stephanie Burdo. Bayonetta alter ego. RPG fanatic. Doritos tacos locos lover. Viva Pinata master. Dragonborn and Queen of Albion. Since reading her ﬁrst comic book and beating the water temple at the age of 5, she has vowed to game and divulge into comic book nerdom for your education and entertainment.