Games set in J.R.R. Tolkien's renowned fantasy universe of Middle-Earth have always been a mixed-bag, with most of the "good" games actually being based more on The Lord of the Rings films rather than Tolkien's literary works.
That looks to have finally changed thanks to Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. The game releases on Sept. 30 for next-generation consoles, but early reviews are already coming in, and they are overwhelmingly positive.
Set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Shadow of Mordor is an open-world action title that puts players in the shoes of Talion, a ranger who guards the Black Gate, which, for the Tolkien uninitiated, is the massive gate that separates the dark lands of Mordor from the rest of Middle-Earth. At the beginning of the game, his family and all of his men are brutally killed when orcs overrun the outpost. Talion is also killed, but not for long. An ancient and mysterious wraith resurrects Talion into a spirit of vengeance, who then embarks on a deadly quest to rid the world of Sauron's dark minions and take revenge.
Dark tales of revenge might seem out of place in Tolkien's Middle-Earth, which is filled with idealistic heroes and tales of hope. Though the Mature rated Shadow of Mordor takes an entirely opposite approach in terms of tone from much of Tolkien's source material, most critics say it still manages to stay faithful, while others, like Game Informer's Matt Miller, took fault with the violent imagery on display. Despite finding some problems with the game, Game Informer granted it a score of 8.25 out of 10:
"Even with the close ties to the characters and events of Tolkien, Shadow of Mordor is tonally dissonant from its source material. Unlike that ultimately optimistic set of tales, this revenge-fueled ride is a bleak take on the universe. Many may be disturbed by the dark and oppressive imagery on display."
What really sets Shadow of Mordor apart is the revolutionary Nemesis system, which critics can't praise enough. Throughout the game the orc leaders will learn to fear and expect Talion based on their previous encounters with him. If an orc manages to kill the player, he will be promoted up the orc ranks and grow in strength, all the while remembering his first encounter with the player. This creates unique experiences that differ across play-throughs as orc captains, each with their own unique personalities, strengths and weaknesses, grow and progress over the course of the game. Whether you participate or not, orc society will continue to adapt and change says Polygon reviewer Phil Kollar, who gave Shadow of Mordor a 9.5 out of 10:
"What's most impressive about the nemesis system is how self-sufficient it is. This is a game about you coming into the picture and messing up the natural structure of Orc society, but with or without your input, that society will shift. An Orc veteran on the rise will make a power play to move up in the ranks, or a weaker captain will get himself eaten by a Warg, leaving an empty leadership position for some previously unknown soldier to fill."
As for the bloody combat itself, critics have compared fighting system in the game to that of the hugely popular, and critically well-received, Batman: Arkham titles. From Dan Stapleton's IGN review, where he gave the game a 9.3 out of 10:
"Sword combat feels pretty much just as good here as brawling does in Batman - which is to say it's amazing."
Overall, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor is putting up some great numbers, especially for a Lord of the Rings game. It currently holds a Metacritic score of 84. Shadow of Mordor releases for next-gen consoles Sept. 30, with the last-gen version of the game hitting shelves Nov. 18.
