A darker story set in Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, Shadow of Mordor follows Gondorian ranger Talion, as he and the Wraith (in reality, famed Elvish smith Celebrimbor) as they move to gain revenge against the forces of Sauron.
Developed by developer Monolith, the game introduced the ‘Nemesis System’ which allowed for the hierarchy of enemies to adapt to your actions, including internal struggles for power or a foe suddenly resistant to the last way you attempted to defeat them. Enemies to the pair are fully fleshed out, with strengths and weaknesses, as well as pre-recorded lines for all manner of different scenarios, making it a more complex fight than simply hunting down your next target.
Several familiar faces including Gollum make themselves known during the events of the game, as well as references to other characters and events of the Legendarium. Portagonist Talion’s personality was compared to Boromir from Lord of the Rings by developers.
The pure depth of detail that Shadow of Mordor goes into with its characters, its artistic detail, and its links to Tolkien’s Legendarium shows that it truly deserves its multiple awards and “Game of the Year” status.
Watch the trailer below:
