Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2699 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,017 out of 2699
  2. Mixed: 474 out of 2699
  3. Negative: 208 out of 2699
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  1. easterfields
    Dec 26, 2014
    10
    I'm usually a pretty hard sell on games that are based on film, television, and book licenses. The main reason being that there's never enough attention to detail and production value put in such games as they are mainly created to cash in on the name. There are a few exceptions though, and this may be the biggest one. As a huge Tolkien fan, I will admit I was disinterested by theI'm usually a pretty hard sell on games that are based on film, television, and book licenses. The main reason being that there's never enough attention to detail and production value put in such games as they are mainly created to cash in on the name. There are a few exceptions though, and this may be the biggest one. As a huge Tolkien fan, I will admit I was disinterested by the concept of this game when I first heard about it. I really didn't feel it could do the books or films any justice, but I was hugely myopic in my assumptions. This game truly is a work of art in nearly every way. The attention to detail-such as the voice acting (the orcs are amazing!), the collectibles, the weapons, the graphics, etc. are all some of the very best I have ever experienced. It's very obvious that this game was a labor of love by those who developed it, and that shines through in nearly every moment of playing the game. And oh what fun there is to be had. Visceral, intense, threatening, and awe-inspiring are just some of the adjectives that come to mind in a typical play-session of Shadow of Mordor. They have done an outstanding job of presenting an experience that feels removed right out of the brilliant Peter Jackson films. It saddens me to great lengths, that this title will not be receiving the attention and hype it deserves-lurking in the "shadow" of the other regurgitated titles that were released around the holidays (GTA5 as an example), for it truly deserves to be praised and heralded as a great gaming moment. It is no doubt the sleeper hit of 2014 and would without question, be my pick for Game of the Year!… Expand
  2. Scottgun
    Dec 26, 2014
    9
    Shadow of Mordor is exactly what a game based on Tolkien's lore is supposed to be: fan fiction. Trying to recreate the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit is usually an exercise in disappointment. For an interesting excercise in this, watch Peter Jackson's films with the attitude that they are fan fiction rather than The Official Movie Version of Middle-Earth, and you might enjoy them muchShadow of Mordor is exactly what a game based on Tolkien's lore is supposed to be: fan fiction. Trying to recreate the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit is usually an exercise in disappointment. For an interesting excercise in this, watch Peter Jackson's films with the attitude that they are fan fiction rather than The Official Movie Version of Middle-Earth, and you might enjoy them much more. Shadow of Mordor mines Middle-Earth lore for all its worth yet delivers a unique story. Add the Nemesis system that turns the bad guys into real characters instead of faceless drones and you've got a recipe for success worthy of emulation.… Expand
  3. Munkey
    Dec 25, 2014
    9
    In the year of weak triple A titles and HD Remastered versions Shadow of Mordor is a welcome sight and fkr me the game of the year. Yes it has it problems but the fun you will get with this title makes the flaws of this title look small.
    First the combat is a blend of Batman series free flow and counter fighting with the Creed series of stealth finishers. Combat is bloody, brutal and very    In the year of weak triple A titles and HD Remastered versions Shadow of Mordor is a welcome sight and fkr me the game of the year. Yes it has it problems but the fun you will get with this title makes the flaws of this title look small.
    First the combat is a blend of Batman series free flow and counter fighting with the Creed series of stealth finishers. Combat is bloody, brutal and very responsive. The satisfaction of landing combos over 50 and the screems of enemies is music for my ears. Then is the ranged combat with the bow. It's there for does enemy archers,killing off straglers or to pin to the ground.
    The RPG element is there. You have wraith and ranger skills to chose from. You can also upgrade your health, focus, number of arrows and ad rune slots to your weapons ( sword, bow, dager ). There is a good amount of things to unlock.
    Mordor as an open world passes the test. You have ruins, old castles, forts and caves to explore. Let's be honest it isn't big when you compare it to skyrim, gta or da:inq but yoh will find it enough to please you. Then there is a second map with is a welcome change of the wastelands of Mordor.
    Then there is the Nemesis system. It's briliant and funy at times. In short when an uruk kills you it gets promoted to captain. You can kill him but when the encounter begins the uruk has something to say. He can say how he killed you, mock you, threaten you and so on. If you fail to kill the captain he will escape or if he kills you he will raise in rank and power. Each uruk has his strenght and weakness which you can exploit. This system should be implemented in more open world/rpg games.
    There are also collectables with lore, mounts to ride and more like in every open world game.
    The story is good. Nothing special but explores the middle-earth lore. I won't go in the details but will just say it's ok possible the weakest point of the game but still far from being bad.
    My only to concerns with game I had was the camera control in large fights. Sometimes it went in such an angle that you couldn't see or was stuck for a second. The other thing sometimes the climbing wouldn't work as fluid and when there was an enemy near you the game had some problem of recognizing what you wanted to do.
    Final score for me is a 9 out of 10. The best game in this year by far. Combat, lore and Nemesis system! I want more. Got it for 29£ and it was the best buy this year on my ps4!    … Expand
  4. Underpants158
    Dec 22, 2014
    9
    What is this game?: An open world action game. The action is defined by attacking, blocking, dodging, stunning, and a few other nifty moves that come in handy. The open world has bosses (captains, warchiefs) roaming around minding their own business, main missions, side missions that include messing with some captains and warchiefs, and side missions that focus on bow, sword, or stealthWhat is this game?: An open world action game. The action is defined by attacking, blocking, dodging, stunning, and a few other nifty moves that come in handy. The open world has bosses (captains, warchiefs) roaming around minding their own business, main missions, side missions that include messing with some captains and warchiefs, and side missions that focus on bow, sword, or stealth dagger play.

    Pros:
    -The action aspect works well. The blocking, stunning, and finishing somebody off is real satisfying
    -Stealth kills are cool
    -You can takeover orcs and have them fight alongside you
    -The bosses (captains and warchiefs) have strengths and weaknesses that are unique to him and that you must exploit/avoid if you are to have any realistic shot of taking him down.
    -The nemesis system can lead to unique and fun stories of killing each other.

    Cons:
    -Idc about the story or the characters. I forgot why I was supposed to be doing it all until the game told me again at the end.
    -speaking of the end it was very lackluster both story and gameplay wise.
    -dodging is delayed sometimes making it frustrating

    Conclusions: You are surely not playing this for the narrative unless it's the one you create with your interactions with the baddies roaming around the world. That being said it is a great and addictive action game. I struggled with giving it an 8 or 9 but hey, it's christmas. Better make a second one and make it even better.    … Expand
  5. maveric_87
    Dec 19, 2014
    9
    My first 30 minutes with the game were not thrilling. I felt it was a bit boring and unoriginal. However, once I got passed the 1.5 hour mark I was hooked and still am. The graphics are fantastic and really show off the world Tolkien created that Peter Jackson showed us on the big screen. The controls are solid using the combat system Arkham Asylum made famous. The story is well done forMy first 30 minutes with the game were not thrilling. I felt it was a bit boring and unoriginal. However, once I got passed the 1.5 hour mark I was hooked and still am. The graphics are fantastic and really show off the world Tolkien created that Peter Jackson showed us on the big screen. The controls are solid using the combat system Arkham Asylum made famous. The story is well done for an action game and it does an excellent job utilizing the material provided by the books to give us more background on the setting, herbs, characters, history etc. One of my few gripes is the lack of a loot system which I feel could have been easily added to the game even with the rune system(which I loved) already in place. Being able to customize Talion's armor and weapons rather than being limited to different skins would have been the icing on the cake for me. The game setting although set in Mordor(hence the name of the game) could use some more variety to it. Now to my favorite part. The Nemesis system! It. Is. Awesome! Very innovative and adds a new dimension to games that are fun but lack a good challenge. I look forward to seeing this system evolve and be used in future games. Overall, this game is amazing! Worth every bit of the $59.99 price tag!… Expand
  6. themdr127
    Dec 19, 2014
    7
    Shadow of Mordor was a highly anticipated game on my side, not because of the creators, nor because of Warner Bros, but because of a successful trailer.
    Only a few trailer creators can add that "spark" to make me anticipated for ANY game nowadays.
    The graphics and sound design was phenomenal, but the story line was rushed closer to the end. It would of been best to post-pone the release    Shadow of Mordor was a highly anticipated game on my side, not because of the creators, nor because of Warner Bros, but because of a successful trailer.
    Only a few trailer creators can add that "spark" to make me anticipated for ANY game nowadays.
    The graphics and sound design was phenomenal, but the story line was rushed closer to the end.
    It would of been best to post-pone the release date and add a richer ending, instead of a speedy cinematic.
    Overall the gameplay was good, combat is very intuitive and smooth, 2-3 glitches in some places, but not as much as AC.
    I dont regret purchasing the game, but i wont be buying any of the DLC content, its completely unnecessary, i would rather wait for the next installment to take place.    … Expand
  7. Keys1989
    Dec 18, 2014
    10
    All the positive word of mouth is why I got this game. Well then....it's the first game I ever bothered to platinum.

    I loved this game so much I can't possibly articulate it here. I think I clocked in at about 50 hours and it felt like 10 minutes. The combat is beyond smooth, in the early going I died often, but as the game progressed and my character got stronger things changed. I felt    All the positive word of mouth is why I got this game. Well then....it's the first game I ever bothered to platinum.

    I loved this game so much I can't possibly articulate it here. I think I clocked in at about 50 hours and it felt like 10 minutes. The combat is beyond smooth, in the early going I died often, but as the game progressed and my character got stronger things changed. I felt like a painter, my canvas was the battlefield, my brush a sword and my paint was supplied by decapitated and impaled orcs. SO FUN!

    If I had to nitpick my only complaint would be that by the last quarter of the game I was an unstoppable killing machine and to die would take some serious effort. Also no real replay value but with how much is there that is really not an issue. It's still a great value and worth every penny and then some.    … Expand
  8. Danulius
    Dec 18, 2014
    10
    This game is an absolute must-have in my eyes. Being a huge Lord Of the Rings fan, I'm in love with the story line. the combat is brilliant, the perks for weapons is a great idea and the stealth and execution elements make the game even better.

    Bringing this style of game into an open world lay out was an excellent idea, i cannot praise it enough. going from a dark and infested area of    This game is an absolute must-have in my eyes. Being a huge Lord Of the Rings fan, I'm in love with the story line. the combat is brilliant, the perks for weapons is a great idea and the stealth and execution elements make the game even better.

    Bringing this style of game into an open world lay out was an excellent idea, i cannot praise it enough. going from a dark and infested area of Mordor into lush greenlands brings a new appeal to a game. As i have never played a game like this, I easily put hours and hours into it without thought.

    In regards to the story line, it sticks well to the events of the LOTR books/films, and brings elements of these films into the game, they've done an excellent job with this game, and i strongly recommend you get it!    … Expand
  9. ed_hunter01
    Dec 17, 2014
    10
    Simply amazing one of the best game i ever play the combat system is amazing is like play a fusion of batman origins with assassins creed with a mod of lotr is a great game a must own
  10. Storm1672
    Dec 16, 2014
    8
    Let me get this clear; This is one of the best games of the year and was totally surprised by its quality. Certainly did not see this coming. Now, besides that, I read all the press and reviews and have to say that I feel a lot of them were too biased I think by the fact that it surprised all of us.

    The technical aspect is great, though did not care much for some of the artwork. The    Let me get this clear; This is one of the best games of the year and was totally surprised by its quality. Certainly did not see this coming. Now, besides that, I read all the press and reviews and have to say that I feel a lot of them were too biased I think by the fact that it surprised all of us.

    The technical aspect is great, though did not care much for some of the artwork. The gameplay is too similar to some of the great great of the last years. The execution is great and so are the ideas, but there is little to do and every sandbox game needs a great world and Mordor is not it. It is very poorly designed. Ok, it's Mordor. Desolate plains. I get it. More variety was needed.

    The best part of the game is how everything is well made and also the Nemesis system which is what takes this game from mediocrity and places it on top tier.

    I think the sequel has some great potential.    … Expand
  11. janeausten69
    Dec 16, 2014
    10
    Absolutely loved this game. I got a PS4 specifically for this game and do not regret it. It's basically Arkham Series combat, AC stealth and an open world environment. The game does get a little repetitive, but that didn't bother me. The gameplay was fun so I didn't mind doing similar things over and over. I usually don't write reviews but I've noticed a lot of poorly written negativeAbsolutely loved this game. I got a PS4 specifically for this game and do not regret it. It's basically Arkham Series combat, AC stealth and an open world environment. The game does get a little repetitive, but that didn't bother me. The gameplay was fun so I didn't mind doing similar things over and over. I usually don't write reviews but I've noticed a lot of poorly written negative reviews. For those who are criticizing the combat and nemesis system, I don't believe you truly understood the game. I'm assuming that you wrote your reviews after only playing an hour or two, or just flat out didn't understand the game. To me, this is a definite game of the year contender. The only negative I found was the final boss battle. It was definitely anti-climatic. Other than that an excellent game. Can't wait for the DLC and hopefully a sequel too.… Expand
  12. windbite
    Dec 13, 2014
    8
    Purchased Middle Earth because of the great ratings on metacritic and haven't been disappointed. The storyline is interesting and control is nice but a little tricky. The biggest flaw to me with this came is the camera/view angles. The graphics are very good, but I'm still expecting more against my PS3.
  13. Balon
    Dec 12, 2014
    7
    Its fun and cool looking sword fighting. But after you have killed 10 000 orcs, you start to feel like that there should be variety in enemies. Where are the giants, trolls and other fantasy **** And the ending, its just too easy feels like you dont play at all.
  14. stratagemmedley
    Dec 12, 2014
    8
    Shadow of Mordor is a hybrid between a sandbox and Arkham-style brawler that is set in the famous land of Mordor, in which you play as Talion, a ranger from the black gate who is brought back from the dead, after having his family slaughtered in front of him, by a wraith who had forgotten his past (I would just outright say who he is but I don't want to spoil, even if it is completelyShadow of Mordor is a hybrid between a sandbox and Arkham-style brawler that is set in the famous land of Mordor, in which you play as Talion, a ranger from the black gate who is brought back from the dead, after having his family slaughtered in front of him, by a wraith who had forgotten his past (I would just outright say who he is but I don't want to spoil, even if it is completely obvious who he is).

    I think I speak for many of us, Tolkein fans and traitors alike, when I say that expectations for Shadow Of Mordor were rather low, it both being a movie/book tie in game and a Lord Of The Rings game, which (unless you count that one RTS game which I thought was kind of good) are both historically **** or at least not really that good, largely due to heavy pandering to the fans by focusing exclusively on accuracy and completely forgetting that video games are supposed to be fun. Either that or the other way round where the devs don't give a rat's arse for the fans, or humanity in general, and end up creating an abomination which even the flaming pits of hell wouldn't admit to creating.
    However Shadows miraculously avoids this and manages to both be a fun game while at the same time expanding on the franchise, though it is non-canon so I suppose it matters little regardless.
    While we're on the topic of fun, my oh my is Shadows fun, it manages to blend elements from Assassin's Creed and Arkham games rather effectively while at the same time adding in some fresh ideas of it's own. The best singular example of this would be the much lorded Nemesis system, which allows you to look into and target the more powerful Orcs within the Orc hierarchy itself and once intel is gathered, learning their weaknesses and strengths so as to make the task of murder much more successful and that's only the beginning, it gets even better when you insert your own mind-controlled orcs into the mix later on in the game.
    Also when it comes to murder, SOM gets a big fat check from me, as the combat and the enemies are both fun, intuitive and interesting, I especially like both the fantastic voice-acting and the way that the head orcs (to put it simply) recognise and talk to you, for example if you made them flee last fight you had with them, then they will reference that when they talk to you, which adds a much more personal feel to the Uruk, who by the way are all randomly generated, so everyone will have their own War-chiefs to square off against.
    So let's talk about environments, the land of Mordor is quite "next-gen" on the PS4 as it looks pretty despite being so desolate, also for those worrying that Mordor will be another generic dark bland sandbox needn't worry as there is also another, more lush part of Mordor to explore, so despite the sandboxes being kind of pokey when we compare them with other games, they still are interesting and have plenty to explore within them.
    So all in all a solid game, which though is hardly revolutionary manages to be fun and even at times half-way intelligent with it's interesting characters, that in it's whole, I cannot complain too much about, though if you don't like killing orcs and doing little much else, avoid it like the plague, otherwise I recommend this to everyone. (Unless you're a **** killjoy who can't handle one minor inaccuracy within the mythology, in which case what are you doing here? There's a new hobbit movie to complain about)    … Expand
  15. SerialSeaguller
    Dec 10, 2014
    8
    Pros
    -Love the nemesis system
    -Good graphics -In-depth skill tree -Strongholds are fun to wreck -Great open world Cons -Short and mediocre story -No items or loot -No class system though you can focus more on ranger or wraith -Meh quests -Prepare to rage at some Uruks Overall The Shadow of Mordor is a great game worth the buy. Though I found myself more focused on the open    Pros
    -Love the nemesis system
    -Good graphics
    -In-depth skill tree
    -Strongholds are fun to wreck
    -Great open world

    Cons
    -Short and mediocre story
    -No items or loot
    -No class system though you can focus more on ranger or wraith
    -Meh quests
    -Prepare to rage at some Uruks

    Overall The Shadow of Mordor is a great game worth the buy. Though I found myself more focused on the open world and nemesis system than the actual story I still had a great time and can't wait for the dlc. My advice:Pick it up when its on sale on G2A or something. (I got it for $25 and have seen it go for $15)    … Expand
  16. Skagzilla
    Dec 10, 2014
    10
    Best game I have played in a long time I've played for 46 hours and I'm only 50 percent through all the side missions and everything. It's a game that you can put hours into without getting bored I love and I recommend this game to anyone who plays games
  17. snip4r
    Dec 10, 2014
    10
    Lord of the rings assassins creed minus the assassins creed glitches. Enough said? No. This game also combines what was great about not just assassins creed, but also the batman arkham games. Plus it adds in whole new ways to look at the lord of the rings universe. Great game recommended.
  18. Gbomb
    Dec 10, 2014
    8
    I enjoyed this game, it was fun, fast and frantic but with real style. Take the Lord of the Rings world and plonk everything that has been good in action games in the recent past and here's what you get "Lord of the Arkham Creed". I found that I could overlook the slight lack of depth within the story here as each time I picked up the controller I had a blast, great fun.
  19. Jarl_Redbeard
    Dec 8, 2014
    10
    It's been a while since I played a recently released game that has provided so much fun for me. In a day where we're flooded with multiplayer-focused games with thin stories and 6-hour or less "campaigns", Shadow of Mordor is really a breath of fresh air. Simply put, I can sit down and play this game and just have simple, unadulterated fun with it.

    The game is deep enough to provide    It's been a while since I played a recently released game that has provided so much fun for me. In a day where we're flooded with multiplayer-focused games with thin stories and 6-hour or less "campaigns", Shadow of Mordor is really a breath of fresh air. Simply put, I can sit down and play this game and just have simple, unadulterated fun with it.

    The game is deep enough to provide some interesting RPG elements (leveling up attributes, learning new skills, collecting runes to add different powers to your weapons and deciding which ones are the best to fit your play style, etc.), but stays simple enough to feel fun to play no matter what you choose or how you choose to play. You never feel hindered by choosing one attribute over the other or learning one skill first before another.

    The gameplay itself has been criticised for "being an Assassin's Creed rip-off". But hold on now...let's not forget a little game released in 2003 called Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which came long before both. Uncharted also uses this leaping/grabbing/acrobatic-style gameplay to great effect. I am not a personal fan of the Assassin's Creed series (it has fallen victim to the CoD one-a-year treatment), but the point trying to be made here is this: although the games have similar mechanics, I feel Shadow of Mordor uses it to a greater, and more fun, effect. Simply put, don't let the haters detract you from at least trying the game.

    The core fighting gameplay is very fun. You can complete the game using button mashing if you desire, but certain unlockable skills later on reward you for timed combos. Fighting 1-5 enemies or so is an easy affair; however when you get ambushed by a Captain and they bring in 30 or 40 Uruks to aide them, the tides turn a bit and you are constantly kept on your toes by having to counter attacks and keep your combo counter up to perform executions. I especially enjoy the stealth gameplay; performing aerial takedowns and "brutalizing" Uruks which makes enemies flee is very satisfying.

    The Nemesis system is also done very well. Enemies will remember you if you fight them, do not kill them, and come back to them later. Scars from the battle will remain on their bodies. You can gain intel from lower-ranked Uruks to learn the weaknesses of the Captains which will help you defeat them quicker (example: some Uruks might be able to be killed instantly by a stealth attack, or a charged bow shot to the head). Learning intel also tells you their strengths; some Captains, for example, are enraged when they are on fire and will become stronger and regenerate health. It makes for some very interesting fights.

    The gameplay missions are varied by objectives of different kinds; you have the main story missions which progress the overall plot, but there are also side missions, which range from upgrading your weapons to participating in helping one Captain overthrow another, and more. There are also various things to collect inside the game world that reveal lore and backstory in the game, and small "missions" that add to the overall game percentage completion (collecting herbs, hunting).

    In all, the game is very well done. I don't usually give any game a 10, but I've had so much fun with this one that even an occasional minor glitch (which I personally haven't experienced yet but have heard about) doesn't detract from the fun I've had. If you're a fan of LotR, or you just want a fun, action-packed game in general, definitely pick this one up and give it a shot.    … Expand
  20. mearlam
    Dec 6, 2014
    9
    I played this game for 50 hours and enjoyed everything it had for me to do.
    I will warn you that the game is a little harder than the average game these days but with a little patience you get rewarded for it.

    A serious quality game that is bug free (a new concept these days), if you want to chop off orcs heads then there is no better
  21. Heater
    Dec 4, 2014
    5
    Played the game for two hours, unlocked a few abilities, and didn't find a new respawn point. I'm not sure how people rate this highly for the combat or for the LoTR feel but this game feels a lot like AC with all the sneaking around and stealth kills. The combat is mashing the attack button with an occasional special move or blocks. Button reuse means you'll accidentally do the wrong movePlayed the game for two hours, unlocked a few abilities, and didn't find a new respawn point. I'm not sure how people rate this highly for the combat or for the LoTR feel but this game feels a lot like AC with all the sneaking around and stealth kills. The combat is mashing the attack button with an occasional special move or blocks. Button reuse means you'll accidentally do the wrong move 50% of the time when doing anything other than mashing attack. You can easily get overwhelmed by enemies if you're not careful and if there are ranged enemies in a large group you'll need to hide until you can get a smaller group.

    I spent over an hour making my way to the first boss after practicing a few groups fights. I did a couple of side missions on the way and explored a bit but mostly went toward the target area. I beat him in about 30 seconds then celebrated by picking up the rune or whatever he dropped. The tutorial popped up, like it always does after you die or restart the game, which promptly caused the game to hang. I loaded back up to realize I had to do it over again. This along with always respawning back where the game starts just made it feel like I was never going to get anywhere so I decided to set the game aside until it gets patched.

    The story actually seems cool, I mean who wants to play through the movies, right? It's an original take on events surrounding the return of Sauron. The abilities and combat style seem much like what you would expect to see in a LoTR movie when you're not sneaking around. The progress of your character being somewhat matched by promotions among the Uruks makes the game more immersive, especially when you seek revenge and they talk about you not staying dead.

    When you kill a boss the enemies around you actually run away. How many times have you played a game where you killed a hundred enemies who never had a chance but just attacked you anyway? Who knew the Uruk were so smart? Too bad they are all near-sighted and hard of hearing. Lost count of how many times I stealth killed an orc 10 feet away from his friend, while they were talking, and the other guy didn't have a clue. Was funny to hear them rag on their dead comrades though.

    Would have rated this higher if the game showed new spawn locations on the map, made combat a little more complicated or less buggy, and had no bugs in critical story missions. Not restarting the tutorial popups so often would have been nice too.    … Expand
  22. behnammatin
    Dec 4, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. this game is not bad,but is too hard and boring after 3 hours play,and same misson(go there and kill and again go there and kill)
    i think shadow of mordor in look like AC    … Expand
  23. ravennoir
    Dec 3, 2014
    10
    Just finished the story for this and its great. Good pace and game mechanics. Ill be continuing to play to get 100% completion, and might even replay it from the start :). Highly recommend. Lets hope for a sequel
  24. dazerb
    Dec 2, 2014
    0
    Awful.
    Imagine mashing Batman and Assassins but doing it all far worse. Sound is the worst, bad, inconsistent - after guys are dead on the ground and you've walked away, you hear them scream in death. sound never seems to match gameplay.
    Story line is nonexistent. You can only figure out what's going on by reading ALL the little background pieces. the awful "save" moments - even a    Awful.
    Imagine mashing Batman and Assassins but doing it all far worse. Sound is the worst, bad, inconsistent - after guys are dead on the ground and you've walked away, you hear them scream in death. sound never seems to match gameplay.
    Story line is nonexistent. You can only figure out what's going on by reading ALL the little background pieces.
    the awful "save" moments - even a quick look at the map takes 10-15s to get into the map and another 10-15 s to get OUT of the map. You really have to decide how much time you want to stare at a black screen to review boss weaknesses.
    the 'nod' toward strategy play is about a complete farce.
    graphics are really bad. FAR worse than Bman or Assa, I get the limitations of open environment, but you never even get visual 'treat' in the lame cut scenes.
    My game froze several times over the weekend mid - mission, causing me to have to reboot and lose progress.
    The overall play is repetive and boring. After fooling with it a lot over the holiday, I am bored and don't care if I pick it up again.
    I feel like a fool for paying $59.99 for this TURD! Maybe I can sell the game now and get some $ back for ANYTHING else!    … Expand
  25. Murredly
    Dec 1, 2014
    8
    This game could easily have been a 9 or 10 but the sheer fact I can tell (or at least in my opinion) that this game was originally intended for last gen holds me back.

    It is a fantastic game and an excellent open world. The dark gloomy atmosphere really pushes the idea of Mordor being a dark and scary place but also holds it up on the PS4. The world is big, but there is a lot of empty    This game could easily have been a 9 or 10 but the sheer fact I can tell (or at least in my opinion) that this game was originally intended for last gen holds me back.

    It is a fantastic game and an excellent open world. The dark gloomy atmosphere really pushes the idea of Mordor being a dark and scary place but also holds it up on the PS4. The world is big, but there is a lot of empty space filled sparsely with 3-person patrols or just plain empty space. Maybe it was as intended but I assuming this was done because older machines would not be able to handle the clutter. But based on the combat and lack of demanding graphical pieces, I am guessing this was done to make the game accessible.

    My only other beef with this game is that the "main quest" chain is not intuitive. Maybe I am old but it took me a bit to get into it because the main quests were so far apart and setting waypoints to target them required a lot of back and forth between map-options-map-sauren's army etc.

    That said, the dynamic enemies make the game a treat. If you aren't paying attention you can run into a mob of captains and followers - resulting in a brutal and fast death.

    There is plenty of trophies for the trophy peoples and there is some replayability with the challenges and different combat styles.

    Overall, I would recommend this game to anyone. If you see on sale (like boxing day or week long black-friday) - GRAB IT.    … Expand
  26. jonnykemp
    Dec 1, 2014
    9
    Brilliant game. Finally there is a game from LOTR franchise worthy of everyone's time. Really we done, you find yourself getting immersed into the game and leaving the story on the side. This is a game I cannot get enough off.
  27. Jozefow
    Nov 29, 2014
    5
    I dunno, just rather unremarkable and repetitive to me. Once you find a routine that works for killing multiple enemies it will work every time. Fighting the Captains can be interesting but I was pretty much on auto pilot for the entire thing. This going to a spot on a map and finding stuff has to stop. They keep doing for all sorts of games and it's so ridiculous. It's certainly not badI dunno, just rather unremarkable and repetitive to me. Once you find a routine that works for killing multiple enemies it will work every time. Fighting the Captains can be interesting but I was pretty much on auto pilot for the entire thing. This going to a spot on a map and finding stuff has to stop. They keep doing for all sorts of games and it's so ridiculous. It's certainly not bad but I doubt I'll do it again. Not as good as a game as Destiny but certainly fewer problems.… Expand
  28. Dlindenberg
    Nov 27, 2014
    9
    Good game with a new perspective. Liked the side missions and main story is verry fun. You have much freedom and can do whatever you want and that makes it verry ammusing. WORTH MY MONEY
  29. ToFewViews
    Nov 26, 2014
    7
    Lord of the Rings hasn't released a game in awhile so, We have "Middle-Earth:Shadow Of Mordor" to keep it all going. Shadow of Mordor has the same game engine as the Batman Arkham series so it will feel very familiar to some people. The game throws tons of enemas at you at once and gives you some fun and flashy moves to use in slaughtering your foes. The story is alright, It's nothingLord of the Rings hasn't released a game in awhile so, We have "Middle-Earth:Shadow Of Mordor" to keep it all going. Shadow of Mordor has the same game engine as the Batman Arkham series so it will feel very familiar to some people. The game throws tons of enemas at you at once and gives you some fun and flashy moves to use in slaughtering your foes. The story is alright, It's nothing amazing but keeps you interested.There was a very interesting system of Generals/Warchief you assassinate and progress through. On PS4 the game looks quite nice, big open spaces with tons of destruction and up close things don't lose there beauty. The addition of a Photo Mode in game is also nice,It give's people the ability to capture amazing kills.
    At launch the game had a few bugs but with a couple updates released it's smoothed out the game-play a lot. If you enjoyed the Batman games or the Lord of the Rings Universe you'll find this game quite enjoyable with it's fast paced and brutal combat.    … Expand
  30. TheReviewNinja
    Nov 26, 2014
    7
    This game is really, really good until it isn't.

    I'll be the first to say, the combat in this game is amazing, the graphics are great, and its stealth is good. However, I found after just a few hours, the game starts to grow repetitive. The first problem is that the story is a huge drag. I often found myself just waiting for the missions to be over. The other problem is that when trying    This game is really, really good until it isn't.

    I'll be the first to say, the combat in this game is amazing, the graphics are great, and its stealth is good. However, I found after just a few hours, the game starts to grow repetitive. The first problem is that the story is a huge drag. I often found myself just waiting for the missions to be over. The other problem is that when trying to accomplish the task of killing the five war chiefs, the game falls into a pattern of doing the same stuff over and over again, and never really adds anything new to the game for a significantly long time.    … Expand
  31. Renzy_Wenzy
    Nov 26, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First, I'm gonna discuss all the things the game does right. #1 Presentation. No other LOTR game has come close to capturing the grandness that is Middle-Earth. SoM does so perfectly. It's extremely detailed from top to bottom. Although the graphics aren't the best in terms of next-gen, the art direction surely makes up for it. There are also tons of collectibles that have their own back story which you can read (and/or listen to) in the lore menu which is pretty cool #2 Voice acting. Troy Baker gives a great performance as Talion. He gives Talion a bad-ass vibe while at the same time, is able to draw sympathy from players. My personal favorite performances are Alastair Duncan as The Wraith or Calabrimbor, Phil Lamarr as Ratbag and Liam O'Brien as Gollum. #3 Combat. Combat here is excellent. It's basically a carbon copy of the combat from Rocksteady Arhkham series only 10x more violent which is definitely not a bad thing. You have one button to strike, one to counter, one to dodge and one to stun. The more you strike enemies, the more you fill up your combo meter and once the meter reaches a certain level, you can unleash a brutal combat finisher to change the flow of battle. The stronger Talion becomes, the more combos you can unlock by completing various story missions or side quests. The stealth is a little clunky but it's sufficient enough for players to use it from time to time and you may need to use it early on because it gets rather challenging if you're fighting dozens or orcs at the same time. Finally #5 the Nemesis System. This is a unique system which I found myself being addicted to. The Nemesis system is basically a hierarchy of Sauron's army of infinite orcs. This is what separates SoM from other open-world action games. When an orc captain kills you, he instantly gets promoted and becomes stronger. This will also happen if even a no name/ no ranking orc kills you, that orc will INSTANTLY become a captain with his own gang. Each captain has his own list of strengths and weaknesses and if they have more of the former and less of the latter, you're gonna have a tough time especially with captains who are virtually invincible to all of your attacks. This gives substantial meaning to your deaths and you always feel like you're getting more experience even in death. But it's not all kill or be killed. As you progress, you unlock more things to with orcs if you defeat them. For example, I "branded" one orc captain and commanded him to become a bodyguard for a warchief. After I confronted the warchief, I commanded that captain to betray him and literally stab him in the back. This didn't bode well for the warchief because as it turned out one of his weaknesses was "fear of betrayal" which gave the upper hand. Not only that but events can still happen with or without your presence. Like say two captains fight each other for a spot as Elite Captain or one captain plans an ambush against another to take his place. This can all without your character ever being there. It's things like these that make SoM feel more dynamic and alive and I hope that this Nemesis System can be applied for future open-world action titles.

    Now that all the good is out of the way, let's get to the bad. #1 The Story and (most of) the Characters. The story is short. Too short which is very ironic seeing as this is a game based on the LoTR franchise and we all know that the franchise is known for its lengthy stories and even lengthy subplots. Without doing side quests. You can finish the main story in about 5-6 hours and it's also a bummer that most of these main story missions feel like side quests because they're so similarly structured. Also, Talion is not a very engaging protagonist. I see the writers were going for a more tragic Aragorn-ish like hero but it just doesn't work out. Calabrimbor is probably the most interesting character in the entire game and rightfully so since he is the creator of the Rings. Other than him, 2 characters stick out in my mind, Gollum and Ratbag. We all know who is Gollum is by this point and he still steals the show whenever he appears so that's great but the real surprise character is Ratbag the Coward. He's an orc that decides to help you as long as you help him climb the ranks. A "scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" kind of thing. He's just so funny. From his dialogue to his mannerisms, he makes an impact whenever he shows up in the missions. It's a shame that he was so unceremoniously and abruptly killed. Everyone else feels bland. Nobody else is really fleshed out. I don't even remember their names anymore. That's how forgettable the other characters were. #2 Boss Battles. They were so anticlimactic. The final 2 important battles were so disappointing. You kill them with QUICK TIME EVENTS. THEY WERE SO BORING.

    Overall, I liked Shadow of Mordor. It has its issues but I can't deny how addicting the combat and the unique Nemesis System is. Definitely the best LoTR game so far.    … Expand
  32. powerman449
    Nov 22, 2014
    6
    Would be a much better game without the massive frame rate drops every few minutes even for a new system. Also could use a complete rework on control set up, current one feel like you are rolling and walking through quicksand in combat and button smashing for the first half of the game.
  33. flipitdave
    Nov 22, 2014
    9
    This game out Assassins Creed'ed Assassins Creed. It's a marvelously realized world that doesn't center around knowing the lore of Lord of the Rings. If you don't care about LotR, don't worry, the name is borrowed for marketing.
  34. Game-Master
    Nov 21, 2014
    9
    With being a big lord of the rings fan (and Batman fan), I was really excited to see how this game went and I was really surprised with how fun it was mainly because the nemesis system ,Its LOTR and the fighting resembles batman very much in a (good way)

    9/10
  35. meediocre
    Nov 20, 2014
    8
    Brilliant Orc'em Up, with various nods to Arkham and Assassin Creed games, mixed up with a Middle Earth setting and a novel enemy system. Hugely enjoyable for around 25 hours or so, then it starts to get a little bit stale. Although I love SP games, I can imagine how much of a laugh it would be to play this co-op, with perhaps a wider range of enemies and gameplay options. Would love toBrilliant Orc'em Up, with various nods to Arkham and Assassin Creed games, mixed up with a Middle Earth setting and a novel enemy system. Hugely enjoyable for around 25 hours or so, then it starts to get a little bit stale. Although I love SP games, I can imagine how much of a laugh it would be to play this co-op, with perhaps a wider range of enemies and gameplay options. Would love to actually create an orc army and attack a fortress or something like in the sequel, of which I definitely hope there is.… Expand
  36. HardFinn
    Nov 20, 2014
    10
    Exceeded my expectations by far. One of the few games that balances the main story and open world well. The games selling point was the Nemesis system which was cool but definitely not one of the standout parts of the game. The most rewarding part of the game is combat. Most of the time you will feel like you're in that first battle scene of 300...tearing through enemies. Games likeExceeded my expectations by far. One of the few games that balances the main story and open world well. The games selling point was the Nemesis system which was cool but definitely not one of the standout parts of the game. The most rewarding part of the game is combat. Most of the time you will feel like you're in that first battle scene of 300...tearing through enemies. Games like Assassin's Creed have a few death animations where as Shadow of Mordor never feels like they're recycled.

    The story is decent overall (better if you're a Tolkien nerd). Its definitely better than War in the North. I don't have many complaints but the combat does start off hard and then with the addition of new skills and runes it becomes significantly easier. I'm giving the game 9/10 because I felt the end fight with my nemesis was anti-climatic and too easy. Its not a perfect game but definitely one of the best of the year!    … Expand
  37. Purechaos
    Nov 20, 2014
    8
    Very fun game. I enjoyed the open world feel. Combat was quick and tight, and had pretty good variety although at times could get repetitive. The nemesis system was fun and interesting. I would say that the scale of the world is quite small, but a very good first title.
  38. Metamax
    Nov 20, 2014
    9
    Tis be a good one Capitan! This is a game I didn't have many hopes for tbh. A LOTR game coming out again. Much better game than AC and all around just fun to play. The Nemesis System in Shadow of Mordor is the highlight overall. I'm looking forward to a sequel that maybe takes us a bit further into the lore.
  39. Tamerlanz
    Nov 19, 2014
    6
    It is great game when you played half of it, but afterwards it becomes so boring! You have always to do the same thing - kill hundreds of uruks without any plot or necessity to it. All who put 10 to this game have you finished it?
  40. NoiNorac
    Nov 19, 2014
    2
    Don't buy it.

    The gameplay is horrendously lazy and the narrative rapes Tolkien's vision. If you want something to waste time with and don't care about Lord of the Rings, then buy something else.
  41. Tarthus
    Nov 19, 2014
    8
    The game looks great. The controls are crisp. The fighting and stealth kills are satisfying. The storyline isn't very deep, but I feel that everything else made up for it.

    The fighting system is very reminiscent of Assassin's Creed, but that's not a bad thing. It works very well in this setting, where you frequently find yourself surrounded by enemies. Manipulating the power structure    The game looks great. The controls are crisp. The fighting and stealth kills are satisfying. The storyline isn't very deep, but I feel that everything else made up for it.

    The fighting system is very reminiscent of Assassin's Creed, but that's not a bad thing. It works very well in this setting, where you frequently find yourself surrounded by enemies. Manipulating the power structure of the Uruks via killing or branding captains and warchiefs adds a lot of depth to the game.

    So others can weigh my opinion against my experience with the game: I beat the game and got all but three trophies.    … Expand
  42. Barendino
    Nov 19, 2014
    8
    With all the triple A titles this year, this game came very unexpected. Shadow of Mordor is a great game with a few down sides. The gameplay is solid but gets a bit repetitive at some point. The world is gorgeous but feels a bit empty in some places. The major down side of this game is that it is way too easy. There is no difficulty level to adjust and that makes the game a bit boring atWith all the triple A titles this year, this game came very unexpected. Shadow of Mordor is a great game with a few down sides. The gameplay is solid but gets a bit repetitive at some point. The world is gorgeous but feels a bit empty in some places. The major down side of this game is that it is way too easy. There is no difficulty level to adjust and that makes the game a bit boring at the end. The boss fights aren't challenging at all. The story is fun, but not really special.

    Overall it's a good game, with no game breaking bugs (which is not common these days... *cough*ubisoft*cough*, solid gameplay and great visuals!    … Expand
  43. HellOnFeels
    Nov 19, 2014
    7
    Grabbed this one with my PS4 bundle. If you really enjoy LOTR you'll enjoy this game, there is enough story to keep you interested, the atmosphere is immersive and the combat is excellent. The upgrade tree's are well thought out and there is a lot to get done. For myself however it played out like another Assassins Creed, the game borrows much of what it is from other games and at times IGrabbed this one with my PS4 bundle. If you really enjoy LOTR you'll enjoy this game, there is enough story to keep you interested, the atmosphere is immersive and the combat is excellent. The upgrade tree's are well thought out and there is a lot to get done. For myself however it played out like another Assassins Creed, the game borrows much of what it is from other games and at times I felt I was playing Destiny with swords, albeit a far superior version. The graphics are incredible, the mechanics near perfect, enemies are challenging and diverse forcing the player to really think about his actions. The open world environment is full of action and provides for numerous surprises, you will genuinely feel as though you've stepped into Mordor. There is however an over reliance on gory finishing moves and the characters are less lovable than I would have liked and several hours in you may find yourself ditching some of the more repetitive aspects of the game. In all a good game but not for me specifically.… Expand
  44. sbkw1983
    Nov 19, 2014
    10
    Easily one of the most addictive Single Player experiences in years. And to top it off, it's got a great and original narrative set in Middle-Earth, and which faithfully bridges the gap between Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

    For many years now, I have longed for an AAA caliber Single Player game about Middle-Earth, and preferably having to do - at    Easily one of the most addictive Single Player experiences in years. And to top it off, it's got a great and original narrative set in Middle-Earth, and which faithfully bridges the gap between Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

    For many years now, I have longed for an AAA caliber Single Player game about Middle-Earth, and preferably having to do - at least in part - with Sauron and The Rings of Power.

    For many years, I was let down - until now. So thanks to Monolith, I now have the game I've always wanted.

    Two caveats:

    - The PS4 version tends to crash occasionally, but ironically, with less frequency as the narrative progresses.
    - J.R.R. Tolkien purists may not enjoy part or all of this game for reasons I cannot comprehend, but valid in their views nonetheless.

    ---------------------------------------------

    Verdict: 9.5 / 10 - Worth every penny. I just wish that there would have been either an official strategy guide or an art book of the game available for sale, because this is definitely a contender for Game of the Year in my books.

    ----------------------------------------------

    P.S. - UBISoft, please take note of this game. It resembles Assassin's Creed (of which I am a hardcore fan of) in so many ways, and definitely more than any other third party game out there.

    P.P.S. - Here's the bad news for you, UBISoft: Monolith has managed to beat you at your own game by not trying to adhere too much to specific things such as an annual release window, and graphics/polish over gameplay mechanics/fun factor (among other things). You can do better - I believe in you.    … Expand
  45. Krazyfool_
    Nov 19, 2014
    6
    Assassins Creed: Shadow of Mordor.....................................................................................................................................................
  46. kateuptonlover
    Nov 18, 2014
    8
    This is an outstanding addition to the Lord of the Rings, and is a great tactical stealth, and adventure game. While it has repetitive missions, the idea of becoming "leader of the land" is a great placement to the game.
  47. MattAldridge31
    Nov 18, 2014
    7
    I bought this game after the patches so I've had absolutely no problems in that regard. On the other hand I've had a few problems with trying to love this game. I'm a huge LoTR fan and I anticipated this game as much as anyone so when eagerly shoved the disc into my PS4 I pretty much knew everything about it. I'd watched the videos, I'd seen the trailers and I'd watched the reviews - II bought this game after the patches so I've had absolutely no problems in that regard. On the other hand I've had a few problems with trying to love this game. I'm a huge LoTR fan and I anticipated this game as much as anyone so when eagerly shoved the disc into my PS4 I pretty much knew everything about it. I'd watched the videos, I'd seen the trailers and I'd watched the reviews - I knew what was coming. However, when I started playing it, it just didn't feel right. The game is very ambitious and the premise is interesting but the way certain parts of it are executed seems a bit rushed and underwhelming. Trekking across Mordor at times can be a chore and completing effectively the same missions over and over again becomes tiresome for me very quickly. I have enjoyed fighting and the main story is very strong in my opinion. It's what's been keeping me going. The side missions however have so far been uninteresting and repetitive. I enjoy the mechanics of the game and the slick fighting is wonderful to watch and take part in. The graphics compliment it well with finishing moves being as visceral and gruesome as expected. All in all it's a good game but not a great one for me. In my opinion it just needed a little bit more time in the oven.… Expand
  48. HazardXMediaz
    Nov 18, 2014
    9
    It's a game about killing Uruks, but it's a game about killing Uruks that does killing Uruks extremely well. The nemesis system is a real feat in game design, and I would love to see things like this in the future.
  49. AlejandroCano
    Nov 18, 2014
    10
    One of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games ofOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of yearOne of the bests games of year… Expand
  50. aroddy23
    Nov 18, 2014
    9
    Heard alot about this game and how it was so great and awesome.....well after spending a few weeks playing it and finishing the story I can say that it doesnt dissapoint. The gameplay is so much fun and non repetative like other games in the past. The challenges in the game are awesome and also the leveling up system is great. The only problem i had was the final boss fiht dissapointed aHeard alot about this game and how it was so great and awesome.....well after spending a few weeks playing it and finishing the story I can say that it doesnt dissapoint. The gameplay is so much fun and non repetative like other games in the past. The challenges in the game are awesome and also the leveling up system is great. The only problem i had was the final boss fiht dissapointed a bit but over all it was great.… Expand
  51. d_an_ie_l
    Nov 18, 2014
    9
    Very nice game, awesome game play experience and fun .The fight is dynamic even with the free movement. Very interesting story, best game based on the world created by Tolkien.
  52. Unladenswallow0
    Nov 18, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game has been praised enough, but for the sake of my two cents on this ill just go out and say that this game deserved every ounce of praise that it got. This is innovation in game design, the war chief design will be copied by games in future but it was this game that sold it. It made the game what it was and in future titles i hope they use and improve on this really excellent feature.

    I'm giving it a nine rather than a ten simply because of the final boss sequence with sauron which ended in quick time events. Quick time events need to die, but it didnt take from my overall experience, a really excellent game.    … Expand
  53. Pacific_Inferno
    Nov 17, 2014
    8
    Shadow of Mordor introduces the Nemesis System which is truly one of the best gameplay elements to be introduced into a game in a long time. For a game that would have been boiled down to Batman/Assassin’s Creed combat with Lord of the Rings decals on it, it provided a nice breath of fresh air. Every time you’re killed you’re killer is promoted and becomes stronger. Amug the Fanatical wasShadow of Mordor introduces the Nemesis System which is truly one of the best gameplay elements to be introduced into a game in a long time. For a game that would have been boiled down to Batman/Assassin’s Creed combat with Lord of the Rings decals on it, it provided a nice breath of fresh air. Every time you’re killed you’re killer is promoted and becomes stronger. Amug the Fanatical was ultimately my greatest nemesis; I could be out working on a side mission or another story arc mission and out of nowhere he would show up and ruin my day. Tossing taunts and insults into the brief cut scene that acknowledges who the Uruk is and being an ultimate pain in the ass I grew to hate him. It compelled me to continue with my quest, grow stronger and destroy him.
    Shadow of Mordor starts out tough, and you die a lot. With this death you’ll continually build up Uruks in the ranks and make them stronger, until you finally become insanely strong and easily destroy all of your enemies. Although it becomes much easier, it doesn’t become less fun. My two biggest complaints are the two random appearances by Gollum, which could have been completely left out and not had any impact on the game, and the final boss fight which was a series of cut scenes and quick time event button presses. Overall, a pretty small list of complaints compiled into a larger list of enjoyable attributes.
    TL;DR: Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor introduces a fun new mechanic in gaming that will irritate and please you at the same time, throw Gollum at you twice for no reason at all and end in a ultimately disappointing boss fight. 8.5/10    … Expand
  54. razrien
    Nov 17, 2014
    8
    Its Assassins Creed in Middle Earth.
    You run around killing orcs. Then run around and kill more orcs.
    Thankfully the kill animations are nice and varied, so it never really gets old, because thats pretty much all you do in this game.
    The story is kinda.. meh.
    Worth a play through.
  55. Iceberg91
    Nov 15, 2014
    9
    Great game,great history,good sound,perfect combat system,this is a GAME ,is very very fun,one of the best game of the year.it isn't very long 20 missions are quite but not many,i hope that in mordor 2 they resolves this problem so i will do 10/10.
  56. eatgarlic
    Nov 14, 2014
    9
    Even though I am not a fan of Lord of the rings universe I loved this game. It takes familiar mechanics, mixes them together with some creative spark and the result is something very fresh and most importantly: pure fun. I had a blast finishing the campaign and clearing all the side missions and collectibles and would recommend it to anyone.
  57. cntrl
    Nov 14, 2014
    8
    9/10
    well as someone who expected another poorly made and uninnovative game to make some easy bucks out of the lotr series, shadow of mordor is a pleasant surprise! it is really fun and even though it has some similarities with titles like assassins creed or batman, it is innovative in some areas. the story is fun, the game is good and it looks like it's actually finished and not a beta    9/10
    well as someone who expected another poorly made and uninnovative game to make some easy bucks out of the lotr series, shadow of mordor is a pleasant surprise! it is really fun and even though it has some similarities with titles like assassins creed or batman, it is innovative in some areas. the story is fun, the game is good and it looks like it's actually finished and not a beta like many other games that have been released in the last couple of months/years (driveclub, ac unity, ...)
    if you like some nice action adventures and the lotr series, you should definitely go for that one!!!    … Expand
  58. kafkanian
    Nov 14, 2014
    7
    It's a good game overall, with some really nice features like the Nemesis System, the combat mechanics and the skill tree, but the story isn't compelling at all and it becomes quite boring after 6-7 hours of gameplay.
    For an open world game, the map is ridiculous. At first glance, you think it's big, but you can actually explore it all on foot in just 5 minutes! You'll be running around    It's a good game overall, with some really nice features like the Nemesis System, the combat mechanics and the skill tree, but the story isn't compelling at all and it becomes quite boring after 6-7 hours of gameplay.
    For an open world game, the map is ridiculous. At first glance, you think it's big, but you can actually explore it all on foot in just 5 minutes! You'll be running around the same places over and over again.    … Expand
  59. ravenheart42
    Nov 13, 2014
    10
    This is a very satisfying title, the combat is fresh, as well as the story and the graphics are awesome, with so much to do in this game, and the role you play, I don't get tired of this game, yeah some rieminds me of Assassin's creed, but tha'ts ok with all the other great qullities in this game, a long satisfying game, and you feel like you are definaetly getting your moneys worth
  60. Jokstar
    Nov 13, 2014
    8
    8/10. The good - I really enjoyed the stealth aspects of this game. I loved the stealth kills animations. Sometimes I would just run out of my way on purpose just to stealth kill a solitary orc just because it felt good.

    The story is well progressed with some nice animations too. The bad - Sometimes the character will start climbing walls when you don't want them to. And the killing    8/10. The good - I really enjoyed the stealth aspects of this game. I loved the stealth kills animations. Sometimes I would just run out of my way on purpose just to stealth kill a solitary orc just because it felt good.

    The story is well progressed with some nice animations too.

    The bad - Sometimes the character will start climbing walls when you don't want them to. And the killing can start becoming a little repetitious but is saved by the characterisation of the bosses.

    Would recommend it if you don't already have it. A bit like the old Tenchu but on steriods :)    … Expand
  61. vallentagal
    Nov 12, 2014
    9
    It's uplifting to see a game as refreshing as this after spending time with the atrocity that is Assassin's Creed: Unity. Even though it is very similar to other games of the past, it does enough to differentiate itself and improve upon previous foundations.
  62. True_Beleiver
    Nov 12, 2014
    10
    Great Game one of the best I have played on the PS4 could not put the controller down I think I scared my family with the lack of food and sleep that I got while playing this game Quit Reading and go out and purchase this game
  63. jamesweber
    Nov 12, 2014
    10
    This game should definitely be considered GOTY. I don't know if that's an actual status or award, but it certainly deserves it! When this gets the prize I'm going to bump **** In My Pants super loud!
  64. DeeMoney
    Nov 12, 2014
    7
    Extremely fun game with lots to do. Can be a bit repetitive at times with some of the combat. But overall a good experience and well worth the time put into it.
  65. Maycolino10
    Nov 12, 2014
    9
    I can't remember the last time that I finished a game doing all that there is to do in it. MESOM is a truly next gen game not because of the graphics (by the way are very solid), but for the ideas and the execution of that ideas. Never got really tired of killing orcs in the thousand ways you could doing, and yes the Nemesis system is truthfully awesome. There some flaws of courseI can't remember the last time that I finished a game doing all that there is to do in it. MESOM is a truly next gen game not because of the graphics (by the way are very solid), but for the ideas and the execution of that ideas. Never got really tired of killing orcs in the thousand ways you could doing, and yes the Nemesis system is truthfully awesome. There some flaws of course specially with the character movement (it gets stuck a lot) and parkour, that i expect to be fixed in the sequel , but the combat feels and respond smoothly. Great game, i strongly recommend it… Expand
  66. ToddDow
    Nov 11, 2014
    8
    Pretty solid game. Great graphics, controls respond well, story keeps you engaged, open world (although not very big). As many have pointed out, it's very similar to Assassin's Creed, and that is a good thing in my book. My only knock is that it gets slightly repetitive, but not too bad. Some more variety and a bigger world and it would be outstanding.
  67. Peenusmuncher69
    Nov 11, 2014
    10
    If the concept of making orcs your b****s sounds nice to you, get this game. Don't know why I need 150 characters so BUY DIS N KILL ORCS FOOL :) it's fun
  68. me5ut
    Nov 11, 2014
    8
    as a LOTR game, it is finally cover expectations, but a a next generation PS4 games, it is not a Assassin's Creed. overall : 8 , graphs:8 game-play:9 characters:10 story :8 ,gollum: 10 :D , I recommend , you play this game.
  69. Mosh603
    Nov 10, 2014
    8
    PROS:
    -The storyline is decent and entertaining
    -Fair amount of depth in the area of upgrading your character, not a massive amount but it still is challenging to upgrade your character fully -I enjoyed many aspects of the game's engine. I liked how characters would remember you, and certain specifics about the battle -The graphics looked decent -Good amount of game time. I've put 20    PROS:
    -The storyline is decent and entertaining
    -Fair amount of depth in the area of upgrading your character, not a massive amount but it still is challenging to upgrade your character fully
    -I enjoyed many aspects of the game's engine. I liked how characters would remember you, and certain specifics about the battle
    -The graphics looked decent
    -Good amount of game time. I've put 20 hours in and am only 50% complete

    CONS
    -Warner Bros knocked off Assassin's Creed in many ways and mixed it with their Batman games
    -The combat system lacks depth and is repetitive. It is a button masher for sure. All you do is hit Square and occasionally triangle
    -Some of the special moves were clunky to use
    -The main character could be more entertaining and have some more depth to him
    -Only 3 weapons
    -Some enemies take too many hits, especially in the beginning.
    -The camera is not good. It moves too much and is can be in the wrong position
    -The climbing can sometimes be inaccurate and frustrating

    Overall, I would recommend this game.    … Expand
  70. Colinator
    Nov 9, 2014
    10
    This game is probably the best game I have on my PS4 right now. The graphics are great. Combat feels like Batman and Assassin's Creed combined. The open world is near perfect. The only problem I have with Shadow of Mordor is the annoying difficulty. Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to play Assassin's Creed with my hands cut off!!! Being a huge Lord of The Rings fan, I love this game. Oh,This game is probably the best game I have on my PS4 right now. The graphics are great. Combat feels like Batman and Assassin's Creed combined. The open world is near perfect. The only problem I have with Shadow of Mordor is the annoying difficulty. Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to play Assassin's Creed with my hands cut off!!! Being a huge Lord of The Rings fan, I love this game. Oh, and just so some of the haters out there understand, this game was made by the people that made the Arkham games. So stop complaining about how similar they are!!!… Expand
  71. Tom360
    Nov 6, 2014
    8
    GREAT GAME. I question the replayability though. I've beaten it twice now and I doubt I'll get much more use out of it. Wishing I had purchased hard copy instead of download.

    You can tell it's been created off of the Arkham games' format. Has an almost identical control scheme (which is fine by me!). This game shines when in the heat of combat, so if that's what you're looking for you    GREAT GAME. I question the replayability though. I've beaten it twice now and I doubt I'll get much more use out of it. Wishing I had purchased hard copy instead of download.

    You can tell it's been created off of the Arkham games' format. Has an almost identical control scheme (which is fine by me!). This game shines when in the heat of combat, so if that's what you're looking for you won't be disappointed.

    An extremely dark game - the opening is pretty shocking. The story is so-so in the whole context of the LOTR universe.

    You can tell that the game is being released for past-gen consoles, which I think held it back in the graphics department. A game that came out much earlier on PS4 looks much better than this title. This didn't hold me back from enjoying it, however. I really had a lot of fun dessimating orc armies, then bending them to my will.

    Overall, awesome, creative (which is more and more rare these days), addicting, well done!!    … Expand
  72. TheFrostyPen
    Nov 6, 2014
    9
    Just beat the game. Loved playing through it, loved listening to silly Orcsises...love the gameplay...only bad part...the ending...too confusing...felt rushed...QT event for last boss? Come on...

    But besides the very very end...totally worthwhile and enjoyable!
  73. theFPSyoungGOD
    Nov 6, 2014
    7
    when playing this i thought it could be one of the best games ive ever played...then suddenly the main story was done like in no time at all,maybe the least challenging game ive ever played and so little content,the hierarchy system is amazing and more games need it.
  74. colinb93rs
    Nov 6, 2014
    9
    I would of given this game a solid 10 however I didn't like how the game started, short intro into the open world and then its left up to you to decide how you want to proceed. Initially I didn't like this but once I wrapped my head around where the game was going, I haven't looked back. Smooth gameplay, awesome cinematics and a very entertaining game. I have seen on a couple occasionsI would of given this game a solid 10 however I didn't like how the game started, short intro into the open world and then its left up to you to decide how you want to proceed. Initially I didn't like this but once I wrapped my head around where the game was going, I haven't looked back. Smooth gameplay, awesome cinematics and a very entertaining game. I have seen on a couple occasions that the camera angle does get turned around when a wall is close but knowing this makes it easy to adapt to. Overall, must buy great game for the RPG fans!… Expand
  75. sully22
    Nov 5, 2014
    9
    Fantastic game, thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish, There are a few tweaks the developers could have made, for instance the ending / final battles were very disappointing.

    Hopefully this is a start to a successful chain of games, each improving like the Assassins Creed games
  76. Phil_Panteleit
    Nov 5, 2014
    8
    Assassins Creed meet Shadow of Mordor. The stealth is not as good as AC. The story is really non existent, however the open world is amazing and there is tons of challenges to complete as well as tons of collectibles to find. Overall, Mordor is a good game and the good out ways the bad for sure.
  77. goliva
    Nov 5, 2014
    9
    When you spend 70 bucks on a game, the least you should expect is a master piece like this. SoM has an awesome setting, the best integration between movie scenes and in game content I have ever seen and a vast beautiful open world to explore finding some random stuff to do the same way you could find it in Red Dead Redemption but with a strong influence from Batman Arkham series andWhen you spend 70 bucks on a game, the least you should expect is a master piece like this. SoM has an awesome setting, the best integration between movie scenes and in game content I have ever seen and a vast beautiful open world to explore finding some random stuff to do the same way you could find it in Red Dead Redemption but with a strong influence from Batman Arkham series and Assassin's Creed series. I don't like Lord of the Rings lore... I even hated it, but if you like epic games and Orcs (specially killing them) you won't be able to stop playing this. Also there are lots of collectibles and additions to complete. One of the most interesting things is also the way Sauron's army has its own living hierarchy. For an instance, if you die at the hands of an Orc boss, he will be rewarded with a higher Rank and you will see this in a screen that shows the current army's status, but also other Orcs can kill between them or the recently upgraded ones, taking their ranks. These things make them more powerfull, and is fun to find one who killed you in past again, and get revenge when he is suposed to be more powerfull and brags about thart fact. Also, there are many different ways to kill your enemies or create distractions... to mention one, you can just stay at distance and shot arows to free jailed beasts, and watch how they eat them all... or also runaway to avoid been eaten too! Brilliant!… Expand
  78. Tamel_Eidek
    Nov 5, 2014
    9
    Fantastic game in all regards! Well made and stays fun well beyond the storyline - which is a satisfyingly original addition to the LotR universe.

    It can be a bit of a one trick pony by relying heavily on it's combat system for all things in the game but that is not a bad thing when the combat system is one of the best in gaming currently - weighty, satisfying and skill based. Compared    Fantastic game in all regards! Well made and stays fun well beyond the storyline - which is a satisfyingly original addition to the LotR universe.

    It can be a bit of a one trick pony by relying heavily on it's combat system for all things in the game but that is not a bad thing when the combat system is one of the best in gaming currently - weighty, satisfying and skill based. Compared to other games coming out this generation this one is near perfect. A must buy for any fantasy or action/adventure game fans!    … Expand
  79. catsandcaffeine
    Nov 4, 2014
    10
    This revolutionary game came into the market not hyped at all, with it's amazing gameplay, it redeems itself as a masterpiece. I'm not a big fan of the Lord of the Rings books or movies, yet this is probably one of the most funnest games I have played in a long time. The nemesis system constantly gives you different personalities to fight and each of their personalities (through strengthsThis revolutionary game came into the market not hyped at all, with it's amazing gameplay, it redeems itself as a masterpiece. I'm not a big fan of the Lord of the Rings books or movies, yet this is probably one of the most funnest games I have played in a long time. The nemesis system constantly gives you different personalities to fight and each of their personalities (through strengths and weaknesses) shows in the combat. Although repetitive controls at first, you gain a sense of accomplishment when using your newly-found skills, it's like giving your dog a treat after doing tricks. Combat in this game reminds me of the Assassin's Creed and Batman series, but with a much more eloquent display by having multiple ways of killing Orcs, not just with sword or bow. The sense of equality really brightens up the gameplay, none of your weapons will ever be overpowered, your battle is maintained purely on how you respond to each of your attackers, and the classes differ in each party so you're constantly having to focus on some Orcs first, which gives an amazing edge to the gameplay. 10/10, best game I've played.… Expand
  80. Enforcer122
    Nov 3, 2014
    7
    The game itself is a solid game. The combat is smooth, the stealth is tactical and it all comes together as an enjoyable experience. I just couldn't help but to feel bored near the end of the game... I had been doing the same stuff for 20 hours plus, the game forcing me to kill all the war chiefs before letting me move on was hugely frustrating. Some of the quests you do also feltThe game itself is a solid game. The combat is smooth, the stealth is tactical and it all comes together as an enjoyable experience. I just couldn't help but to feel bored near the end of the game... I had been doing the same stuff for 20 hours plus, the game forcing me to kill all the war chiefs before letting me move on was hugely frustrating. Some of the quests you do also felt meticulous and samey. If you're looking for a game to get plenty of hours out then go for it, but I found the novelty soon wore off.… Expand
  81. tekshow
    Nov 2, 2014
    7
    The journey to Mordor is a solid game, one built on the foundation of games like Assassin's Creed and Batman. That's not a figurative comment either, it literally steals pieces of those games like the climbing from AC and the combat directly lifted from Batman. That isn't a bad thing, even though WB games might get into some hot water from it legally. If you enjoy the AC series or theThe journey to Mordor is a solid game, one built on the foundation of games like Assassin's Creed and Batman. That's not a figurative comment either, it literally steals pieces of those games like the climbing from AC and the combat directly lifted from Batman. That isn't a bad thing, even though WB games might get into some hot water from it legally. If you enjoy the AC series or the Batman Arkham games then Mordor will be right up your alley whether you're into the LOTR franchise or not.

    That's where I found myself, I like Orcs, Dwarves and Rings as much as the next guy, but fantasy has never been my favorite genre. I'd rather have light sabers and laser beams like Mass Effect or Fallout 3.

    Mordor does what it does well, a great quote "If you steal from one person you're a thief, if you steal from many you're a genius." Bruce Lee subscribed to this philosophy and apparently so does WB Montreal. It not only borrows all these facets of Batman and AC, but it IMPROVES on them.

    The stealth component gives you more combat options than the big Bat. There's very deft range methods that keeps expanding the gameplay for the duration. There's a huge upgradeable skill tree that will take the longest playthrough ever, or if you beat Mordor in the typical time (about 20 hours) you'll barely be able to open up some of the most impressive skills.

    That's all without talking about the nemesis system, which takes every underling and mini-boss from the game and turns them into a living breathing chess piece. Any grunt orc that kills you will begin moving up the Orc ladder. If any Captain or Warchief kills you his notoriety will increase, and so will his power, making him even tougher during the next encounter. Eventually you get the power to brand Orcs with your mark, eventually stock piling nearby gruns to help you take down the Chieftains. After that you quickly get the ability to brand even the warchiefs themselves and therein lies the best strategic idea behind Mordor: Do you brand the Warchief directly, or install fraudulent bodyguards that can help you remove him from his pedestal? Nearly always I found it easier to bring in my Orc trator bodyguards and do the job with me. Then ultimately the most powerful bodyguard takes the recently felled warchiefs place on the hierarchy map.

    So it sounds all good right? Beautiful combat backed by two great franchises WB worked on, a good solid graphics engine, new upgrades to the formula and a huge skill tree to fill out.... and you know it's coming, there's a "but" in here.

    Mordor stumbles slightly for a number of reasons, and some of it hinges on the gameplay and Nemesis ideas. There's always been flaws in ACs gameplay and while not massive some of that is still there. I will say that Tailion can grab a ladder or a ledge almost better than anyone in AC, I never felt like he did the wrong thing at the wrong time because of the game. If I blew a counter or jumped off the wrong ledge it always felt like user error, the way it should be.

    It seems that WB was making another game, speculation is an open world Batman game. That might very well be true, but since Arkham Knight is on the way out and is open world the rumor is it was scrapped. WB has made a very well crafted game here, and it's plenty enjoyable, it got me to trudge through blood stained Orcs and the sprawling countryside of Mordor for about 30 hours.

    The story is completely bare bones. Wife dies, get revenge, live with a ghots, kill Sauron, the end. There's a few cutscenes sprinkled in there, but it's pretty negligible even for LOTR fans. This game is all about the combat, and some times that's just not that exciting. The world is pretty bland with just two main areas, and strongholds of Orcs littered about. In fact, if you don't spend some hours swinging your sword killing and doing side quests you won't level up enough to have a powerful ranger. I almost completely ignored the main quests of the game for the first 20 hours and just leveled up. The main campaign is almost non stop fighting and often for no reason.

    Not to be too harsh, but it almost felt like a LOTR Dynasty Warriors game for the bulk of it.

    Finally the Nemesis system isn't as polished as it should be. I died at the hands of Orc captains or higher maybe 2 times during my entire playthrough. Mostly that's because I wasn't afraid to run away, combat in war is about survival and my feet would carry me out of danger. I'd hide for a bit and then exploit a major weakness. Other times I was near death and ran straight to the nearest underling for a quick death. It meant the bottom man on the totem poll got ranked a bit, but I avoided having the super elite Warchief grow in power. You also have a last chance move that saves your neck long enough to get out of most situations.

    Mordor boils down to a hack and slash game. It's Batman, but 100% combat focussed. Depending on your mood that might not be a bad thing, I spent 30 hours there. Solid 7.    … Expand
  82. Kenshiro117
    Nov 2, 2014
    9
    Unlike people say Shadow Of Mordor is not a Assasin's Creed rip off, well at least to the extreme that some people claim. I'd like to think it as hybrid of Assasin's Creed and Batman games.
    But combat is extremely fun and easy to get into, feeling like you could take the whole army of the uruks at once, but throw Warlord or Captains in and it will be a challenge that most likely will get    Unlike people say Shadow Of Mordor is not a Assasin's Creed rip off, well at least to the extreme that some people claim. I'd like to think it as hybrid of Assasin's Creed and Batman games.
    But combat is extremely fun and easy to get into, feeling like you could take the whole army of the uruks at once, but throw Warlord or Captains in and it will be a challenge that most likely will get you killed, fast.
    And when you die you can track the uruk who killed you and get revenge, thanks to Nemesis system which is a cool mechanic.
    As for the visuals, it is what you'd expect from next-gen game, personally I do not care for such things.
    As for negative, after you complete the game you don't feel like doing it again, but I had no major bugs, 2 minor clipping glitches but you could get out pretty easy.
    But in the end lovely game, I suggest you get this if you like the genre.    … Expand
  83. foxviewchannel
    Nov 2, 2014
    9
    Tolkien games have yet to reach their true potential; however, one of the biggest surprises this year was Shadow Of Mordor. Shadow Of Mordor is an action role playing game which is set between the hobbit and the lord of the rings and is developed by Monolith.

    The story explores characters not seen in the movies. The main character is called Talion, a ranger of Gondor responsible for    Tolkien games have yet to reach their true potential; however, one of the biggest surprises this year was Shadow Of Mordor. Shadow Of Mordor is an action role playing game which is set between the hobbit and the lord of the rings and is developed by Monolith.

    The story explores characters not seen in the movies. The main character is called Talion, a ranger of Gondor responsible for defending the black gates of Mordor. Sauron, also known as the Dark Lord sends his army to attack, you and your family end up being slaughtered., you are then brought back to life with magical powers and this sets you out for revenge on Saurons army.

    Shadow of Mordor has immersive game-play. The fighting is similar to that of Batman and Assassins creed but feels fresh with its new mechanics. You will be using a combination of stealth to take out enemies unseen and melee combat.

    As you progress, you level up your character and weapons and you will have access to all sorts of abilities like stunning enemies, teleporting, and crushing an enemies skull with your hands.

    The world in Shadow Of Mordor feels alive. The game fully utilities next gen and the attention to detail is impressive. the true strength in this game is the new Nemesis system that is unique and one that i have not seen done before. all the enemies in the game move dynamically in the world with their own missions.

    The enemies are distinct, with different ways of fighting, speaking, physical appearance and name. If you injure an enemy while battling, they will remember you and taunt you when they see you again. All enemies in the game have the potential to turn into a superior boss. The Uruk army is always shifting and evolving while the Orcs don't rise up in the ranks.

    Enemies will level up and improve their skills while roaming in the world and they will change positions which means no two game-plays are the same. When you go into battle and a specific enemy kills you, then that soldier will move up the ranks and this increases his strength making him tougher the next time you face him in battle.

    They will also challenge each other to compete for the top spot and those that win, grow in power and advancing an unknown warrior all the way to legendary ware-chief.

    Each enemy will have their own weakness that you have to find out, and you can do this in numerous ways. Interrogating Uruks for info to learn more about the characters in Saurons army and when you earn more upgrades, you will earn the power to make enemies fight for you. Using the power wisely can change a lot in the battlefield.

    It is an exciting feeling when you watch an enemy that you faced before barge his way during a fight, This creates a lot of tension. Once you drain their power, you will have an option to kill them or free them, and once you gain power you will be able to summon an enemy into tasks such as taking out a warrior when the time is right.

    Some of the campaign missions aren't as exciting as they should be and there is no multiplayer; however, Shadow Of Mordor is a true next gen game that is fun with good combat and one that is worth your time.    … Expand
  84. Irul
    Nov 1, 2014
    1
    Wow, this game is so boring. At the start it seems promissing. Impressive animation and nice graphics. After a few missions it turns so repetitive that u do not even have fun anymore. Just smash buttons until you get tired of it. Very repititive. Will not finish the game, prefer to replay other games than finish this one.
  85. Goltztyme
    Oct 30, 2014
    8
    Shadows of Mordor plays very much like assassins creed 2. Which is wonderful, it was in my opinion the best assassins creed to date. It also feels very much like The Arkham Asylum Batman series, which i think again, I enjoyed. While it does have its problems with the climbing mechanic. Overall If you are a fan of either of these 2 games i would recommend you play Shadows of Mordor. My onlyShadows of Mordor plays very much like assassins creed 2. Which is wonderful, it was in my opinion the best assassins creed to date. It also feels very much like The Arkham Asylum Batman series, which i think again, I enjoyed. While it does have its problems with the climbing mechanic. Overall If you are a fan of either of these 2 games i would recommend you play Shadows of Mordor. My only problem with this game is after playing it for a while it begins to feels old. As if you've played it 1 or 2 times. Also failing missions requires you to abandon the mission and go back to the start mission indicator and restart. Which isn't a problem if you like running through hordes of enemies humming the LOTR theme. Overall I would say a pretty nice title to add to your collections.… Expand
  86. Kraft
    Oct 29, 2014
    1
    The graphics are nice, but the gameplay and the story are **** I don't think anyone has ever done sword-based combat well though. This game amounts to brief intervals of street fighter style mouse button mashing in between a ****load of long stupid cutscenes.
  87. jstanothergamr
    Oct 29, 2014
    8
    A very strong and engaging experience, mostly.
    The story is a tad weak in driving the game, however, things like the Nemesis system constantly push the world forward. Yes, the world could be a little bit bigger, but the designers did a great job of balancing the size with the large amount of enemies all over the map.
    Randomly running into an officer was also an exciting experience.    A very strong and engaging experience, mostly.
    The story is a tad weak in driving the game, however, things like the Nemesis system constantly push the world forward. Yes, the world could be a little bit bigger, but the designers did a great job of balancing the size with the large amount of enemies all over the map.
    Randomly running into an officer was also an exciting experience. Once, while I was fighting one (in order to gain intel about the warchief) I was met by 4 others. Suddenly, a small battle turned into a large one with 5 officers and about 30 other orcs. The game is full of exciting moments like that.
    The leveling system and customization also perfectly match the length of the campaign and size of the world. At no point did I feel like I leveled too quickly or not enough.
    A feature that would have been nice is a difficulty setting. I found that when I beat the game, even though I thoroughly enjoyed it, I had no urge to go back again. If I could set it on a harder difficulty, I definitely would have given it another go.
    My biggest issue, besides the weak story, is the final battle of the game. It is essentially a 30second QT event, which really rubbed me the wrong way. They had created such a great and exciting experience up until those final moments.
    All in all, I think this one is definitely worth your money and time. If your looking for an RPG action fix this is it. Oh yeah, and the added bonus is that is J.R.R Tolkien.    … Expand
  88. StiffNippys666
    Oct 29, 2014
    10
    If you're a huge LOTR fan and/or LOVE the batman series games, you're going to love this. The nemesis system is the Game of the Year changer! Slaying different orcs or helping them to become stronger is a very rewarding feeling. I love the new free DLC costume that they released. Finally a game for the fans! Can't wait for what they will introduce next or the next LOTR game.
  89. bronbron
    Oct 28, 2014
    9
    I don't understand the reviews positive or negative from people who played this game for a short period of time and feel that's enough to warrant a review. I have played it from top to bottom and finished the game. It exceeded my expectations, it was a blast to play from start to finish. The combat is fun and engaging, side quests are enjoyable and the story is good. Also this should beI don't understand the reviews positive or negative from people who played this game for a short period of time and feel that's enough to warrant a review. I have played it from top to bottom and finished the game. It exceeded my expectations, it was a blast to play from start to finish. The combat is fun and engaging, side quests are enjoyable and the story is good. Also this should be said it's not a quick story but not an extremely long story either. I think I beat it without doing all of the sides missions in around 15 hours. That being said compared to the watered down crap games we get these days (cough cough destiny) it was refreshing to play a game with a campaign that I can't beat in a weekend. One complaint is the camera angle on the main character the view is so it's right behind him and you can't change that, it was extremely annoying for me at the beginning but I surprisingly got used to it and didn't care at the end. Aside from that I have nothing to complain about. It's worth the buy and the time, I honestly can't see someone who plays through the entire game from beginning to end and not be satisfied.… Expand
  90. timwarner
    Oct 28, 2014
    10
    Don't be fooled by the jackass claiming that we're being fooled by Warner Brothers paying people to give these ratings. This game is fantastic. End of story
  91. welchmen22
    Oct 28, 2014
    8
    Fun game the fighting mechanics are great story has been good. A few people mention fighting near walls that's true its a little tough to see but you can just rotate out or roll to a better position (pay attention to your surroundings). This might be unfair but I am disappointed in the lack of customization the game is great I guess I just look forward to being able to put your mark on aFun game the fighting mechanics are great story has been good. A few people mention fighting near walls that's true its a little tough to see but you can just rotate out or roll to a better position (pay attention to your surroundings). This might be unfair but I am disappointed in the lack of customization the game is great I guess I just look forward to being able to put your mark on a character. I love the idea of having the captains changing and having a rival. Lots of variety with the enemies. It does seem easy at times hopefully it gets a little tougher. Not a huge fan of stealth in games but this one uses the elements well without over doing it or forcing it on you too often. The game looks great too, overall I'm enjoying it.… Expand
  92. the_great_owl
    Oct 28, 2014
    7
    Shadow of Mordor is a good game, though full of flaws.

    Combat system is great. It is swift, fast, bloody and impressive. Visuals are great. I really liked the changing weather and the photo mode with which you can play around with creating nice screenshots. Voice acting, music and sounds are top tier, I really felt that game is taking place in Middlearth. Nemesis system is really    Shadow of Mordor is a good game, though full of flaws.

    Combat system is great. It is swift, fast, bloody and impressive.
    Visuals are great. I really liked the changing weather and the photo mode with which you can play around with creating nice screenshots.
    Voice acting, music and sounds are top tier, I really felt that game is taking place in Middlearth.
    Nemesis system is really innovative and gives a lot of opportunities to get rid of captains of warchiefs.

    And that is about everything good this game can offer.

    Flaws? Game is repetitive. After 10 first hours of playing you will know what rest of the game is about.
    Characters are bland and forced into the almost non-existing plot. Plot is really disappointing, especially the ending, which basically is a short QTE...
    Despite the nice Nemesis system I did not find this game challenging. To be honest game was getting easier and easier with new powers that you unlock during play through.

    Having on mind that game is not a short one, I am kind of disappointed with its execution.
    Instead of setting new standards, the game tries not to be Assassin's Creed/Batman clone inserted into Middlearth realm but ultimately fails to do so.

    Shadow of Mordor could have been so much more.    … Expand
  93. armchairjerk
    Oct 27, 2014
    5
    Really isnt that much to this game. The plot is bad but the combat can make up for that. You're forced to run from captain to captain killing them while being subjected to quests that at times don't feel necessary. Wait for this game to go on sale.
  94. seil3949
    Oct 27, 2014
    9
    El sistema de jerarquía de los Uruks es la estrella de este juego, el sistema Nemesis como se llama, muestra la jerarquía de los orcos en Mordor, con un gameplay que fusiona mecánicas de la serie Assasin´s Creed y Batman Arkham series. La historia se apega fielmente a la Literatura de Tolkien, pero no los personajes, los personajes en su actuación son más una experienciade Hollywood. En siEl sistema de jerarquía de los Uruks es la estrella de este juego, el sistema Nemesis como se llama, muestra la jerarquía de los orcos en Mordor, con un gameplay que fusiona mecánicas de la serie Assasin´s Creed y Batman Arkham series. La historia se apega fielmente a la Literatura de Tolkien, pero no los personajes, los personajes en su actuación son más una experienciade Hollywood. En si muy buen juego, con un Trofeo Platino muy accesible para todos aquellos Trophy Hunters.… Expand
  95. FatBoyDave
    Oct 27, 2014
    8
    Had to write a review of this wonderful game,Slashing,Stealth,Runes,Archery,from a five minute Uruk slaughter fest to an hour carefully getting into the story.This game is brilliant,great graphics and sound,the Nemesis system where your victors or battle scarred foes remember your previous encounters and taunt or remind you of your actions.Like most people have said a cross between CreedHad to write a review of this wonderful game,Slashing,Stealth,Runes,Archery,from a five minute Uruk slaughter fest to an hour carefully getting into the story.This game is brilliant,great graphics and sound,the Nemesis system where your victors or battle scarred foes remember your previous encounters and taunt or remind you of your actions.Like most people have said a cross between Creed and Batman( no bad thing).Now the crushing amazingly BAD news the last two end battles are an absolute disgrace,shocking,sloppy,poor,head shackingly rubbish.It got 9.3 I would knock off a point for the end,it's that bad !!!!!!… Expand
  96. Dukeo
    Oct 27, 2014
    9
    Story missions were good but 20 are not much i wanna more x;). Game is very good playable and no problems with moves (maybe climbing wall can include 2 buttons no only one). Nemesis system work good. i hope for good big dlcs because i really enjoy game like this but it can be LONGER. Maybe Middle - earth 2 x;)..
  97. HarrySound
    Oct 27, 2014
    4
    This game is dull as dishwater.
    I bought it based on the positive reviews. It really IS Assassins Creed with Batman combat and the open world zone clearing of Viking.
    Movement is laggy , combat is button mashy , animation heavy and also laggy. Graphics are polished last gen era. Voice acting is the same old tired pompus english accents from London (oliver twist/orcs) , the Palace    This game is dull as dishwater.
    I bought it based on the positive reviews. It really IS Assassins Creed with Batman combat and the open world zone clearing of Viking.
    Movement is laggy , combat is button mashy , animation heavy and also laggy.
    Graphics are polished last gen era.
    Voice acting is the same old tired pompus english accents from London (oliver twist/orcs) , the Palace (posh) and the Farm (summerset).    … Expand
  98. dyrankun
    Oct 26, 2014
    4
    Not very impressed by this game. I usually don't give games poor reviews but I'm just not thrilled by it. In fact, I find myself forcing myself (unsuccessfully) to play just to try and get my moneys worth. I will say this however. Much of this is my own fault, for not looking into what the game actually was before I purchased it. I saw a new LOTR game with decent ratings, had someNot very impressed by this game. I usually don't give games poor reviews but I'm just not thrilled by it. In fact, I find myself forcing myself (unsuccessfully) to play just to try and get my moneys worth. I will say this however. Much of this is my own fault, for not looking into what the game actually was before I purchased it. I saw a new LOTR game with decent ratings, had some extra money to spend, and bought it on a whim. I was very disappointed by the fact that the entire game takes place in Mordor. Yes, I know, the game title should have been a dead give away, but I didn't honestly think you could make a LOTR game all within the land of mordor. What a shame. I read "Open world". Cool! I can finally play a LOTR game and go visit all those fond locations! nope. The environment is about what you would expect. It's not that it looks bad, its just that it becomes very dull, very fast. Everything looks the same after 10 minutes of play. Everything plays the same within 10 minutes as well. There's just no cohesion. I feel as if I'm running around in circles, from one quest marker to the next (enough with the quest marker formula already). It doesn't feel like I`m getting anywhere. I would say that open world is not my thing, except that TESO games are some of my absolute favorites, so that argument doesn`t stand. The combat is pretty dull in my opinion. hack hack hack, counter, hack, groundkill, rinse and repeat. There are so many enemies everywhere that even stealth stalking just feels insignificant. Oh cool, I stealth killed an orc, too bad theres 50 more in every direction I look. Just takes away from the impact of putting the effort in to stay in stealth, which by the way, you pretty much are forced to do when running anywhere. I don`t know, I could go on, but really, I feel like I`ve wasted enough time and money in this game. To put the effort in on a review of this game would just contribute to the waste. I bought this as a LOTR fan, hoping that someone finally made a decent LOTR game. How disappointing.… Expand
  99. jack2059
    Oct 26, 2014
    7
    Some wonderful features but lacking any soul.

    The biggest underdog shock of the year is how everyone is describing this game. Its got a very strong combat system, lifted straight out of Batman. And while its great, the combat on the whole can get very frustrating as you are swarmed by captains, beserkers and shield enemies. A simple attempt at killing a war chief or captain can very    Some wonderful features but lacking any soul.

    The biggest underdog shock of the year is how everyone is describing this game.
    Its got a very strong combat system, lifted straight out of Batman. And while its great, the combat on the whole can get very frustrating as you are swarmed by captains, beserkers and shield enemies.
    A simple attempt at killing a war chief or captain can very quickly become a big test of patience and annoyance. This isnt helped by the camera system which can be very awkward.

    The standout feature however is the Nemesis enemy system. This adds serious weight to the enemies around the world. Giving them names and personas.
    Attempting to take down a War Chief is thrilling as he baits you with great lines of speech, then while you fight you hear the surrounding enemies chant his name.

    The graphics are largely very good. Especially on a rain soaked evening the world looks beautiful.
    The game world is like the story, very bland. Lots of wide open stony floored stretches of middle earth with nothing but rocks to see.

    Where the game falls down most though, all importanly is the complete lack of a main character. You play a very bland person, in a very bland basic story. And its for this reason that the game just doesnt addict me. There is no heart to make the combat and nemesis system worthwhile

    Give the nemesis system to a game like Assassins Creed or Batman and you could have something incredibly special.    … Expand
  100. AndyPatterson96
    Oct 26, 2014
    7
    The gameplay mechanics more than echo those of Rocksteady's Arkham games and Ubisoft's Assassin's creed but that's forgivable considering Monolith utilised (recycle?) them rather well and threw in an intriguing nemesis system to keep things feeling fresh. Tolkien fans needn't worry that the beloved LOTR license is tarnished either; Shadow of Mordor has an engaging and dark revenge tale atThe gameplay mechanics more than echo those of Rocksteady's Arkham games and Ubisoft's Assassin's creed but that's forgivable considering Monolith utilised (recycle?) them rather well and threw in an intriguing nemesis system to keep things feeling fresh. Tolkien fans needn't worry that the beloved LOTR license is tarnished either; Shadow of Mordor has an engaging and dark revenge tale at its heart that adds depth to the lore and setting of Middle Earth.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best PS4 Game of 2014
7
#7 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014
5
#5 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 85 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 77 out of 85
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 85
  3. Negative: 0 out of 85
  1. Thunderbolt
    Jun 12, 2015
    90
    For people who are alright with playing fifteen hours or so of Helm’s Deep-style carnage, Shadow of Mordor is a delight – and even for people who couldn’t care less about Lord of the Rings, the exciting combat and unique Nemesis System are more than enough to make the experience worthwhile.
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  2. The Digital Fix
    Dec 24, 2014
    90
    As a gamer you owe it to yourself to experience Shadow of Mordor if not for anything else other than the Nemesis system because playing a single-player game never made you feel less alone.
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  3. CD-Action
    Dec 13, 2014
    75
    Batman’s Creed: Shadow of Mordor – Monolith’s inspirations are so obvious that you could call their game a rip-off. Its greatest sin though is the fact that it fails to vary gameplay the way Assassin’s Creed or Batman do and offers almost nothing apart from killing stuff and playing with the Nemesis system (which, I admit, has its moments). I got so tired with its repetitiveness that I wouldn’t have finished the game if I didn’t have to. [Dec 2014, p.48]
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