Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

 Xbox One
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Image
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 805 Ratings

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  • Summary: Fight your way through Mordor and reveal the truth of the spirit that compels you, discover the origins of the Rings of Power, build your legend and ultimately confront the evil of Sauron in this new story of Middle-earth.
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E3 2014: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Nemesis System Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Softpedia
    Oct 2, 2014
    95
    The combat and exploration are fun, and while the game may seem a bit difficult, don't forget that running away is always a good idea.
  2. IGN
    Oct 9, 2014
    93
    After a day with Shadow of Mordor on Xbox One, I can confidently recommend it just as strongly as the PS4 and PC versions. True, this is probably the worst-looking of the bunch by a small margin.
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 2, 2014
    90
    Addictive combat with a multitude of variants and silky smooth gameplay make this hard to put down. [Issue#255, p.51]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. Impulsegamer
    Oct 6, 2014
    88
    Delivers high on adventure and gaming. Middle Earth comes to life.
  5. NZGamer
    Oct 7, 2014
    88
    Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor takes the combat of the Batman games, the stealth and exploration of the Assassin’s Creed games and combines them into a really fun package.
  6. COGconnected
    Oct 7, 2014
    83
    With a brilliant blend of silky smooth yet brutal combat and some memorable stealth sequences, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor offers up some of the best open world combat we have seen in quite some time. It is not without some faults, and will frustrate many to the core, but in the end you are left with an excellent Lord of the Rings game that should please any “Mature” gamer.
  7. Xbox Achievements
    Sep 25, 2014
    80
    Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is simply the finest Tolkien game we've played in quite some time.

See all 12 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 145 out of 179
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 179
  3. Negative: 10 out of 179
  1. ZackH25
    May 4, 2023
    10
    Genuinely a near masterpiece. Nemesis system is one of the best parts of a game I have ever experienced. So good that Warner Bros even got aGenuinely a near masterpiece. Nemesis system is one of the best parts of a game I have ever experienced. So good that Warner Bros even got a patent for it. Story was good and personal. Bosses/Warchiefs were great as well, final boss fight was a let down but that is the only proper flaw of the game. Combat is also very good as well. Took the best parts of batman and assassins creed and made it better.… Expand
  2. Death0fLove
    Sep 30, 2014
    10
    There's no two ways about it. I absolutely LOVE this game! I've only been playing for about 3 hours but I have to work tomorrow yet I cannotThere's no two ways about it. I absolutely LOVE this game! I've only been playing for about 3 hours but I have to work tomorrow yet I cannot stop playing Shadow of Mordor. I love everything about this game and gladly look forward to sinking several hours into it.… Expand
  4. El3ment_514
    Nov 30, 2014
    9
    I would have scored this higher than a 9 if the last 2 boss fights were not a utter failure. Everything led up to meeting the big bad guys andI would have scored this higher than a 9 if the last 2 boss fights were not a utter failure. Everything led up to meeting the big bad guys and there was no fighting between you and them at all. Almost as if they ran out of time and didn't know how to approach the end. Great game besides that. Controls and fighting are top notch. One of the best 3rd person action adventure games out.

    Also if you do play this there are gift achievements/trophies. Getting these gifts will help you out in the game, so do those early on.    … Expand
  5. JoshLuck1995
    Oct 17, 2014
    9
    The surprise game of the year, not many people would of thought this game would be as good as it is, the game is a true shocker and is a mixThe surprise game of the year, not many people would of thought this game would be as good as it is, the game is a true shocker and is a mix of AC, Batman, and maybe a bit of Skyrim. The story is the only criticism it has, ends quickly and doesnt make much sense. 9/10… Expand
  6. Armygamer91
    Mar 20, 2015
    8
    A great game! It blends things from open world classics like infamous and Assassins Creed with Arkham series like combat. The nemesis systemA great game! It blends things from open world classics like infamous and Assassins Creed with Arkham series like combat. The nemesis system is great. Some of the enemies really rank up into beasts that are tough to take down so you better be tactical and smart about going at them.… Expand
  7. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Mar 2, 2023
    8
    "Shadow of Mordor" is an open-world action title that borrows much from the "Assassin's Creed" and "Batman: Arkham" games. Based on the"Shadow of Mordor" is an open-world action title that borrows much from the "Assassin's Creed" and "Batman: Arkham" games. Based on the Middle-Earth film adaptions by Peter Jackson, it takes place between the "Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" trilogies. In the prologue, the Ranger Talion and his family are ritualistically murdered by The Black Hand of Sauron. Shortly after, he is resurrected and his soul is merged with a Wraith named Celebrimbor. As a result, Talion gains the Wraith's supernatural abilities and goes on a quest to avenge the death of his loved ones.

    The game's innovative feature is the Nemesis system which affects the Orc armies in several different ways. So if you kill a Captain, power upheavals occur; other Orcs rise in rank and fight for promotions. But if the Captain survives your attacks, they’ll increase in power and change in appearance (to reflect their wounds). The Nemesis system leads to all sorts of unpredictable scenarios and that's what makes it unique. The game's progression system is more conventional. It is represented by a “tree branch” chart with different abilities you can unlock and upgrade. As you progress through the story, you'll also discover side-missions, weapon challenges, hidden artifacts and puzzle pieces.

    Surprisingly, "Shadow" is a major gorefest. You’ll decapitate countless of Orcs as you advance in the game. Another surprise is the lack of lag during encounters with numerous on-screen enemies. The framerate never falters during these intense moments of battle. Overall, “Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor” is a fun action romp. A compelling story, fluid combat, the Nemesis system and impressive production values really make it shine. It’s one of the best video game adaptions of an existing property. I would rate it with an 8.6 out of 10.    … Expand
  8. 123mattatwood
    Jan 10, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is lame was not worth the money I was verry disappointed wish you could refund games seems wrong claiming to be the game of the year and play something so f...n stuipid......… Expand

See all 179 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best Xbox One Game of 2014
11
#11 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2014
10
#10 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2014