Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" universe can plunge into a hands-on Middle-Earth experience beginning Sept. 30, when Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment finally releases "Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor."
"The bloody, visceral combat is consistently thrilling..." says game reviewer Steve Tilley in his article in the Toronto Sun, "especially once Talion (main character) unlocks more potent abilities and picks up powerful skill-enhancing runes for his sword, bow and dagger."
Developed by Monolith Productions, "Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor" is a role-playing game for PC, Playstation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Set shortly after the events in "The Hobbit" but long before the onset of "Lord of the Rings," it is when Sauron is still in the early stages of building up his forces in preparation for his plans to unleash his evil power onto Middle-Earth.
In the game, players take on the role of Talion, a ranger tasked to man the area along the Black Gate of Mordor. While dispensing his noble duties, Sauron and his army return to the fortress and kill everyone, including Talion and his family. But an elf wraith (or some kind of spirit of vengeance) brings him back to life and gives him the gift (or curse) of immortality, along with some supernatural skills.
In a press release, Warner Bros. explains, "Players become Talion, a ranger who loses his family and everything he holds dear, only to be returned from death by a mysterious Spirit of vengeance."
Talion then has to do battle with the dark lord's minions, not only for personal revenge but also due to the spirit that is somehow meshed with him. During level ups in the game, players can choose to increase either their ranger skills or their supernatural skills.
And even though Talion is immortal, the game presents an interesting twist – the Nemesis System.
WB says, "Based on the player's actions with the in-game Nemesis System, every enemy encountered is distinct and can evolve to become a personal archenemy through the course of the game. "
This means that even as Talion grows in skill, so do the enemies; and in much the same way that players learn how to fight certain foes, foes who survive a battle also "remember" and adapt. The game, therefore, continues to present the challenge of facing enemies that become increasingly difficult to defeat. But after a lot of slashing and hacking and stabbing, players will eventually find their way deeper into Mordor. And when they do, they will not only face their ultimate enemy, they will also be able to discover certain secrets, such as the spirit of vengeance's mystery, and the origin of the Rings.
Tilley says, "Good games based on J. R. R. Tolkien's works are surprisingly rare, and Shadow of Mordor is certainly a sword-thrusting lunge in the right direction. It's slick and fun, with solid production values and some new takes on what's becoming an overly familiar formula."
However, he concludes, "There's just not quite enough here to make it truly preciousss." Players, of course, are entitled to their own judgments.
"Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor" garnered over 45 awards and nominations in E3. It is now available for pre-order, and will be available on Sept. 30.
