The latest video game by Monolith Productions, "Middle-Earth: Shadow of War" has finally arrived, and the reviews by video game critics are now out. The sequel to the surprise smash hit "Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor" is looking to be a more expansive, and immersive in terms of its gameplay and narrative scope. However, the question is, does it deliver gamers' expectations?
According to PC Games N, "Middle-Earth: Shadow of War" is not exactly for "Tolkien purists," since it plays around more with the original narrative of J.R.R Tolkien's fictional world and history of Middle-Earth. The concept of Shelob, who is supposed to be nothing but a giant spider, has come to life in human form, which is something that fans might not necessarily agree with.
However, the gameplay itself is reported to be quite enjoyable and the main reason for this is that the Nemesis System, which made a lasting impression in the first game, makes a very strong comeback with multiple facets polished for players. A review by VG 24/7 seems to have more or less the same opinion, with the narrative losing the whole essence of Tolkien's flavor, but the game's improved mechanics is ultimately its saving grace.
Another controversial issue apart from the sexualization of Shelob is the presence of Loot Boxes in the game, and other micro transactions. In a report by Kotaku, it does not feel right on a consumer's perspective to shell out more money in order to fully experience a game that is already worth $60. Additionally, there is the purchase-able "real ending," that has raised some eye brows since the developers are even charging for it in the first place.
It is important to note that the entirety of the story would very much depend on the choices that players make within the game. In a game review by Games Radar, a lot of the rival orcs, or ones that players can choose to ally with for that matter, make up the eventual story that the player experiences. So perhaps, the problem is not really the narrative, it could be that people have not spent enough time with the game to form a storyline that is to their liking.
