Jump to content

Theme© by Fisana
 

Photo
- - - - -

Review: Shadow of Mordor


  • Please log in to reply
8 replies to this topic

#1 bachamn

bachamn

    ビーストフォーマー オタク

  • Beastformers Archaeology
  • 3561 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Arizona, USA
  • Interests:Digital Media, Travel, LRGs
    ビーストフォーマー
    レーザービースト
    ビーストサーガ

Posted 14 October 2014 - 06:23 AM

Finally, a 'Rated M' Middle Earth game! I don't know how this snuck up on me, but I hadn't heard anything about it until all the E3 reviews came out. I've spent the past week completely nerding out on this and what can I say? I've been waiting for something like this for a long time. I've played my share of Middle Earth games over the years, most of them actually, and while I usually enjoy them simply for using Tolkien's canon, most of the time the games themselves feel rushed or under-produced. That is not the case with Shadow of Mordor. The story is excellent and does a great job creating it's own unique plot within the War of the Ring while not breaking canon (if only taking a few liberties). The characters are well developed, the voice-acting is superb (they even got Andy Serkis a guy who sounds exactly like Andy Serkis!), and the CG cut scenes are beautifully rendered. 

 

The events take place between the time of The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings. You play as Talion, a Gondorian ranger murdered while guarding the Black Gate, brought back as a wraith to exact vengeance for the ritual sacrifice of his family.

 

 

You team up with a legendary character from the Silmarillion, long ago turned to a wraith as well, with the goal of overthrowing Sauron from within Mordor. 

 

 

I've read that this game was meant to serve as the flagship for the new Nemesis AI system, which builds personalized combat interactions with the unique warchiefs and captains you encounter in the game. For example, if you burn a captain and he runs away, the next time you come across that orc he'll have a burned face and the dialogue with reference the previous encounter. The unique characters are apparently dynamically generated so that each play-through will offer different captains to challenge. Combat is fluid, wonderfully violent (I can't stress that enough), and very fun. It's a blast being in the center of a mob of 20+ orcs and still managing to kick ass; very Tolkien-esque. Of course one slip-up or missed button press can quickly lead to death, so things stay challenging. 

 

One of the more unique aspects of the game though is the ability to possess orcs and command them to fight in your own army. This creates a whole side-campaign of working your way up through Sauron's army to take it for your own. A roster screen allows you to control the actions of your possessed captains, where you can command them to recruit more followers, murder one of their fellow captains, and so on. Each action creates a unique instance on the open-world map that allows you to intervene and help your captains achieve their goal.

 

The only criticism I've heard about the game are that it's an Assassin's Creed and Arkham Asylum hybrid, neither of which I've played, so that point doesn't really matter to me even if it is true. I can't recommend this game enough though. if you're a Tolkien fan, you'll love it.


Edited by bachamn, 14 October 2014 - 12:56 PM.

  • 0





#2 Jesse

Jesse

    They should really get a breathalyzer on thi site

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 1051 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Finland
  • Interests:Fistful of power, Universe of violence and random odds and ends...

Posted 14 October 2014 - 06:36 AM

Oh is this the one with interactive enemies who evolve when they kill you?

If it is i hear its awesome! Might like it myself cause i usually like everything with mediavel scenery.
  • 0

#3 Sixthwizard

Sixthwizard

    6thWizard

  • Banned
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 1977 posts
  • Gender:Male

Posted 14 October 2014 - 06:43 AM

Loved Arkham Asylum but hated all the Assassins Creeds........


  • 0

#4 bachamn

bachamn

    ビーストフォーマー オタク

  • Beastformers Archaeology
  • 3561 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Arizona, USA
  • Interests:Digital Media, Travel, LRGs
    ビーストフォーマー
    レーザービースト
    ビーストサーガ

Posted 14 October 2014 - 06:48 AM

Loved Arkham Asylum but hated all the Assassins Creeds........

yeah apparently I'm one of the few people who haven't played either of those, so maybe that's to my advantage. 

 

curious what you didn't like about Assassin's Creed? I've heard the story is kind of lame but I don't know much else about it, other than there's sneaking and well, assassinations.

 

Oh is this the one with interactive enemies who evolve when they kill you?

If it is i hear its awesome! Might like it myself cause i usually like everything with mediavel scenery.

yeah, if you get killed by a captain his power will increase (possibly moving him up the ranks in Sauron's army) and he'll taunt you for it next time you see him. Really adds a personal touch to the experience.


  • 0

#5 Jesse

Jesse

    They should really get a breathalyzer on thi site

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 1051 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Finland
  • Interests:Fistful of power, Universe of violence and random odds and ends...

Posted 14 October 2014 - 06:49 AM

Black flag... or as me and my friends said "lag lag" was the only but still very good assassins creed.


Bachamn the assassins creeds are very repeatativr in my oppinion but at first they are good...



Edit: My 200th post btw. Now im truly part of the board! :)

Edited by Jesse, 14 October 2014 - 06:54 AM.

  • 0

#6 Sixthwizard

Sixthwizard

    6thWizard

  • Banned
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 1977 posts
  • Gender:Male

Posted 14 October 2014 - 08:04 AM

-I didn't like almost everything about the Assassins Creeds- just didn't like how the played...especially the whole effin time warp shit or whatever....and all the mafia tone speech killed me.  aaayyyeee breezy holla cheezy hahahahaha (my mafia talk)  haha


  • 0

#7 glass67

glass67

    Serious Collector

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Pacific Northwest
  • Interests:M.U.S.C.L.E., Battle Beasts, Beast Saga, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Pink Floyd, the Pacific Ocean, the 80's!

Posted 14 October 2014 - 11:35 AM

I only played black flag from AC and the first two arkham games, but yeah, SoM borrowed heavily from those two. It's not quite as tight gameplay wise but they did a fine job. My only complaint really is the lack of variety character-wise in the game. But it is certainly fun enough for that to be overlooked, especially after a few upgrades.
Also, Andy Serkis didn't do voice work, but rather someone by the name of Liam O'Brien, who did a fantastic job with the part. I honestly wouldn't have known had I not read it in a review somewhere prior to playing.
  • 0

#8 bachamn

bachamn

    ビーストフォーマー オタク

  • Beastformers Archaeology
  • 3561 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Arizona, USA
  • Interests:Digital Media, Travel, LRGs
    ビーストフォーマー
    レーザービースト
    ビーストサーガ

Posted 14 October 2014 - 12:54 PM

Also, Andy Serkis didn't do voice work, but rather someone by the name of Liam O'Brien, who did a fantastic job with the part. I honestly wouldn't have known had I not read it in a review somewhere prior to playing.

wow he did an amazing job. The impression is so spot on that I didn't even bother looking it up! Kind of makes it more impressive to know that tbh. I've learned over the past few years that voice over work is not an easy job.


Edited by bachamn, 14 October 2014 - 12:54 PM.

  • 0

#9 glass67

glass67

    Serious Collector

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 416 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Pacific Northwest
  • Interests:M.U.S.C.L.E., Battle Beasts, Beast Saga, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Pink Floyd, the Pacific Ocean, the 80's!

Posted 14 October 2014 - 08:43 PM

Yeah he nailed it for sure. And the animation dept. did a great job staying true to the subtle movements of the character as well.
  • 0






Copyright © 2024 LittleRubberGuys.com