Combat in the shadows

Monolith’s next game takes the familiar world of Lord of the Rings, the exceptional combat of the Arkham games and adds a unique and interesting new system, making it a fresh experience with unlimited potential. Shadow of Mordor is set a few years before the events of LOTR and you play as Talion, a ranger of Gondor whose body is also inhabited by the wraith of an Old Elf. With their powers combined, they set out to exact revenge on the Black Hand of Sauron.

The combat in Shadow of Mordor is very similar to that of the Batman’s Arkham franchise, down to the exact same control scheme. Your character is usually surrounded by a group of enemies who take turns lashing at you. Countering attacks stuns them and they can then be executed using a ground finisher. Once your hit combo reaches a particular number, you can perform special attacks like executions, flaming arrows, Wraith flash and many more. Talion can also use his wraith abilities to teleport short distances or to control armies of orcs.

The Nemesis system of Shadow of Mordor introduces a living world of Uruk hierarchy filled with power struggles, politics and backstabs. Orccaptains gain ranks based on how much power they have. Each captain has his own strengths and weaknesses, which makes every encounter unique. Furthermore, Orcs remember and mention if they have already faced or killed you before, making the fight much more personal.

Later on in the game, you get the ability to brand and thereby control captains and warchiefs. You can force them to betray other orcs, make them challenge a more powerful captain and eventually take his place. You can even choose to let time pass, at which time Orcs will dynamically fight each other and empty positions will be filled up by new recruits. All of this is randomly generated and is a highlight of the game.

The open world leaves a lot to be desired and a more standard RPG structure will help the game fully utilise its impressive systems and mechanics, as well as the strength of its source material. As good as it is right now, there is a lot of potential which can be tapped in sequels for Monolith’s new IP. In its current state, Shadow of Mordor is still one of the best action games to come out this year.