I did not buy into the eighth generation of video game consoles until two years after their release. It’s not for a lack of wanting a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One; I knew I would get them eventually. I’ve just learned to wait until well after release to start buying new hardware. One of the drawbacks to that strategy is that I end up missing out on games released for both the old and new gen consoles. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor was one of those games.
I knew I wanted the game; I’m a sucker for anything related to Middle-Earth. But I was hesitant to buy it for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, figuring I would get it for a next-gen console. I finally got my PlayStation 4…and bought Just Cause 3, Assassin’s Creed: Unity, Grand Theft Auto V, and Diablo III Ultimate Edition instead. Then I got my Xbox One…and bought Mega Man Collection, Rainbow Six: Siege, and Halo 5: Guardians – the latter for my son. Shadow of Mordor would wait.
After finally getting it and playing it, I now wish I got it sooner.
Shadow of Mordor puts you in the role of Talion, a ranger who was executed along with his family. You are not dead, however. Instead, you are bound to an elf ghost that returns you to Middle-Earth to extract revenge against Sauron. As Talion, you will roam Middle-Earth, cleaving through uruk – smarter orcs – indiscriminately as you extract your revenge.
Only it’s not that simple. You can’t just rush into a cloud of uruk and swing your sword wildly. These mobs are pretty combat-savvy and can overwhelm you if you’re not careful. Fortunately, this game uses fighting mechanics similar to the Batman: Arkham games. You get a visual warning when you’re about to be hit and can counter attacks. That leads to moments where you string combos and decimate large groups of mobs. The feeling after pulling a 40x combo and lay waste to a half-dozen enemies is pretty empowering. You are also able to enter Wraith Mode, a copycat “Detective Mode” that allows you to spot enemies and noteworthy objects to help you plan your strategy.
Don’t get too cocky, though. If you do, you will be overwhelmed and dispatched. And that will bring up one of the coolest things in this game. The uruk have a hierarchy. When you are felled by an uruk, your killer gains prestige. If they gain enough, they become captains. If they are already captains, killing you increases their power. You can gain revenge on them by slaughtering them in return, which gains you nice upgrades. But if you keep losing to them, their power will grow more. Of course, the uruk are ambitious, and sometimes they will cannibalize each other. When they duel, the victor gets a further power upgrade. They have strengths and weaknesses, but you have to interrogate captains to get that info.
The lesson is simple: don’t die often. If you do, your progress won’t diminish too much. But you definitely don’t need an area full of uruk that are emboldened by your defeat.
I died a lot initially. The reason why is simple: I instinctively like to button mash. I did the same while playing Arkham games , and that’s precisely why I’ve never beaten an Arkham game. These games require that you press buttons only when necessary, so that you can counter when needed. After a few minutes, I found out what was hampering my ability to prevent button mashing: VODKA! I needed to drink LESS of it! So I played this game sober. It helped.
Fortunately, you have multiple ways of dealing with large groups of foes. You have a long-range bow attack that can thin the herd, and I found it works to employ hit-and-run tactics. I stand above a group, introduce one uruk to the sharp end of my bow, then stealth kill a second uruk by stabbing him from above. I book it the moment the group becomes aware, escape, and plan my next culling. Using Wraith Mode lets me spot gaggles of uruk from a distance, letting me plan my next attack.
Eventually, you will gain enough upgrades and abilities to lay waste to your enemies. When you reach that point, combat becomes even more enjoyable. Slicing through uruk, while building up power to do instant executions and other abilities, makes the combat feel even better than the Arkham games.
Except when those stupid cats attack. I HATE THOSE FUCKING CATS!
Nonetheless, playing Shadow of Mordor was a blast. It might have taken a while, but I’m enjoying this game immensely. If you haven’t played this game, do it now! I may have procrastinated on my purchase, but you should not procrastinate yours anymore!
