The World of Myth Magazine

Speaking only for myself, when I saw The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King back in 2003, I was left really wanting more. Here was this fantastic world, filled with magic and monsters, and all these heroes were brought together in a rich, detailed story. Although I loved the cinematic exposure, I found myself wanting so much more. I longed for a more in-depth experience, which would let me become a character in such a fantastic setting. Enter the realm of video games.

The movies spawned an incredible amount of games, some good, some great, some…not so much. There were Lego games, strategy games, and co-op-style titles like Lord of the Rings: War in North (a personal favorite of my daughter and me). However, one game sticks out the most and has become something of a favorite of mine. That, of course, is Middle earth: Shadow of War.

Shadow of War is the sequel to Middle earth: Shadow of Mordor, which was an arguably tricky game, mechanic-wise. But like all good creators, Monolith Productions and Warner bros. Interactive Entertainment expanded and upgraded from one title to the next. Not only did the graphics improve, but they fixed a lot of the issues I found that Shadow of Mordor had. The end result was a much improved and, ultimately, far more enjoyable sequel.

Middle Earth: Shadow of War continues the dramatic storyline of Talion, a Ranger of Gondor killed by Sauron's forces only to come back from the dead to become fused with the wraith of Celebrimbor, an elf lord. At the end of Shadow of Mordor, Talion and the elf lord vowed to forge yet another Ring of Power. This is where Shadow of War picks up the tale.

One of the more exciting features of Shadow of Mordor was the introduction of the Nemesis System, which gets a much-deserved expansion in Shadow of war. As the game progresses, the player (Talion) earns the ability to gather followers, orc or trolls, strategically placed in cities one aims to garrison. The actual city battles are played out in real-time against an AI army versus the players assembled forces, with Talion leading the charge.

Though there is a dedicated storyline, the game centers, as a whole, around a completely open world concept. A dynamic weather system and a day/night cycle have a significant impact on enemy behavior and, ultimately, gameplay. So basically, no matter how many times you play, the game is always changing. We all know that an excellent open-world platform with a strong evolving AI makes for a much more enjoyable experience.

Anyone familiar with the Batman Arkham series will feel right at home with the combat controller layout. With the attack and parry system almost identical, one must rely on timing when fighting. It can be a bit annoying sometimes, even more so when you become surrounded by a host of orcs. It can be/is difficult but not impossible.

One last major aspect, and it's one I love the most, is the stealth feature. It has become my favorite element of the game because it allows the player to immerse themselves deeper into the roleplay qualities. The game would be a bit boring if it was a simple hack and slash title. And add the stealth aspect alongside an ever-changing AI system, and the replay value multiplies significantly.

Even though Middle-earth: Shadow of War was nominated for fifteen awards through 2017 and 2018, it was received with mixed reviews. Some viewed the game as spectacular and ambitious, while others thought it a disappointing sequel. I, however, give it a solid four stars. I may be biased as it is a Middle-earth game, but as always, I urge you to try it out and decide for yourself.

And there we have it, my quick thoughts on Middle-earth: Shadow of War. If you have any requests, ideas, or comments, feel free to email me wickedwisdom66@outlook.com, and you can find me on both the Xbox and PS4 under wickedwisdom66. Till next month, game on!