Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a continuation of the action slasher with a third-person view Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Talion returns again as the main character. You will fight against the Dark Lord Sauron and his Ringwraiths. The heroes have forged a new Ring of Power and will attempt to use it to stop the villain. You can expect an improved Nemesis system, which will present an expanded simulation of traitors and followers with a full account of loyalty. One of the main features is the new fortresses, each requiring its own approach to capture.

Action with slasher mechanics and RPG elements in the open world Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a sequel to Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, based on the saga "The Lord of the Rings" and continues the story of the ranger Talion and the elf Celebrimbor, whose relationship the player was introduced to in the first part.

In terms of graphics, Shadow of War does not differ significantly from Shadow of Mordor, with minor improvements made, such as more detailed models of the main characters and high-quality textures; also, in the new locations, the sequel delights with quality models of trees and leaves, lush grass, and other decorative elements.

The events of Shadow of War still unfold in the fantasy Middle-earth, but now the player will visit more locations in Mordor and must capture key places such as Minas Morgul, the Black Gates, Seragost, Barad-dûr, Nurn, Mount Doom, and others. Some of these well-known points to fans may be located in one area, while others, due to their size, occupy a single location.

The area of the game world in Shadow of War is four times larger than the original, with growth occurring both through the addition of new regions and the expansion and better detailing of old ones. The game world is not seamless and consists of 8 regions.

Each region has its own set of quests and enemies, as well as landscape, climate, and weather conditions — from the warm and green shores of Nurn, the player moves to the lifeless void of the Black Gates, suffers under the heat of the lava flows of Mount Doom, or freezes from the cold in Seragost.

Shadow of War tells the story of two different characters who find themselves in one body:

The number of secondary characters in Shadow of War has increased, featuring both familiar faces from the first game and new ones. For example, in contrast to the canon, the spider Shelob plays an important role and serves as the off-screen narrator of the story. She changes her appearance at will and appears as a beautiful woman. Being the antithesis of Galadriel, she nonetheless assists the protagonist during his tribulations.

The game expansions introduce a new main character — Baranor — with alternative gameplay and a set of skills. Lacking the power of the Ring, he relies on his skills and the help of the dwarf Torvin.

The story of Shadow of War begins after the ending of Shadow of Mordor, but its development is much deeper, and the plot is presented on a grand scale, with major battles, betrayals, and unexpected twists. The relationship between Talion and Celebrimbor is repeatedly tested, and almost all secondary characters are ambiguous, capable of both evil and good deeds.

The protagonist's goal has not changed since the first part — the destruction of orcs and the weakening of Sauron, for which the heroes forge a new Ring of Power, but this leads to unexpected and terrible consequences that must also be dealt with.

Formally, the events of Shadow of War take place during the time between "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" and "The Lord of the Rings," however, the writers take liberties with Tolkien's game universe, occasionally ignoring its literary part. For example, the fall of the fortress Minas Ithil and its transformation into Minas Morgul occurred thousands of years before the events of the game.

The core gameplay has changed little — the player engages in skirmishes with orcs, trolls, and other enemies, branding them, capturing captains, and raiding fortresses to bring commanders and bosses under their control. Once the entire map is occupied, a challenge can be issued to the antagonist.

The combat system still offers spectacular and complex battles using bows and arrows, swords, fists, and abilities. Its variety comes from numerous stances and positions, the player's speed and spatial positioning, as well as combos and several types of counterattacks. Additionally, different enemies have various strengths and weaknesses, and bosses require specific strategies.

The "Nemesis" system governs interactions with the game world — enemies remember the protagonist and are reborn to take revenge on him. Or the hero, upon resurrection, finds his tormentor and hears several humiliating jokes directed at him.

Changes in gameplay are characteristic of sequels — more content and more possibilities. The protagonist has acquired new abilities, and there are even more enemies, weapons, gear, and combat combinations from different positions than before; branded enemies now gather into an army that can be commanded and used to subdue or destroy the remaining orcs of Sauron.