Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor Reviews

We have rounded up some more reviews of Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, Monolith’s open-world action-RPG based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary works, and they seem to confirm the game’s positive reception on the part of the specialized press.

PC Gamer notes the game is demanding of even modern PC hardware but is otherwise pleased, 85/100.

But Shadow of Mordor still looks stunning on lower settings, and even if you can’t experience the glory that is Ultra, you shouldn’t miss out on what’s undeniably the best Lord of the Rings-based game to date. Oh, and there’s a dwarf (though beardless). As a member of the Fellowship of the Beard, that always counts for something in my book

Financial Post, 7.0/10.

It’s got terrific combat mechanics that at times make for sublimely satisfying medieval-style melee battles, but you need to be prepared for frustration and realize that for better and worse it’s not a casual gamer’s button-masher.

Wrap your head around these truths, some of which may be less disappointing than others, and you might just be in for a fun and bloody romp through the darkest realm of Middle-earth.

Cheat Code Central, 4.4/5.

So, is Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor worth buying? Absolutely. It will appease hardcore fans of games like Assassin’s Creed and the Batman: Arkham series, while introducing new gameplay mechanics that fundamentally change the structure of the game. A unique experience for any gamer indeed.

Xbox Achievements, 80/100.

At a glance, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor seems like an ill-inspired Tolkien action game. Delve deeper beneath the surface and you’ll find an exciting game with fantastic production values, thoroughly enjoyable gameplay, a good dose of variety and a killer hook in the Nemesis System. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is simply the finest Tolkien game we’ve played in quite some time.

Giant Bomb, 5/5.

Shadow of Mordor is going to give other developers in this genre a lot to think about. This would be a perfectly competent open-world game even without the dynamic AI, but that one system works so well that it makes you feel like you’re having a tailored game experience that’s unique to you and your actions. That’s a powerful feeling, and I hope it’s one similar games make the same effort to replicate in the future.

PSX Extreme, 8.7/10.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a game that delivers the fantasy goods in spades. The ultra-anal Tolkien lovers might take issue with Talion and how the game is presented, and the AI and frame-rate issues are clear. That being said, this remains a wildly immersive, engaging adventure with an excellent combination of action and platforming elements. The Nemesis system, finding ways to take down fearsome enemy Captains, interrogating foes, and just exploring a world begging to be relieved of its dark oppression.it’s a heady experience, to be sure. If you thought you had written your holiday schedule in stone and Shadow of Mordor wasn’t included in those plans, it’s time to reassess.

Digital Trends, 3.5/5.

That’s the thing, though: The personal experiences enabled by the Nemesis System trumps all. You’ll sigh loudly every time an escaping Captain winks out of existence, only to resurface moments later halfway across the open world. But that’s not what you talk about when you tell your friends about that time you finally bested Hork the Cook by sending a rival Captain after him and shoving a blade between his ribs while he was in combat.

We all want to be storytellers, and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor effectively weaves those individual stories.

USGamer, 4.5/5.

Shadow of Mordor is a great first step into the open-world action-adventure genre for Monolith. It up-ends what’s come before with the Nemesis System, which brings the player closer to the game with personalized foes. The game isn’t perfect – resurrecting foes can be frustrating – but those issues won’t hold you back from enjoying yourself.

ZTGD, 9.0/10.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the first game on these new consoles that screams next generation game play. Even those not so sweet on the source material need to check this game out. I am not a huge Lord of the Rings fan, and I still found the story both well-told, and genuinely interesting. The rest is one of the most innovative and interesting titles to drop so far, and it sets a nice stage for the current crop of consoles.

Digital Chumps, 9.0/10.

Presentation aside, is this game fun? Yes. A resounding ‘˜yes’! You will have plenty of action awaiting you, enough cerebral titillation with the role-playing game elements and hours of time willfully wasted exploring the lands of Mordor to see what it holds. This game might be the sleeper game of the year for 2014, and right now it deserves to be. It’s certainly worth your time and effort, so don’t pass it up because you think it’s another movie/book related title trying to make a quick buck. Believe in the efforts of Monolith on this one, gamers. They did a great job.

GameRevolution, 4.5/5.

Middle-earth just wants the player to explore it like a playground. You can climb up structures, leap from them to tackle a wild creature of the land, and even enlist your own group to drive the dramas that ensue. Shadow of Mordor paints the pictures that rest somewhere between bookends.

VideoGamer.com, 9/10.

But, as with The Lord of the Rings itself, it’s more about the journey than the destination. Shadow of Mordor is a triumph, its final irony being that it’s arguably the best and most pure Assassin’s Creed game to date.

GamesTM, 8/10.

It’s disappointing that Shadow of Mordor couldn’t match the originality of its superb Nemesis system with a more engaging world, but the characters which populate it are more than enough to spur you through the campaign. Shadow of Mordor might owe something of a debt to numerous games that have come before it, but by adding its own flavour to the mixture the result is a surprisingly expansive and hearty experience that is more compelling than plenty that have come before it. A hugely entertaining, tongue-in-cheek and fulsome experience, it’s a worthy expedition whether you’re a Rings fan or not.