Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Reviews
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The onslaught of reviews for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor continues to hit us head-on, with several more favorable critiques surfacing over the past couple of days.
Complex gives it a 4.5/5:
Talion and this spiritual presence are crammed into the same body and share control of Talion's earthly form granting Talion a whole new suite of powers where his mortal abilities might fall short. I should point out that while the most recent The Hobbit films were definitely aimed at a younger audience than the 2001 Fellowship of the Ring trilogy, Shadow of Mordor is a very violent stroll through the bloodier corners of Middle-Earth. Shadow of Mordor's isn't breaking any new grounds in terms of structure. The fingerprints of established franchises are apparent in the stealth mechanics à la Assassin's Creed, but those prints make more sense in Middle-Earth than the forced stealth mechanics of other contemporary titles.
PlayStation LifeStyle gives it a 9.0/10:
Overall, there is simply too much to cover in Shadow of Mordor and this is one of its greatest assets. As you progress through the game things expand exponentially, giving more room to play around in, but on a learning curve that is paced out perfectly. Fantasy fans will probably owe it to themselves to give Shadow of Mordor a shot, especially if they are fans of Tolkien's work. If you are not overly familiar with the lore from the books and movies, you may find it difficult to appreciate most of the content available here, but you will still find a fantastically fun fantasy action title with a robust amount of content, with some familiar core gameplay.
Gamereactor gives it an 8/10:
At the end of 20-odd hours spent in Mordor we have to say that we thoroughly enjoyed the spent in the company of Talion and Celebrimbor. Riding Caragons and Graugs, plotting to overthrow Orc Warchiefs with your branded Captains, and honing our skills with the brilliant combo-based combat system, were among the highlights in what is easily the best Lord of the Rings game released in the last decade.
Toronto Sun gives it a 3.5/5:
Good games based on J. R. R. Tolkien's works are surprisingly rare, and Shadow of Mordor is certainly a sword-thrusting lunge in the right direction. It's slick and fun, with solid production values and some new takes on what's becoming an overly familiar formula. There's just not quite enough here to make it truly preciousss.
WorthPlaying gives it a 9.0/10:
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the rare Arkham clone that transcends its status. It borrows heavily from Batman: Arkham Asylum but does enough new, interesting and distinctive things that it doesn't feel derivative. The core gameplay mechanics are some of the most enjoyable I've encountered this year, and the game is fun from start to finish. A lackluster plot and odd use of the source material holds the game back slightly but not enough to interfere with the unadulterated fun of the core concept. Shadow of Mordor may not be the deepest or most meaningful game released this year, but it sure is one of the most fun.
And Nerdist gives it a 4.5/5:
Many folks will compare Shadow of Mordor to the Assassin's Creed and Arkham series, and don't get me wrong, that is great company to be in. But when it's all said and done, Shadow of Mordor is a very unique game that has managed to aggressively establish its own identity, with a clever blend of solid gameplay, solid narrative, and a highly engaging environment. Do yourself a favor and don't miss out on this game: Monolith put loads of black blood, sweat and tears into it, and anyone who puts more than 15 minutes into Shadow of Mordor will see that for themselves.
