Background:
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is the sequel to the critical acclaimed Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. Serving as a side story to the events between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. However, Shadow of War suffers from the issue of feeling bloated certain points. Something the original never truly felt.
Story:
Shadow of War continues from the events of the original with the Talion (the player character) and Celebrimbor (the elf who made the rings) creating a new to help fight and defeat Sauron (the main villain of Lord of the Rings). As such, much of the story is aimed at increasing the power of the ring and your armour, as well as defeating Sauron with some twist and turns that are somewhat expected.
Mechanics:
The mechanics of the game mix elements of the Arkham Batman games combat system, with Assassin’s Creed movement style. And the game rewards you for mixing combat in different ways and for combing certain styles together. Such as using your brand ability to create confusion for you to appear and remove certain orc archers.
Sound Design:
The sound design in Shadow of War is one that fits into the tradition of music that the movies have helped to create. One that feels unique and built into the universe. The sound of cutting an orc in half or a blade clash helps make it feel that every blow is done with strength.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War in some falls into the trap of many sequels in making the game bigger and grander but at the risk of making the game more repetitive. The several bugs and glitches that occurred during the playthrough makes it an attempt that feels weaker than the original.
Score:
7 out of 10
Written by Syed Ali