Middle-earth: Shadow of War PC Review - Bigger and Better in Every Way

very good
key review info
  • Game: Middle-earth: Shadow of War
  • Platform: PC
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: Yes  
  • Reviewed on:
Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a game that should be doomed to fail, especially since it plays very loose with the Tolkien canon and it has loot boxes. Still, it works, and it’s rewarding to players in ways that didn’t seem possible.

Killing Orcs shouldn’t be all that difficult if we use the movies we've seen so far and the books themselves as a standard. The Orcs are many, but they are terrifyingly stupid and useless, but they compensate with numbers and generally scary looks. Someone, somewhere, figured out that killing Orcs is also fun, especially if you do it in high enough quantities.

We don’t know who came up with the idea, but it seems to follow the same recipe as the Batman series, also from Warner Bros. The first game was constrained to a smaller area, just like Arkham Asylum, and the now Shadow of War is just like Arkham Origins or Arkham Knight. The fighting system is also eerie similar, but that’s not by mistake.

The point is that you can take all the good parts from one game, and build another around the same core principles. In this case, it’s a new game within the Tolkien universe, and it works despite all indications that it shouldn’t.

Mount Doom
Mount Doom

It’s also fun to notice that all of the purists are silent. I would have expected to see about a billion people crying out in unison that the game doesn’t stay true to the established canon, but it didn’t happen. The few voices that spoke against were not all that harsh because Middle-earth: Shadow of War is also fun.

More of the same is sometimes better

The gameplay that turned the first game into a success has been replicated in the next one and enhanced in ways that didn’t make the players like it’s an expansion. Sometimes, more of the same is better.

Despite being a game in the Tolkien universe, the core is not the story, although it does play an important part. In Shadow War, players only really need to care about the Nemesis System, which is a dynamic component which adjusts to the players, for the most part.

The Orcs we know from the movies and books are not complex creatures, and we have no information regarding their social structure and life. What does an orc do in order to relax? Does he hang out with his buddies or hit the pub? Does he get lonely from time to time?

It turns out that pretty much all of that is true but in their own, twisted way. What Middle-earth: Shadow of War does really well is to turn the Orcs into a real civilization, with its wants and desires, goals, and so much more. It gets to a point where sometimes you might feel sorry for killing one of them.

The story is just there

During the game, I felt, sometimes, that the story is just there to justify the existence of the Nemesis System. I would have liked to be the other way around, but it seems that volume won over quality.

Still, it’s interesting to see that the writers managed somehow to fill a story that didn’t seem to go anywhere, and that felt a little bit out of place. You take the role of Talion, a ranger that shares a body with the spirit of Celebrimbor, a powerful elf that was responsible for making the original rings of power, thousands of years ago.

The Sun seems to be always setting
The Sun seems to be always setting

Although we might forget sometimes, Talion is actually dead, and the only thing keeping him alive is the spirit of Celebrimbor. This particular trait is not explored sufficiently, although it is underlined in a couple of cases.

In any case, this entire game is about the two undead who want to build an army with the help of a new ring. Since nothing good can come out of building and using a new ring of power, things will go from bad to worse, despite the overall feeling that progress is being made and that Sauron is going to be beaten.

The only people and characters that are oblivious to the fact that you can’t fight something evil with the same power that made it evil in the first place are of course Talion and Celebrimbor.

Nemesis was put to good use

The Nemesis system was present in the first game as well, but it wasn’t enough for the new game. Now, players will have to conquer new cities and garrisons populated by Orcs, so the entire system was overhauled to encompass that aspect.

What occupies pretty much all of the time for a player is weakening a fortress and preparing an army to take it. The fort is usually protected by powerful Orcs that employ various upgrades, such as unclimbable walls, spikes, catapults, and much more.

Once you defeat the chief Orc guarding a particular fortress, you build your own forces to make sure that they are able to resist themselves during an attack. It’s not all that difficult, but seasoned players will immediately see where the loot boxes come into play, but we’ll get to that in a moment.There is a multiplayer aspect built into the game as well, with players being able to attack the forces of others, but it's all about numbers and statistics.

Not a fair fight
Not a fair fight

In Middle-earth: Shadow of War, pretty much the entire time you’re playing you’re on the lookout for Legendary Orcs to add to the army, or for unique items that give players unique skills.

And, now that we’re detailing skills, we have to point out that Talion has been nerfed a little bit. One of the complaints about the previous game in the series was that Talion was way too powerful in the last act. Maybe it was a choice from the Monolith developers, or maybe it was a mistake, but it looks that’s not the case anymore.

In Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Talion is no longer able to use all of his powers at once. Even if the skill tree looks to be more complicated, it’s actually not. Many of the skills from the previous game can’t be used together. For example, when Talion drains an Orc, the player has to choose if he wants to refill the quiver or the life gage. And there are lots of other examples.

It’s not always about the looks

Middle-earth: Shadow of War doesn’t differ that much from the previous one in terms of graphics, with the exception of size. The maps are much bigger, so there is a much more to render. As for details, don’t expect the game to blow you away.

In fact, despite featuring extra large textures, the lack of details is sometimes unnerving. Some textures look washed up, and cranking all of the options on ultra doesn’t seem to have the expected effect.

For the most part, the engine does a good job, and there aren’t too many moments when these shortcomings are glaring.

Loot boxes

You might wonder where can you find a proper place for loot boxes in a game that’s primarily about killing Orcs. Well, it turns out that you can stick them anywhere. In Middle-earth: Shadow of War, the loots boxes give weapons and orcs to be used in the army.

The developers told us that players won’t need loot boxes to finish the game and that it’s technically true. But players are people, and most people want to be the best at what they are doing, even if that’s just game.

A loot box
A loot box

The Nemesis system is tied into the player’s level, which means that you can’t recruit into your army an Orc that’s at a higher level than you. The Orcs that you already have can evolve themselves by fighting in the pit with other Orcs, or by taking part in missions.

There is a dead spot in the game, after level 30 something, after which it becomes harder to get experience and thus to get more powerful Orcs. Not to mention the fact that getting a powerful Legendary Orc is a rare occurrence. The loot boxes come with guaranteed powerful Orcs and weapons, and some of those boxes cost real money.


The Good

  • The Nemesis system is unique
  • Much bigger variety of items, weapons, and armor
  • New powers for the skill tree
  • Conquering a fortress is fun

The Bad

  • Some textures look washed up despite hi-res
  • Later part of the game encourages grinding and loot box acquisition

Conclusion

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is definitely an improvement over the previous title, and it would have been much better without the loot boxes. While it can be argued that it makes life a little bit easier for people that don’t have time to invest in the game, it ultimately detracts from the goal and that it to be fun.

On the other hand, the loot boxes won’t stop me from replaying this game at least one more time, and to go through all of the expansions. I’m inevitably drawn to it, and I have to say that at least for me, the presence of loot boxes is not enough to stop me from enjoying it, probably much more than it should.

story 8
gameplay 10
concept 9
graphics 8
audio 8
multiplayer 7
final rating 8.5
Editor's review
very good
 

Photo Gallery (20 Images)

Middle-earth: Shadow of WarMiddle-earth: Shadow of WarMount DoomMiddle-earth: Shadow of WarMiddle-earth: Shadow of War
+15more