Analysis of Shadow of Mordor with key points to note Spoilers ahead.
Analysis of Shadow of Mordor with key points to note Spoilers ahead.
I wrapped up Shadow of Mordor yesterday. Initially, it stood out as the most engaging battle system I've experienced (in my view). The gameplay was really satisfying, and the narrative delivered stood out well. Even without delving into the full lore, it significantly enhanced my grasp of the Lord of the Rings universe. The environment was top-notch, keeping me fully immersed. You engage with the Hammer of Sauron in a fairly balanced fight—challenging yet fair. Next, you infiltrate the Tower of Sauron, needing stealth and a QTE to defeat him, followed by another QTE battle. The final confrontation with the Hand of Sauron is another QTE encounter. My initial impression was they prioritized storytelling over gameplay depth. Perhaps they rushed the conclusion due to an impending release. Despite this, you invest countless hours perfecting your weapons for the climactic moments. The tension peaked when you nearly lost control, needing to press the E key just to win. It felt like a marathon with long stretches of waiting. Overall, I was impressed by the mechanics and tactics, though I wish more emphasis had been placed on the final battles. The story was strong, and the action was compelling. What do you think about the ending?
I really enjoyed that game. As a non-critic, I don’t have much else to share.
I’d have to say the ending was really disappointing. A QTE feels like a sign of careless development.
The battle was incredibly enjoyable, which led me to dive into the Batman: Arkham series. Although it differs from the original concept, Mordor offered a compelling experience. The visuals were impressive and the character movements smooth. The Nemesis system stood out, making it engaging even after completing the main story. Despite Mordor's strengths, I have some criticisms. The narrative felt underwhelming; it seemed Monolith was overly focused on teaching gameplay mechanics rather than developing the story. The Ratbag segment, for instance, felt like a forced tutorial on advancing a character. Torvin’s mission was mostly instructional on combat tactics, and the Talion/Celebrimbor quests were underwhelming. I appreciated the armor/outfit ideas but would have liked more variety in gear. Celebrimbor’s role as a blacksmith was frustrating—why not let players craft their own armor? Overall, it was a solid game, but the storytelling and pacing left much to be desired.
I didn’t find the Ratbag and Torvin storyline appealing either. It was just something I had to finish.
The game originally didn't plan for Ratbag to play a major role. However, early testers loved him and added more of him later.
I definitely agree with you, I was totally thrown off by that final QTE battle. Sucks, because the rest of the game was so great. But, I got so much enjoyment from the rest of the game and its mechanics such as the combat and the nemesis system, that I didn't really care