Get Ready to Hunt Some Orc: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Review

Not all those who wander are lost - especially if they're out for vengeance and the relentless spilling of Orc blood. Not many games are brave enough to venture into the land of film, and barely any who are ever come out smiling. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor does just that and more. While some games based off of incredible movies would unintentionally trivialize something great, the award-winning 2014 game expands J. R. R. Tolkien's beloved world of Middle-earth in a respectful and totally kick-ass manner.

You play as Talion, a capable Gondorian Ranger who is murdered by the forces of the Dark Lord Sauron 10 years before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring. You are brought back to the barren and hostile land of the "living" by a Wraith of incredible power. Elven ghost powers and a quest to avenge yourself and your murdered friends? Badass stealth and combat systems? Amazing dedication to Tolkien and the infamous land of Mordor? Better get to it!

To start, Shadow of Mordor is stunning to look at, and employs a glorious physics engine. While the next-generation version of the game runs quite smoother, both are very pretty. Uruk enemies' appearance are vicious and sinister, and their movements are just as vivid as you remember them from the film adaptions of The Lord of the Rings. The surroundings call back to Tolkien's descriptions of Mordor as Orcs moved back into the land - hostile, mysterious and teeming with an ancient and dark history.

Action during this fiendishly fun and riveting open-world murderfest is just plain great. Talion and the Wraith have a number of upgradable fighting styles that can strike fear into even the most fearsome (or hideous) Orc you come across. Transitioning to and from Talion and your "Ghost Bro" is smooth as Elven steel and as fast as Shadowfax (we should probably cool it with the Tolkien references, because there are plenty in the game as it is). Talion's combat and counter-attack system is comfortably reminiscent of the Batman Arkham series - counters can transform into beautiful and powerful attacks. While Talion is the primary character and Orc-killer of the game, the Wraith becomes quite the center of attention. When used to the fullest of his abilities, the mysterious specter can help tilt the scale in an overwhelming battle against scores of Orcs.

Speaking of Orcs, Shadow of Mordor features one of the most unique relationships between you and your enemies that we have ever seen in a game. Your notoriety as the "Gravewalker" is spread among your enemies in Mordor, courtesy of terrified Uruks that run back to their cruel captains and warchiefs. Accessing your pause menu lets you observe and analyze Uruk captains that you've gained intel on. Interacting with this very detailed "data map" of enemies lets you plan your assassinations accordingly. This data map can also be very bad for you, especially if you die. Upon death during the game, time passes while you're being resurrected, and all the progress you've tracked among the Uruks is essentially reset. Furthermore, the sniveling wretch that killed you is promoted and is given new abilities and weapons that make getting revenge quite a challenge.

One of our favorite components of Shadow of Mordor is quite possibly the nerdiest thing ever. The game has a fascinating appendices dedicated to cultural, geographical and physical pieces from Tolkien's Legendarium. Any subject from the world of The Lord of the Rings that is mentioned in the game is eloquently described in wonderful detail. Every entry is written in a fantastical tone that J. R. R. would be proud of.

This game has a fairly classic approach to its open-world narrative. The plot is driven by the completion of quests around the map, as well as a number of side-activities that increase your experience level. Talion and the Wraith can both seek out activities that earn them new abilities, usually with the progression of the story. The story itself is a fun ride and has plenty of appealing developments to offer. A dramatic and beautiful classic journey for revenge and redemption, but in Middle-earth.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor achieves a fun and visually gorgeous game. A spectacle of Tolkien proportions, and a fun display of smart enemies and even smarter combat systems. Overall, the vengeful rampage of a Ranger of Gondor makes for one of the best and surprising games of 2014. In fact, we whole heartedly recognize it as the Very Best Game of 2014.

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Ben Stembridge, Editor-in-chief

Ben leads the reviews and news coverage for Game Chop. He also offers opinions on games and the industry, covering a wide range of genres and platforms. Ben especially enjoys discussions on game narratives, design styles, and independent titles.

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