Waging a war in Tolkien's Middle-Earth

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War makes for a great gaming experience, if you can look past the shoddy storyline

Continuing in the footsteps of Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, Monolith Productions-developed Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is set between JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Talion, who has bonded with the spirit of the elf lord Celebrimbor, reprises his role as the game’s protagonist. 

Shadow of Mordor was a surprise hit, and Shadow of War is likely to follow its predecessor in this aspect as well. The game revolves around Talion, and Celebrimbor, building an army to wage a war against Sauron. 

Before talking about the gameplay, it is pertinent to note that Tolkien loyalists are likely to have a problem with the storyline. For instance, the giant spider Shelob has been transformed into a seductress in Shadow of War. Agreed, the storyline absolutely disappoints but that doesn’t take anything away from the gaming experience. 

Shadow of War also features the popular Nemesis system that was seen in its predecessor. But this time around, the system is definitely better. The way it works: the enemies you encounter in the game remember their victory over you as well as your attacks. So, if you lost against an orc chief but managed to disfigure his face, your next encounter with him will have him brandish a mask. 

The game is set in an open world, much like many other RPGs, and lets you explore the world before completing the main campaign. Talion, in this instalment, seems to have been trained in parkour and it makes kills uber stylish; for instance, you can glide over an orc and attack him instead of the usual battle mechanics. Apart from his abilities, Talion also has access to the abilities provided by Celebrimbor. 

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

Shadow of War, unlike its predecessor, is quite picturesque. While its predecessor was overrun by brown hues, this videogame has a scenic environment. 

One aspect of the videogame can lead to scepticism among players — microtransactions. These can be used to improve your character stats and abilities. You can use the in-game currency or use real money to buy items from the store. Whenever in-game purchases are involved, it is natural to think the game can be rigged. Thankfully, such is not the case with Shadow of War. I played the game in its entirety without making purchases. 

Overall, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is a fun game and provides an extremely immersive experience. The game is available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows.