While this is nothing new to the world of action-RPGs, being able to enhance common, rare or legendary weapons and armor with gems that enhance your damage, or increase the chances of better gear being dropped, adds a small but welcome new dimension. Each skill also has a set of upgrades that tweak your unlocked skills, which can be swapped out at any time depending on your tactics.Īrmor and weapon enhancement has also been introduced. More into stealth rather than all out warfare? Shadow of War has you covered there, too. Prefer to work with a bow? You can plough points into the Ranged skill tree and turn your arrows into projectiles of whispering death. Skill trees have been expanded and with the steady flow of upgrade points, it’s not long before you’re building a set of core powers which amplify rather than define your play style. While their characters feel as flat and unremarkable as the first game, their skills and attributes have been given a powerful injection of steroids. Talion and Celebrimbor, the gruff ranger and wraith-tastic elf, are back on death dealing duties. It’s the metagame that kept Shadow of War ticking for the 40+ hours I’ve already played. There’s a real systemic beauty to the process of stumbling on a high-level commander, fleeing in terror then hunting down the intel needed to take him down. It also feels more exciting because you know you could make a mistake at any moment and your resultant death will reshape the orc hierarchy.Įven the climbing mechanics, which feel far less tactile and responsive as those in the recent Assassin’s Creed games, failed to dampen my experience because I knew I could write another chapter of my Shadow of War story around the next corner, or during the next fight. The combat model is reminiscent of Batman Arkham an while it's not as creative as Rocksteady’s effort, it ultimately feels more satisfying thanks to its limb-chopping executions. This conflict is the lifeblood of the game, and it’s one that elevates everything around it. Shadow of War isn’t just about destabilizing Mordor’s movers and shakers it’s a full on conflict as you build an army to finally take on Sauron and reshape Middle-earth in your image. It’s a wonderfully enthralling new dimension that’s utterly unique in its minutia to my specific playthrough. I then made him my bodyguard and narrowly avoided death on many an occasion thanks to his intervention. I encountered one captain who I fought time and time again before eventually besting him and forcing him to my cause. Orcs can now be dominated and added to your growing army of allies. The recruitment aspect brings a new edge that only served as a short term boon in Shadow of Mordor. However, now there are multiple rivals – assassin’s who attack out of nowhere (often as orcs you’ve already defeated) – and allies to be recruited. As before every orc has a unique name, appearance and set of attributes (all of which can be utilized in a fight, should you plan wisely enough). Revamped for Shadow of War, the Nemesis System and its occupants have evolved into an ecosystem that’s constantly reacting to your exploits. In its original form, Mordor’s orcish population was a social hierarchy, a web of fate that ebbed and flowed on your every arrow and blade strike. This is all down to the brilliant Nemesis System, which returns from Shadow of Mordor freshly updated and expanded in all the right places.
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