Lord of the Rings: Shadow of Mordor

[keg in kc]

Announced today, it would seem. Cover story in next month's Game Informer:

Originally Posted by Game Informer

As movie audiences gear up for the next installment of The Hobbit, gamers now have their own Tolkien project to get excited about. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is on its way to a game screen near you on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. Developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, we feel the upcoming game showcases some of the gameplay innovation potential now possible on next-generation consoles through its groundbreaking Nemesis System.

While many previous games set in Middle-earth have revolved around the major events or characters depicted in Tolkien's books, Shadow of Mordor offers a new chapter that fits comfortably between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Players control a lone ranger by the name of Talion as he journeys deep into the heart of Mordor in the days before it transforms into a blasted hellscape. Along the way, developer Monolith is exploring a fascinating next-gen approach to enemies, encounters, and storytelling, one in which every player shapes their own story through the choices they make. The Nemesis System assures that every enemy you fight is a named foe, and if they survive their battle with you, they continue to grow, improve, and act in the world, even as you attempt to do the same with Talion.

Link

Looks like just about everybody in game media has a story about it today.

[CoMoChief]

Is it going to be some reeruned gay rpg ?

[Pants]

Monolith made N.O.L.F. which was one of the best games I've ever played. This might be awesome.

[htismaqe]

OMG. Just finished reading the GI cover story.

Folks, this is why we eagerly awaited next gen systems.

NPCs in this game at going to function just like you're character. While you're off doing whatever they're dying, getting promoted/demoted,leveling up, fighting battles and more.

If you fight someone and they live, they'll remember you. They might stop at nothing to see you dead or they might go back to camp telling everyone you're a badass.

The next time you see them, they might run. The ENTIRE CAMP might run depending on how legendary they think you are.

It's radiant AI applied to every character in the world. Monolith is calling it the Nemesis System.

[htismaqe]

I should have also noted that this wasn't just talked about. GI saw a working demo, emphasis on "working".

[Setsuna]

YEAAAAHHHH! Now we wait for Star Wars to catch up...

[htismaqe]

I just can't get over how ****ing awesome this game looks.

[Hammock Parties]

So this is going to be an open world RPG?

I am so ****ing down.

[Hammock Parties]

A thousand times YES.

In Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, the player plays as a ranger with Wraith-like abilities by the name of Talion.[1] The game is an open world video game and players will have the freedom to pursue side quests and roam around the world.[2]

The game makes use of a new system called the Nemesis System which remembers the player's interactions with specific types of characters they will encounter in the game and adjusts the manner in which these characters will react to the player throughout the game.[1] The player will have the option to level up the abilities of Talion both as a ranger and as a Wraith through two distinct skill trees.[2]
Plot[edit]

The game takes place between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings, as written by J.R.R. Tolkien.[1] The family of ranger Talion is killed by Sauron's armies, and he himself is also killed, but soon revived with "wraith-like abilities" and heads to Mordor to exact his revenge.[3] Mordor is not yet a barren wasteland in this story.[4]

The story involves the Rings of Power, but the story is separate to The Lord of the Rings canon. However, Warner Bros. maintains that the stories will align.[3] The player will encounter Gollum in the game, discovering that Talion and Gollum have a lot in common.[2]

This sounds badass, and the choosing between skill trees reminds me of turning to the dark or light side in Jedi Knight games.

I am gonna get a badass PC for this game.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Pam Oliver's Forehead

So this is going to be an open world RPG?

I am so ****ing down.

Open world RPG, yes. But also SO much more.

[hometeam]

Shows promise

[htismaqe]

"Depending on the method used to kill an important enemy like Orthag, you get a rune tied to one of those weapons. Since Orthag was killed in open combat, Talion receives a rune for the sword that boosts melee damage, but at the cost of a lowered regeneration rate. Several of these runes can be slotted in each weapon, and the more powerful the enemy, the greater the rune. That's why it might be in a player's best interest to sometimes allow enemies to escape and gain power and prestige; their eventual rune reward becomes all the sweeter."

I took that from the GI article. Lots of games have asked the player to choose life or death for an innocent or even morally ambiguous NPC but about the only time a true villain escapes is during a scripted sequence that advances the plot. Has anybody ever played a game where you actually contemplated it being a GOOD idea to let your arch enemy go instead of killing him on the spot?

[TambaBerry]

This looks awesome, can't wait.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Pam Oliver's Forehead

A thousand times YES.



This sounds badass, and the choosing between skill trees reminds me of turning to the dark or light side in Jedi Knight games.

I am gonna get a badass PC for this game.

I may have to ask for your help building one.

[CrazyPhuD]

This game would be awesome if you could kill Gollum, Frodo, and/or Bilbo before the events of Lord of the Rings. I would be spectacular if someone could actually manage to steal the ring and become a possessed agent of Sauron that everyone else in the world must band together against to destroy or it would end the world!

How legendary would you be if you could walk around with a necklace that had Bilbos(or Frodos or Goloms) head on it?