The first gameplay footage has been released for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, the upcoming release from Monolith (Guardians of Middle-earth) and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. In this trailer, we see the game’s protagonist, Talion, interacting with enemies and bending them to his will through the use of his wraith-like powers.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is an entirely new story set in Tolkien’s world, falling in-between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The story is written by Christian Cantamessa (Red Dead Redemption) and opens with the Black Captains fleeing Dol Guldur after being besieged by the White Council. Sauron retreats back into Mordor; as he and his captains arrive at the Black Gate, they attack the Rangers of Gondor defending it, including the game’s protagonist, Talion; but instead of being killed, Talion becomes a being half-human and half-wraith. Talion’s journey is one of vengeance, throughout which he will uncover the mysteries of the spirit which is now a part of him.
The game also utilises a Nemesis System, wherein every enemy is shaped by their encounter with Talion; if he fails to slay an enemy in one battle, they will be stronger the next time they meet. If Talion seriously injures an enemy, those scars will be visible later in the game. Each of these encounters will lead to the creation of a personal archenemy.
The game is extremely adaptive to the choices of the player, providing a personalised gameplay experience. Everything from enemies to Talion’s own skills, abilities, and weapons are shaped by decisions the player makes.
‘Not a movie game’
In a recent interview with GameSpot, Monolith design director Michael de Plater said that Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson offered them some advice regarding a new Middle-earth based game.
“The thing he really pushed us to do and was really supportive of doing was to not make a movie game. He’s like, ‘make the best game you can that’s not a movie game.’ There’s no point in trying to reproduce [the movies] as a game. So he was really supportive.”
He added that the studio has also been working closely with WETA Workshop on world and character designs for the game, as well as some professional Tolkien scholars. Everything, de Plater noted, must be approved by Middle-earth Enterprises.
WBIE
Wikia’s Palantir App
Also available for the player’s benefit is the companion Palantir app, which will contain content from the Shadow of Mordor Wiki, including player-written guides and background information on characters. The app’s “reader” mode will allow users to read up on the game and its lore. A “sync” mode will listen to the audio from your display and retrieve relevant information regarding Talion’s current goings-on, such as mission walkthroughs or character biographies.
The initial version of the app will be available later this month, though sync capabilities will be limited. The app will be offered free of charge on iPad, and may be released on other platforms down the road.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor will be available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, and PC sometime this year, though a specific release date has not yet been announced.
Visit https://www.shadowofmordor.com/ to download the free Palantir app, join the Wiki community, and more!
