Saturday, August 6, 2016

Video Game Review: Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
PlayStation 3


I've never been one to drop 50 or 60 bucks on a brand new game. And with rental stores like Blockbuster going the way of the dodo bird, it has gotten very hard for me to play new games. Even just to play newer games. Hell, even new-ish games.

But I've recently invested in a Gamefly account, and I am on a quest to check out all the games that I've been missing out on the last year or two. The very first game to cross my mind was Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor. It went straight to the top of my queue, and 3 or 4 days later it arrived at my house.

Being a big Lord of the Rings fan, I've been interested in playing this game for a while now. All I knew about the game coming in was that it was a brand new prequel story set completely within the confines of Mordor. I knew there would be some stealth as well as some brawler elements to it. But my knowledge on how the game would actually play was very limited.




My initial first impression of the game was actually severe disappointment. The story line at first looked like it was going to be a very interesting one, but it quickly fell apart in my opinion. Things moved too fast, events jumped around in time, and I had absolutely no idea what was going on. It felt rushed and a bit too sloppy for my taste. I expected the Empire Strikes Back as far as storytelling, and got the Phantom Menace instead.

I wasn't impressed with the game play either. Everything felt like it had been pulled directly from an Arkham game. The fighting system is nearly identical, in fact. Same buttons to punch, counter, stun, leap over enemies... Except nothing felt as fluid or as natural as in the Batman games.

So it was a rough start. Bad story, fast and confusing pace, copcyat game play mechanics. I didn't find the game's graphics very impressive either. And the loading time... dear Lord. That nearly killed it for me. Every time you pause or check the map it takes a good 30 seconds to get back to the action. This game actively makes you NOT want want to check where it is you are going simply because it takes so long to back up out of the map screen and return to the game. In a game like this where paying attention to the map is essential, that is not a good thing.

Needless to say I wasn't a fan and actually considered sending the game back immediately and getting something else. I played around with the game for an hour or so, but couldn't figure out what it was I should be doing with myself. It seemed like everywhere I would turn, their would be a horde of enemies for me to fight. There were missions to complete, but they all felt a little too similar in my mind and it didn't feel like I was really accomplishing anything.




As mentioned, I played the game for about an hour and then I went to bed, wholly unsatisfied with a title that I had such high hopes for.

Luckily I didn't give up on the game. I returned to it the next day with an open mind and found myself liking it more and more as I played on.

First off, I will say that there is a lot to do in the game. I'm a big fan of sandbox style games where there are a ton of things to collect, and this game definitely falls into that category. Everywhere you look, it seems like there is some little trinket to pick up or collect.

If you have ever played Assassin's Creed, the tower system here works similarly to that title. Many areas of the map are blacked out and items and missions don't appear on the map. Find the tower, scale it, and "forge", whatever that means, and the area you are in opens up and you can explore and collect things to your heart's content.

The side content continues. You can go on survival missions where you collect herbs and flowers. Hunting missions where you track down and kill the wild creatures of Mordor. Side missions where you must free slaves. Each of your three weapons (bow, sword, dagger) has missions attached to them which you must complete to fully unlock their potential. And I haven't even mentioned the main quest and all the captain slaying journeys you will go on. There is a LOT to do in the game.




The main quest itself is not very long. But it seems longer because, if you are like me, you will often be stopping to look for hidden artifacts or complete side quests.

As mentioned, the story line is nothing to get too excited about. If I had paid more attention perhaps I would have enjoyed it more. But I didn't. I lost track of what was going on very quickly. And while I didn't skip the cutscenes I very well could have and still enjoyed the game as much as I would have if I didn't bother watching them. I have a feeling it is an interesting story, if a little farfetched. You'll see a lot of neat Middle Earth history, such as the actual forging of the rings and a couple of interesting battles with Sauron. But like I said, I had no idea what was going on so the flashbacks didn't interest me nearly as much as they should have.

The game does play just like one of the Arkham titles, but I find that the stealth element is actually a bit of an improvement. Yeah the enemies are a lot dumber, but if you get spotted, it isn't the end of the world. You don't get killed immediately. You don't have to hide. You can very easily fight your way out of anything in this game. In fact, the enemies are so stupid, they often forget about you after mere seconds. If I am spotted while attacking a ruined stronghold, for example, all I have to do is duck outside, wait a few seconds, and sneak back in. They will have forgotten all about me and I can pick everyone off one by one.




Occasionally you will encounter a battle where there are simply too many enemies to destroy. Or perhaps there are archers and spear throwers making your life a living nightmare. This is really the only time I ever died in the game. The game is so forgiving, actually, that you can play a little quick time game before your death each and every time you run out of health. This brings you back with a little bit of health intact. Fail the game, however, and you are sent back to a restart point. AND the enemy that killed you gets more powerful and rises in the Uruk ranks.

Infiltrating the ranks of the Uruk is one of the game's more interesting challenges. Basically, there is an entire screen of Uruk chiefs and captains that you can access through the game's menus. Each one has its own specific strengths and weaknesses. You can discover these strengths and weaknesses by interrogating "worms" located throughout the Uruk army.

I don't know if you can actually destroy or wipe out the entire Uruk force, because it seemed like captains and chiefs kept sporadically popping up again and replacing the ones that fell as I worked my way through the game. Its an interesting dynamic though. Hunting these warriors and taking them out. As the game unfolds you can send death threats to the Uruks you are hunting. This makes them tougher in battle, but the reward for killing them is much greater. You also learn how to "brand" Uruk, which make them loyal to you. You can set the Uruk against one another, causing strife among their ranks.




As disappointed with the game as I was originally, it grew on me pretty fast. I found myself obsessed with the game, playing it for 5 hours or so at a time until I finally finished with it. I know that 5 hour playing sessions don't sound too absurdly long for hardcore gamers, but for me it is a big thing. I just simply don't get as much time to game as I would like. And when I do find the time, I have such a short attention span I usually find myself title jumping. But not in this instance.

The game is very addictive. There is so much to do, that I often had to tell myself "just one more mission and then its time for bed" or something along those lines. But then I'd complete it and move on to another mission. And then there would be an item nearby on my map to collect. And then another mission. And an item. I kept telling myself "just one more!" And it wasn't working. 

So that is the mark of a really good game for me. It is true that this game wasn't really what I was expecting. It is VERY Akrham-esque. It does some things to set itself apart, like the ability to ride Caragors and hunt wildlife.  And there is the whole War Chief/enemy captain system. But I couldn't help but feel that this game could have been a lot better if it had gone a slightly less action oriented route. So much of this game is one repetitive battle after another. I'm not knocking the game but it does get old after a while.




All in all I found my time with the game pretty enjoyable. This isn't a perfect game. The story line is pretty incoherent and can be a downright mess at times. Game play elements feel as if they have been pulled directly from other series' like Assassin's Creed or Arkham Asylum. There are a lot of repetitive battles. The load times are some of the worst I have ever seen in the PS3 era. The graphics, while not bad by any means, could have been a lot better, especially in the small details. So much of the areas you explore look exactly the same.

But on the positive side, the game is very, very fun. So fun in fact that these obvious shortcomings don't distract too much from your enjoyment of the game. I lost myself in this title for hours and hours at a time. There is so much to do, so much to collect. So many quests and sidequests to complete. Although the fighting can be repetitive, at least it is fun and there are several upgrades and powers you learn along the way to keep things interesting.

With some graphical tweaks and a stronger story line this game could have gotten an A from me. I feel as the game is a little too fast paced and action oriented, and all it has to do is step back on occasion to let you appreciate where you are and what it is you are doing in the game. Instead you just feel like a mindless killing machine, and the game comes across as lacking in substance. Sure there is a lot to do, but will the game be memorable or stick with you after you've beaten it, like, say - The Last of Us? No.

Overall:
B

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