A brand-new “Lord of the Rings” inspired video game is on the way. “Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor,” is a next-gen, third-person action game that promises an “original, dark story of retribution”.
The game is in development for both current generation and next generation consoles including PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 at Monolith. Gamers will play as a ranger whose family was slain by Sauron’s armies. Having been killed himself, he’s resurrected with “Wraith abilities”, and is ready to take on the Mordor hordes. The story involves the Rings of Power but otherwise seems totally separate from Lord of the Rings canon, though Warner promises it will align.
Warner’s Samantha Ryan said,
“Players will explore the dark and very personal theme of vengeance in a world where decisions have a consequence, and those consequences persist even after death… The game introduces new gameplay mechanics to the action genre, creating opportunities for emergent and customized gameplay that will be rewarding for players.”
What makes this game unique is the enemy system. “Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor” differentiates every enemy in the game according to personality, strengths and weaknesses.
“Through the Nemesis System, enemy relationships and characteristics are shaped by player actions and decisions to create personal archenemies that remember and adapt to the player and are distinct to every gameplay session,” claims Warner’s press release. “Gamers are able to craft their own battles, enemies and rewards within the dynamic world that remembers and adapts to their choices, delivering a unique experience to every player.”
There’s no release window yet, but IGN predicts a 2015 release.