The closest we've come to a proper crack at the Middle-earth license in recent years was 2011's War In The North. Though serviceable enough and chock full of content, Snowblind's action RPG fell short in too many areas despite its apparent ambition.

Fluid combat mechanics; The Nemesis system; Smart stealth gameplay; Great sound work and visuals; Collectibles and side mission integration

Occasional pacing issues

A far better game than many would've imagined, not just in terms of its action and Lord of the Rings authenticity – but in bringing a genuinely new idea to gaming.

The Nemesis systems is a great concept that works extremely well for the most part; Solid action and stealth, with an enjoyably varied skill tree to unlock; Decent graphics

The nature of orcs and uruk-hai means repetition in the Nemesis system does set in before the end; Parkour and beat-riding aren't very good; Open world is fairly small

Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis system is the most interesting thing about this game, and we've likely seen the last of systems of this type. Visual fidelity, frame rates, and resolution have been the top selling points for many games that follow identical, popular formulas, lately.

Gameplay mechanics and combat are finely polished and highly enjoyable. Monolith has managed to capture the LORT world perfectly and paired it with Batman AC like gameplay. This is a must play if you're a fan of either, but the game stands out on it's own regardless if the obvious influences those...

It does a great job of selling the uruk army as something constantly shifting and evolving. Captains challenge one another in selfish attempts to further their own careers, which allows you to step in and pick a victor, depending on your own goals.

This game takes place between lord of the rings and the hobbit. This game could have been just a poor videogame adaptation of a blockbuster movie. But it isn't. With the nemesis system the developers give us the power to build our own experience.

At first, everything about Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor screams Assassin's Creed: Hobbit Edition . The cloaked hero, a ranger named Talion, unlocks fast-travel options by scaling giant towers, uses deadly stealth and ranged techniques to dispatch foes from the shadows, and relies on an...

" Assassin's Creed in the Lord of the Rings universe " might be the simplest way to regale the Shadow of Mordor experience, but that would seriously undermine the unique nature of the game's more important component -- its enemies.

Coming into Shadow of Mordor as someone who isn't into the Middle Earth saga at all, felt a bit odd initially. Other games based around Middle Earth, such as the various Lord of the Rings titles have come across like they are for fans only, with the only exception being the LEGO games.

I've been a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien since I was a boy. The fantastical world he created never disappointed, regardless of the entertainment medium it was presented in. His books kept me awake long into the night and Peter Jackson's film adaptations often left me breathless.