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Middle Earth: Shadows of Mordor

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polycounter lvl 19
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Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
pretty impressive, way to go Monolith!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl9J_ewx3Rg"]Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor Pre-Alpha Walkthrough - YouTube[/ame]

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  • Will Faucher
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    Will Faucher polycounter lvl 12
    Am I the only one who feels like this is Assassin's Creed set in Mordor?
  • WarrenM
    It's pretty hard NOT to feel that.
  • J0NNYquid
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    J0NNYquid polycounter lvl 5
    Looking forward to this thing like crazy. That nemesis system sounds incredible.
  • meshiah
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    meshiah polycounter lvl 17
    god damn, this looks great! not a big fan of skyrim/assassins creed style, single players and the like but this grabbed me quite a bit. will play!!!
  • Bigjohn
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    Bigjohn polycounter lvl 11
    Lore-wise, I'm not sure if I follow it. So it's a human from Gondor who's part-wraith? Wouldn't that put him under Sauron's control?
  • Sebvhe
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    Sebvhe greentooth
    You're right this is just some sort of Assassin's Creed in Mordor
    ...
    ...
    ...
    ...
    Wait
    ...
    ...
    ...
    ...
    But this is awesome ! :)
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    devs have been quoted as saying they drew inspiration from the Batman Arkham games
  • haiddasalami
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    haiddasalami polycounter lvl 14
    Put me in the interested category!
  • Ged
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    Ged interpolator
    the combat on the ground looks like batman the climbing and stealth looks like assasins creed.

    The game looks like WIN to me :)

    not really sure where all this personal interactions and enemy memory comes into it, how does that make the game more fun?
  • haiddasalami
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    haiddasalami polycounter lvl 14
    The game takes place between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings, as written by J.R.R. Tolkien.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.Mordor is not yet a barren wasteland in this story. 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.

    Some back end plot stuff. Also yeah looks more like batman than assassins to me.
  • ScudzAlmighty
  • moose
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    moose polycount sponsor
    those Orks look awesome!

    seems cool, got me more excited for newer consoles
  • Damian Nachman
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    Damian Nachman polycounter lvl 6
    The Nemesis system looks pretty swell, though I can see it getting real cheesy really fast.
    "You did X to my Y, back in Z" before every single boss battle.
  • cryrid
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    cryrid interpolator
    They have my axe!
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    moose wrote: »
    those Orks look awesome!

    seems cool, got me more excited for newer consoles

    yeah, better designed Orcs than the Hobbit
  • almighty_gir
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    almighty_gir ngon master
    I'm really interested in the gameplay, the Assassins Creed and Batman influnces are incredibly heavy... maybe too heavy as in some instances it looks like just cloned gameplay (even the wraith vision is just eagle vision). But it could definitely be fun to play.

    However, my biggest turn off is the fact that it is quite literally a giant turd in the face of middle earth lore.
  • HitmonInfinity
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    HitmonInfinity polycounter lvl 11
    Loving the look of the enemies. Hopefully they can give the main character some more zazz. He's pretty boring in comparison.
  • maximumsproductions
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    maximumsproductions polycounter lvl 13
    Love the art T_T
  • Autocon
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    Autocon polycounter lvl 15
    Looks fantastic!

    The Wraith vision thing seems very unique to me, its not just a call out of enemy's but you can warp kill to certain enemy's high up, slow mo wraith bow? Sounds cool to me!

    And the whole idea that you can control minions to be on your side, send them on assassination missions/spy for you seems interesting.

    The being a half wraith thing in Middle Earth lore seems SO weird, but I think I anyone can get over it with cool gameplay.
  • Steve Schulze
  • vargatom
  • Isaiah Sherman
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    Isaiah Sherman polycounter lvl 14
    I can't believe anyone saying, for any game, how unique the play experience is.

    The first minute or so the narrator babbles on about how unique everything is and how his interactions with the orc have crafted a unique dynamic. Then he goes on to say how his fight with this boss will be unique from every other one he meets.... isn't that the case anyways? Boss A is different than Boss B? I can't take any of it seriously.

    I love LOTR, but it just looks like Arkham City with a LOTR reskin.

    Even when the character starts attacking, you're interrupted with your typical AAA bullshit of a cutscene zooming in on something right when you're initiating combat. For fuck's sake. There's even a leveling system for the enemies which describe how difficult your encounter would be against them.

    You know how I learned how hard an encounter in Dark Souls would be? I went and fought the boss.


    Don't mean to be the sour puss, but I'm not impressed by the gameplay :|. Visuals look quite nice, though!

    I'm sure it will sell a ton and lots of people will enjoy it, though, so don't listen to me :)
  • Two Listen
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    Two Listen polycount sponsor
    I can't believe anyone saying, for any game, how unique the play experience is.

    The first minute or so the narrator babbles on about how unique everything is and how his interactions with the orc have crafted a unique dynamic. Then he goes on to say how his fight with this boss will be unique from every other one he meets.... isn't that the case anyways? Boss A is different than Boss B? I can't take any of it seriously.

    I felt pretty similarly, maybe that sort of talk would've impressed me when I was 15, but we've all heard those buzz words before. And we're all very used to games having "consequence" and being "dynamic" and being able to divert between path A, B, or C, etc. ...and having it be real interesting the first time we go through it, while the second time we wait carefully for the obvious divergent decisions just to see the other outcome(s)...which usually are pretty predictable and not all that different. And if they are, we're used to them sucking, like having Skyrim tell me to go implicate the Dawnguard on...Solstheim.

    I just tune it out, often times I watch the trailers without sound just so I can make up my own opinions on what I'm seeing.
    vargatom wrote: »
    Apparently the AC influence has caught the attention of others - including a game designer of AC2:

    http://www.dsogaming.com/news/assassins-creed-2-lead-accuses-warner-bros-monolith-for-using-their-code-assets-in-middle-earth/

    This really does not surprise me. I adore AC2/Brotherhood, and I swore when I watched the trailer earlier that some of those animations looked near 1:1 what I'd done as Ezio countless times. Yeah I know there's only so many ways a guy can hang from a tiny ledge and waddle side to side, or walk across some wires connecting rooftops, but damn...some of that is...well, nearly identical.
  • Isaiah Sherman
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    Isaiah Sherman polycounter lvl 14
    I think the only real way to get a truly unique experience every time is to play with, or against, other people.

    I believe FPS, MMOs, and co-op games allow players to create their own experience with how they interact with others within the rule sets of the game.

    Look at DayZ, for example. That game exploded because of the interactions players had with other players. If you removed all other players from that game it would be quite boring (in my opinion).

    The Elder Scroll games have invested a lot in creating a unique experience for a single-player game, but they still have never felt as genuine as a multiplayer experience for me.


    I brought up Dark Souls as an example for my previous post. Dark Souls does a ton of things right, but the gameplay experience really doesn't change a whole lot every time I play. I just love the experience I have every time enough to want to keep coming back to it. Much like SNES games.
  • Two Listen
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    Two Listen polycount sponsor
    I agree with pretty much all of those thoughts, Isaiah.

    Really, even if a single player game does offer me several choices, chances are one of those choices is going to appeal to me more than the others anyway. So yeah, I could go through it again and get a slightly different variation of whatever it is, but go through the whole game again just to see "the other way", when I probably chose the path I liked most first to begin with? Not really my thing.

    That being said, I do think this game looks pretty slick. Visually engaging, dig the character design, and I enjoy AC-style gameplay anyway. I'll probably look into it down the line, but I'm not expecting the buzzwords and various "dynamic" systems to mean much to me. It's either good or it's not, I really don't give a shit if you give me one path or 7, I just want the one I go down to be fun.
  • Torch
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    Torch polycounter
    I love LOTR, but it just looks like Arkham City with a LOTR reskin.

    You're right actually, is that...? Yes... I think I just saw Batman flying around in the background!

    Everyone is forgetting the all important question, "Will there be DLC where I get to play as Gollum and have the opportunity to throw fish/swear at people? Stupid fakkin' hobbits!"

    I like it, it has a lot of heavily borrowed influences as others have said but also has some fresh ideas that look pretty interesting.

    EDIT: Does anyone else hear James Remar (of Sex and the City/Dexter fame) doing the voiceover?
  • Bigjohn
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    Bigjohn polycounter lvl 11
    However, my biggest turn off is the fact that it is quite literally a giant turd in the face of middle earth lore.

    Yeah I felt the same way. Although maybe there's something I'm missing. Could be some reference to this in some far corner of Tolkein lore that I don't know about.

    All they had to do is just make your character an Elf really. It's not unimaginable that an Elf could pull this kind of stuff off naturally without being a wraith. Especially considering they still have rings of power at that time, and it's unclear what those rings do exactly.

    There are lots of instances where folks wanted the Ring for themselves to use it against Sauron. I've always wondered how that will play out.
  • WarrenM
    not really sure where all this personal interactions and enemy memory comes into it, how does that make the game more fun?
    That's me as well. I don't understand what the point of all that is. It sounds like a lot of work for the developers for something that will come off as scripted to the player anyway.

    And the examples in the demo had unique sound files and camera zooms and cut scenes attached to them so ... how dynamic can it be, really?
  • MrOneTwo
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    MrOneTwo polycounter lvl 12
    I share your concerns but I really want it to be good :P

    I don't think it's a 'turd in the face of middle earth lore'. If you don't like the idea you won't play it. It's not like it's an important canon. Just who cares ? I am a big fan of Tolkiens work but even if this game will be a turd... I just won't care. It won't make books worse.

    ... the 'you have a wraith in you' part is lame though... :P It's not how Tolkiens logic would probably work. It's game industry logic.

    I would probably want something different than this one in Middle Earth. Especially since I recently watched Hobbit 2 and would like to jump into something from Tolkiens world. Playing War in the North right now :P

    BTW: This wraith is one of the nine ring wraiths ? If so then... :<
  • Torch
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    Torch polycounter
    Bigjohn wrote: »
    All they had to do is just make your character an Elf really. It's not unimaginable that an Elf could pull this kind of stuff off naturally without being a wraith.

    That's a good point actually, an elf's perspective within the context of this story would be pretty interesting as well.
  • almighty_gir
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    almighty_gir ngon master
    Elves actually can see the wraith world anyway, as they exist on a plane between the living and dead.
  • cryrid
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    cryrid interpolator
    not really sure where all this personal interactions and enemy memory comes into it, how does that make the game more fun?

    There have been quite few open world games where I found myself thinking about how cool it would be if your actions in the sandbox had actual consequences aside from 2-3 minutes of having a cop or guard chase you. Bandits in skyrim could see me take down an dragon and wear its bones, or turn into an undead lord and slaughter their stronghold, and they'd still try to rob me.
  • SsSandu_C
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    SsSandu_C polycounter lvl 13
    loooks cool ass hell. I like the mechanics of assassins creed, the freedom of movement and such. The only thing I'm worried about is mission diversity.
  • Xenobond
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    Xenobond polycounter lvl 18
    Daaang, son!
    I can't wait. Until then, I guess...
    45220370.jpg
  • Blaizer
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    Blaizer polycounter
    BUMP!

    The game will be launched on steam in a few days, got the pre-order plus the season pass! I'm the only one excited with this title?

    It's a Monolith game!
  • Flight
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    Flight polycounter lvl 10
    LOTR, how low you have fallen.
  • Ged
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    Ged interpolator
    cryrid wrote: »
    Bandits in skyrim could see me take down an dragon and wear its bones, or turn into an undead lord and slaughter their stronghold, and they'd still try to rob me.

    yeah Im hoping the enemies in this game have some better ai than that but really doubt it, they look similar to assasins creed/batman enemies, just brainless thugs with a nice cutscene tagged on to make it look like they remember you. It would be great if they do things in the game world behind the scenes based on the fact they remember you eg lay traps or spread rumors or warn enemys of your approach or sabotage you or learn your attack style etc.
  • Add3r
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    Add3r polycounter lvl 11
    Flight wrote: »
    LOTR, how low you have fallen.

    I have to disagree with it falling, actually very happy its getting some more expansion of the world that Tolkien created. Its a shame people think the LOTR universe is strictly the story line of The One Ring, there is SOOOOOOO much more to that with the hobbit, the LOTR trilogy, Silmarillion, and notes by Tolkien. He created such a vast world, and there is just so much untapped potential in awesomeness, its nearly overwhelming. I hope there is more of this off shoot material personally.
  • PyrZern
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    PyrZern polycounter lvl 12
    The older I get, the harder it is to impress me about these so-called 'unique' gameplay.
    I have a feeling it will either be heavily scripted, or it's very unique but it contributes nothing to the actual gameplay itself.
  • [Deleted User]
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    [Deleted User] insane polycounter
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  • Torch
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    Torch polycounter
    Blaizer wrote: »
    BUMP!

    The game will be launched on steam in a few days, got the pre-order plus the season pass! I'm the only one excited with this title?

    It's a Monolith game!

    Dude I have been psyched about this game ever since it was announced, pre-ordered as soon as I could! It's gonna be awesome :)
  • Flight
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    Flight polycounter lvl 10
    Add3r wrote: »
    I have to disagree with it falling, actually very happy its getting some more expansion of the world that Tolkien created. Its a shame people think the LOTR universe is strictly the story line of The One Ring, there is SOOOOOOO much more to that with the hobbit, the LOTR trilogy, Silmarillion, and notes by Tolkien. He created such a vast world, and there is just so much untapped potential in awesomeness, its nearly overwhelming. I hope there is more of this off shoot material personally.

    Middle Earth lore is incredibly rich and Tolkien even said that he intended other people to use the world he created. But I don't see this game doing it justice. The Middle Earth part feels slapped on, could have been any setting.

    This guy have some great lectures on Tolkien and middle earth: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB_pokQ27mY3DGlGrSdNKKw/featured
  • almighty_gir
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    almighty_gir ngon master
    Arguably even the silmarillion is about the one ring since it describes melkors fall and becoming morgoth along with annatars seduction and becoming sauron.

    But semantics aside the argument made earlier in the thread that the main character might be better as an elf is a good one. It certainly makes more sense than a man with the powers of a maiar running around.

    The argument that tolkienverse is more than just lotr is correct... But the universe still has well established rules regarding abilities and powers.
  • cryrid
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    cryrid interpolator
    There is also an issue of licensing; Jackson had mentioned in one of the Hobbit commentaries that his movies couldn't use anything that wasn't mentioned in either the Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings books. The universe might be larger but his movies aren't allowed to dig into all of it, and I assume that games based on the movies have the same restrictions.

    I don't think the character is that far fetched for a game though. Morgul-blades can turn people into a wraith (as it was doing to Frodo), and the guy is being helped by an old, powerful elf. Sounds good and looks fun to me.
  • glottis8
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    glottis8 polycounter lvl 9
    This game is getting awesome reviews. Very excited to play it.

    Congrats to the people at Monolith. i think this game is taking a lot of people by surprise.
  • HitmonInfinity
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    HitmonInfinity polycounter lvl 11
    Polygon gave it a 9.5/10 and Joystiq a 5/5. Congrats to Monolith! I'm going to have to pick this one up.
  • haiddasalami
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    haiddasalami polycounter lvl 14
    Picking this up with my PS4. Grats to the guys at Monolith! Pumped for this.
  • JasonLavoie
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    JasonLavoie polycounter lvl 18
    Pumped for this as well, big congrats to the team at Monolith, hope you all are celebrating such awesome work!
  • Cheez
  • Matabus
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    Matabus polycounter lvl 19
    Congrats Monolith! The reviews are just great! Gots mine all pre-ordered and ready to roll.
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