So one day, you’re sitting around the campfire with your orc buddies just trying to relax after a day of slaughter. Then, out of nowhere, this guy starts killing your friends. That might make you upset, right?
That’s essentially the setup for this first post-release trailer for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, except the campfire explodes and scars this Orc’s face. The video highlights some of the more cosmetic impacts of the Nemesis system.
As you might recall from our review, Monolith’s take on Middle-earth includes enemies that are shaped by your actions. Creating power struggles, wounding (but not killing) some enemies, and even falling to their blades molds how the game progresses.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is out now for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. It’s coming on November 18 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Our Take
It’s odd for Warner Bros. to roll out a trailer like this after launch. Normally this is the kind of thing you’d want to use to hype sales on day one. The move from October 7 to September 30 was a push to get out of the crowd, and I’m curious if this video signifies less than optimal sales for a title that’s received strong critical reception.