Lord Of The Rings Prequel ‘Shadow Of Mordor’ Revealed
Great news for the fans of The Lord Of The Rings universe as a prequel to the hit trilogy has been announced. I know that we already have The Hobbit, but it is not a video game, while this will be. The news came after Game Informer’s December cover reveal where you can see the games first concept art.
According to the press release, the game will follow the story of Talion who decides to take matter in to his own hands after his family is slain right before his eyes by Sauron’s ruthless army. Resurrected by a Spirit of vengeance and empowered with Wraith abilities, Talion ventures into Mordor and vows to destroy those who have wronged him. Through the course of his personal vendetta, Talion uncovers the truth of the Spirit that compels him, learns the origins of the Rings of Power, and ultimately confronts his true nemesis.
Furthermore, according to the press release:
In Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, 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,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The game introduces new gameplay mechanics to the action genre, creating opportunities for emergent and customized gameplay that will be rewarding for players.”
Every enemy that players face is a unique individual, differentiated by their 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. 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.
The game is currently in development by Monolith Studios and is scheduled to release for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox One and Xbox 360 and will be a third person action game, and that is what is interesting about it. Throughout the press release the genre RPG was never spotted, hinting that it might be something similar to Darksiders perhaps, with its hack and slash action gameplay.
Also, in case you are afraid that they might screw up the cannon, “The team has collaborated with Middle-earth Enterprises, Peter Jackson and the artists at Weta Workshop to ensure that the settings, characters and story align authentically within canon.” So hopefully, that will give you at least a glimmer of hope. Until more is revealed, be sure to stay tuned to Push-Start and the game’s official website for updates.