Veteran developer (and former publisher) Monolith Productions has been around since 1997, but it’s upcoming game Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor may just be the studio’s most important game to date. The upcoming open world action/RPG set to hit PC, PS3/PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One on October 7, 2014 looks to bring an all-new hero, Talion (a ranger who’s been killed but revived with supernatural powers) into the familiar world created by J. R. R. Tolkien. The game’s story is written by Christian Cantamessa (a lead-writer and lead-designer on Rockstar San Diego’s Red Dead Redemption) and Monolith is working with Middle-earth Enterprises, Peter Jackson and Weta Workshop ensuring that everything in the game is as close to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit canon as it gets while introducing some new and appealing elements.

 
Additionally, in the case of the PC and next-gen versions, the developer is also looking to expand the enemy AI in their game with something called the Nemesis System that gives each foe a back story, motivations and memories, allowing them to fight more fiercely and even remember how you’ve treated them if you happen to let them live when encountering them during gameplay. Another cool thing is the game will randomize who you encounter and allow no two play-throughs to be exactly the same. Talion will be able to influence enemies to fight each other, ally with him to take to the battlefield with some assistance and more. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions will most likely see this system slimmed down a bit, but if those versions retain the open world,enough of the abilities Talion has to affect enemies and the unique enemy placement, it’ll absolutely be well worth a buy…

 
As you can see, the game certainly isn’t skimping on the level of violence, a good thing for those who’ve read the books and know there was plenty of blood spilled throughout those classics. Also notable is the lack of miraculous movie escapes as seen in the films. Every battle will be a fight for life as you use Talion’s abilities as a Ranger and Wraith hybrid to take down, command or otherwise influence Sauron’s troops. Combat looks quite fluid and those brief in-engine cinematic sequences help enhance the game’s plot as Talion’s actions during combat can change things in his favor or make the game much harder.

 
Of course, loot is another fun part of playing any action/RPG and this game also has plenty of it as quest rewards for clever quest resolving using stealth or a coerced foe or straight up taking down that big, bad boss yourself. These videos have certainly got my interest piqued and I can’t wait to see how this one’s turned out on both old and newer systems. I figure I may as well check out the PS3 and PS4 version of the game just to see what Monolith has done in terms of differences in the Nemesis System and a few other areas. In any event, no matter what you want to play this one on, keep an eye out for it and/or go pre-order a copy ASAP. My only gripe with the game (and many games in general these days) is each retailer’s different pre-order bonuses mean there’s no way to get everything all in one package unless the game sells well enough to net a Game of the Year edition that crosses those streams as it were.

 
Oh well. As long as the core experience is solid and memorable, I won’t miss a few special items or character skins all that much. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor looks as if it will be a winner this October, so my fingers are crossed that Monolith and WBIE are generating enough excitement for this one that will even get the more diehard internet skeptics to fall off their soapboxes and fall into their nearest game shop to give this one a try…