The fall and winter games rush is a busy period for `AAA` games, and Middle-earth: Shadow of War is among the biggest-ticket items. But does it live up to the hype? Read on.
Shadow of War should have been easy sailing in terms of marketing, given the popularity of its predecessor, Shadow of Mordor. However, the inclusion of loot crates that cost real money raised the specter of micropayments and hinted at a gameplay loop that had been designed around incentivizing purchases. Thankfully, that turned out not to be the case.
What harms Shadow of War isn`t its loot-crate mechanics, it`s the repetition. Shadow of War is a huge game, but the vast majority of the experience feels drawn out, with the same tasks over and over again. Thankfully, the experience is saved by some amazing character writing and acting, the dynamic Nemesis system, and a solid story.
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