Shadow of Mordor Launch Trailer Invites You Back to Middle-earth

Warner Bros. and Monolith Productions on Tuesday released the launch trailer for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. The two-minute video (above) sets up the game's story (it's set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings), highlights some of the brutal Orc enemies you'll face, and shows off key characters such as Gollum and the ring forger Celebrimbor.

It also teases out the game's ambitious Nemesis System, through which enemies learn and adapt throughout the game. We noted in our review how this system elevates the excellence of the game, and it's also drawn praise from one of the top executives at Warner Bros.' gaming division.

"The team and technology powering the Nemesis System helped us develop an emotional investment between each player and their enemies, which creates a truly memorable gaming experience unlike anything that's been done before," Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president Martin Tremblay said in a statement.

In addition to the main Shadow of Mordor game you can buy today for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, or PC, you can pick up the game's $25 DLC pass. It includes access to a host of upcoming content, including new missions, runes, modes, and future content to be announced later.

For more on Shadow of Mordor, check out GameSpot's review and what other critics are saying.

Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @EddieMakuch