The release of this title came as a surprise to me given the amount of time that has passed since the LOTR films. Because of this, I was wary when playing it for the first time, especially as previous LOTR games have been decidedly hit and miss.
Many people have compared this game to Assassins Creed and the Batman series, but is that necessarily a bad thing? Surely given the success of those two titles, these would be the games to borrow from? I can appreciate not everyone is able to get past the fact that the similarities are so distinct, but for those that can, Shadow of Mordor is a solid game with good combat and a variety of challenges.
The chain of command system for the Uruks is a cool idea, and positions of power change as the game goes on. As you move up through the ranks killing off the captains, challenges get harder, forcing you to work to upgrade your skills before making the step up.
The game provides tense moments as you battle against ever-growing groups of Uruks, and it is easy to get overpowered in the early going.
There is plenty to do in the world besides the main story, including several side quests, items to collect and slaves to help, so no matter where you are on the map, there will be something to do very close by.
Graphically the game is very sound, and there enough character models for the Uruks to make it feel like there is some variety here, and you aren't just killing the same one over and over again.
The one downside of the game is that with no multiplayer, people may find it difficult to find much replay value once they have completed it, aside from pushing for the platinum trophy.
All in all though I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed the game. You don't have to be a fan of the LOTR films or to have even seen them in order to enjoy this title. But with good solid combat and enough to do within the Mordor world to keep you busy, this is a game that is well worth a look.