Middle Earth : Shadow of Mordor

[illdog]

Hey there, I've been playing this. I'm 51% and 18 hours in. If i'd have paid attention anything anyone had said about this game (Batman combat in Middle Earth) I would have started this ages ago.

 

I've pretty much always enjoyed playing this, it's my kind of game but the pendulum of annoyance has swung back and forth. It started high, I found it difficult to remember the controls at first, specifically how to interogate and due to the oft stated front loaded difficulty I was also getting my ass kicked. Alot. Then you have to sit through that fucking chess game of Saurons Uruk army challenging each other that can take for ever, especially annoying when you're pissed off about how that last battle went.

 

Then as i powered up a bit I started to kick some ass of my own. Getting the execution combo count down so you can perform them at 5 is a massive help, I was taking on hordes of enemies and wining.

 

Then the pendulum swung again as I progressed with the story. I'm fighting one guy who nails me in about three hits, you dont even get a last chance againt him, it comes up with "No chance" and then i'm dead. Four times he's kicked my ass but I took to dashboarding each time I die as I cant take the Army battle report each time. So i'm currentl like "fuck this game". Shit's not going my way today with games, you get that sometimes.

[illdog]

After another failed attempt at beating the cunt I couldn't beat yesterday I had an epiphany. I hunted a weaker Captain that was connected to the cunt and branded him. The I sent him of to challenge the cunt instead. I watched from a  raised position as the battle ensued, picked off all the cunts army so it was just my guy, his men, the cunt and his body guard. As luck would have it, the cunt's bodyguard could be shot by arrows so I took him out then finished him with a shadow stealth, then I went to fucking town on the cunt. And now he's dead!

 

Made some good story progression after that, I can now ride Graugs so that's nice. I think I have about 4 story missions. Hooray for games today.

[illdog]

Finished the main story today, 98% and 30h 42m. The 2 percent missing is from the final 2 Hunting Challenges.

 

The fighting continued to be great when going as planned and annoying as hell when it fucks up (just like Batman) but however it works out it's fucking brutal and really cool to watch. There's a cool execution where you fall to the floor and pull and Uruk with you, impaling him on your sword before you spring back up again. The ability to string shadow leap executions together with one button tap is great as well, makes you feel invincible. I didnt utilise tapping the X button one you strike the enemy to my advantage, in fact I barely used it despite powering it up a little.

 

I got bored of the story by the end, I stopped paying attention and missed a crucial bit, then I stopped caring. The boss fights (if you could call them fights) were really easy. I never know if that's a good thing, in this case the hard part of the game is at the beginning so it's not like there wasn't a challenge, sometimes it's nice to glide home to victory but I think it can be less satisfying.

 

I have the game of the year edition so all the DLC is included, therefore I shall stop typing this and get on with Lord of the Hunt. Good day.

 

 

[DANGERMAN]

I liked Lord of the Hunt, hated what I played of the other one though, which is a bit of a problem because it sounds like the jumping off point for the new one's gameplay

[illdog]

Ooh-err, I was gonna crank that up as soon as I've finished this LofH, I'm interested to see what you're talking about.

 

Went back and did those last two Hunter Challenges before I went to bed, that's the main campaign at 100%. Damn you OCD.