Being murdered makes Talion stronger which makes sense, again both thematically and mechanically. In the bottom left of the screen, the player is granted +100 XP for having been ‘Denied Death.’ Then the HUD shows that Talion’s Power meter - the level of which determines how many upgrade tiers have been unlocked - has also been increased. Upon respawning at a Forge Tower, Shadow of Mordor provides the player with a range of visual and auditory feedback relating to the death just suffered. Talion knows he has died again and the player is reminded that time has passed and that death has consequences. The Orc who murdered Talion remembers him and knows he killed him. When Talion dies, the world of Mordor continues on. There are no save or checkpoints, nor is there reloading. Shadow of Mordor does the same, but explicitly. Essentially, it is the game telling the player to try again and do better. We’ve been taught by rote what death means when gaming. Death changes everything and the pairing of it with the ever-evolving and constantly updating Nemesis system creates something truly unique.Įach time Talion dies, including the first time, it has an effect on the world of Mordor: the Orcs who inhabit it, Talion himself and even the player. But in Shadow of Mordor it is fundamental and integral to the experience. It’s a stumbling block a minor inconvenience. The nature of a video game death is largely absurd at this point. Even when the ‘Came Back Strong’ trope is in play, each and every subsequent death is an absolute failure and dead end as far as narrative and gameplay is concerned. Extra lives, save and checkpoints or resurrection at the hands of an item or other player are about as commonplace as health bars, hit points and high scores. The ‘Came Back Strong’ trope has been and is used frequently in literature, TV, movies and games, but where Shadow of Mordor’s treatment of the trope differs is its greatest strength and point of contrast.ĭeath in video games is rarely permanent. Many use the character’s death as the reason for his or her quest and their source of power, much like Talion. A number of games feature the death of a major or playable character: God of War, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Murdered: Soul Suspect, BioShock 2 and The Darkness just to name a few.
Within Shadow of Mordor‘s opening minutes, death’s presence is at the forefront and remains throughout, first when the Uruks attack the Black Gate and then again when Talion and his family are slaughtered by the Black Hand of Sauron. Thematically and mechanically, death is the true star.
Death in Shadow of Mordor is unlike death in any other video game.
When I really think about it, it’s the treatment of player death that’s the reason for my love. But to attribute Shadow of Mordor’s successes to just those factors would be taking away from everything it does right. From cross-gen releases to HD rehashes and the disappointing hype machines - Destiny and Watch Dogs - 2014 has been a letdown of epic proportions. Or, is it simply that Shadow of Mordor manages to combine the very best of action-adventure games from the last generation while avoiding their pitfalls?Īnother likely explanation is that 2014 has been a pretty terrible year for gaming. So, could it be the refined Batman: Arkham style combat, then? The game’s Assassin’s Creed-inspired exploration? Perhaps it’s the Nemesis System - a mechanic that, for once, manages to deliver on all of its promises. I’ve never been a massive fan of the lore or the universe. I know one thing: it’s not the game’s Lord of the Rings setting. Since starting the game up, I’ve been trying to figure out just what it is about Shadow of Mordor that has me so enamoured. More than that, it’s easily the best game I’ve played this year and is already my early pick for Game of the Year 2014. I’ve been making noises across social media, the Friendly Fire Show and on this site for the past few weeks about how I think Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is probably the best game I’ve played in two years.
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