Middle-earth: Shadow of War trailer reveals fantastic gameplay

Publisher Warner Bros. and developer Monolith Productions have unveiled a “Middle-earth: Shadow of War” video detailing some of the new gameplay elements we can expect from the upcoming title.



“Middle-earth: Shadow of War” is the long-awaited sequel to 2014’s critically acclaimed “Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.”

Set between the events of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” the game sees the return of the ranger Talion, as well as Celebrimbor, the elf spirit who co-inhabits his body. The unlikely pair has found a Ring of Power, which they believe can help them in the war against Sauron. Will they eventually succumb to its corruptive power? We won’t know until we play the game.

What we do know is that, gameplay-wise, the Ring of Power gives Talion a slew of incredible abilities. He can scale walls quickly, warp around the battlefield, unleash a wave of energy with a ground pound, perform feats of superhuman strength, and even manipulate time.

Mounts make a comeback, and this time, Talion can ride drakes.

Talion now leads armies of orcs and other beasties, which serve him well when invading enemy fortresses. So expect to participate in sieges and massive battles like the ones we saw in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

As action-packed as the game is, Talion can eliminate foes using stealth. Sometimes, breaking into a fortress’ defenses requires a combination of brute force and covert tactics.

The Nemesis system, which was introduced in the first game, has been revamped. Talion still forms rivalries with specific orcs who, as they grow in power and influence, become part of the ranger’s story. But in “Shadow of War,” followers can also play a significant role in his life, with various opportunities for them to become his loyal ally, betrayer, rival, or even friend. You can promote such followers to positions of power, which influences the types of benefits you gain from conquered territories.

“Middle-earth: Shadow of War” was officially announced on February 27, 2017. You can watch the cinematic announcement trailer below.



Its official description reads:

“Go behind enemy lines to forge your army, conquer Fortresses and dominate Mordor from within. Experience how the award-winning Nemesis System creates unique personal stories with every enemy and follower, and confront the full power of the Dark Lord Sauron and his Ringwraiths in this epic new story of Middle-earth.”

The game launches on August 22, 2017 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. With the amount of violence depicted in the trailer, we can expect the game to have an M rating.

The original game, “Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor,” was one of the first games to test the technical limits of the new generation of consoles.

We gave “Shadow of Mordor” high praise in our game review, which you can find here. — TJD, GMA News