[b]Recommended — 9/10[/b]
[b]Middle-earth: Shadow of War[/b] is easily one of the most satisfying action games I've played. The combat is fast, brutal, fluid, and endlessly fun once it clicks. Chaining together counters, executions, and stealth takedowns across a battlefield of dozens of orcs makes you feel genuinely powerful, yet fights stay chaotic enough to keep you on edge. Few games balance that as well.
The [b]Nemesis System[/b] is still the highlight, and honestly still unmatched years later. Random encounters, rivalries, betrayals, and ambushes make Mordor feel alive in a way almost no other open-world game manages. An orc you humiliated will come back scarred, remember exactly how your last fight went, and taunt you about it. A bodyguard you trusted will betray you mid-siege. Every captain and warchief can spiral into a personal story of their own, which gives the game enormous personality beyond the main campaign.
Visually it holds up well too. The shift from the ashen wastes of Mordor to the greener, ruined beauty of Nurnen and Cirith Ungol keeps the regions distinct, and the orc designs in particular are full of grotesque, memorable character. It nails that dark-fantasy atmosphere while still delivering huge battlefields, fortress sieges, and genuinely cinematic moments.
A couple of caveats. The story isn't quite as tight as [b]Shadow of Mordor[/b] - Talion and Celebrimbor's arc meanders in the middle, and the game leans so hard on the Nemesis System that the scripted narrative sometimes feels like an afterthought. It was still good enough to keep me invested to the end, but don't come for the plot. The other issue is sheer overload: between gear, upgrades, RPG systems, armies, side activities, and fortress mechanics, there's occasionally just too much being thrown at you at once.
One important note for anyone reading old reviews: the loot boxes and microtransactions this game was infamous for at launch were [b]completely removed back in 2017[/b], and the grindy original ending was reworked. Playing it today, none of that is a factor so ignore the reviews complaining about pay-to-win nonsense. The endgame is a clean, free experience now.
The DLCs are worth playing too and add real value to an already packed game.
[b]Overall:[/b] even with a few rough edges, the combat and the Nemesis System are so strong that I'd recommend it without hesitation. If you enjoy action-heavy open-world games with brutal combat and endless personal rivalries, this is absolutely worth your time.
