In feng shui and in general in China, water is considered the primary element, the basis of all life...
"The Lord of the Rings" is certainly a cult work that gave birth to a huge fantasy universe, which inspired, and is still inspired to this day, thousands of authors of different generations and genres. Not only in literature, but also in movies, music, comics, video games. Everywhere you can find works, one way or another inspired by Middle-earth, the adventures of the hobbits, the villains of Sauron, and the endless war. So the Monolith studio decided not to stand aside, while not forgetting to be inspired by the "Arkham" series about Batman, created by colleagues from Rocksteady. In 2014, the team released "Shadows of Mordor"- an action game in the open world that introduced the unique Nemesis system, forcing enemies to develop, become stronger, take revenge and actually exist independently of total scripts.
The first blow is the unchanging foundation
Three years have passed, and here we have a sequel - "Middle Earth: Shadows of War". The sequel continues to turn the J. R. R. universe just as boldly and decisively. Tolkien, telling us about the events that allegedly took place between the adventures told in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. However, familiarity with the original is not a requirement for immersion in the game world. Talion - the hero of the first game, a dead ranger, whose spirit united with the ghost of the ancient elven blacksmith Celebremor, continues his path of destruction and revenge, in order to stop the outrages that the orc troops are doing under the leadership of the Dark Lord.
There are more characters in this game, including women - the spider Shelob, the elf Eltariel, the spirit of the forest Karnan and the girl-knight Idril. I hope that at least Elatriel and Idril DLC skins will appear in the game, as it was with Lithariel in the first part.
This time, our duo doesn't get away with wreaking havoc and chopping orcs in two locations, instead the game offers five areas, with different climates, atmospheres and features. Although the atmosphere is similar everywhere - it's a war an endless fight between darkness and light, to quote the Rebellion group. Each area has its own fortress that will need to be captured and protected from attacks. Fortresses differ from each other in their size, capacity and location key points, which, together with the features of the areas, provides a good variety of the game world.
Second Impact - Introducing New Engraving
However, from a functional point of view, all areas do not differ from what we have identified in the "Shadows of Mordor". The volcanic terrain of Gorgoroth will not burn the heels of Talion, the swamps of Nurnen will not stain them, and the snow of Sergost has little effect on the main character. Or his opponents. All this is just visual effects and scenery, nothing more. In all areas, we kick ass orcs, which in the first twenty to thirty hours of the game will be a hell of a delight with their diversity: in the “Shadows of War” the number of enemy classes has increased, they have become more diverse in appearance, and the number of lines has increased significantly. Not without humor - there is an orc rhymer who speaks in verse, there is an orc bard who is ready to sing a welcome song.
There are several orcs in the game that will become our obligatory companions, for a long or short time. These characters are worked out just fine, the dialogues with them are great, they have charisma and good humor. All in all, the orcs in the sequel are even better-crafted than the main storyline, which, while interesting enough to keep at the screen, is still too stretched out to be a cohesive narrative. On the other hand, this is the trouble with most open-world games - the player is very addicted to exploring areas and doing all sorts of side tinsel, which is often necessary to progress through the scenario.
Even stupid orcs are surprised at amazing wanderings. Like the one in the picture above.
The third blow - we close the ring
In his wanderings across Mordor, Talion seeks not only to sow chaos in the ranks of Sauron, but also to create his own power. Here, comrades-in-arms come to his aid - we can assign one or more bodyguards to the hero who will save him in a difficult situation, take a detachment of tamed orcs with us and order them to storm the camp, summon a graug or tame a dragon flying nearby. Locations are filled with objects for interaction and profit: chests with money, collectible items that reveal the secrets of the world of Middle-earth, hives with evil flies, spider nests, barrels of grog, ice icicles and carcasses for caragor bait. All this can be used against your enemies. Many orc commanders can be killed with a single action like this!
Thirty hours later, and I've played more than fifty and still haven't received the platinum cup, encounters with orcs are starting to get a little tiresome. Welcoming remarks are repeated several times already, the types of orcs are also not endless, and you can’t miss all this. You just want to grind missions for experience, money, and recruiting officers, because the fourth act leading to the secret true ending is a real mockery of a loyal player. And the game seems to tell you: “No, my friend. Take your time, meet the orc Pushkrimp for the fiftieth time, albeit now in a new type, listen for the 101st time to a remark about an orc that speaks in verse, and then watch a few dozen fights in the pit. And it's not to be missed."
Orcs know how to cheat death, that is, to return from the other world, betray us, run away from the battle a second before the final blow, escape from finishing and replenish health. All this works under the control of a random generator.
The fourth blow - laying the foundation for special strokes
Pit battles are a new and cool feature with which you can actually level up your orcs without losing. In almost every area there are three types of pits: for worms, warriors and winners. The first ones involve low-level fighters, the second ones are average, but the last ones are real monsters. The pits are a way to make your captain a leader by planting a spy in a fortress. Enough for him to defeat another captain. The probability of victory depends on a number of factors: the level of the orc, its weaknesses and strengths. For example, I played a level 30 orc against a level 39 and he got a fairly easy win due to the fact that his strengths gave a powerful advantage over the enemy. He was agile, and the enemy was clumsy.
The Overkill trophy drops when we send two of our subordinates to fight in the pit. Against each other
of course. And there is also a cool trophy "Brother against brother", but it is carried out in the conditions of a normal game.
When the area comes under the control of the player, the pits become the main tool for pumping. We choose our orc, which we want to pump, send it to any of the three pits and watch how it fights with a random opponent. Wins? Great, gets a level, brings us bonuses. Loses? It's a pity, poor fellow, but now is the time to personally go down into the pit and recruit the winner. Who needs losers?! The player has no physical influence on the battles in the pit, and cannot intervene in the battle. So, the classic scheme of “combining business with pleasure” works here: we go about our business, read The Lord of the Rings, watch The Hobbit and at the same time click on the orcs, sending them into the pits. Don't waste valuable time.
Fifth strike - will the ring be for the rich?
Of course, if you just want to beat the game and then watch the true ending on YouTube, as many will definitely do, then there is no need to grind dozens of orcs for monotonous, boring and incomprehensibly made bonus act events. You don't really need holes. But it is almost impossible to break through the thornbush of the final chapter without them. Unless you have enough extra money to purchase golden chests, where you come across the highest and legendary orcs. They can also be obtained from silver chests, which are bought with in-game currency, but the chances of this are much lower. For example, I bought several golden chests, each had a guaranteed legendary orc, one had two of them. Out of ~100 silver chests, I came across about five or seven legendary orcs.
Did it ruin the game? No. Despite all the negativity that many of us feel about "loot boxes" and other microtransactions, real cash players only get the opportunity to save real time, which, as you know, is money. They gain no real advantage over normal players, and online interactions in Shadows of War are asymmetric, more dependent on the skill of the player than on the strength of the fortifications of the owner of the world being invaded.
Sixth strike - sparks burn the skin
As you progress through, you experience much more “burns” due to the main game mechanics than from forced microtransactions, which you stop paying attention to when you go beyond the Internet and forums. In particular, the combat system of the new game suffers from the same sharp moments that were in the first part, and are also integral features of the Rocksteady combat. All of them can be grouped into a category called "recognition of the player's intentions by the game."
I will not do without examples, because they are so important (not sarcasm). When the player is fighting a captain or warchief, regular orcs have a beastly tendency to appear out of nowhere and get in the way. And often they are joined by any reasonable and semi-reasonable living creatures: olog-hai, they are also trolls, caragors, graugs and dragons. You just deal with all of them and focus on your target, when suddenly an arrow flies, and then the counter-attack indicator lights up. “Your mother is like that,” you think, and you try not to waste time on the husk anymore. This is where the trouble comes in.
The control of each beast is unique, but not always convenient. Especially when playing as a dragon in missions with an enclosed space. You need to get used to everything - the clumsiness and sluggishness of the graugs, the agility of the karagors and the drunken flights of serpents.
Firstly, the game often does not understand what kind of move the player wants to make - jump over the enemy, or roll between his legs (in the case of a troll, which cannot be jumped over, but Talion persistently tries!). Secondly, the subjugation of the enemy (holding the “circle”), the game is often confused with the movement that is prescribed for pressing the “circle” - in my case, this is a freezing punch. Thirdly, the game often does not understand what kind of enemy you are trying to conquer. Not only does the subjugation work with a delay, but also on an ordinary stupid orc, instead of a broken captain! I specifically dabbled with it tonight and checked it. Situation: two captains, one is broken and stands closer to me, the second is aggressive and is a few meters further than the first. Whom is the game trying to conquer when the "circle" is pressed? You understand… It was possible, after all, to prescribe adequate priorities.
Seventh strike - a whipping ring?
The rest of the combat system also remained the same. Talion can swing his sword, parry blows, carry out powerful counterattacks, jump over enemies, tame animals, and beautifully cut everything that is cut. Mechanics - the unchanging "Arkham" series of Batman adventures, with all its features, seasoned with an additional layer of subjugation absorption and instant execution. The hero has a bow, which he masterfully handles, thanks to the ghost of Celebrimor, and is able to briefly slow down the passage of time while aiming. Most of Talion's moves can be upgraded and equipped with additional features: freeze, poison, ignite, increased stealth, jump shooting and much more. There are a lot of skills, and in order to pump them all, you have to grind well.
Eighth strike - sudden madness?
Talion also knows how to kill secretly, or savagely destroy the enemy, dipping the surrounding orcs into a vat of horror. This mechanic, stealth, is implemented in the "Shadows of War" as laboriously as in the "Shadows of Mordor". It exists for added variety, a few key missions, and numerous side missions. But in fact, it works rather not as stealth, but as surprise. It seems to me that this is how it should have been called when translated. The fact is that when you rush through the entire camp at elven speed, two dozen opponents shy away from you, and you sharply attack one of them - this is not stealth, but surprise. Moreover, for a particular orc who received a lethal dose of steel in the liver. But the game considers it stealth. Thus, tasks for stealth + time are solved by a banal run through the camp of enemies with the sudden destruction of several. And do not care that a dragon of orcs with three heads-captains is rushing after you.
The Eltariel missions are the most interesting to me. And not because of the fair-haired elf, but because they show the stories of the Nazgûl. Maybe not as much as we would like.
However, despite the forced, I would even say caricature of stealth, clumsy moments in the combat system and a drawn-out narrative, "Shadows of War" is played very well. The project is naturally captivating, and its performance on the PlayStation 4 is exceptionally pleasing. Good draw distance, nice animation of enemies, cool original voice acting, stable frame rate, only occasionally allowing itself to sag a little. On a normal console. All sorts of mechanical flaws in the best traditions of Assassin's Creed are already so ingrained in open-world games and parkour that you pay attention to them, but no longer get angry as before. We are talking about problems when a character clings to an unnecessary ledge, refuses to unclench his fingers and jump off, clings to some invisible texture, and so on. It's all there, just like in the first part.
The ninth blow - the omnipotence that unites Mordor
The game also works properly online, and there are three types of Internet interaction: completing tests (including for obtaining premium gold), revenge for other players, and the siege of their castles. Challenges change daily and are easy to perform, online revenge is no different from a regular vendetta, and the siege of the fortress is almost identical to the local one: we must get to the throne room and defeat the lord of the lands. The player whose world we invade does not suffer from our actions! Just like we are from the actions of others. Just for fun, and for the sake of war trophies, for every thousand of which there is a chest with bonuses. The web is also a great way to find a lot of legendary gear.
Finally, I would like to say a little about the trophies - I took the platinum cup in "Shadows of Mordor" in 38 hours. In this game, I'm already under 60 hours, and there are still unclaimed trophies. Just a few, but I don't want to grind them yet. Hypothetically, during this time it was already possible to get platinum, if not sprayed on the extermination of captains, complete domination in all locations, and network tasks. If you buy golden chests - so for sure. But do not forget that the orcs in "Shadows of War" are vile bastards, and often betray. This fact also applies to legendary fighters from purchased chests, so think twice before pouring in additional funds.
On the dark path!
Tenth strike - a ring worthy of a new Lord
Middle-earth: Shadows of War is a worthy sequel to Shadows of Mordor, Studio Monolith's loose retelling of the events that were lost between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The game world has become many times larger and richer, the Nemesis system has been brought to a qualitatively new level, gladiatorial battles between orcs and the capture of fortresses have added variety to the gameplay. However, it didn’t go without a fly in the ointment: the narrative feels drawn out, the controls are full of the same inconveniences as in the original, and the path to the true ending is like a slow defile naked through the thorn bush, which hides a nest of furious wasps.
The review is based on the digital version of the game provided by the publisher.
The game Middle-Earth: Shadow of War based on the universe of Tolkien's novels. Events unfold before the main story "Lord of the Rings", but are directly related to it.
The game has book continuity, but the main inspiration comes from Peter Jackson's films, especially in regards to the look. It's an understandable creative choice, given that many people love movie adaptations. Nonetheless, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War in some places violates the canon, familiar to fans from the books "The Silmarillion" or "Lord of the Rings".
Below will be considered the main points that do not fit into the overall plot. Of course, there are spoilers.
TIMELINE
The story of Shadows of War centers on the fall of Minas Ithil, the last Gondorian stronghold near Mordor. After the fall of the Downfall of Numenor, co-founder of the kingdom of Gondor along with his brother Anarion. He created a bastion of a new kingdom on a mountaintop adjacent to Mordor. After the fall of Númenor, Sauron returned to Mordor to recuperate, before eventually carrying out his invasion of Minas Ithil in WE 3429 (2nd century). Gondor lost the battle, and Sauron renamed the fortress Minas Morgul. The city was captured by the forces of Sauron thousands of years before the events. "The Hobbit" and The Lord of the Rings, as well as "Shadows of War", for that matter. The game radically alters the main timeline about Tolkien's near lands by thousands of years, and effectively reduces the importance of one of Gondor's defining moments.
ONE RING
AT "Silmarillin" Tolkien explains that Sauron himself forged the "One Ring" and taught its methods to the elves of Eregion, who created the Seven (for dwarves) and Nine rings (for mortals). Celebrimbor, who was one of the elves of Eregion, created the three rings (for the elves) on his own, without the guidance of Sauron. So, the Rings were never corrupted by the Dark Lord, which meant that Sauron could not control the elves without corrupting their Rings. However, the three were still bound by the fate of the One Ring, just like all the other Rings of Power. When Frodo destroyed the One Ring in The Return of the King, the power of the Three Rings also diminished.
The story of the "Ring of Power" is vital to Tolkien's stories, and the trilogy in particular. "Lord of the Rings", but the game breaks the point by changing the creator to Celebrimbor. In the game, Celebrimbor created the "One Ring" which allowed the Dark Lord and all other rings to be dominated and thus questioned several aspects related to the Ring. If Sauron did not create the One Ring, is his soul still bound to him? Also, it is illogical to believe that Talion and Celebrimbora could create another Ring of Power that would be invulnerable to Sauron.
NAZGULS
The nine rings worn by humans connected them to the One Ring and therefore to Sauron. They succumbed to the power of the Ring and were eventually enslaved by Sauron as his servants of the Nazgûl. The Nazgûl consisted of nine Great Lords of Men, one of which was Khamul Easterling and the other was the Witch-king of Angmar. Three more were people from Numenor, although their names were never revealed. It has never been stated who else was among the Nazgûl in the books and films, and this is exactly what is used "Shadows of War".
The game rewrites history and claims that Isildur (ancestor of Aragorn and second king of Arnor) was saved from death - after being shot with an arrow and plunged into a river - and given one of Sauron's Nine Rings. The ring saved his life, but instantly turned him into one of the Nazgûl. It didn't happen in the books or the movies. Moreover, the game also erroneously assumes that Helm Hammerhand (the former king of Rohan) and Suladan (the Haradrim mentioned in "Return of the King") were two more Nazgul. Talion became the fourth Nazgul at the end of the story.
We looked at 15 big differences between the game and the books.
Clear evidence of how hard it is for humans and elves to get along with the orcs.
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For the forces of good in Middle-earth have come Hard times... Yes, again, but when was Middle-earth calm at all? Gondor is on fire, the Mordorian evil spirits are about to take Minas Itil, and even the Nazgul attack this fortress - after all, there is a palantir in it, and Sauron really needs it. The garrison realizes that resistance is pointless, but gathers the last remnants of morale and holds on, desperately hoping for help.
Not far from this stronghold the main characters Middle-earth: Shadow of War finally forged a new Ring of Power. Only with his help can Minas Itil be saved and Sauron defeated. But, as usual, it is not so easy to subdue him. For starters, it would be nice to take the Ring from Shelob... oh, don't ask. Real horror is going on around, the reasons for it are an abyss, and the half-immortal company of Talion and Celebrimbor will again disentangle.
Game trailer for Middle-earth: Shadow of War filmed with actors.
Everything is the same as before
Released three years ago Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was a mediocre game. Its open world did not shine either in form or content, and only the most patient ones passed through the unconvincing story campaign and the same type of side effects. But every first admired the Nemesis system. She connected the protagonist and enemy commanders with invisible threads, and those with their relatives, creating unique events and stories. In continuation, the developers promised to multiply the successful finds of the original and get rid of annoying elements.
Despite this, in the huge first act, we, like a negligent schoolboy, repeat the program of the last school year. We are allowed into one of five seamless areas, which we walk around without restrictions. We free towers from Sauron's henchmen, inspect the surroundings in search of collectible objects and, of course, hunt down and kill enemy captains. Doesn't it remind you of anything?
In the hunt for the leaders, Middle-earth also did not advance a single step. We again dive into the ghostly world to identify the enemy, or look for information about him in different parts cards, after which we prepare to attack. We have many approaches to creative enemy shredding - but nothing new compared to Shadow of Mordor in them. Battle lovers can still fight dozens of orcs without having a clear plan and knowledge of the weaknesses of their commander. Supporters of covert passage are still free to arrange sabotage in the ways familiar from the last part.
Meetings with military leaders happen even against your desire. Some of the leaders move freely around the map, others are specifically looking for you. The sound of clanging swords is regularly heard by commanders hanging around nearby. A couple of such reinforcements at the beginning of the game - and the chances of getting away alive are sharply reduced to zero.
Orcs who kill you traditionally move up the career ladder. Privates become captains, and experienced leaders receive the status of superior, and then legendary warriors. These are an order of magnitude stronger, they have at least one unique ability (self-healing, powerful attack, etc.), but the reward for killing them increases significantly.
True, it is not necessary to kill the offender yourself. He can be finished off by a relative or your friend on the network. In Shadow of War, orcs are much more active at war with each other. Much of the secondary quests are devoted to their rivalry, and Talion often acts as a simple observer in them. However, no one forbids intervening in the disassembly and killing everyone.
If you haven't played the first part, the points listed above are unlikely to upset you - it's a huge scope for tactical possibilities! But for those familiar with Shadow of Mordor, the first act can be painful, because they have done these tricks hundreds of times already. Tip: just be patient, it will get better. In the meantime, enjoy the plot - here it is much richer in events and unexpected twists. The sequel noticeably added to the harmony of the story and in the setting, without losing, nevertheless, the connection with the original.
Everything is new
The promised Nemesis improvements are visible even at the very beginning. They are hinted at at least by the levels of development of the captains, just like Talion. The only difference is that they do not change without our participation. So, if an orc hears a threat from us, he will become proud and immediately gain a couple of levels. And the defeated, but not killed, will be disgraced and will lose the same amount.
An experience - key concept in Shadow of War. Talion's experience bar grows both in battle and after completing missions, trials, finding artifacts, and other activities. We still get a skill point for each level, but the leveling system is completely different here. Now the abilities are sorted by type - ranged attack, taming animals, and more. In addition, each has three modifiers that enhance the skill or add a new effect.
Thanks to this system, the player can customize the character in different ways - and the combat system, thanks to this, is transformed beyond recognition. In addition, modifiers can be changed even during the battle, choosing combinations for the weaknesses of the enemy. Let's say your opponent has an intolerance to poisons. We buy the appropriate modifier, and from now on, the touch of a poisoned weapon will cause him terrible suffering.
The equipment system has also changed - now we equip Talion with everything from swords and bows to armor and cloaks (the latter are responsible for stealth). Where does all this come from? Yes, it falls from the same commanders, and the value of the item directly depends on the level and status of the deceased. By and large, that's the only reason it's worth chasing high-level psychopaths all over the map. And, of course, to test your strength.
Orcs with treasures and other dangerous creatures also occasionally drop valuable items. Including gems - an alternative to the runes from the first part, which increases equipment performance. Such stones are three types, each with five power levels. You can also download them. To do this, combine three identical gems and get a pebble with a higher rank. This simple technology gives a serious increase in health and attack power, and also replenishes the wallet.
By the way, about money. In the world of Shadow of War, Silver Mirians are still in use. In a local store, they give chests with equipment (which one is determined by a blind lot) and comrades-in-arms (more on them below). More rare goods are sold for gold, that is, for real money. The good news is that micropayments are unobtrusive and easy to do without. Moreover, the developers claim that the player will sooner or later be able to get all the "premium" items on their own.
You are my friend, I am your enemy
The same captains from an uninterrupted source of equipment become valuable allies. An example from our walkthrough: we recruited a morally broken leader with the help of the Ring of Power and sent an enemy commander to help - he just had to fight with a sworn enemy from the same garrison. At the appointed hour they fought each other, and when both were weak enough, we subdued them both. That is, two actions immediately received three spies in the fortress, which they were going to capture.
But even if you subdue all the commanders (and there are nineteen of them) from one stronghold, this does not guarantee a successful assault. After all, at the next step of the hierarchy, the leaders are waiting for us - the orcs closest to the ruler of the fortress. Each of them is responsible for a certain defensive fortification: gates, walls or towers. Sabotage will not work here, the problem is solved by murder or recruitment.
But how to get to the leaders? the most difficult, but fast option- to lure out of hiding, killing the required number of his soldiers in a certain way. But then he would fight alongside his bodyguard captains. From this follows the second option: first eliminate the guards or replace them with their proteges, who at the right time will stab the leader in the back.
Ultimately, the more carefully you prepare for the siege, the more your soldiers will get to the gates of the fortress. And similarly, the more commanders remain loyal to the forces of evil, the stronger will be the rebuff. But, regardless of these variables, the tasks in each fortress are the same - to capture control points and overthrow the ruler.
But it will not be possible to feast in the conquered fort for a long time - sooner or later the enemy will try to recapture it. Here already you will have to show miracles of defensive tactics. You need to choose improvements to protect the fortress, buy them for silver, appoint leaders and give everyone a zone of responsibility. A competent choice of the ruler also does not hurt - and do not forget to invest in his guards, these investments will pay off handsomely. In addition, the commander can be quickly pumped up to the level of Talion, exposing him in the arena against AI rivals. From the progress of the wards, the power of the fort will also grow. Finally, when the attack starts, don't rush out of the walls. In addition to the obvious security, here you will have more time to maneuver and make decisions.
However, even without defeat in a large-scale battle, it is very easy to lose everything in Shadow of War. Orcs are cunning, a loyal ally may one day defect. And half the trouble, if one of the military leaders who now yearns for revenge has recovered from the spell. It is more terrible when the chosen ruler of the fort betrays - then the only one left to blame is himself. This happened to us twice, and both times we had to recapture entire areas. Fortunately, in almost every fortress and region, the game allows you to skip the preparatory stage and go straight to the assault.
Technically, holding fortresses is a post-game content called "Shadow Wars". After the finale of the story, the armies of Sauron come for you and a full-scale war begins, with the pumping of fortresses and commanders and other joys of military operations. This is how the developers decided to respond to the players' complaints about the sudden ending of the first part. There is really a lot to do, and before the complete conquest of Mordor, you can spend dozens hours. Of course, if you do not invest in the game money. It is in this part of the game that you are gently pushed to buy premium chests with the coolest loot and allies. You can go through the game without them - as the developers said, you can get all these items without money. It just takes a few extra days. Or weeks. And buying premium chests will seriously save your time.
Why spend money if the final is already over? Very simple. Only correct the passage of the final (that is, the conquest of all Mordor) will lead us to the so-called real ending, which will connect the events of the game with canonical text"Lord of the Rings".
Attention! This article contains many spoilers. If you want to enjoy the story of the game and find out all the endings yourself, we recommend that you close this page.
The plot of the game Middle-earth: Shadow of War
In the legendarium of the Lord of the Rings, the interval between the loss of the Ring of Omnipotence by Gollum and the invasion of the Shire by the Nazgûl is described rather briefly. We do not know exactly what happened in those days in Mordor - and this opens up a lot of opportunities for the developers of the game Middle-earth: Shadow of War. What if Sauron had another nemesis whose unsung struggle and self-sacrifice saved Middle-earth?
Talion
The protagonist of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is back. The captain of the Black Gate scouts, who was killed by the orc leader Black Hand, did not accept death itself: Talion found a way to take revenge on the murderers of his family and is now ready to put an end to the source of evil once and for all, challenging Sauron himself. Or at least die trying to make the world a better place.
The story of Talion's life is the story of a man who survived a terrible tragedy, but did not give up.
Talion's plan is simple yet elegant. Thanks to the help of Celebrimbor, the former ranger forged a new Ring of Power, devoid of the shortcomings of the blacksmith's previous creations and not subject to Sauron. Perhaps the forces of the newly created Ring will be enough to unite Mordor under the banner of the Light Lord and forever destroy the evil of Barad-Dur?
celebrimbor
The spirit of the blacksmith elf, who created the Rings of Power and was deceived by Sauron, who lost, but did not go to the end, still acts in concert with Talion. Celebrimbor, who during his lifetime raised Mordor to fight the Dark Lord and was defeated, was skeptical about Talion's idea to create a new Ring and lead armies to conquer Mordor.
Sauron executed all of Celebrimbor's relatives in front of his eyes, and then killed Celebrimbor himself with his own blacksmith's hammer. But Celebrimbor's fate was bound to the Ring, and he was doomed to exist as a ghost until it was destroyed.
Still, the elf decided to try. What if he really couldn't find peace without trying again to deal with the consequences of a mistake he made hundreds of years ago? With the new Ring of Power, Talion can exist separately from Celebrimbor, but, unfortunately, not everything is so simple. One very powerful being has his own plans for the Ring.
Shelob
The ring was taken over by the last child of Ungoliant, who appeared in Middle-earth even before Sauron - the spider Shelob, who appeared before Talion and Celebrimbor in the guise of an ominous beauty. Shelob had a vision: the army of the Light Lord, who had slain Sauron, did not stop at Mordor and conquered all of Middle-earth. The spider did everything to prevent this vision from coming true.
Mordor was not supposed to win, and for the good of all Middle-earth, she managed to achieve a temporary stalemate between the Dark Lord and Talion.
Shelob returned the Ring of Power to Talion, but was never completely frank with her temporary allies. And yet, in one child, Ungoliant did not lie: she really needs to get even with the Dark Lord: Shelob and Sauron were old and close acquaintances. With one shot, Shelob decided to kill two birds with one stone: neutralize the threat to Middle-earth and settle personal scores.
Sauron
The cunning Dark Lord, having lost the Ring of Omnipotence, leaves no hope for the conquest of Middle-earth. In Shadow of War, Sauron plays the role of a formidable figure, looming somewhere in the background: the ring-bearing Nazgûl serve as conductors of his will, obediently carrying out the orders of their master. Without his Ring, Sauron is not able to leave the borders of Barad-Dur - this greatly simplifies the task of Talion.
Sauron has armies, he has Nazgûl, but his true strength is that he knows the weaknesses of his enemies.
The Nazgûl are strong, but Talion and Celebrimbor have an unexpected ally: the elven warrior Eltharial. An emissary of Queen Galadriel, she tirelessly hunts the Nazgûl and tries to delay Sauron's plans, time and time again, pushing his soulless servants back to Barad-dur.
Eltariel
The envoy of Galadriel knows no mercy, but over time, Eltariel begins to wonder if her task is feasible in principle. The Nazgûl, expelled for a while, return again, as if nothing had happened, following the orders of their master. At best, Eltariel only holds back evil, preventing it from penetrating deeper. Is there a way to solve all problems at once?
Not in all fights she wins, but even in case of failure, Eltariel manages to avoid death - and the hunt continues.
What Eltariel cannot do, Talion can. With the help of the Ring of Power, skillful use of the sword and such and such a mother, the ranger who has risen at the head of the army manages to save one of the Nazgûl from unlife. The subordinate ghost of the ring could seriously help in the conquest of Mordor, but Talion decided to save the ancient king from new torments. In vain.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War ending
Talion's humanism is not supported by Celebrimbor and Eltariel. Right at the site of the destruction of the ring-bearer, a new alliance is being created: Celebrimbor offers the elven warrior to become his new receptacle, to take the Ring of Power from the unjustified Talion and throw Sauron together. An excellent idea, but Talion clearly did not appreciate it: without five minutes, the conqueror of Mordor lies on a cold stone, bleeds and is preparing to expire.
Quietly die and leave Middle-earth to its fate? Not today. Spurred on by the vision of Shelob, Talion decides to take extreme measures and takes possession of the ring of the destroyed Nazgûl. Now he is one of the ghosts of the ring, albeit retaining free will for the time being. The idea of Celebrimbor and Eltariel was unsuccessful, Talion will try to hold back the attacks of Sauron for as long as possible, buying time for the whole of Middle-earth.
Celebrimbor and Sauron, being equal in strength, grappled in an endless battle on the pinnacle of Barad-dûr, turning into an unblinking fiery eye.
From now on, Talion is fighting Sauron from his stronghold, Minas Morgul. Sooner or later, he will succumb to the influence of the Ring and turn into a Nazgûl, but as long as the will of the ranger is strong, Middle-earth still has a chance. It will last just until the end of the fourth act. You can watch the true ending of Middle-earth: Shadow of War in the video below:
Can scare off new players with an abundance of different menus and skills. To help beginners make sense of all this diversity, we have prepared a special guide that contains six key tips that will help you quickly get into the gameplay and get more pleasure from passing.
Automatic item selection
In Middle-earth: Shadow of War you will have to collect various items, which can fall out of enemies, or just lie somewhere on the ground. At first, there are no problems with the selection of such items, but as you progress, this task becomes more and more difficult. To make life easier for gamers, the developers have added the ability to automatically select items to the game.
Unfortunately, in order for Talion to automatically pick up items, you need to level up the final ability in the Ghost tree. You may think that this tree lacks useful abilities, but trust us, in order to simplify your passage, it is better to develop the skills of the "Ghost" in the very first place.
User interface customization
The user interface in the game includes a huge number of different tips and icons, because of which, when fighting a platoon of enemies, you can get confused and lose control of the character. Fortunately, you can customize the user interface so that only the elements that are important to you are displayed on the screen.
For example, the buttons that glow in battle for blocking or dodging attacks (triangle or X) are superfluous. The game already has a special function that, when it is likely to take damage, glows (red means dodge, and white means block) and warns you of danger, and therefore extra buttons are not needed for this mechanic.
Focus on story quests
Most fast way unlock basic skills - completing story quests. In addition, some skills can only be unlocked by completing a particular story quest, so focus on them first.
As you progress, you can also complete side quests, which basically help you get special stones to upgrade weapons and armor faster. Of course, the story campaign in the game goes pretty quickly, but after it you will be able to more confidently and easily subjugate the army of orcs under your control.
Learn how to parry quickly
Learn how to quickly parry blows as quickly as possible. Try to block an attack, dodge or parry as soon as the corresponding warning lights up.
At a certain point in the passage, you will meet enemies whose blows cannot be parried. In this case, use dodge. In any case, when performing a series of combo attacks, first of all think about your defense. Don't think you can always land one more hit before taking damage.
Orc commanders will often run away from you if they sense danger. In this case, you already have an advantage and it is always easier to finish off the enemy in such a situation than in a battle with an entire army.
Get closer to the leaders gradually
At the beginning of the second act, you will be able to lead any leader in the fortress, from an ordinary captain to an elite leader. If you feel confident in battles, it's better to start with mid-level captains, gradually getting closer to the main leaders. After you capture a few captains, the leader will lose some of his strength and will be easier to defeat.
If you suddenly fail in the battle with the mini-boss, you can always take a few hours to improve your skills and weapons, and then re-attack this or that leader. Do not rush to destroy the leaders, forgetting about the captains. Approach them gradually, making the army weaker from the inside.
Explore the territory
Do not rush to go through all the tasks at once in a critically short period of time. Explore the area fighting random enemies along the way. Any battle in one way or another will affect the development of the character and the enhancement of his abilities. Just enjoy the passage, using all the mechanics invented by the developers.
Other guides
- Nemesis in Middle-earth: Shadow of War: how to capture fortresses, subjugate orcs and kill leaders
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