Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in September 2014 and PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2014. It is the second game set on Middle-earth to be rated Mature by the ESRB, after The Lord of the Rings: War in the North.
An original non-canon story set in the legendarium created by J. R. R. Tolkien, the game takes place between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The player controls Talion, a Ranger who bonds with the wraith of the Elf Lord Celebrimbor, as the two set out to avenge the deaths of their loved ones. Players can engage in melee combat, and use wraith abilities to fight and manipulate enemies. The game introduces the Nemesis System, which allows the artificial intelligence of non-playable characters to remember the deaths of the game's protagonist and react accordingly.
The game's development began in 2011. In order to create an accurate environment and be consistent with Tolkien's books, the developers consulted many people from Warner Brothers, as well as Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. They also received assistance from Weta Workshop, who advised on the special effects. Monolith focused on the development of the PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions, while the development of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions was outsourced to Behaviour Interactive.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor received critical acclaim upon release. Most praise was directed at its combat, open-world design, and the Nemesis System. Some criticism was aimed at the game's story and boss battles. Shadow of Mordor marked the biggest launch for a game based upon Tolkien's universe, and would go on to win several awards from video gaming publications, including Game of the Year in 2015. The game was supported by downloadable content upon release. A sequel, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, was released in October 2017.
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