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Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor |OT| One Title to rule them all

N

Nokterian

Member
Z

Zeliard

Member
@Wreck said:
thats after a flurry or so many hits (streak) right?
Click to expand...

Yep. After 8 consecutive hits, your hit counter turns red and then you can Execute (it's one of the first skills you can unlock).

It's insta-kill on regular grunts, so very nice for cutting down a huge group to a more manageable level. With Captains and the like, they need to be at a low amount of health or they'll just block it. Not sure it ever works if they're strong against combat finishers, but I'm still playing around with the system.
 
P

Papercuts

fired zero bullets in the orphanage.
Net_Wrecker said:
SMH @ this fool Uthug Blood-Axe who I've been dealing with since he was a level 5 who's killed me like 4 times and won a Duel I wasn't around for, so now he's a level 15 and invulnerable to nearly everything but stealth attacks and explosions. So OF COURSE he's never hanging around areas where I can stealth kill him or lure him into an explosion. Oh and btw, I ALREADY KILLED HIM IN THE FACE SO NOW HE'S HUNTING ME DOWN WITH A BIG ASS SCAR.

On the bright side, someone fled from me in terror and ran right into a camp fire killing himself which made me laugh.
Click to expand...

I was doing a vendetta mission and holy shit you weren't kidding.

T2Po9Nj.jpg


...but y'know it's whatever.

50yf2ix.jpg


My latest headache is this ranged bastard Krimp the Stinger who is able to just start up an AoE poison cloud around him at will. I finally got him but I get the feeling he'll be back. Poison is by far the thing that messes me up the most, even though I play with no counter icons it still disorients the hell out of me.
 
X

XANDER CAGE

Member
Voidance said:
Not to be one-upped, The Verge weighs in on the "moral repulsiveness" of torture in SoM.

This is why we can't have nice things.
Click to expand...

Again, I can -kind- of see what they're getting at here - yeah, you're kind of a big asshole in the game, but that's purposeful - but I'm not entirely sure the "white dude exploiting and murdering another culture" argument quite works when Orc/Uruk society is 1. literally centered around casual murder and helping out Actual Magic Satan and 2. mostly based off of British culture and mannerisms, if you had to really pin down what the Orcs/Uruks represent. There may be an argument about classism to be made given all of them talk in a lower-middle-class cockney accent, but eh.

Now, if the game was about Talion murdering Easterlings or something, we'd be bordering on something a little more uncomfortably close to reality.
 
P

Patroclos

Banned
shinobi602 said:
I'm enjoying it at least. The main menu music when you first load up the game is excellent in my opinion, like a louder and more powerful version of God of War.
Click to expand...

I'm torn on this one. I like the music because it does not stand out too much, however, I miss that Iconic LotR music. It would have probably been too much though.
 
@

@Wreck

Member
Zeliard said:
Yep. After 8 consecutive hits, your hit counter turns red and then you can Execute (it's one of the first skills you can unlock).

It's insta-kill on regular grunts, so very nice for cutting down a huge group to a more manageable level. With Captains and the like, they need to be at a low amount of health or they'll just block it. Not sure it ever works if they're strong against combat finishers, but I'm still playing around with the system.
Click to expand...

ah ic ic

the first time i did the flurry to the finisher was amazing, it never gets old for some reason
 
R

Remachinate

Member
Voidance said:
Not to be one-upped, The Verge weighs in on the "moral repulsiveness" of torture in SoM.

This is why we can't have nice things.
Click to expand...

I think this is much more legitimate criticism than the other article linked earlier. The actions of Talion are very much in line with that of a guerrilla warrior or terrorist.

That said, I think it's important to keep in mind that the design decisions were almost certainly made deliberately knowing that the enemy would be almost entirely orcs--beings similar to humans but lacking any of the good qualities that could redeem them as imperfect but worthwhile entities. If the gameplay remained the same if the enemy were a human army, the amount of brutality inherent in the mechanics would evoke a much different response.
 
K

KiefbladeMaster

Member
cripterion said:
Man sometimes it's so hard to control that fucking ranger, wanna climb down a ledge he gets stuck, wanna go up during a big fight he does a doge, wanna chase a guy fucking dude cannot sprint...

Doesn't help that the camera gets fucking insane at times, game is easy but I'm pretty much batting the controls at this point :/
Click to expand...

Talion will completely drop off if you hold circle, will drop to the next ledge with a tap. Same with dodging, tap to roll, hold to sprint -- though it's generally easier to roll over an enemy and sprint off. Haven't had many problems with it so far!
 
X

XANDER CAGE

Member
Patroclos said:
I'm torn on this one. I like the music because it does not stand out too much, however, I miss that Iconic LotR music. It would have probably been too much though.
Click to expand...

I feel cheated that neither the Nazgul theme nor the Uruk-hai theme from Fellowship of the Ring seem to be even referenced in the score.

I really want this game, but with more spooky choir and anvil banging.
 
eXistor

eXistor

Member
Wow, not a fan of this game at all. Now I will admit I always thought it looked shit from the start, but it really is yet another exercise in bland modern game-design imo (for some reason they copied Ubisoft's open-world approach, which is just the worst thing to do).

It's just another icon chaser with very shallow mechanics that you can break within minutes of playing the game. I've just played for a full hour and I'm pretty sure I've seen everything the game has to offer, it's gonna get super repetitive fast I bet. The world feels very limited and copy/paste; there's very little cohesiveness and overall there's just very little to draw me in. I will give it another chance tomorrow, but my first impressions are not good.

Definitely returning it, I tried going in with an open mind and I didn't follow the game at all since its first reveal, but I was still curious to see how an open-world LotR game would fare. I have a feeling my opinion is gonna be the minority (Wolfenstein TNO all over again), but I just don't see the appeal of this homogenous modern game-design.
 
S

SlasherJPC

Banned
Zeliard said:
Yep. After 8 consecutive hits, your hit counter turns red and then you can Execute (it's one of the first skills you can unlock).

.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I've always just noticed my sword turns blue and that's when I knew I could do it. Pretty cool they give subtle ways to know.
 
F

FairXchange

Member
This is the first time in a long time that I actually care to do the side quests in an open world game. The combat is just addictive, I want to keep leveling up my weapons, getting runes, trying challenges because the world is so focused on violent confrontations with the orcs. Also, I haven't even hit the third (maybe fourth) story mission, and I've already got 1 warchief left to kill. I know the game will probably replace them, but I've been indiscriminately hunting down orc captains and so far it hasn't gotten remotely old.
 
SJRB

SJRB

Gold Member
eXistor said:
Wow, not a fan of this game at all. Now I will admit I always thought it looked shit from the start, but it really is yet another exercise in bland modern game-design imo (for some reason they copied Ubisoft's open-world approach, which is just the worst thing to do).

It's just another icon chaser with very shallow mechanics that you can break within minutes of playing the game. I've just played for a full hour and I'm pretty sure I've seen everything the game has to offer, it's gonna get super repetitive fast I bet. The world feels very limited and copy/paste; there's very little cohesiveness and overall there's just very little to draw me in. I will give it another chance tomorrow, but my first impressions are not good.

Definitely returning it, I tried going in with an open mind and I didn't follow the game at all since its first reveal, but I was still curious to see how an open-world LotR game would fare. I have a feeling my opinion is gonna be the minority (Wolfenstein TNO all over again), but I just don't see the appeal of this homogenous modern game-design.
Click to expand...

Explain to me how you were able to "break" the nemesis system within minutes.
 
R

Remachinate

Member
eXistor said:
Wow, not a fan of this game at all. Now I will admit I always thought it looked shit from the start, but it really is yet another exercise in bland modern game-design imo (for some reason they copied Ubisoft's open-world approach, which is just the worst thing to do).

It's just another icon chaser with very shallow mechanics that you can break within minutes of playing the game. I've just played for a full hour and I'm pretty sure I've seen everything the game has to offer, it's gonna get super repetitive fast I bet. The world feels very limited and copy/paste; there's very little cohesiveness and overall there's just very little to draw me in. I will give it another chance tomorrow, but my first impressions are not good.

Definitely returning it, I tried going in with an open mind and I didn't follow the game at all since its first reveal, but I was still curious to see how an open-world LotR game would fare. I have a feeling my opinion is gonna be the minority (Wolfenstein TNO all over again), but I just don't see the appeal of this homogenous modern game-design.
Click to expand...

Here's a tip: try engaging with what makes the game different from other open-world games (the Nemesis system) before you write it off for its similarities.
 
P

Patroclos

Banned
eXistor said:
Wow, not a fan of this game at all. Now I will admit I always thought it looked shit from the start, but it really is yet another exercise in bland modern game-design imo (for some reason they copied Ubisoft's open-world approach, which is just the worst thing to do).

It's just another icon chaser with very shallow mechanics that you can break within minutes of playing the game. I've just played for a full hour and I'm pretty sure I've seen everything the game has to offer, it's gonna get super repetitive fast I bet. The world feels very limited and copy/paste; there's very little cohesiveness and overall there's just very little to draw me in. I will give it another chance tomorrow, but my first impressions are not good.

Definitely returning it, I tried going in with an open mind and I didn't follow the game at all since its first reveal, but I was still curious to see how an open-world LotR game would fare. I have a feeling my opinion is gonna be the minority (Wolfenstein TNO all over again), but I just don't see the appeal of this homogenous modern game-design.
Click to expand...

I respect you gave it a try but that simply isn't enough play time for all the systems to enter into play, this may be why it feels shallow to you. It also may just not be your cup of tea. Hopefully you liked the Nemesis system because you are going to see a lot more of it going forward. It is no exaggeration to say it is a game changer in open world/emergent gameplay design.
 
S

shinobi602

Member
My mind's slowly changing for the game, I'm starting to enjoy the combat.

I was given some pointers and I'm now making good use of the stun move, going the combo multiplier to 8 and executing like a badass whereas I wasn't really doing that before. Having fun now and not getting my assed kicked too much :)
 
H

hbkdx12

Member
SlasherJPC said:
Interesting, I've always just noticed my sword turns blue and that's when I knew I could do it. Pretty cool they give subtle ways to know.
Click to expand...

And if your on ps4 the DS4 chimes

They really want you to know when you can eviscerate your enemies! lol

I'm currently saving up the for 20 second unlimited execution perk. Can't wait to run up in a stronghold and get a big gathering and just annihilate everyone :)
 
A

ak1276

Banned
Nokterian said:
Man this game keeps me on going and going. One more captain,one more this and that. And i haven't begun on the second mission yet. Also playing with DS4 on my pc works very good! My goty so far.



Sounds more click bait article..the verge is not doing any good these days and seeing this well it is a click bait article.
Click to expand...

To be fair, that's basically all journalism in a nutshell. By that token, Verge and Polygon are actually really good at web-based journalism, even if their crap is stupid beyond belief.
 
K

Kaversmed

Member
shinobi602 said:
My mind's slowly changing for the game, I'm starting to enjoy the combat.

I was given some pointers and I'm now making good use of the stun move, going the combo multiplier to 8 and executing like a badass whereas I wasn't really doing that before. Having fun now and not getting my assed kicked too much :)
Click to expand...

It's nice to see that it has convinced you since your initial response. Can't freaking wait for friday to come!!!
 
P

Patroclos

Banned
Loxley said:
I want to vomit.
Click to expand...

So did he evidently but it didn't stop him from playing. This story is a "revenge" trope through and through. Think Kill Bill by Tarantino or the book Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie. All the hallmarks are there. This is an established storytelling convention. To change it would be to change the nature of the tale. This is what the audience (for the most part) expects and desires.

How would a game about making peace with orcs by kissing them so that everyone can live happily together be? Do people even think of this? Would you want to do that after your wife and son are brutally murdered and you have no ability to see them in the afterlife?
I guess some would rather philosophize over the meaning of it all.

Me? I rather commit genocide on the creepy, human flesh eating bastards who did it. I wouldn't give a fuck if they where male or female, white, black, yellow or green. I would give zero fucks about anything until every last one of them was dead and I could avenge my family. I guess I am just a desensitized video-gamer who is part of the problem.
 
F

FairXchange

Member
shinobi602 said:
My mind's slowly changing for the game, I'm starting to enjoy the combat.

I was given some pointers and I'm now making good use of the stun move, going the combo multiplier to 8 and executing like a badass whereas I wasn't really doing that before. Having fun now and not getting my assed kicked too much :)
Click to expand...

There's a skill that makes the combo execution only require 4 or 5 hits, it's awesome because you can start stringing kills effortlessly at that point.
 
X

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
eXistor said:
Wow, not a fan of this game at all. Now I will admit I always thought it looked shit from the start, but it really is yet another exercise in bland modern game-design imo (for some reason they copied Ubisoft's open-world approach, which is just the worst thing to do).

It's just another icon chaser with very shallow mechanics that you can break within minutes of playing the game. I've just played for a full hour and I'm pretty sure I've seen everything the game has to offer, it's gonna get super repetitive fast I bet. The world feels very limited and copy/paste; there's very little cohesiveness and overall there's just very little to draw me in. I will give it another chance tomorrow, but my first impressions are not good.

Definitely returning it, I tried going in with an open mind and I didn't follow the game at all since its first reveal, but I was still curious to see how an open-world LotR game would fare. I have a feeling my opinion is gonna be the minority (Wolfenstein TNO all over again), but I just don't see the appeal of this homogenous modern game-design.
Click to expand...

A full hour? From what I have read at least give the game more time for the Nemesis system.
 
F

Figboy79

Aftershock LA
Dunlop said:
This so makes me want to buy this game.

My wife an I agreed to budget and cut down frivolous spending, I chose Destiny as my goto game until the hollidays

I chose wrong
I chose so very very wrong

:p
Click to expand...

...I actually really like Destiny...

Anyway, yeah, my budget is roughly one game a month, so Destiny was my September game, Mordor my October game (and I'm squeezing in Smash 3DS as a freebie because of overtime pay. lol).

The emergent gameplay in this game is very satisfying. The nemesis system is such a distraction from the main story quests, that I can understand why there aren't that many story missions. You kind of create your missions yourself.

For example, once I had tracked Golm, he was hidden away in a fortress that I had to find a way to infiltrate without setting off the other enemies. I would employ every tactic I could at the time; hiding in bushes and attracting lone Orcs to me to stealth them, killing them from above when the coast was clear, or using arrows to headshot them in silence. It was so satisfying to finally "kill" that fucker.

I also took out stupid helmet with an arrow to the eye (he was vulnerable to arrow attacks), while he was being ambushed by another Uruk who wanted to take his position. Lol. I also killed the archer, and one other nemesis, but I believe only one of them is dead dead. The others, including that fuckface, Golm, will be back I'm sure. I spared Golm by getting intel from him instead, but next time around, I'm popping his brain.
 
V

VFX_Veteran

Banned
Talion is a fucking bad-ass! His animations are way cooler than any of the AC characters. Why didn't Ubisoft come up with this kind of combat mechanic?

Can't wait to get home tonight! I loved how one of the Orc masters try to hunt me. That's awesome!
 
N

Nyx

Member
After the first hour in which I needed to get used to the running/climbing/combat mechanics, the second hour has been an absolute blast.

Seriously just 1 thing annoys me and that is the transition from being in the open world to the intro of a mission that you select.

The Dark Ranger skin suddenly is gone in the cutscene and any orcs nearby the mission marker are vanished into thin air. Even the time of day went from night to day iirc.

But as really everything else so far feels just right, I'm glad it seems my own personal hype that became very big thanks to all the previews wasn't for nothing.

Graphics are better than in any video I've seen, but I guess that's always the case when you finally see the game on your own tv.

Can't wait for the weekend for some serious playtime.
 
A

ak1276

Banned
fluffydelusions said:
Lol that is what those are? I saw some weird names in those mission that didn't sound very lotr. Guess they were steam friends
Click to expand...

It's kind of weird, because I have one friend on my PS4 friends list who plays, but I get Vendetta missions for people I don't recognize.

The tip off was early in the game (before I knew what vendetta missions were), I saw a mission that said 'Avenge AddMeOnLeague by killing Orbuk Gigg (NOT the actual name of the orc.) I thought that was weird.
 
W

WheelHoss1

Member
I was regenerating health with no rune equipped.

It was in the amazing, epic
50-man orc Royal Rumble.
Died on the 1st attempt, got it on the second. I was almost dead when I had a hit steak upwards of 30, did a bunch of executions, and my health was completely full. Maybe I leveled up?

Also, the reward for the quest was supposed to be
some sword thing.
But it doesn't really seem to have unlocked anything new. Hmmm.
 
Z

Zeliard

Member
Glorious Ownage said:
How do you get sword runes? I'm just getting a ton of bow runes
Click to expand...

Type of rune depends on how you kill the enemy.

It was explained in the game at some point. Something like:

Stealth kill on enemy w/ stealth weakness - dagger rune
Bow kill on enemy w/ ranged weakness - bow rune
Sword kill on enemy with combat weakness - sword rune
 
P

Patroclos

Banned
ak1276 said:
It's kind of weird, because I have one friend on my PS4 friends list who plays, but I get Vendetta missions for people I don't recognize.

The tip off was early in the game (before I knew what vendetta missions were), I saw a mission that said 'Avenge AddMeOnLeague by killing Orbuk Gigg (NOT the actual name of the orc.) I thought that was weird.
Click to expand...

The online stuff seems wonky on the PS4 dashboard. I have +/- 200 gaffers on my friends list but it said only 5 of my friends have the game. Many in this thread don't show up yet for some reason.

Add me for more avenge missions, guys! PSN; Dienekes21
 
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