Shadow of Mordor got its first major DLC installment today, Lord of the Hunt. As the name suggests, the expansion is all about monsters—ones you can kill or bend to your will in various ways. Let's take a closer look at some of these gnarly new beasts.
Is there anything more confusing than video game lore? Oh, right: Lord of the Rings video game lore. I could've sworn there were other gamers out who've been having a hard time figuring out what the hell is going on in Shadow of Mordor's main story. Finally, I can say for sure that I'm not alone.
Shadow of Mordor is already a pretty game, but adding the HD texture pack and playing it on "Ultra" settings really takes it to the next level. Digital Foundry recently did a comparison that shows how brightly the game shines on a maxed-out PC. Only thing is: getting there will cost you an arm and a leg.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--lbjowVMh--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/mrqaitbqzupvvl6uelmz.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--G0N1uSYp--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/mrqaitbqzupvvl6uelmz.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--prpCw3m2--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/mrqaitbqzupvvl6uelmz.jpg, (large)])
Confused why Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor left "Lord of the Rings" out of its name? Well, lead designer Bob Roberts just explained to Eurogamer that the omission was a deliberate choice to make sure the game was seen as "clearly its own thing" by keeping it "separate" from established LOTR franchises. Mystery solved!
It's so easy to resort to lazy and hurtful stereotypes whenever we talk about orcs. If nothing else, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor shows us how disrespectful this is. These monsters may be hideous, but they're also individuals with hopes and dreams—unique and precious like snowflakes. Let's celebrate them as such.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--9QvkZBFM--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/n3iuydvzw9wbjtaxb0se.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ULpQKzpl--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/n3iuydvzw9wbjtaxb0se.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--6MZmZ_q4--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/n3iuydvzw9wbjtaxb0se.png, (large)])
Artist Adam Rufino created a Middle-Earth-styled version of Johto, the setting of the Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal games. Really cool details, and it also reminds me of all those 2nd edition Dungeons & Dragons maps of the Forgotten Realms.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Kmykskrq--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/lwawesdyp2gfnkpsnvut.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--i4bXorc9--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/lwawesdyp2gfnkpsnvut.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--BtuGZK_g--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/lwawesdyp2gfnkpsnvut.jpg, (large)])
Why is Gollum in Middle-earth Shadow of Mordor? WE SHALL SEE. Meanwhile, here's a new story trailer for the upcoming action game, which is out on September 30 for 360, PS3, PS4, and XB1, and on October 2 for PC.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor will be out a bit earlier than expected—the upcoming action game just got bumped up a week to September 30 (PS4, PS3, 360, Xbox One) and October 2 (PC). Between this, Dragon Age, and Battlefield, it's like everyone's trying to avoid October!
We've talked about the Outerra engine a few times here on Kotaku, and every time we do, someone invariably asks "but what is this actually for"? Well, here's one application: it's great for making a 1:1 recreation of Middle Earth.
If you woke up craving new footage from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, the newest game in Tolkien's iconic fantasy world, then you crave weird things. But also, you're in luck: via GameSpot, here's eight new minutes of footage from Shadow of Mordor, filled with orc-stomping and orc-slashing and orc-murdering.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--uZbQtJpp--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/1970vld2ckp7ajpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--QMfBijVv--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/1970vld2ckp7ajpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--lzjvfUZy--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/1970vld2ckp7ajpg.jpg, (large)])
Middle-earth is spilling over into New Zealand. Again.
The next Lord of the Rings game is called Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, and it's an open-world action game set between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Hjlr-6wi--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/17xljc4xre22ijpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ZTqeaUK6--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/17xljc4xre22ijpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--tncY2gVF--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17xljc4xre22ijpg.jpg, (large)])
The Middle Earth Roleplaying Project is a rather glorious Skyrim mod, designed meticulously to recreate Tolkien's world.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--U7xKX9jT--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/18j4hz2exbmxcjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--FhcfmKA7--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/18j4hz2exbmxcjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--YXf1gkor--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j4hz2exbmxcjpg.jpg, (large)])
Elemental: War of Magic is a PC turn-based strategy game with a sweet map and a marriage alliance system that sounds like something from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--7wavppvu--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/18hhe5hukhmr8jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VkAyko4---/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/18hhe5hukhmr8jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--FeekLqXd--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hhe5hukhmr8jpg.jpg, (large)])
