The Middle-Earth Lord of the Rings Games

For more of: Medieval fantasy based on literary works, open-world RPG gameplay
Notable differences: Arkham-style combat, no spellcasting, dragon riding in the sequel
Availability:
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor: Windows (Steam Deck OK), macOS, Linux, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS3, PS4, PS5
Middle-earth: Shadow of War: Windows (Steam Deck OK), Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5

Fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is rife with storytelling potential, and Monolith Productions’ Middle-Earth series proves just that. Two games, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War, placed between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, center the non-canon character Talion just after the Elf lord Celebrimbor forged a new Ring of Power to battle against the Dark lord Sauron and his rising army.

Sure, that doesn’t sound anything like CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but the comparison is in the Medieval fantasy setting, monster slaying, and open-world RPG gameplay. There are creatures to ride (like dragons), minor magic to unlock, and plenty of fascinating characters to interact with, all on top of Monolith Productions’ game-changing yet patented Nemesis system. These games will hit that The Witcher 3 fix you’re looking for, for sure. — Levi Winslow