It’s sad that many gamers find it surprising when an established franchise takes a quality step into the world of video games, especially since many of these series are full of interactive potential. Luckily, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series has had many successful releases, including both movie tie-ins and original works that delve deeper into the rich mythology that millions of fans love.
Since Monolith Productions took over work on the intellectual property’s video game license, fans have been anticipating their in-development project, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, which looks to bring a grittier perspective to the archetypal fantasy landscape. As if the talent behind this entry’s plot wasn’t enough to raise some eyebrows (the story is being written by Christian Cantamessa, the mind behind Red Dead Redemption‘s epic tale), Monolith and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) have now revealed the main players who will lend their voices to the title. Check out a sample below:
• Troy Baker – Talion (The Last of Us, Batman: Arkham Origins, BioShock Infinite, Batman: Arkham City)
• Nolan North – Black Hand (Uncharted series, Batman: Arkham Origins)
• Alastair Duncan – Wraith (Mass Effect series, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception)
• Laura Bailey – Ioreth (Halo 4, Batman: Arkham Origins, The Last of Us)
• Liam O’Brien – Gollum (Infamous: Second Son, Grand Theft Auto V, The Last of Us)
While this is just a smattering of the voices who will be stalking through Middle-Earth, the inclusion of Nolan North and Troy Baker is extremely promising, as is the laundry list of fantastic titles that all of the actors have worked on.
Monolith and WBIE have also released a new story trailer for Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, detailing the quest that protagonist Talion will be undertaking when the game is released on October 7. Equal parts gritty and fantastical, this looks to be an interesting journey in Middle-Earth that will either win over tons of new fans with its modernized style or cause an uproar from purists.
Check out the Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor trailer below and place a pre-order for either the PS3, PS4, PC, Xbox 360 or the Xbox One if you find yourself craving more of the One Ring.