3) Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
For some odd reason, the gods of gaming have shined their fickle light upon the Lord of the Rings series and graced it with some of the best video game adaptations of movies to date. To this day I can still throw in The Two Towers or Return of the King on PS2 and have an absolute blast alone or with a bud.
Looking to keep the good name of the series intact, Monolith took a risk and released Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, which is based in Middle-earth but takes some liberties in the story department while finally opening up the environment to the point of total freedom from the first battle. Needless to say, they knocked it out of the park, delivering an intensely fun title that’s made purely for adult fans of the series and the fantasy genre as a whole.
Although the story of Talion’s quest for revenge through the ravaged lands bordering the Black Gate of Mordor is hardly unique or compelling, ripping orcs to shreds and cutting your way through their ranks using the ingenious Nemesis system is unlike any other experience in the past few years. Displacing orcs who have evaded death for too long is a pleasure, and fighting a longtime nemesis after he earns a promotion for killing you once is riveting, giving many battles a personal feeling missing from many similar (and lesser) titles.
If Shadow of Mordor had been in less careful hands or left to sell copies based on its relation to the source material, it would have just been another disappointing tie-in cash cow. But thanks to Monolith’s dedication to creating a memorable title that stands on its own merits, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor ranks as one of the best licensed games of any generation, and one of this year’s most exciting releases.