Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:19 am

I finished the game up last night 100%. I'm playing on PS4, but I didn't go for the platinum trophy since it requires a lot of gaming the Nemesis system and I'm not really interested in going back and doing all that.

Looking back on the game, I really loved the progression from sneaking around 2-3 orcs because you weren't sure you could handle them to endgame just waltzing into a stronghold and kicking everyone's ass. Definitely one of the most fun open world experiences I've had in awhile, and I'm glad they didn't overdo it with the collectibles and side stuff.

My final time was 29 hours and 42 minutes, which means the developer estimate of 30 hours was just about spot on. I felt that was plenty of time to make me feel I really got my money's worth without it wearing out its welcome.

Just looking back at the games I've finished this year, I'd say it's also the current front-runner for GOTY for me as well.

Cortilian · Post by **Cortilian** » Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:44 am

I caved and purchased it. Just killed a captain that got CeeKay

Loving it.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 24, 2014 10:22 am

Smoove_B wrote:
GreenGoo wrote:Tonight wasn't so bad, although I still had a couple "fuck you stupid controller" moments.
I know you said you played Arkham (or one of the Batman games), but are you fully comfortable with using the Xbox360 controller (or equivalent)? I mean, have you played through the Assassin's Creed games, [Prototype], all the Batman games, the new Tomb Raider -- most of the 3rd person action titles? I'm not finding the controller issues to be that distracting, but I'm hellified comfortable with mine now. Took a few years to rewire my old-man brain, but I'm all about the controller now.

As I said earlier in the thread, I've played quite a few games now with the controller. I've had the controller for about 2 years now, played through Deadspace and Arkham Asylum (finishing both) with it, as well as a pile of platformers and other games of that nature. I played some Sleeping Dogs with it (I also tried out the keyboard). For some reason I didn't use it for WH40K: Space Marine, but in retrospect I should have. Space Marine is another game that has a definite console feel to it, how your character moves, how the animations control your motion (i.e. you start a movement and it's got to finish the animation before you can change direction/attack/whatever. I'm not confusing this with the Space Marine's inertia. That is clearly intentional and by design) versus how your motion causes animations (in typical 3D shooters on the PC, you have complete control and can change direction on a dime (for example).

Something that has been working better for me is to make my special attacks a very deliberate motion. Instead of sliding across from the X button to the Y/B buttons, I lift my thumb off the controller completely and then push down hard and deliberately, versus a more fluid flowing back and forth between buttons/presses. this seems to have eased the problem of the controller registering one button separately from the other button when I attempt a 2 button move. This is almost certainly related to how I use the controller, so it's all on me.

It feels very much like how different people like their double click time to be at different rates. Some people want it to be lightning quick, while other people (like me, due to some wrist damage from years of jerk...playing video games) want it to still register a double click even though the gap between clicks is more significant.

Anyway, don't want to put any more time into complaining about it right now, since the game is fun and both my son and I can hardly wait to get home and start playing again.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 24, 2014 10:34 am

Was able to handle many more orcs at once last night, so my combat problems seem to be lessening. A couple of stronghold assaults, taking on multiple captains and then 2 captains and a warchief was a lot of fun and tactically interesting. I should probably start using arrow time more often in melee combat to thin out the herd a bit faster. Combat drain could certainly help with that. I don't usually use anything but ground pound (which really isn't very good but does give you a bit of breathing room for a second. Also I can trigger it more readily) and execute (which I'm still missing a disturbing amount of times). I recently got fire arrow and have a rune to cause it to explode, so I should definitely be firing that off in melee more often.

I have the feeling that I'm missing someting on the execute. It's possible that there is something else messing with my executes, like not pointing the joystick directly at a target (possibly) or there is a small timing issue that I'm missing. It may not always be a lack of button pressing that is causing my problems. I'll experiment more.

As YK said, the progression from sneaking around and stealth killing 2 or 3 orcs because taking them on directly is dangerous, to assaulting a fully alarmed stronghold is pretty great. I already feel like a badass and I still have quite a few skills left for me on the skill tree.

Having a War Chief vulnerable to stealth kills is kind of weird. I drew him out, ran away, came back stealthed and killed him from the top of (one of) the highest wall in the stronghold. While it's kinda cool to one shot a Capt by putting an arrow in his ear, I'm at the point where it's anticlimatic. Not to mention I've got some real badass captains with invulnerability to everything except combat finishers, so when a Captain is a helluva fight but a Warchief goes down in one shot, it feels off. Still, who doesn't love crushing an orc from on high?

Lots of good things to be said about the game. The side quests give you lots of things to do, and reasons to practice all aspects of combat with your character.

I'm *still* finding new kill animations. The variety they put into the orcs themselves as well as how you can kill them is incredibly impressive.

Can I just say, the orcs look GREAT. And there are so many looks (the various combinations of same feature elements don't feel like variations of the same guy, they feel like totally new guys). I also love when you decide to interrogate one of them. The look of terror on their faces just before you enter their mind is amazing. I'm still not tired of seeing an orc with a look of abject terror on his face. Stupid orcs.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 24, 2014 11:49 pm

Don't worry Sepiche, I murdered whatshisname Hothead for you. Kept knocking him down and stabbing him in the kidneys.

He tried running, but I caught him and sifted through what was left of his mind before crushing it like a grapefruit.

edit: You too godhugh. Latbag Fast Feet had most of his entourage run off after I popped one of their heads, leaving Fast Feet alone and on the ground most of the time. When I let him stand up, he got the backhand, allowing Celebrimdor to make an appearance and help me cut him to ribbons.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 6:39 pm

Pop goes the warchief!

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 6:59 pm

Just realized that because everything else in the game is so good, I failed to consciously notice how awesome the voice acting is.

It's really fantastic. In any other game I would have been gushing over it. In this game, it just matches the quality of everything and is seamless. It fits perfectly.

Teggy · Post by **Teggy** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 7:46 pm

I did think it was funny that they put out a whole video about how both Nolan North and Troy Baker are in the game and NN had like 3 lines.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:02 pm

The voice acting is good, although the characterization sometimes feels a bit... off. Especially when the main character exchanges meaningful glances with the attractive female character, despite having seen his wife murdered in front of him just a couple of days ago.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:09 pm

AWS260 wrote:The voice acting is good, although the characterization sometimes feels a bit... off. Especially when the main character exchanges meaningful glances with the attractive female character, despite having seen his wife murdered in front of him just a couple of days ago.

Ah. I'm not that far along. Just entered the second area and finished her mom's quests. No meaningful glances, yet.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 12:00 am

Is it me, or does Branding make the game trivial?

Also, does power do anything once you've unlocked the last tier of skills?

Effidian · Post by **Effidian** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 6:17 am

GreenGoo wrote:Is it me, or does Branding make the game trivial?

Yes, it sure does.

Also, does power do anything once you've unlocked the last tier of skills?

No. Then you are just killing them for enjoyment...

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 8:15 pm

The game's got a bit of a reverse difficulty curve, starting out tough and getting easier as you progress. I was kind of hoping that they'd throw some big challenges at you towards the end that would make you use everything you had learned up to that point, but instead they don't really make any attempt to do so.

There are some definite balance issues due to the open world design, though since they benefit the player I haven't heard many people complain. For instance, the aformentioned fact that you'll probably unlock all your skill tiers long before you finish the game, meaning power is wasted and power missions become completely worthless. I also found that I unlocked all my upgrades fairly easily, but finished the game without unlocking all my abilities since it would have taken a ton of grinding. Nothing wrong with that, except a few legendaries require specific abilities to unlock, so I ended up grinding anyway just to get those 2-3.

None of this is game-breaking or ruined my enjoyment of the game whatsoever. It's just stuff that I could see improved upon in a sequel.

baelthazar · Post by **baelthazar** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 10:10 pm

GreenGoo wrote:Is it me, or does Branding make the game trivial?

It does make it easier, yes. But then you open up this political game where you can influence the development of a captain directly. I'm sure someone more clever than I has figured out how to use this for some amazing gaming of the system (like farming epic runes or something), but for me it is just a fun attempt to dominate the entire map.

noxiousdog · Post by **noxiousdog** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 10:57 am

AWS260 wrote:The voice acting is good, although the characterization sometimes feels a bit... off. Especially when the main character exchanges meaningful glances with the attractive female character, despite having seen his wife murdered in front of him just a couple of days ago.

I got the impression much more time (years) had elapsed.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 11:18 am

I didn't even see the medicine quest for quite some time so I had almost everyone branded before I saw the daughter again. Yeah, I see there is a look between them, but I've been a ghost slaying orcs for so long, the wounds of my family's death are mostly scar tissue and avenging them is just a normal day for me.

I personally feel that it's not too soon for some tension, especially from her side of things. From his side, well, having a wraith as your only companion has got to be lonely.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Tue Oct 28, 2014 2:58 pm

I should report that through practice and some altered playing style, a lot of the issues I had listed before have been reduced.

I've got my executions up to about 90% success now. Mostly I just take a swing at someone first before trying to execute. Once the game has me "locked on" a target, it will execute that target. Not the most efficient, but the game doesn't require much efficiency at the late stages and it's a lot of fun.

I've also chosen to avoid branding in combat unless I'm out of arrows and want to shoot something. Branding is just too ridiculously easy, and with all the combat tools you have in the kit at this point, you can forgo branding without issue. I still brand captains and higher. I also death threaten everyone to get them some personal bodyguards and reduce their weaknesses. Being able to one shot a Captain (or worse, a warchief) from range is a bit silly. Ditto stealth, although at least that requires some sneakiness first.

These days I just charge into a stronghold and fight my way to the target then fight my way out again. Obviously the game is supposed to be easier when you have all the skills, so I'm not bragging or anything, just stating how I get my fun outta the game now.

My son finished with a 31% completion, doing everything stealthy. I'm actually impressed, because there are a few situations where I found stealth to be extremely difficult until I figured out the correct route.

I think I'm sitting at around 85% completed, so now I'm just collecting the last few artifacts (I still have 1 glyph missing I think) and my final dagger missions (sword and bow are done).

If I was in a rush I could be finished tonight I'm sure, but I've been taking my time since the beginning. My son finished in 20 hours or thereabouts, and I think I've got twice that and am still not done.

I think I'll start the game again right away. I might give myself some self imposed handicaps for the next run. Not sure what yet though.

The game is a blast, which is not news to anyone at this point.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri Oct 31, 2014 12:44 pm

Just about done. Spent most of the last 2 or 3 nights just running around finishing up the outcast quests. I kinda ignored those early on. I also went back to the first area to brand all the warchiefs there too, for fun. I just enjoy beating up orcs, so I'm roaming around beating up random orcs. Finished the last 2 hunting quests. Did the tower. Save flle is showing 97% complete, so I hope I've got everything done except the final quest(s) for the Hand.

I have way more hours in than most people, I assume. I think I'm pushing 50 at this point.

Will do it tonight if I get time, what with halloween going on.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Nov 01, 2014 6:04 pm

So I finished, at 98%. Apparently there were 2 outcast missions I missed, but when I returned after the big win, the missions were no where to be found.

I also wanted to try the game over again starting from scratch, but there is only 2 saved slots?! Since my son had one, I erased mine (didn't want to, but whatever). Started a new game, went through the opening tutorials and entered mordor, only to find out that only the quests had been reset. I still had full upgrades. All skills that are not tied to a quest were already unlocked and the full arrow/focus/hp upgrades too.

Not sure if that's a bug or intended, but I wanted to start from scratch, not just do the missions over again. I figure it's a bug since my xp starts at zero and I got a skill point with my first encounter, despite having all the skills already. All fast travel towers were already unlocked too.

Ah well.

edit: deleted the save game slot again, left the game, loaded the game and everything is reset. Game is brand new, no skills unlocked, no towers unlocked. Guess it was a weird data bug.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Wed Nov 05, 2014 12:33 am

Finished it a second time. I think I'm missing 4 achievements.

Even more fun the second time, but I think I'm done.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 1:15 am

Think Ill buy this. Its 25% on Steam. I dont think it will be lower during any holiday sale....and Im tired or waiting for a new game lol.

oh its $37.49

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 6:13 am

Ok I bought this just now and it will install tonight while Im asleep.

I see there are 2 free downloads for it....Power of Shadow and a HD pack. Do I grab those? The HD pack says it needs a 6gb memory video card!! I surpass all requirements but that one...ive never even heard of a video card with more than 4gb...mine has 2gb....should I bother?

MonkeyFinger · Post by **MonkeyFinger** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:24 am

I see people saying yes, the HD textures are great even with 2GB of VRAM and others with 6+ saying to not bother. Here is an article that falls on the 'nay' side. FWIW. It is free however and you can always uninstall it, I assume.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:12 pm

Cant seem to get either one to download or install...it says they have been added to my account and to click here to open games and install..but it never loads that page in the Steam app.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 11:55 pm

Well Im going to have to find me a tweak guide. Its running choppy but just randomly in places. Its gotten me killed in the first fight and got a orc promoted to Captain. Ill have to tweak it and turn something off of max as I have it now then start a new game.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 1:55 am

Had this 2 days and so far I hate this game. I just suck at it. I haven't gotten past the very start tower. I die the first fight I get into..every time.

this time I let that beast out I saw a guy tame and ride in the previews I watched and all I could do was kill it. I then started fighting a boss orc right there and then another boss orc showed up...then another...then a 4th boss orc. So Im fighting 4 boss orcs in the start area and I die to one of them using an explosive cross bow. Hate this game.

I think if I could ever get started Id love it...looks fun and well made...but so far yeech.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:13 am

This game is much harder in the beginning than it is in the end, so you do have to go through a period of frustration and toughing it out until you unlock some better skills. Know when to run, as you can't handle four bosses early on. You can barely handle one. Also, stay high and use stealth/ranged whenever possible to get your kill count up and minimize direct melee.

I know it doesn't seem possible now, but there will come a time when you will walk into the middle of a stronghold and laugh at their feeble attempts to take you down.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:25 am

Exactly. You're probably not reading the tips on the loading screens either - you can't go after head-honcho orcs before taking care of their bodyguards. You also need to gain information on each one to learn how best to attack them. There's much more strategy (early on) thank just jumping into a fight and swinging around like a maniac. Yes, you can take on groups of standard low-level orcs that way, but once they start mixing with ranged units, berserkers, shield bearers and then leaders you have to fight smarter, not harder.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:26 am

Yeah, difficulty is super front-loaded. Also, the Nemesis system is actually based around you dying to orcs, so dying isn't actually a super bad thing. I think you even gain power for each death. It can definitely be frustrating, but it gets cool when you start running into the same captains again, and they taunt you based on what happened last time you met, or when you really, really, really start hating that one particular captain that offed you a bunch.

If you haven't already, spend some time just doing the gold story quests. Those are usually the ones that open up new abilities, and abilities are what really makes the difference in difficulty. Oh, and prioritize the first few health upgrades too.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 10:32 am

Daehawk wrote:Had this 2 days and so far I hate this game. I just suck at it. I haven't gotten past the very start tower. I die the first fight I get into..every time.

this time I let that beast out I saw a guy tame and ride in the previews I watched and all I could do was kill it. I then started fighting a boss orc right there and then another boss orc showed up...then another...then a 4th boss orc. So Im fighting 4 boss orcs in the start area and I die to one of them using an explosive cross bow. Hate this game.

I think if I could ever get started Id love it...looks fun and well made...but so far yeech.

Running is an option.

It's actually too easy in my opinion to just run away, although that's usually after the mantling=speed boost skill.

You don't *need* to win every fight, and dying has it's consequences (mostly at the beginning of the game, where you are), so just run away when things get ridiculous.

I will admit I found it frustrating when Captain after Captain showed up just as you were about to finish off the first one, but once you've played for awhile, you'll start to appreciate those times. I actually look forward to multiple Captain fights, especially when they surprise me (i.e. I didn't know what I was getting into when I started the fight).

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 10:35 am

YellowKing wrote:I know it doesn't seem possible now, but there will come a time when you will walk into the middle of a stronghold and laugh at their feeble attempts to take you down.

Lol, I remember one fight where I couldn't get enough of a breath to finish the objective. The hordes were infinite and kept interrupting me. I think I decided enough was enough after 45 minutes of slaughtering them and broke LoS so I could stealth and get up high and return after swarming died down a little. 45 minutes of wading through infinite orcs until I got bored/realized no progress was possible. I was never going to die, but couldn't finish the quest either.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 10:40 am

Chaz wrote: when you really, really, really start hating that one particular captain that offed you a bunch.

I'm usually immune to that sort of thing (they're ai after all, just code) but I can remember twice I kept ramming my head against the brick wall as they got tougher and tougher on me, for every time I died they got more power, less weaknesses, and more strengths. I eventually won. I didn't feel victorious so much as relief, in that my psychological need to win the fight was over, and I could get back to actually, you know, making progress on quests and stuff.

I've had a few "Oh hellz no" moments where I rezzed and immediately went back to teach that lucky sob a lesson.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 11:33 am

Chaz wrote: but it gets cool when you start running into the same captains again, and they taunt you based on what happened last time you met, or when you really, really, really start hating that one particular captain that offed you a bunch.

Yes, I had one sniveling coward with a poison club that would taunt the hell out of me repeatedly. He was immune to stealth attacks and combat finishes, so he was constantly breaking my attack streaks and driving me insane. I finally had to give him the business with arrows to soften him up but he would always flee. Then I'd ambush him during hunts or fights with other orcs and he would flee those events as well. It really felt awesome to finally kill him and I was pissed when he ambushed me, wearing a sack over his head, all mangled and angry that I had defeated him. I think he killed me three times before I finally gave him the business - and it was quite satisfying.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 12:31 pm

Omg, yeah, I remember a guy that was weak to fire. I must have knocked him around so many times with fire that by the 3rd or 4th encounter he was just a mass of bandages and scar tissue. Barely had a face.

Fuck that guy.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:07 pm

And when I start a new game I have to watch all those videos again at the start and see my family killed....sigh.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 9:14 pm

Daehawk wrote:And when I start a new game I have to watch all those videos again at the start and see my family killed....sigh.

Can be skipped. At least I was able to on the second game I played. Skipped all cut scenes in second playthrough. I was using a controller, pretty sure all I did was hit B, then a little graphic/button showed up with the word "skip" and the letter "B" beside it. Hitting B again skipped it. Skipped tutorial stuff with son as well (except the actual fighting the orcs).

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Nov 17, 2014 11:33 pm

Not using my controller. I wonder if Id have an easier time using my 360 controller for this?

Cortilian · Post by **Cortilian** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 8:54 am

Daehawk wrote:Not using my controller. I wonder if Id have an easier time using my 360 controller for this?

Oh God yes.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 11:28 am

Cortilian wrote:
Daehawk wrote:Not using my controller. I wonder if Id have an easier time using my 360 controller for this?
Oh God yes.

I'm a convert too. I played Kingdom of Amalur originally with keyboard and mouse, but pretty much any game that doesn't require precision control and supports gamepads I use my xbox controller now.

I won't play Titanfall with a controller (that is one fast paced shooter) but almost everything else I use the gamepad. I will say there are some quick-time events in Mordor that are WORLDS easier with a mouse (trivial really) that are about the right level of difficulty if you use a gamepad.

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Tue Nov 18, 2014 4:51 pm

I played this all with mouse and keyboard after briefly trying with the controller. Controller worked better for combat, but the bow aiming was vastly better with the mouse. Since I've sworn off even trying to do any aiming with a controller, I went with mouse/keyboard for everything. It actually worked really well. Turning during combat was fast and accurate, I bound dodge and grab to mouse thumb buttons, and had my special moves on the keys under my left index. Then I could drop into focus mode, reel off eight or nine headshots before my focus ran out, and jump right back into sword swinging.

Aiming with the controller is the pits.