Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
While there have been countless innovations in video games, two in particular stand out to me as absolute game changers. The first is bullet time, a mechanic that has since been adapted into countless games. The other? Well, it was only really used twice… I’m Tolkien about the Nemesis System. Locked away behind a trademark after its original developers, Monolith Productions, were shut down, the Nemesis System remains one of the most fascinating mechanics of the last generation. Now, Aspyr, which recently resurrected The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, has brought what is arguably the greatest Lord of the Rings game ever made (although The Two Towers on GameCube might come close) to Nintendo Switch 2, with a Smaug look on their faces. But is this one port to rule them all? Or should we cast it into the fires of Mount Doom? What’s It Like? Equip your sword, interrogate some orcs, and prepare to make a few enemies as we review Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor for Nintendo Switch 2.
Set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor puts us in the boots of Talion, a Ranger of Gondor stationed at the Black Gate of Mordor. After Talion and his fellow Rangers are attacked by the forces of Sauron, Talion is killed alongside his family. Rather than simply passing into the afterlife, however, he finds himself bound to the spirit of Celebrimbor, the Elven smith responsible for forging the Rings of Power. Now unable to truly live or die, Talion and Celebrimbor set out across Mordor seeking revenge, while trying to uncover exactly what happened to them and why they have been brought back. Now, I’m not a huge Lord of the Rings fan, and I really exhausted all my knowledge of the franchise just trying to come up with the puns in the intro. But I still found the story to be fairly accessible for someone like me, while fans will find plenty of references and lore to dig into.
Since this is a story of revenge, you will be systematically tearing apart an ever-changing army thanks to the iconic Nemesis System, which features a constantly evolving hierarchy of Orcs you will hunt down. This system is everywhere in the game, even when you’re just free-roaming around. Each Captain starts off hidden, and it’s up to you to interrogate Orcs to reveal details like their name and location, while Worms provide even more detailed information, including their strengths and weaknesses, that can make your life significantly easier. I was hunting a specific Captain while free-roaming and received information that he was weak to ranged attacks. Instead of having to fight my way through his bodyguards and followers, I simply launched an arrow to dispatch him instantly, effectively wiping him off the board and weakening the chain of command.
This chain of command not only forms the backbone of the game’s structure, but also comes into play on the battlefield. Slay a Captain in front of his troops, and some may scatter. Fighting the Warchiefs means you may have Captains in the fight too, alongside an army of underlings. It’s up to you to think on your feet: do you take out a Captain and thin the herd, or try to take the Warchief on and make them all flee? The more you progress, the more your reputation precedes you, with some Orcs even claiming that they had to bolster patrol numbers because of you. But you aren’t the only threat the Orcs will face, as infighting can often change the hierarchy whether you play a hand in it or not. You can eventually influence these events as well, such as interrupting a power struggle between two Captains, shutting down a recruitment drive, or staying an execution… or taking two pieces off the board at once. It’s all really well done.
This all falls back onto the outstanding combat system, which feels like the Arkham games on steroids. You will attack, counter, and use special abilities to fight 20 to 30 Orcs at a time, and no matter how big or small the engagement, it’s always so incredibly satisfying. If fighting isn’t your thing, you can fall back on stealth mechanics, which can instantly fell common enemies, while Captains require a more direct approach that’s only as effective as your intel. As you progress, you will unlock XP for skills and Power levels that increase your prowess in combat, from minor abilities like adding a stun when you jump over enemies, to game-changing mechanics like poisoning grog barrels or draining the life from your enemies with the Wraith. You will also be able to imbue your sword, dagger, and bow with Runes collected from fallen Captains, modifying their abilities with effects like giving you a chance to make enemies flee or causing your sword to burst into flame for additional damage. All these systems come together to create a supremely satisfying game that still manages to hold up to this day thanks to its incredible mechanics.
Despite being 12 years old, visually, Shadow of Mordor still holds up really well. The Orcs are incredibly detailed and even sport wounds from previous encounters, while there’s plenty of attention to detail to ensure each Captain looks unique. Combat and effects also look incredible in motion, and there’s a surprising amount of detail packed into the world itself. It’s probably the world that shows its age the most, and I can’t quite put my finger on exactly what it is. Perhaps it’s the textures or the level of geometry, but there are moments where you can definitely see that this is a game from 2014. There are also some minor visual inconsistencies, like the neck area flickering when taking someone’s head off, along with a few camera angle issues. But despite these little imperfections, I’ve played this solidly for almost 15 hours straight and have been completely immersed.
But all of this praise, which is well deserved, might come with a dealbreaker for some, and that’s the framerate. Shadow of Mordor is locked to 30fps, and during larger encounters, the frametime can occasionally feel a little dicey. I understand that plenty of gamers will be disappointed by this, as even I expected it to run at 60fps when I purchased it. For me, though, it didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment revisiting Shadow of Mordor. It was a little jarring going from The Witcher 3 on to Shadow of Mordor, especially considering the visuals we’ve seen in the recently released remaster.
For my Rangers looking into accessibility, there are no options to speak of. Aspyr has added gyro controls for bow aiming, though, which might be preferable for some players. Outside of this, I recommend further research into finding out if Shadow of Mordor suits your accessibility needs.
At the current asking price of $15 AUD, or even the full price of $30 AUD, Shadow of Mordor is a steal for players who have never experienced it, and a great excuse to revisit the game for veterans. Aspyr has included all the GOTY content, including the Lord of the Hunt and The Bright Lord story campaigns, Trials of War, which takes a more open-ended approach to the Nemesis System, and the Nemesis Forge, where you can build your own Orc army to take down. While the main campaign will take around 12–15 hours if you’re rushing through it, and 40+ hours for completionists looking to take on all the challenges and unlock everything, the additional content gives you plenty more to sink your teeth into.
Revisiting Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor on Switch 2 has been an absolute joy. I’d forgotten just how incredible that visceral combat feels, but more importantly… just how fascinating the Nemesis System is. Could it have benefited from a framerate boost? Absolutely. A game this good running at 60fps would have been fantastic, and there are moments where the 30fps cap is noticeable. But that never stopped me from getting completely immersed in Mordor. Aspyr has brought across an outstanding game that, despite being more than a decade old, still manages to stand toe-to-toe with much more modern titles. While I may not know enough about the wider lore of The Lord of the Rings, this was one story I just couldn’t put down.
So, What’s It Like? Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is like Arkham Asylum, crossed with Assassin’s Creed.
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