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Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
Critics Consensus (Play It)
A massive, somewhat bloated, Lord of the Rings experience that’s enjoyable enough. The nemesis system shines, but a lackluster story drags down the experience.
Game Info
Go behind enemy lines to forge your army, conquer Fortresses and dominate Mordor from within. Experience how the award winning Nemesis System creates unique personal stories with every enemy and follower, and confront the full power of the Dark Lord Sauron and his Ringwraiths in this epic new story of Middle-earth.
0%
Recommended
0%
Average Score
Total Reviews: 118
Silver TIER
32% of scored reviews fell within the range of 86 to 92 / 100
RELEASE DATES:
GENRES:
- Action, RPG
DEVELOPER(S):
- Monolith
PUBLISHER(S):
- WB Games
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- Middle-Earth
GAME MODES:
- Single player
Where to Play
WHERE TO PLAY
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RATING & REVIEWS
Ratings & Reviews
118
Critic Reviews
82
Average Critic Score
Where to Play
CRITIC REVIEWS
All reviews are from professional critics. Learn more about the critics VSG aggregates.
High Score
100%
Median Score
84%
Low Score
50%
Andy Kelly (PC Gamer)
[Date Unavailable]
73/100
“The nemesis system shines in this unwieldy, bloated, and occasionally magnificent fantasy epic.”
Read full review
Leon Hurley (GamesRadar+)
[Date Unavailable]
4.5/5 stars
“A huge Lord of the Rings experience that’s always enjoyable, although its scale leaves it straining at the seams at times.”
Brad Shoemaker (Giant Bomb)
[Date Unavailable]
3/5 stars
“This sequel expands on the vaunted Nemesis system in wildly entertaining ways, even as it falls short around the edges.”
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Score Ranges
Read the Reviews (118 total)
| Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DNews | Алексей Лихачев | 8 / 10 | 10-20-2017 | Monolith did a lot of things right, but didn’t know when they should end the game. The best way to play is to finish Act 3, watch the ending and then look for the bonus cinematic on YouTube. This way you’ll save your time and spare your nerves. | Read review |
| Areajugones | Cristian M. Villa | 9 / 10 | 10-13-2017 | Monolith Productions manages to deliver a magnificent sequel to Shadow of Mordor. Allowing the players to recruit several types of different orcs that display unpredictable behavior thanks to the Nemesis system is a great experience. Overall, it happens to improve in almost every single area over its predecessor, and the possibility to use dragons as a tool for war is very pleasant. | Read review |
| Atomix | Alberto Desfassiaux | 90 / 100 | 10-10-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a great sequel to one of the best videogames based on Tolkien’s Universe. | Read review |
| Attack of the Fanboy | William Schwartz | 4.5 / 5 stars | 10-12-2017 | Middle Earth: Shadow of War is bigger and better than its predecessor in almost every conceivable way. If you don’t mind the repetition found in most open world games, there’s a robust strategy layer here that combines with a great combat system to offer hours and hours of Orc slaying, army building fun. | Read review |
| AusGamers | Steve Farrelly | 8 / 10 | 10-26-2017 | There’s plenty here to love, but you will need patience and you will need resolve, because the orcs and their player-defined society is a thing of, as I said earlier, unnatural beauty, it’s just a shame the rest of the game suffers in their expanded development wake. | Read review |
| BaziCenter | Mohamad Shokri | 9 / 10 | 10-18-2017 | Middle Earth: Shadow of War might look very familiar at first, but as you progress you’ll realize that almost everything has improved. The new nemesis system is a hit and will result in some huge and epic battles that you’ll never forget. | Read review |
| Bazimag | Hossein Sadri | 7.8 / 10 | 10-29-2017 | Monolith’s Shadow of War is mostly sacrificed by gaming world’s enormous expectations. However, WB Games’ hyping up the game was also big enough to create this not so good atmosphere. Middle Earth: Shadow of War didn’t make it to satisfy its players the way it should’ve done. Yet it’s still an entertaining and elegant piece of work which is undoubtedly attractive for almost all of the fans of action-roleplaying games. Therefore, In spite of its flaws, Shadow of War is recommended to everyone. | Read review |
| Cerealkillerz | Gabriel Bogdan | 7 / 10 | 10-10-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War wants to be too much at the same time and ends up (besides a greatly improved Nemesis System) in a repetitive mess that doesn’t shine in terms of story and graphics. The integration of the Lootboxes doesn’t effect the game as much as we expected but it still shouldn’t be in a Singleplayer title to begin with. Fans of Lord of the Rings still get to see some of their fan favourites and the gameplay this time is really solid. | Read review |
| CGMagazine | Jason Faulkner | 8 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is an improvement over its predecessor in every way imaginable. | Read review |
| Chalgyr’s Game Room | Nick Herber | 7 / 10 | 11-13-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a worthy sequel to the original Shadow of Mordor game in many ways, but it manages to fall short in a handful of others that are impossible to completely dismiss. That is a shame, since Mordor was my contender for Game of the Year when it released, and I had high, similar hopes for Shadow of War that unfortunately doesn’t reach those lofty expectations I had hope for. | Read review |
| Cheat Code Central | Jenni Lada | 4.3 / 5 stars | 10-11-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a definite improvement over Shadow of Mordor. People who played the first game and wanted to see serious growth will be pleased. There are times when it can feel a bit repetitive. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I could have spread the experience out over weeks, picking away at segments and really building up to those major sieges. But the Nemesis system does feel stronger this time around, with orcs that can be rather delightful as you continually fight them or prepare them to serve your own purposes in your army. If you don’t take the story too seriously, you should have a good enough time. | Read review |
| Checkpoint Gaming | Elliot Attard | Recommended | 10-22-2017 | There is a chasm the size of middle-earth itself that separates the ingenuity of the game’s Nemesis system and the snorefest that is the game’s ‘point of interest’ system | Read review |
| Chicas Gamers | Álvaro Bustío | Recommended | 01-23-2018 | Despite not very “armies that come together” fan I must admit that they are very frantic and not bad. Also mention that if we play online, we can invade the strengths of other players and take rewards for it, on the other hand we can also be invaded. | Read review |
| COGconnected | Grady Penna | 94 / 100 | 10-05-2017 | The combat system from the first game is back and still just as great. | Read review |
| ComiConverse | Jordan Samuel | 4 / 5 stars | 10-18-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) is a fantastic sequel aside from the controversial transactions and quite terrible marketing campaign. It follows up Mordor effortlessly with the expanded nemesis system, being the best mechanics in current generation video games. It can sometimes get bogged down with confusing mission placement and skill requirements for story progression. Tolkien fans will be happy as the lore is expanded upon and newcomers are set to enjoy an insight into the famous world | Read review |
| Critical Hit | Darryn Bonthuys | 9 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is Lord of the Rings turned up to 11. Improving on nearly every idea from the original Shadow of Mordor game, it’s a gargantuan sequel in both size and scope. | Read review |
| Cubed3 | Gabriel Jones | 7 / 10 | 11-11-2017 | A handful of issues, some much more annoying than others, do not negate how solid of an action RPG Middle-earth: Shadow of War is. A tremendous achievement for the team at Monolith Productions, this is an exciting, if not sometimes slow, and too often unfair, title that manages to be as impressively fun as it is big. While those issues will definitely find their way into your grinding teeth and clenching hands at least a few times throughout the experience, Middle-earth: Shadow of War has more than enough merit to keep drawing you back in. | Read review |
| Cultured Vultures | Jimmy Donnellan | 7 / 10 | 10-13-2017 | Ultimately, Shadow of War is a good game that isn’t as endearing as its predecessor or as revolutionary in its ideas. While it adds layers of new mechanics on top of the emergent gameplay found in the first, its creaky fundamentals, questionable endgame, and lackluster story hold it back from being quite as essential as what came before it. | Read review |
| Daily Mirror | Sam Jones | 4 / 5 stars | 10-12-2017 | Shadow of War is up there in with the best when it comes to great action RPG experiences and you’ll have hours of fun smashing your way through enemies in an abrupt fashion, or stealthily assassinating your targets from bushes or rooftops. | Read review |
| Destructoid | Chris Carter | 7 / 10 | 10-11-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War has a lot of fluff that attempts to sabotage it, but the game succeeds in its effort to make its world worth roaming around and killing things in. Although I wasn’t enthralled by the silly story beats that try to dance around telling an actual epic and somber tale, the ability to create my own stories with an expanded level of gameplay was more than sufficient to call this a step up. | Read review |
| Digiato | Pouria Daneshvar | 75 / 100 | 10-24-2017 | Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is a great expansion, built on the foundation of it’s predecessor. But still, it’s not a prefect product. Shadow of war is an undeniably messy experience. While the core mechanics, specially the nemesis system are fun and solid, the whole game feels sloppy and the adventure is forgettable. | Read review |
| Digital Chumps | Peter Taylor | 9 / 10 | 10-15-2017 | Loot boxes and a sexy Shelob aside Shadow of War is an impressive game in a franchise that whilst takes liberties with lore of the land produces a fascinating world full of captivating experiences. | Read review |
| Digitally Downloaded | Matt Sainsbury | 2.5 / 5 stars | 10-20-2017 | The whole experience feels so utterly soulless it’s hard to really care about any of it. | Read review |
| DualShockers | Logan Moore | 8.5 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Shadow of War finds its success in perfectly expanding upon everything that made Shadow of Mordor so great. Despite the game’s slow start, once you get into the weeds of Shadow of War’s systems, you’ll find yourself engrossed and addicted to its satisfying gameplay loop for hours on end. This increased depth along with the much larger scale of the world and battles within Shadow of War make it a far better game from top to bottom than that of its predecessor. | Read review |
| Easy Allies | Brandon Jones | 3.5 / 5 stars | 10-09-2017 | Video Review | Read review |
| EGM | Nick Plessas | 8 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Shadow of War is stellar in the moments the player focuses on the game’s grander scope, but some of the mechanics that tie the rest together should have received a bit more attention. It may start off a bit slow, but the end payoff is more than worth it. | Read review |
| Eurogamer | Johnny Chiodini | Not Recommended | 10-05-2017 | A greatly expanded and improved action game let down by a dreadful story. | Read review |
| Fextralife | Languard | 7 / 10 | 10-27-2017 | At the end of the day, the big question is: Did I have fun? Yes, yes I did. I had fun killing the orcs, I loved the interactions with the story orcs, and when the combat behaves itself I enjoy the siege battles. The frustration isn’t enough to make me glad it’s over, and I’m looking forward to the additional story content coming in later. So with that, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find that corpse-loving orc again and kill it. With fire. And poison. And curse. | Read review |
| Game Debate | Felix Nova | 8.5 / 10 | 10-23-2017 | Providing thrilling gameplay, a flowing combat system, pleasing Tolkien landscape, challenging charismatic bosses, deeper story and a bigger end game mechanic to keep the player entertained for many many hours, today Middle Earth Shadow of War is one of the best games available in the third-person RPG-action genre. | Read review |
| Game Informer | Matt Miller | 9.5 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | You are a merciless tornado of ruin touching down in an unforgiving world of battle and domination, and embracing that unfettered power is a joy | Read review |
| Game Rant | Denny Connolly | 4.5 / 5 stars | 10-05-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War somehow finds a way to improve on the winning Shadow of Mordor formula and create an incredibly dense and entertaining new piece of Tolkien lore. | Read review |
| Game Volt | Ahmed Hassan | 6.5 / 10 | 10-21-2017 | Shadow of war had a great opportunity to Succeed and reach a level of public success that other games didn’t had, but unfortunately with the focus of the studio on the nemesis system and the justification of the micro transactions the rest of the game’s sides have been Neglected and dwarfed in favor of the nemesis system which for many times feels that the presence for that system is just unfair to it. | Read review |
| Gameblog | Camille Allard | 7 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Shadow of War offer probably one of the most interesting open world system. Very deep and intelligent,it’s a true living world around us and nemesis system is still brillant. Sadly we have still some issues from the first game, like muddles combats and crazy difficulty at some moments. Also a fan of Tolkien can find lot of mistakes in the game… | Read review |
| GameCrate | Nicholas Scibetta | 9.5 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a massive and ambitious action game that delivers an epic sense of scale. From single stealthy murders up to the never-ending fortress battles available via online play, Shadow of War is a blast. | Read review |
| Gamefa | Amirmehdi Namjoo | 9 / 10 | 11-19-2017 | Middle-Earth: Shadow of War has successfully improved all the good features of the last game. Despite all the graphical problems and its average storytelling, it is still a unique experience and I can tell you that Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is a good game in total; especially if you are a fan of the previous games in the series or you’re an action adventure lover. | Read review |
| GameGrin | Blake Hawthorn | 9 / 10 | 11-01-2017 | Middle-earth Shadow of War adds a lot to the already great formula, with the addition of sieges and the great additions to the nemesis system this is a game of the year contender for sure. | Read review |
| GameHaunt | Excelle Escalada | 5 / 5 stars | 10-14-2017 | We can definitely say that game ticks every box which makes it a very exciting and enjoyable game. It is definitely a trendsetter and will be an inspiration for many games like these in the future. | Read review |
| GameMAG | xtr | 7 / 10 | 11-04-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is not a bad game, but it becomes repetitive and boring in the process. You still can have fun, but we recommend short playing sessions. | Read review |
| GamePro | Maurice Weber | 86 / 100 | 10-05-2017 | In almost all points larger, better and more sophisticated than the predecessor | Read review |
| Gamer Escape | Josh McGrath | 7 / 10 | 10-23-2017 | Shadow of War managed to grab hold of me much harder than any other open-world game ever has. Despite its inherant faults, I still had a great time playing through, and can’t say I regret the hours I put in to it. | Read review |
| Gamerheadquarters | Jason Stettner | 9.2 / 10 | 10-20-2017 | Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is a large game, it provides countless hours of gameplay and consistently brings new twists along the way. | Read review |
| Gamers Heroes | Captain Camper | 9 / 10 | 10-12-2017 | Despite stiff competition from the likes of Lord of the Rings Online, The Battle For Middle-earth and War In The North, Middle-earth: Shadow of War takes its rightful place on the throne as the greatest Lord of the Rings videogame in history. | Read review |
| GameSkinny | Ty Arthur | 7 / 10 | 10-13-2017 | The base gameplay is more than solid, but the overall experience feels lessened by a combination of unnecessary expansion and lots of repetition. | Read review |
| GameSpew | Robert Gammon | 9 / 10 | 10-16-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is much like its predecessor: there are a lot of orcs to beat up, and it’s extremely fun to do so. | Read review |
| GameSpot | Justin Haywald | 7 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | The follow-up to Shadow of Mordor is bigger in scope, but not always better than its predecessor. | Read review |
| GamesRadar+ | Leon Hurley | 4.5 / 5 stars | 10-05-2017 | A huge Lord of the Rings experience that’s always enjoyable, although its scale leaves it straining at the seams at times. | Read review |
| GameWatcher | Chris Capel | 8 / 10 | 10-21-2017 | An excellent sequel that goes on for perhaps a bit too long, just like The Hobbit | Read review |
| GameZone | Steve Knauer | 9 / 10 | 10-18-2017 | Monolith knew it had something when they took the Nemesis System, made famous in Shadow of Mordor, and expanded it exponentially. The world has never seen so many diverse Uruk-hai. | Read review |
| Gaming Nexus | Kinsey Danzis | 8.8 / 10 | 10-27-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is great for veterans and tough for newcomers, but a joy to play for either party once you get a hang of the mechanics. It gets tedious at times, and there are missed opportunities here and there, but the Nemesis System that was a beacon of success in the first game has come back bigger and better than ever. It’s definitely a return to Middle-earth that is worth the play, and an homage to Tolkien’s works that everyone can appreciate. | Read review |
| GamingBolt | Shubhankar Parijat | 9 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Shadow of War is the perfect sequel- it builds on its predecessor’s strengths, improves upon its weaknesses, and makes strong, smart additions of its own, bringing it all together for an addictive and unforgettable experience. | Read review |
| GamingTrend | Ron Burke | 80 / 100 | 10-20-2017 | Massive in scope and improving on its predecessor, Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a triumph in every way that matters. While certain aspects are underdeveloped, or simplified to embrace “player choice”, the Nemesis 2.0 system, combat improvements, and genuinely engaging combat system keep things fresh for the 40 hour adventure. If only they hadn’t followed the movies and extended the ending well past its welcome. | Read review |
| GearNuke | Danial Arshad Khan | 8.5 / 10 | 10-16-2017 | Shadow of War has taken the Nemesis system from the first game and attempted to expand it by adding allies into the mix. It creates an interesting dynamic that works really well with the combat of the game and even though the story is rather weak, the gameplay and the Nemesis system still offer a fun experience. | Read review |
| Generación Xbox | Jesús Ramón | 9 / 10 | 10-15-2017 | Middle Earth: Shadow of War offers us the same as Shadows of Mordor, but better. A conservative game in the playable aspect that only has a few improvements, but enough to not think that we are looking at an expansion of the previous title. With entertaining and well-implemented ideas, an improved Nemesis system and a graphic section that without the best, at least is not hampered by the Old Gen versions. | Read review |
| Giant Bomb | Brad Shoemaker | 3 / 5 stars | 10-21-2017 | This sequel expands on the vaunted Nemesis system in wildly entertaining ways, even as it falls short around the edges. | Read review |
| God is a Geek | Chris White | 10 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Everything about this game outdoes the first, and with the expanded Nemesis System, superb combat, and epic story, you’ll be immersed for a long time. | Read review |
| GRYOnline.pl | Przemysław Zamęcki | 7 / 10 | 10-04-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a sequel perfect for the fans of the original game and fans of repetitive gameplay. They’ll love this game but they won’t be surprised at all. The combat system is really cool, the story is okay (albeit too long) but all in all Monolith took a step back as if afraid to do something new. | Read review |
| Hardcore Gamer | Kevin Dunsmore | 3.5 / 5 stars | 10-14-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War aims for the spectacle of the films, but falls short with a directionless, lore-breaking campaign. | Read review |
| Hobby Consolas | Álvaro Alonso | 90 / 100 | 10-05-2017 | The visuals and the unnecesary endgame are the only bad things in a sequel that improves everything from the first game: the combat has been refined, the Nemesis System provides infinite stories, and the sieges contain all the epic (and more) that you’d expect from a product based in Tolkien’s Legendarium. | Read review |
| IGN | Dan Stapleton | 9 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Similar to the way Batman: Arkham City built on the foundation of Arkham Asylum, Middle-earth: Shadow of War is bigger and more ambitious in scope than Shadow of Mordor, with great results. The way it expands the Nemesis system with far greater variety and fortress sieges makes even better use of the stand-out generated characters, and its battles with memorable uruk captains remain challenging all the way through the campaign and into the clever asynchronous multiplayer beyond. | Read review |
| IGN Italy | Gianluca Loggia | 8.3 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a good sequel to Shadow of Mordor. Fortress sieges are a nice introduction, but in the long run things could get a little bit repetitive. | Read review |
| IGN Middle East | Islam Ibrahim | 8.6 / 10 | 10-18-2017 | Monolith studio built on the success of the Nemesis System in Shadow of Mordor and presented it better in the new Shadow of War, with excellent RPG mechanics making it an RPG game rather than an action game. Although the story is very linear and weak in the game I found myself spending hours and hours playing to form my army and attack other fortresses, as well as daily challenges and community challenges that would make me play the game for a long time without boredom. | Read review |
| IGN Spain | Juan García | 8.9 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Improves everything that made Shadow of Mordor just an excellent game but makes new mistakes with pacing and with its narrative. Again an excellent (and deeper) game. | Read review |
| Impulsegamer | James Coles | 4.4 / 5 stars | 11-07-2017 | If you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings mythology, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Middle-earth games don’t compliment the lore of the books. Spawned from a series of epic fantasy novels, this loud, insane, adrenaline-filled open-world adventure certainly isn’t true to the works of author J.R.R. Tolkien. Perhaps you might slap your forehead in dismay by the goofy plot or looseness to the source material but what’s undeniable is, that Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a lot of fun. | Read review |
| Kinglink Reviews | Unknown | 3 / 5 stars | 01-10-2019 | It’s a long game, but filled with repetition. If you want the most hours for your dollars, this might be a good place, but the time I spent here was only mediocre, and I could have found better. | Read review |
| Kotaku | Patricia Hernandez | Recommended | 10-05-2017 | The fundamental issue here is that being good at Shadow of War means the process becomes routine. Find intel. Target underlings. Go after Warchiefs. Attack the castle. Defeat the Overlord. Appoint your favorite orc as new Overlord. With so many maps this time around, I grew fatigued of this procedure halfway through. And because Talion is so overpowered, I barely died—so there were fewer chances for orcs to remember our previous encounters. | Read review |
| Leadergamer | Alper Dalan | 9 / 10 | 10-15-2017 | You should play the game at least one time. | Read review |
| M3 | Viktor Eriksson | 8 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is pretty much a Shadow of Mordor with more of everything. It’s ambitious, good looking and the combat system is both fluid and entertaining. As a action game, Shadow of War is almost as good as this genre gets. | Read review |
| MonsterVine | Spencer Legacy | 4 / 5 stars | 10-23-2017 | While the story feels half-baked at times, the follower and Nemesis systems and the consistency of the world of Mordor make Shadow of War a remarkably fun romp through Middle-Earth. | Read review |
| Nerd Much? | Rhys Pugatschew | 9 / 10 | 10-20-2017 | Save for Talion, the characters and story are what make this game worth playing. If you could care less about that, than the Nemesis system is sure to win your heart. | Read review |
| New Game Network | Ben Thomas | 79 / 100 | 10-18-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War’s extensive orc variety and improved nemesis system blends extremely well with its hectic combat. While the story is better than the original, the implementation of quests is poor. Attacking and defending forts is great, although overused in the already lengthy campaign. | Read review |
| Nexus | M.A. Ligocki | 8.5 / 10 | 10-22-2017 | I never really got into Shadow of Mordor the way many others did. Shadow of War, however, is another story entirely and is definitely one of this year’s games that you should not miss. | Read review |
| NZGamer | Brian McDonald | 7.5 / 10 | 11-02-2017 | Endgame aside, Shadow of War hits the right marks, and is worth another run through the Black Gate. | Read review |
| Oyungezer Online | Yasin İlgün | 8.9 / 10 | 10-12-2017 | It’s time to go back to the Midde-earth and Shadow of War is the ideal choice. Story, atmosphere, gameplay. This trio manages to satisy the player. | Read review |
| Pardis Game | Kasra Karimi Asl | 8.5 / 10 | 10-28-2017 | Brandon Sanderson has an interesting quote after setting a couple of rules in writing fantasy that says “Don’t let rules limit your fantasies”. Monolith does that. They take a new approach towards Tolkien’s lore and expand on their already successful formula to create on of the best games of 2017. Though the final value can be thwarted due to low difficulty level and microtransactions. | Read review |
| PC Gamer | Andy Kelly | 73 / 100 | 10-05-2017 | The nemesis system shines in this unwieldy, bloated, and occasionally magnificent fantasy epic. | Read review |
| PCGamesN | Matt Purslow | 8 / 10 | 10-17-2017 | I wish Shadow of War was as confident in itself as I am in it. Had Monolith proudly led with the Nemesis Fortress system and introduced players to it quickly, they would unquestionably be on the shortlist for making the Game of the Year. Thankfully, the system acts as the Mithril-strong foundations for the game, so while the additional elements may be generic and unwelcome, there is very little digging required to find the shining silver. | Read review |
| Player.One | Scott Craft | 7 / 10 | 10-12-2017 | If you spent more than a few hours with Shadow of Mordor, there’s little doubt you’ll find plenty of reasons to do the same with Shadow of War . And there’s little reason to think anyone curious about the first game wouldn’t find plenty to love in the sequel. | Read review |
| PlayStation LifeStyle | Chandler Wood | 9.5 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | An expanded Nemesis System creates fascinatingly interesting player stories, and the amount of freedom afforded to the player is staggering for a game of this scope. Microtransactions never get in the way of the game itself, so any objection to them is based purely on personal principles. Lore purists may find fault with Middle-earth: Shadow of War, but those willing to suspend their disbelief and enjoy the game Monolith built around Tolkien’s world will find the best Lord of the Rings game to date. With the immortal words of Samwise Gamgee at my lips, I smile and walk into Mordor, returning to the Gondorian boots of the Gravewalker: “Well, I’m back.” | Read review |
| PlayStation Universe | Neil Bolt | 8 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | The sequel boxes are generally ticked off with Shadow of War, it’s bigger, better, and a touch more ambitious than Shadow of Mordor was, but there are aspects that feel somewhat dated now, and there’s a lack of polish to certain controls that dilutes the fun just a smidgen. The Nemesis system remains the star, and with the addition of sieges and tribes, it’s a star that burns brighter than ever. | Read review |
| Polygon | Philip Kollar | 7.5 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | If you can get past the microtransactions, Shadow Wars seems set to provide a much meatier extended playtime than Shadow of Mordor ever offered. But more than anything, that’s my biggest disappointment with Middle-earth: Shadow of War: Everything about it seems to come with a caveat, some small annoyance or two that you need to dig past to get to the still-very-fun game underneath. The Nemesis System is still a wonder that has yet to be replicated. The movement and combat are thrilling. | Read review |
| Post Arcade (National Post) | Chad Sapieha | 7 / 10 | 10-17-2017 | Monolith has doubled down on what made the original a surprise hit but hasn’t addressed its flaws | Read review |
| PowerUp! | Leo Stevenson | 6.5 / 10 | 10-22-2017 | Unfortunately, while Shadow of War is a decent enough game, it never manages to capture what made the original so special. Bigger isn’t always better and in Shadow of War’s case its doubly true. | Read review |
| Press Start | Brodie Gibbons | 8 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Shadow of Mordor was a bombastic, grandiose romp through a very storied land, steeped in a much-beloved history, as penned by Tolkien. Shadow of War takes what made the original such a great experience and magnifies it tenfold, blowing it up into a titanic game. Embrace the Bright Lord and play this game if you’ve got even a passing interest in the Lord of the Rings saga. Even if you don’t, this high-fantasy action game has a bit of everything. | Read review |
| PSX Brasil | Júlio César Souza Pires | 100 / 100 | 10-10-2017 | With a major graphics evolution, a vast world to be explored, a better developed story and new gameplay mechanics, Middle-earth: Shadow of War shows how an adventure game should be. There will be hours and hours of exploration in Middle-earth which will make the player want to play it more and more. Put it simply, it’s one of the best games of 2017. | Read review |
| Push Square | Robert Ramsey | 8 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is stellar sequel to a surprisingly great game. The Nemesis System remains the real star of the show in all of its expanded glory, and while its dynamic brilliance threatens to make the main story missions seem boring by comparison, there’s enough heft to the overall package that you can look past its shortcomings. In the barrage of blockbusters hitting PS4 over the next few months, Shadow of War should not be missed. | Read review |
| Reno Gazette-Journal | Jason Hidalgo | 8 / 10 | 10-16-2017 | Like an ever-growing castle, Shadow of War takes the strong foundation of Shadows of Mordor and builds several more keeps and floors on top of it. The not-so-faithful narrative continues to be polarizing and the addition of microtransactions won’t sit well with some fans. A more fleshed out Nemesis system combined with a ton of content and new features such as fortress sieges, however, provide hours and hours of gameplay for fans of the original. Plus you’ve got orcs that sing and perform poetry before they try to kick your butt. Just let that sink in for a bit… | Read review |
| Rock, Paper, Shotgun | Leif Johnson | Recommended | 10-05-2017 | By God, it’s delicious. | Read review |
| Saudi Gamer | محمد الدوسري | 9 / 10 | 10-13-2017 | The second part of the Middle-earth series and its release after more than three years of the first game, an excellent leap for the series, the world has become larger and diverse better shape with the addition of many abilities to the main character and refine the story very well and add influential side characters plus the nature of warfare is a beautiful and distinctive atmosphere For the game. | Read review |
| Shacknews | Greg Burke | 9 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | If Shadow of War is guilty of anything, it’s giving you too much to do. The world is seemingly bursting with content and side objectives. In cities, you can over take towers, much like the Assassin’s Creed games. Upon taking a tower you’ll reveal hidden points of interest within the city, such as collectibles, a “memories of Shelob” mini game, and side missions featuring the fall and demise of Celebrimbor. The game gives so much to keep you occupied and, with the great combat, you’ll never get tire of working through it. It’s a perfect example of a studio taking an already solid game and improving it on every front. | Read review |
| Sirus Gaming | Jett Vincent Sia | 9 / 10 | 10-17-2017 | Shadow of War is incredibly ambitious and delivers so much compared to Shadow of Mordor. The Nemesis system is bigger, badder, and more complex than ever. | Read review |
| Slant Magazine | Justin Clark | 3 / 5 stars | 10-14-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War doubles down on every single aspect of Shadow of Mordor, for better and worse. | Read review |
| Softpedia | Silviu Stahie | 8.5 / 10 | 11-19-2017 | On the other hand, the loot boxes won’t stop me from replaying this game at least one more time, and to go through all of the expansions. I’m inevitably drawn to it, and I have to say that at least for me, the presence of loot boxes is not enough to stop me from enjoying it, probably much more than it should. | Read review |
| SomHráč.sk | Róbert Herda | 80 / 100 | 11-06-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a great action RPG that surpasses its predecessor, despite a couple of issues. | Read review |
| SpazioGames | Mario Petillo | 9 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Shadow of War brings the video game to epic: it’s an exciting tale in Middle-earth, less rich than Christian Cantamessa did with the first one, but in the same time throbbing. | Read review |
| Stevivor | Steve Wright | 7 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Lord of the Rings fans will eat this up, as will those who like to delve into a game world and walk away, hours and hours later, without ever coming closer to completion of a main quest mission. If you can ignore all the glitches and bugs, this game is for you. | Read review |
| TechRaptor | Will Cravens | 8.5 / 10 | 10-26-2017 | Middle-Earth: Shadow of War like its predecessor is built upon the dynamic “Nemesis System.” While the sequel offers an interesting story, it often becomes convoluted between the various arcs it wants to go in. Thankfully, the second by second gameplay has never felt better. With the addition of Shadow Wars, the best parts of the game will continue long after the story ends. | Read review |
| The Angry Joe Show | Joe Vargas | 7 / 10 | 10-21-2017 | Video Review | Read review |
| The Digital Fix | Andrew Phillips | 8 / 10 | 10-30-2017 | A hell of a lot of game for your money and for the most part a ton of fun, sadly it outstays its welcome leading to total fatigue as you enter the overly long unnecessary home stretch. | Read review |
| The Game Fanatics | Matthew Squaire | 9 / 10 | 10-27-2017 | Middle Earth: Shadow of War is a game unlike anything before it. The already excellent systems introduced in its predecessor have been made better in every way with new consequences and rewarding wrinkles. | Read review |
| The Games Machine | Davide Mancini | 7.5 / 10 | 10-04-2017 | The Shadow of War offers a solid gameplay, a compelling concept and a much more varied setting than the previous episode, with excellent production values and an awesome soundtrack. The sequel is bigger, better and stronger, but somehow caged in a repetitive framework. The game is full of good ideas and potential, that cannot be truly fulfilled due to a storytelling without personality and a huge but boring endgame. | Read review |
| The Jimquisition | Jim Sterling | Not Recommended | 10-26-2017 | Video Review | Read review |
| The Outerhaven Productions | Gary Marston | 4.3 / 5 stars | 10-22-2017 | Despite the odd lull in gameplay, repetitive objective or feeling as though there’s too much scale weighing you down – Shadow of War is completely inspirational in the way it’s attempting to further narrative storytelling in videogames. The overarching storyline involving Talion is an engrossing one yet that almost becomes a sub-plot in itself – second to the mini meta-narratives you’ll create amongst the factions of Orcs and Warchiefs you meet along the way. The voice acting and motion capture performances are really solid and the presentation is glossy and big-budget; it’s as close to actually being in Middle-Earth as you’re ever going to get. I’m about as swept up in this game as a Drake riding off into a fiery sunset; fantastic. | Read review |
| TheSixthAxis | Jim Hargreaves | 8 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is massive, yet at the same time a prime example of a sequel that’s bigger, but not necessarily any better than the original. Once again the Nemesis system shines, allowing players to forge their own unique stories, even if the game tries to do too much with it at times. Getting caught in its tangle of new systems and features can be frustrating, but there’s still a great open world game here. | Read review |
| TheXboxHub | James Birks | 5 / 5 stars | 10-26-2017 | So, Middle-earth: Shadow of War has taken the addictive nature of Shadow of Mordor, thrown in various new beasts, creatures and Orc types to enhance the experience and made sure there’s a shed load of stuff to do across the massive regions within. Having spent many hours already slaying and recruiting, I can assure you that it’s a real joy to be back in Middle-earth. | Read review |
| TrueAchievements | Kevin Tavore | 4.5 / 5 stars | 10-15-2017 | Overall, Shadow of War is an excellent game that offers dozens of hours of enjoyable content. It’s a game that’s worthy of every minute you’ll put into it. | Read review |
| TrueGaming | عمر العمودي | 8.5 / 10 | 10-15-2017 | Shadow of War presents new features adding to what we already love about Shadow of Mordor. On the other hand, it does not drift far outside of that. | Read review |
| Twinfinite | Brittany Vincent | 4 / 5 stars | 10-05-2017 | Middle-earth Shadow of War consistently shocked and surprised me around every corner, with every Orc betrayal, every revelatory fortress takeover, and menacing look from the Bright Lord. It gripped me in ways I certainly didn’t expect having played the first game, and I’m already missing my trip through Mordor. I can’t wait to see more from this excellent franchise. | Read review |
| USgamer | Mike Williams | 4 / 5 stars | 10-05-2017 | Shadow of War is much bigger than its predecessor, offering more orcs, more gear, more to conquer, and your very own orc army. It’s a massive game with so much to do that it can feel like a bit of a grind later in the game. Likewise, the loot box mechanic interfaces with army upkeep in a way that feels less than satisfying. Shadow of War is still a great game, but there’s a linger corruption that keeps it from perfection. | Read review |
| VG247 | Alex Donaldson | Recommended | 10-09-2017 | Middle Earth: Shadow of War builds on almost every facet of its forerunner carefully – and the result is generally very exciting, if uninspiring. | Read review |
| VGChartz | Evan Norris | Not Recommended | 10-31-2017 | By operating under the maxim that “bigger is better” Monolith has turned in a sequel that’s technically superior but lacking the efficiency and focus of its predecessor. | Read review |
| Video Chums | Tyler Hall | 9 / 10 | 10-18-2017 | Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a sprawling action-filled epic adventure with a compelling story and a living, breathing world that creates real consequences for your actions and failures. | Read review |
| VideoGamer | Alice Bell | 8 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | It’s a shame the story is so strangely paced, but you hardly need it. Fortress Assaults are great set pieces, and there’s a lot of fun to be had with the upgraded Nemesis System alone. | Read review |
| Wccftech | Kai Powell | 8.9 / 10 | 10-05-2017 | Building upon the accomplishments of its predecessor and wielding the influence of The New Ring, Middle-earth: Shadow of War should be remembered as Talion’s greatest adventure to date. | Read review |
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