STAR WARS: Galactic Racer™
STAR WARS: Galactic Racer™
Game
Game2014
Middle-earth™: Shadow of Mordor™
Developer Monolith Productions
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is a 2014 action-adventure game developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. An original story based on the legendarium created by J. R. R. Tolkien, the game takes place between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings film trilogies. The player controls Talion, a Gondorian Ranger who bonds with the wraith of the Elf Lord… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
407 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Mastodon, Bluesky) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
89
LovedLoved
354 positive · 44 negative
95% range 85–92%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 354 | 44 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
45,566 of 49,553 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
89% recommend · 244 yes, 29 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 273 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (90,248 of 97,549 positive).
Players widely praise the innovative Nemesis system for creating personal rivalries. [1][2][3] The Arkham-style combat is described as smooth, weighty, and endlessly fun. [1][3][4] Some reviewers find the story generic and the world repetitive. [5][6][7]
Liked
Representative posts
- [6]
Extremely mid. The nemesis system is neat, but the rest of the game is incredibly bland. I love open world checklists, but not when the whole world is dreary and dull, with undetailed copy and pasted ruins everywhere, and only orcs to look at. No towns, no anything else. That is genuinely the entire game world, besides a couple caves. Not to mention a story that genuinely feels like fanfiction (I'm sorry, I know …
- [1]
Get this if gameplay is all you care about. This game has an incredibly rich, Arkham-esque combat system where cinematic and funny stuff happens pretty much all the time. It's unironically one of the funniest games I've played recently, for all the right reasons. You can spend hours after hours fighting orcs and it never gets boring, especially with the nemesis system allowing for generated Captains and Warchief …
- [3]
Coming back to Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor after a few years and honestly… it still holds up way better than I expected. The combat feels great right away, weighty, brutal, and smooth once you get back into the rhythm. But the real star is still the Nemesis system. No two playthroughs feel the same, and it’s wild how quickly you start remembering specific Orc captains who killed you, ran away, or came back …
- [11]
Shadow of Mordor is the game that introduced the Nemesis System, and it did so... flawlessly. The perfect example? Ratbag. Long live the Rat King. (Pun absolutely intended. 😄) The way the game organically introduces you to the Nemesis System through characters like Ratbag is brilliant. You don’t get overwhelmed, you just slowly realize how dynamic, personal, and unique the Uruks are. They remember you. They rise …
- [2]
This Game Is a Cinematic Masterpiece! Back in 2014, this game received over 50 global awards. And even in 2026, it still absolutely deserves your time. Everyone who has heard about this game already knows about the famous Nemesis System - one of the most interesting mechanics ever created, later patented and sadly never really used outside this series. It is an astonishing mechanic, but I think it also gives people …
Summarised from 33 of the 280 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Middle-earth™: Shadow of Mordor™ talk about nemesis system creates dynamic, personal orc rivalries; those who didn't talk about story feels generic and like fanfiction. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. The Nemesis system was praised by critics. According to Lucas Sullivan of GamesRadar, the system elevated Shadow of Mordor to excellence by making its villains memorable and adding personality to its protagonist. Brad Shoemaker of Giant Bomb wrote that the system created many distinctive characters and its side content extended the game's longevity. Joystiq's Alexander Sliwinski said that the system made each playthrough unique and made the game stand out from other action games. Chris Carter of Destructoid found the system gimmicky, since it failed to create unique villains; it…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 407 · most liked firstPainted another Cave Troll for Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game, and a Shaman! Next round of games are coming up and I'm bringing quite a horde of goblins. #MESBG #MiddleEarth #Middle-Earth
neutral · AI labelView post →Get this if gameplay is all you care about. This game has an incredibly rich, Arkham-esque combat system where cinematic and funny stuff happens pretty much all the time. It's unironically one of the funniest games I've played recently, for all the right reasons. You can spend hours after hours fighting orcs and it never gets boring, especially with the nemesis system allowing for generated Captains and Warchief orcs to appear that offer a great deal of variety. On my first play session, I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →They could as well save some letters and instead of naming it Middle-earth™ call it just MID: Shadow of Mordor. It would suit the game well. I bought this game more than 7 years ago, did not play it back then, but just recently I was rewatching the Lord of the Rings trilogy and decided I had to play it. It is a third person fantasy game with real time action combat set in one of the most interesting worlds ever created, so there's no chance I would not like it, right? Well... the game is not…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Still holds up in 2026. Not a single ork looked the same or said the same lines, its still impressive nowadays.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This Game Is a Cinematic Masterpiece! Back in 2014, this game received over 50 global awards. And even in 2026, it still absolutely deserves your time. Everyone who has heard about this game already knows about the famous Nemesis System - one of the most interesting mechanics ever created, later patented and sadly never really used outside this series. It is an astonishing mechanic, but I think it also gives people the wrong impression: Many believe this game is great because of the Nemesis…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Extremely mid. The nemesis system is neat, but the rest of the game is incredibly bland. I love open world checklists, but not when the whole world is dreary and dull, with undetailed copy and pasted ruins everywhere, and only orcs to look at. No towns, no anything else. That is genuinely the entire game world, besides a couple caves. Not to mention a story that genuinely feels like fanfiction (I'm sorry, I know that's cliche to say), a protagonist that's a generic muscle cool man, and possibly…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Thinking of doing a top ten of Games Workshop The Lord of The Rings™️ Middle- Earth™️ Strategy Battle Game individually named miniatures ranked by the least screen time they had
neutral · AI labelView post →endless combat, a wold full of things to do, politics, and top it all it let me get into the world of lord of the rings, i can't ask for more
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Flawless. 10/10. The environment is great. Combat is great.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →★ ★ ★ ★ I give a 4 out of 5 Stars ★ for Middle-earth™: Shadow of Mordor™ I just completed the 100% Steam achievements with a play time of about 60 hours and here is my review. Shadow of Mordor was released in 2014, a tricky time for game developers as it was a transition between Playstation 3 to 4 and Xbox 360 to One. I had 2 copies 1 for PS3 and another for PC to test it and just ran through the Campaign and completed it in about 15 hours. I never liked the combat back then, found the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Coming back to Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor after a few years and honestly… it still holds up way better than I expected. The combat feels great right away, weighty, brutal, and smooth once you get back into the rhythm. But the real star is still the Nemesis system. No two playthroughs feel the same, and it’s wild how quickly you start remembering specific Orc captains who killed you, ran away, or came back stronger just to ruin your day again. That personal rivalry aspect is something a lot…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →THE LEGENDARY NEMESIS SYSTEM 50 hours of pure, satisfying Orc-slaying in Mordor. This game deserves historical praise for the innovative "Nemesis System" alone—creating personal vendettas with Orc captains that made the world feel incredibly dynamic and alive. The smooth, Arkham-style combat combined with brutal execution animations and Ranger lore makes Talion's revenge story an absolute blast to play from start to finish. One does not simply walk into Mordor. 8.5/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Never really was a LOTR's fan but my lord this game is fantastic. The combat, story, world & character designs and the best of all the nemesis system. I highly recommend this to anyone!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →pros: - the nemesis system (although it's not "100% polished" here yet. the better version is in the sequel) - interesting narration around the player's deaths and resurrections, instead of just "you died, but let's pretend it never happened and reload the last checkpoint" cons: - half of the story takes place around the black gate, which is a very gloomy, uninteresting, same-looking-everywhere location in the whole LotR universe - climbing towers to unlock warp points. not a bad format, but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wow, what a great game, would be a shame if the system it uses was locked with copyright and the company who made it just refused to use it
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Review Overview Even if you are not deep into Middle-earth lore, Shadow of Mordor is a very fun, very playable action game with a classic charm. Tight combat, a unique enemy system that makes fights personal, and a world that is easy to roam and grind in. I recommend it. What It Is You play as Talion, a ranger bound to the wraith Celebrimbor after tragedy strikes at the Black Gate. Together you hunt Uruk captains and warlords across Mordor, uncovering who…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Shadow of Mordor is the game that introduced the Nemesis System, and it did so... flawlessly. The perfect example? Ratbag. Long live the Rat King. (Pun absolutely intended. 😄) The way the game organically introduces you to the Nemesis System through characters like Ratbag is brilliant. You don’t get overwhelmed, you just slowly realize how dynamic, personal, and unique the Uruks are. They remember you. They rise through the ranks. They surprise you. Even today, the game has aged like fine…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best thing about this game is the gameplay. I played it on Xbox 7 or 8 years ago, and I was wondering if it would still be that good, even in 2026. And the answer is yes. It was enjoyable enough that I decided to go for 100% completion. But sadly, the story is the opposite of the gameplay. Even the bosses don’t have much personality, and they won’t leave a lasting impression on you. I can even say that the whole story feels like a prologue to Shadow of War, which I will definitely play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Still incredible. The Nemesis system was mind-blowing when it dropped, and the combat is buttery smooth. Orc-slaying never felt so good.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun as hell... But ♥♥♥♥ you Warner, ♥♥♥♥ you for patenting one of the greatest mechanics in videogame history.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Nemesis system is really cool and definitely the main selling point of the game. The rest of the game is decent as well, combat looks badass but is mechanically simple, the stealth/parkour is fun but quite clunky at times and the story is meh. I got it on sale for 4€ and at that price it’s 100% worth it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Super fun game, hunting orcs and turning them gets addictive. I had to buy the sequel to scratch more of that itch.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game isn't *horrid* in itself and perhaps I'm just late to the party or perhaps it's just not for me. For 90% off, I don't mind finding out. This game has just 1 trick, (if you don't count the excellent voice acting, the admittingly intriguing story and stealth done right); the combat, which is 90% of this game but does it to a 3/5 effectiveness. I would like the ability to turn off the slow-mo executions although kills do feel very satisfying I constantly find myself losing any…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →after a couple of act or reaching new region, its all the same gmaeplay. you can get all xp and power points in first region. then what the point???? no anticipation of improvement of gameplay. ig only for LOTR fans, this is nice
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best stealth-action game to come out the year it did (and yes, I mean Assassin's Creed Unity with this comment). For real, from the moment I read the books and watched the movies I was a fan of Middle-Earth, and from the moment I played the Assassin's Creed series I've been a fan of that combat system. This game combines the two and adds the magic of the Nemesis system (RIP) to give us a decent story, a solid combat system, and more replayability with constantly shifting enemies. With…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I started playing this game 2 days ago, and can't let go. I had originally played this game back during it's release on the ps4, however I was too young and feeble minded to grasp just how amazing this game was for it's time- Speaking of time, this game is absolutely timeless, it's incredibly enjoyable and I am quite surprised at how there are little to no equivalent games being produced like this today. If I had to describe this game, it's like the Batman Arkham games, old gold. Definitely…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is super duper repetitive, most games are to some extent but this takes the cake and makes it overly sweet so there is little point to the DLCs from what I've seen, the combat and map traversal lacks the versatility of The Batman games that made it so fun. The fact I have to hunt down and "interrogate" Orcs for intel is one of the most double edge sword mechanics in a game i've seen in a while, it is not bad at first but the longer you play and the more the captains run and the harder…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For most of the review, click here: https://backloggd.com/u/gamemast15r/review/5035186/ The weird thing with this game is that I’m not really a Lord of the Rings fan, or a Tolkien fan or anything related to high fantasy aside from Elder Scrolls and a few other things here and there. I never watched the movies or know much about it aside from a few characters and the several memes that have come out of the series. However, I remember reading about this game somewhere in the mid 2010s,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →badass game, great story, classic LOTR energy. i own all of u orcs
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Way ahead of it's time with the nemesis system, but not as polished as the sequel. Generic story with a few interesting twists, cool and punchy Arkham-style combat, pretty satisfying level progression, and some nice collectibles with interesting lore attached to each one. Achievement hunting was fun, not a chore like other games, as it encourages you to play in a different way / try everything but doesn't get too up it's own ass (other than the Test of the Wild / Ring achievements, but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is fun, It's like Far Cry with towers in some way, but also like the Saboteur in terms of climbing around and killing a bunch of Uruk. The executions are quite different each time they are activated, that it makes it for a super fun gameplay. Looking forward o the next version, just trying to finish this one up first in order.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Bullying orcs has never been this fun. The Nemesis System makes every encounter personal, brilliant and overlooked! 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Both the game and its story are fantastic. The combat itself is reminiscent of a mix between Batman and The Witcher, which pleases me as a fan of both games. There's an interesting artifact collection section where you can both read and examine them closely. I'd especially like to mention the captains/chieftains who, if they survive or defeat you, remember exactly how they did it. The game also has beautiful locations and fun challenges that are fun to complete while playing. My rating: ✭✭✭✭✭
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played this on SDOLED with high setting. Run pretty smooth. Working on completing 100 percent. This game is my go to on my down time
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In my opinion, even after all these years, it’s still worth playing—with acceptable graphics, a solid combat system, and the thrill of taking down bosses. Sure, there are still some minor bugs, but they’re easy to overlook.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It was pretty fun. Good game honestly. I just wish the endgame was a lot lengthier and harder than it actually was. Maybe like an actual boss battle instead of quick time events.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Picked up Shadow of Mordor in a bundle with Shadow of War. Haven’t even watched LOTR, just grabbed it out of curiosity after seeing some gameplay. Finished it and I’d give it a 6/10. The gameplay is fun at first, especially the combat, it’s got that Batman Arkham style which I really enjoyed. But it gets pretty repetitive, especially if you’re trying to go for 100% like I did. Overall it’s good-ish, not amazing but not bad either. Definitely interested to see how Shadow of War improves…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Incredibly boring and, at most times, tedious game. I was really hoping for some great LotR related story to immerse myself in, but all this game had to offer was repetetive missions, where you kill some random Uruk warchief/captain. I can recommend it only if you enjoy non-stop mindless action and gore. The rest of the game felt dull.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My god what an opening hook! Arkham City is Mordor. Best 5 bucks in a while...
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excellent game, worth its price. Multiple missions, great story & cut scenes. Worthwhile DLC's. Buy this game & lose 6 months thru a year of your life. Enjoy!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Bought it dirt cheap on a sale and would have paid more. It's a great game. I can't get my son away from it 😂
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 451: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ (7/10) Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is one of those games that almost hits greatness but doesn’t quite stick the landing. The Nemesis system is still a fantastic concept—innovative, personal, and sometimes amusing—but the rest of the game can’t always keep up with its own brilliance. It’s a solid action game with strong combat, great animations, and enough Tolkien flavor to keep fans invested. But after a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Repetitive, Uninteresting, and Featuring the Worst Protagonist in Gaming. I bought this game primarily for two reasons: the combat looked satisfying, and I desperately wanted to experience the infamous Nemesis System. Unfortunately, what I got was one of the most frustrating and disappointing gaming experiences I've had. Let's start with the combat. It borrows heavily from the Batman: Arkham series, yet somehow manages to make an inferior version of it. The combat has practically no depth.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →it's good. captain and warchief are so strong
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It takes the best elements of the Batman: Arkham rhythm-based combat and Assassin’s Creed parkour, making you feel like an unstoppable force as you navigate the rugged landscapes of Mordor. The Nemesis System is the game's true masterpiece. It creates a dynamic hierarchy of Orc enemies who remember your past encounters, mock your defeats, and develop unique strengths and fears based on how you fight them. The executions and combat finishers are incredibly fluid and cinematic. Every successful…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It has sincerely become one of my favourite games, but the campaign missions suck most of the time. That's about all I really need to say.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Dafuq is that? I know its already 12 yrs old and it doesn't even look bad for that age BUT... A sneaking-game in Middle Earth?! I thought it might just not my cup of tea but I really struggle to understand how anybody could enjoy this. You run from bush to bush, (almost) every time you try to kill some orks, dozens more spawn around and join the fight, every few minutes one of the stupid "elite" ork sees you which stops everything just so he can drop is lines, you barely do any damage besides…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i loved lord of the rings movies so im enjoying this game so far its so good tbh and the nemesis system is too good.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →its an awesome game, the setting is what really sells the game for me.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty derivative from the gameplay perspective. If you've played an open-world, action adventure game in the past 15 years, nothing here is exactly new or exciting (aside from the nemesis system). However, it is fun and polished. If you enjoy the Batman Arkham or Assassin's Creed games, this will appeal to you for sure.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game! The story was ok, not bad but not good either. The combat is very simple but fun and reminds me of the "Batman Arkham" series' combat mechanics. I would't buy this at full price but it is worth picking up if its ever on sale (it is very often).
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Highly recommended and thoroughly fun game, too bad the DLCs are hit-and-miss I came into this game having played its successor, Shadow of War first, so I had some good expectations coming into this. While it isn't as great as Shadow of War, the majority of the gameplay is familiar territory and is quite fun. It won't be much of a spoiler to set the scene, which the game does a little poorly, so I'll explain. I think the basis is, a magic ritual went slightly wrong for Sauron's boys, and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a fun game with a really interesting nemesis system. the combat is satisfying, and fighting different uruks can be pretty entertaining. however, the game can feel repetitive after a while, especially with the missions and activities. the story is decent, but the nemesis system is definitely the highlight for me.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty fun stealth system, combat is just Arkham which feels odd when you're using a sword to smack a guy 15 times and he's still somehow standing. First area isn't great, just ugly brown and grey but the second area is much more interesting with 2 large fortresses to sneak around with plenty of options. Campaign is annoying due to how railroaded you feel: cutscene, follow NPC, collect 3 items, follow NPC, cutscene, brief 2 minutes of combat, then another cutscene, mission complete! The real…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well I played this game for months long back but forgot to make a review imo. The overall story is pretty wack and the characters are just there with an extremely ♥♥♥♥♥♥ quick time event final boss. What makes this game better even with these flaws is the nemesis system which makes have rivals in game that is your own story and with the Arkham combat you cannot do wrong. The game gets a lot more fun when you get the ability to brand urks, killing urks never gets boring this way. Be sure to buy…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Feels very ubisoft-like, there's an inescapable error for controller players, in which the game detects a second controller and it will keep switching between them, the combat is so linear and repetitive it quickly loses its charm and becomes a chore just to keep going. It could have been a better game, but it's just another ubislop game riddled with issues.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I finished it. It's great but a bit boring... It has nice foundation but you keep doing the same fights. The nemesis system is a novelty which in the end has not contributed much to my experience. I'd say if you want to play one of the two games, play the second one. Don't worry about the story - it's crap and definetly not canon. The biggest issue is the grind. I personally do not have the time for it and I didn't find the game engaging after 6hrs. I had to force myself to finish it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →although shadow of war has much more accesibility and you can travel a lot more, mordor will always have a spot in my heart for being the first game I ever played. I would recommend this game to anyone who hasn't played it yet, story is amazing and game play is so fun.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Middle-earth™: Shadow of Mordor™ delivers satisfying combat, a dark and immersive world, and the fantastic Nemesis System that makes every enemy encounter memorable. A must-play for Lord of the Rings fans.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →good combat, meh story, nemesis system an absolute magnificent idea to put in this game overall 7/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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