Middle-earth: Shadows of Mordor screens rend and tear orc face off

By Adam Rosenberg January 24, 2014

Read our full Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor review.

In Middle-earth: Shadows of Mordor you play as a scraggly survivalist ranger named Talion. You’ve got “Wraith” powers similar to those of the Nazgul, and you’ve also got a penchant for making enemies.

No, seriously. Shadows of Mordor features something called the “Nemesis System,” which allows the game to remember the various hostile encounters you have and then tailor future encounters with the same beings. Not only does this make for more interesting reunions, it also allows for some Machiavellian treachery when you manipulate old foes into taking on other old foes. We got a chance to see how all of this works firsthand in a recent demo. Before you jump over to that, take a moment to gaze at this trio of newly released screens.

Middle-earth: Shadows of Mordor is due to arrives on PlayStation and Xbox machines as well as Windows PCs before the end of 2014.

Adam Rosenberg

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Gaming

Best Xbox Game Pass deals: Upgrade to Game Pass Ultimate for cheap

Pretty much all consoles require some form of subscription service to be able to access multiplayer online, and the Xbox Series X and Series S are no different. Just like PS Plus, Xbox has the Game Pass system, which not only gives you online access it also provides you with a bunch of different games to play as well, so it's not all that bad. Not only that, but there is a tier that unlocks the full Game Pass game library on PC as well and lets you stream games if you don't have a powerful gaming PC. Also, be sure to check out these great Xbox Series S and X deals while you're here.
Xbox Game Pass Core -- $8, was $13 per month

Game Pass Core is the cheapest tier of Game Pass, but it still lets you access important features, including online multiplayer. Game Pass Core was launched with access to 36 games off the bat, and you can get exclusive discounts on certain downloadable games. If you're on Xbox and need access online, this is the way to go.
1-month subscription -- $8, was $13

Gaming

Neil Druckmann touts benefits of AI as he teases next Naughty Dog game

Ellie pets a giraffe in The Last of Us Part I.

The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann is creating anticipation for developer Naughty Dog's next project by talking about the technologies the studio wants to innovate with, which include AI.

Druckmann also dropped a quick tease for the studio's next game, saying it could "redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming." He continued on to say: "I've been lucky to work on several dream projects and am currently excited about a new one, which is perhaps the most thrilling yet."

Gaming

Every summer 2024 gaming showcase: full schedule of live streams

Living room with Microsoft Xbox Series X (L) and Sony PlayStation 5 home video game consoles alongside a television and soundbar.

This summer, we're living in a brave new world. E3 is officially dead -- for real this time. That means there's a vacuum to be filled as publishers still look to showcase their games during high-profile events. There's both good news and bad news for anyone who looks forward to E3 season. The good news? Summer Game Fest is filling that gap, alongside several streams that'll orbit around it. The bad news? Keeping track of it all is a huge pain.

Over the next few months, we'll see scattered shows from Xbox, Nintendo, Ubisoft, and more game companies. To help make your life a little easier, we're rounding them up in one place. We'll keep this article updated throughout the summer, so check back in from now until September so you don't miss a single show.
IGN Live: June 7-9