Read our full Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor review.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is all about empowering players to enforce their will on the game’s young, pre-The Lord of the Rings land of Mordor, and a newly revealed Achievements/Trophies list speaks to that fact. Monolith Productions has built a game powered by independently operating systems that you’re meant to take advantage of as you explore Sauron’s realm on a quest for vengeance.
As you’ll see in the achievements list below, most of the unlocks relate more to how you interact with the world than what your progress is through the story. Whether it’s a reward for making good on a Death Threat (“Iron of Death” achievement) or inciting a riot by pitting two ruling Warchiefs against one another (“The Spirit of Mordor” achievement), the game’s focus seems to be centered on letting players write their own story.
Related: Witness the joy of staging a rebellion in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor firsthand
Don’t take the open-ended approach to mean that there isn’t a story at all. Shadow of Mordor follows the ranger Talion after he’s slain outside the Black Gates of Mordor and resurrected by the long-dead elf Celebrimbor. Given the powers of a Wraith, Talion sets off into a Mordor unlike the one fans have seen before; it’s as overrun with orcs and other vile things as ever, but it’s a much more fertile land than the wasteland seen in J.R.R. Tolkien’s most famous tales. Take a closer look at what the story has in store in this newly released trailer.
Here’s the full rundown of Achievements/Trophies, straight from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s official announcement:
- A Graug’s Heel (10 GP): Capitalize on a Warchief’s fear
- A Mighty Doom (10 GP): Acquire a level 25 rune
- A New Master (15 GP): Brand a Captain while in combat
- And it Burns, Burns, Burns (15 GP): Use the detonate ability to burn 50 Uruks
- Bearer of the Shining Lamp (20 GP): Collect 100 percent of the Ithildin
- Black Celebration (15 GP): Poison a captain at his own feast
- Burning Vengeance (15 GP): Perform an execution on a flaming berserker
- Crowned with Living Light (10 GP): Collect 50 percent of the Ithildin
- Divide and Conquer (15 GP): Eliminate the bodyguards of two Warchiefs, then draw them out and kill them
- Fire of Justice (30 GP): Complete all Urfael Legend Missions
- Fly you fools! (10 GP): Make 20 Uruks flee by dropping Morgai Fly nests
- Height of Despair (10 GP): Use Strike From Above while at least 60 feet above the target
- Iron of Death (10 GP): Issue a Death Threat, and then successfully kill the target
- Jaws of Death (10 GP): Attract caragors with bait five times.
- Legend of Shadow (10 GP): Complete a Dagger Mission and begin growing the legend of Acharn
- Legend of Vengeance (15 GP): Complete a Sword Mission and begin growing the legend of Urfael
- Legend of the Maker (10 GP): Complete a Bow Mission and begin growing the legend of Azkâr
- Liberator (30 GP): Complete all Outcast Rescue Missions
- Lord and Master (10 GP): Brand all five Warchiefs
- Master of the Wilds (20 GP): Complete all Hunting Challenges
- Memories of Eregion (20 GP): Activate all Forge Towers
- No Power in Numbers (10 GP): Help a Captain survive a Recruitment Power Struggle, and then kill him and all his new recruits
- Paid in Blood (20 GP): Unlock four Dagger Rune slots
- Paths of the Dead (20 GP): Collect 25 percent of the Artifacts
- Power Vacuum (10 GP): Kill all five Warchiefs before any Uruk takes their place
- Ranger of Ithilien (20 GP): Complete all Survivalist Challenges
- Repaid in Blood (10 GP): Complete a Vendetta Mission
- Rise and Fall (20 GP): After an Uruk kills Talion to become a Captain, help him become a Warchief, then kill him
- Scout of the Morannon (20 GP): Successfully complete a Survivalist Challenge
- Shadows of the Ancient Past (30 GP): Collect 100 percent of the Artifacts and listen to their memories
- Stinking Rebels (20 GP): Brand five Bodyguards of a Warchief, turning them against him in combat
- Strike True (20 GP): Unlock two Bow Rune slots
- The Cold Light (20 GP): Unlock three Sword Rune slots
- The Free Folk (15 GP): Complete an Outcast Rescue Mission
- The Last Shadow (30 GP): Complete all Acharn Legend Missions
- The Maker’s Bow (30 GP): Complete all Azkâr Legend Missions
- The Spirit of Mordor (20 GP): Start a Riot by commanding a Warchief to attack another Warchief
- The White Rider (15 GP): Liberate 30 slaves in 180 seconds while riding a caragor
- Thrill of the Hunt (20 GP): Successfully complete four Hunting Challenges
- Unleashed (10 GP): Free five caragors from cages
- You Will Obey (20 GP): Make an Uruk yours
