Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Monolith Productions' fantasy-action RPG sequel is fun but falls just short of being truly great. Middle-earth: Shadow of War manages to re-create the atmosphere of the films (if not the books) that inspired it. Its generic fantasy story isn't that compelling, but characters like the mysterious spider woman Shelob and the likable shield maiden Idril capture the magic of the novels. And the beautifully animated brawling combat, though it gradually grows repetitive, can be an absolute blast, making it seem believable that one man possessed of an elf spirit could counter and carve his way through endless orc armies. The Nemesis system -- which gives many powerful orcs distinct personalities and makes each fight against them a challenging grudge match -- has been subtly refined, forcing players to be even more strategic in preparing for and choosing their battles against the most bloodthirsty foes. And the process of building Talion's group of followers to hold back the forces of Sauron is both complex and rewarding.

All of this said, the sequel carries over some problems from the original -- and introduces a couple of new ones. The world lacks the detail and personality of similar games, such as those in the Assassin's Creed and Batman: Arkham series. And movement through the environment -- including climbing and leaping -- isn't as fluid and natural as it is in those games. It's easy to miss a precision jump onto a suspended line, or accidentally climb up a tower at the wrong angle. The presence of microtransactions serving as progression aids was also a misstep at launch, though this feature was removed months after release following player complaints. There's a ton of fun to be had wading into armies of orcs, and if that's all you're looking for, then Middle-earth: Shadow of War could be one of the most entertaining games you play all year, especially if the designers keep making further tweaks to sand off the game's rougher edges.