If you haven’t yet played Shadow of War, you should. The game takes place between the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings and deals with the aftermath of Sauron’s return to Mordor. The game is well-crafted and has similarities to Assassins Creed: Middle Earth Edition. However, like the original, this sequel is plagued by microtransactions. Here’s a comparison of the two games.

Review of Shadow of War

My first impressions of Shadow of War and its sequel, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle of Five Armies, were generally positive. Both games feature large worlds with a lot to do, but Shadow of War is far superior in this area. The story is richer than in The Lord of the Rings, and the wraiths of Mordor give the game a more thrilling and exciting feel than the original. While the game is not as well-made as the previous two games, it is still a huge experience.

Both games revolve around the eponymous Middle-earth setting and a brutal combat style. In Shadow of War, your character, Talion, battles against orc armies that are threatening to destroy human cities. The game’s open world maps require players to traverse huge areas and engage in battle. Fortunately, they can choose which of the game’s many interesting storylines, including the inclusion of multiple sagas.

The first game, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle of Five Armies, was a sleeper hit and the game that followed it is a great expansion of that universe. Shadow of War takes some liberties with canon, but overall, it’s a worthy sequel. You’ll find yourself playing both games for thirty to forty hours, and the lore and storyline is much better than in the first.

Comparison to Shadow of Mordor

While there are many similarities between the two, there are also some notable differences. Compared to Shadow of Mordor, Shadow of War features more new content than the original. In addition to the different maps, the sequel also adds a fortress and a new character. The game also features more memorable characters and villains. In the end, however, the similarities are not enough to make a game a better buy.

The first game in the series featured two hub-worlds – Udun and the Sea of Nurn. The new game has five, and the number of these is considerably larger. This is particularly notable given that both games are set in Middle Earth. Shadow of Mordor 2 also introduces new enemies, such as ologs and drakes, which attack from the air. But despite the similarities, the game is still a far cry from Tolkien’s world.

The main plotline of Shadow of War follows the same characters as the first game. Talion, still imbued with the spirit of Celebrimbor, is on an unending quest to revenge his father for taking his daughter. Talion is joined by Celebrimbor, the elf wraith who forged the rings of power. The ring lends Talion the power to fight Sauron and the endless army of orcs.

Differences between the two games

Both games follow the canonical story of Lord of the Rings, though there are some significant differences between them. Shadow of Mordor was more loose with the canon than its sequel, while Shadow of War adheres to J.R.R. Tolkien’s works more closely. Both games feature the Nemesis System, and the first one builds on it. Both games take more liberties with established lore.

The first game’s short storyline was one of its most appealing elements, but Shadow of War adds more characters and storylines to the mix. It also is longer, reaching 60 hours, and offers more challenging gameplay. While the first game featured a well-developed nemesis system, this sequel adds new characters and storylines. There are also more orcs and events to explore, along with prominent roles for nemeses like Sauron and Morgoth.

The first game in the series introduces new characters, such as Talion and Celebrimbor. Both series’ heroes must battle the Balrog and defeat it. Talion is the first player to fight the Balrog in both games. The second game introduces new characters like Eltariel and the elven warriors, the latter of which is an unnamed race of Orcs.