While The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King will always be the better game. The epic novel trilogy, which were adapted into a blockbuster film franchise by Peter Jackson, has inspired many exciting fantasy games. The Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor duology combines the world of Tolkien with the iconic Nemesis System, but it fails to reach the bar set by Return of the King.
The Middle-earth games developed by Monolith Productions put a unique spin on the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, and Shadow of Mordor's Nemesis System makes the world incredibly dynamic and interactive. The games cast players as Talion, a Ranger from Gondor who bonds with the spirit of legendary elven blacksmith Celebrimbor to challenge Sauron. The Nemesis System makes this quest deeply personal, with every Uruk the player encounters having a distinct personality and forming a unique relationship with Talion over time. While the Nemesis System stands out as one of the most innovative game features in recent memory, the Shadow of Mordor games fail to reach the greatness of an older Lord of the Rings game.
Return Of The King Is Still The Best LOTR Game
While Monolith Productions' Middle-earth games put the innovative Nemesis System to great use, the LOTR: Return of the King game released in 2003 more effectively captures the franchise's spirit. The cooperative hack-and-slash game is based directly on Peter Jackson's film adaptation, strictly following the movie's plot and transforming its gorgeous sets into actual interactive spaces. Players are able to embody iconic characters like Frodo, Gandalf and Aragorn as they fight through hordes of Uruk, with co-op play letting two companions enter battle together. While the Shadow of Mordor games put a unique spin on Tolkien's world, LOTR: Return of the King is incredibly faithful and translates Tolkien's themes of companionship into actual gameplay.
The World Needs A New LOTR Co-Op Game
While a third Middle-earth game has not been teased or announced, Monolith Productions has confirmed that its Wonder Woman game will feature the Nemesis System in some fashion. With this beloved feature living on in a new property, now would be the perfect time for a new cooperative Lord of the Rings game that truly captures the feeling of being on an adventure in a large fellowship. A modern co-op game would let players team up to explore a new region of Middle-earth, like 2011's LOTR: War in the North, or could even serve as a direct adaptation of Tolkien's novels rather than drawing heavily from Jackson's films.
Many video game adaptations have put a unique spin on J.R.R. Tolkien's works, but no game has been as faithful as the co-op hack and slash game Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Titles like Shadow of Mordor and the dwarf-focused survival game Return to Moria are very innovative, but a co-op experience that follows the actual events of Tokien's Lord of the Rings trilogy is long overdue. Shadow of Mordor impressed with its Nemesis System and original narrative, but Lord of the Rings games would be wise to return to the franchise's roots.
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