10 Awesome Video Game Mechanics The Industry Abandoned

10. Nemesis System - Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is a disappointing game. The story is garbage, the fighting system is passable at its finest moments, and the whole thing is just a slog of 'meh'. Except for the Nemesis system, which has some really interesting mechanics to it - it's really just a shame it had to be part of something so lacklustre.

When Shadow of War was first coming out, the Nemesis System was so lauded for its ingenuity that there was a fear it would become the new 'cover based shooting' of games - being force-fed into every upcoming product for the next decade. But in the end, not a single major release has even attempted to recreate the system.

Now technically Warner Brothers owns the trademark to the name Nemesis System, but you can't copywrite an idea. There's no reason not to make a similar idea - even if its only parts of the system.

Can you imagine Borderlands with some strong bandits as your rivals with your after-death revival being the New-U feature? Maybe GTA with whatever cop or opposing gangster who 'wasted' you getting a promotion and receiving rewards for getting vengeance on them. Or what about Assassin's Creed, but your targets are dynamically created in-world instead of being scripted enemies and a glitch in the Animus causes them to grow stronger upon your defeat?

So many untapped possibilities!