The most surprising critical hit of the year so far, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor turned out a lot better than many were expecting. An open world action game, Shadow of Mordor is an exciting romp through the dark parts of Middle-earth that we really saw in the movies. The combat in Shadow of Mordor is pretty solid, influenced heavily by the free-flow system seen in the Arkham games. Talion smoothly glides between enemies, brutally stabbing and decapitating in slow-motion, cinematic glory. It's the Nemesis System that really gives Shadow of Mordor its oomph though, remembering previous Uruk foes and adjusting how they interact with the player. The first time you come across a vengeance-filled, eye-patched Uruk you thought you'd killed hours ago by stabbing in the head is one of the best gaming moments of the year.
