10 Simple Things That Ruined Major Video Games

Even if you're not a Lord of the Rings devotee, it's hard not to be impressed by Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Monolith's Tolkien adaptation offers versatile combat, rich lore, fleshed-out characters, and a unique Nemesis system that enables recurring enemies to return stronger and smarter.

Due to Shadow of Mordor's success, Monolith got to work on a sequel. Rather than churning out more of the same, Middle-earth: Shadow of War allowed players take control of a customisable army. By recruiting orcs, upgrading their gear, and giving them specific tasks, Shadow of War places a bigger focus on tactics. 

At least, it would've if the gameplay wasn't tethered to loot boxes and micro-transactions. Also, Shadow of War is so grind-heavy, players are encouraged to pay their way to victory, bypassing central aspects of the game. After all, why waste time training orcs and prepping an army when there's an option to upgrade soldiers with real cash?

Annoyingly, players got screwed whether they embraced micro-transactions or not, since they'd be overpowered early or underpowered late, undermining the gaming experience.

Considering greed plays a recurring theme in Tolkien's work, it's fitting that Monolith cared about having more money than Smaug than crafting a quality product.