‘Middle Earth: Shadow Of War’ Doubles Down On Nemesis System And Adds Drakes

Monolith seems hell bent on turning the expectations of Middle Earth fans on their heads. In a newly released gameplay footage, the studio showcases one of the most exciting aspects of “Middle Earth: Shadow of War” where Talion is leading an army in order to conquer a fortress. Not only does the trailer indicate that Monolith is doubling down on the Nemesis System, it seems Drakes are available for mounting too.

In Shadow of Mordor, the Nemesis System was widely praised for how it allowed players to customize their experience with the game based on their own preferences, Mashable reports. Instead of wading into an army of orcs alone, the main character can instead insert his own agents into the enemy ranks and receive assistance.

The development studio is apparently expanding on this premise by drawing entire siege missions from the system. This allows players to conquer fortress after fortress, thus helping to increase the number of orcs in service to the main character. By the time the final showdown comes around, wraith soldier Talion might have a sizeable force to take down his enemies.

In addition to the fortress battles, Monolith is also adding drakes to the sequel, Digital Trends reports. These drakes are fire breathing flying mounts that can be used to decimate entire armies. More than simply causing havoc among enemies, however, the gameplay that the publication witnessed also showcased how the drake allowed Talion to break the spirit of an essential enemy, thus allowing his mind to be controlled.

These types of mechanics are what made the first game such a surprise hit when it was first launched and it would seem that Monolith is building on them quite nicely. The combat system has been revamped as well, allowing for smoother executions and spectacular fights to pepper the field of battle.