14. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Venture into the world of Middle-Earth, where the Dark Lord awaits.

While by no means a new game, Shadow of Mordor remains one of the best in its genre. More than just your average hack n’ slash, the game is universally praised for its innovative usage of artificial intelligence.

Set between the events of Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in Middle-Earth, Shadow of Mordor follows the tale of Talion, a guard stationed at the Black Gate of Mordor, after his family’s death at the forces of the Dark Lord Sauron. Aided on his quest for revenge by a like-minded wraith, the epic narrative culminates in a fantastic battle.

The game is best known for its groundbreaking Nemesis AI system, wherein player interactions with non-playable characters are remembered by the game and serve to further the plot development. Depending on how a fight with an enemy leader ends, the enemy may or may not return with a vengeance, or possibly convert enemies over to the player’s side. In this game, everybody has a motive. 

String together moves to brutally execute your enemies!

One against many… there is no surrender.