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Here is my next video review. In this video, I give you a quick overview of Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, go over the rating and content, and let you know if I think it is good for your gamer.
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Transcript:
Hello, my name is Eric Rogers from parentinggamers.com and this is Parenting Gamers Review of Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor. In this video, I am going to give you a quick overview of the game, go over the rating and content, and let you know if I think it is good for your gamer.
So the first question is, what is Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor?
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor is a third-person, open-world action game. What do I mean by that?
First of all, a third-person game is a game where the character the player controls is visible on the screen as you can see here. This view is popular is story driven games because it helps the player connect more with the main character of the story.
Next, is the term “open-world”. An open-world game is a game that allows the player a measure of freedom to determine where to go and what to do. There is normally a main story-line but the player is free to ignore it and just explore the world if they choose.
Here you can see a map of the world. The yellow icon indicates the location of the next storyline mission. However, I can choose to ignore it for now if I want and focus on side missions, or collecting artifacts, or hunting specific enemies. This freedom lends longevity to the game and keeps players coming back for more.
Nothing I have mentioned so far is all that unique. There are several other third-person, open-world action games out there, such as Assassin’s Creed or Batman Arkham City. However, Shadow of Mordor does have one feature that sets it apart from other games.
That feature is the Nemesis system. Throughout the world, there are special named characters called captains. These characters are stronger than the normal monsters and have specific strengths and weaknesses. One of the things that makes them really special is that they remember interactions they have had with the player. For example, this specific captain killed me earlier in the game, which is why he’s marked as a revenge target. If I come in contact with him again, he will remember and say something about it. Let’s hunt him down so you can see what I mean.
There are several other aspects of the Nemesis system that I won’t get into right now. The main thing to understand is that it makes the player’s experience of the game unique, which makes it fun.
Now, the next question is, what about the content?
A quick warning. I am about to show you a quick clip explaining the rating Shadow of Mordor received. This clip is a graphic.
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor is rated M, which is the equivalent of an R rating in the movies. The rating includes the descriptors “Blood and Gore” and “Intense Violence”.
This content is all you need to worry about with Shadow of Mordor. It does not include a multi-player component so you do not have to worry about that.
So what’s the verdict? Is Shadow of Mordor a game you should allow your player to play?
As a gamer I enjoy this game. The open-world aspects give it a lot of legs. I’ve played for almost 6 hours and am only 14% through all the content. And the Nemesis system is a cool twist that helps this game stand out from the crowd.
As a parent, I would recommend holding off on this game until your gamer is older. The M rating carries with it a “17 and up” qualifier. Most stores won’t even sell an M rated game to anyone under the age of 17. So I would say, use that as your gage. If you wouldn’t allow your gamer to watch an R rated movie, you probably shouldn’t allow them to play Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor.
If you enjoyed this video, please visit me at parentinggamers.com and sign-up for my email list. Signing up with get you notifications when I release new videos and give you a free copy of my e-book, Connecting with Your Teenager Through Video Games. Thanks for watching.