Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor – Lord of the Hunt

Developer: Monolith Productions
Publisher: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment
Rrp: £6.99 (Steam)
Released: 16th December 2014
Available on: Steam
Played Using: Xbox One Control Pad
Approximate game length: 3 Hours +

This DLC centres around a new type of War-Chief that has appeared in the lands of Nurn, these new War-chiefs are known as ‘Beast Tamers’ and they have been gathering up and training the wild beasts of Mordor to fight as part of Saurons army. This has your friend Torvin (a dwarf hunter who you meet in the course of the first game) quite worried as such an event would hasten the inevitable conflict to come. It’s due to this worry that he has come to Talion for aid, if anyone can take down the War-chiefs it’s Talion.

This DLC introduces two new variations of the beasts that were already in the game those being the Cathagor and the Wretched Graug, as well as a couple of new skills to acquire to help tame them.

When you start this DLC you start with all the skills and abilities fully upgraded, though you will lack all the runes you have in the main game. Because of this I find it a bit odd that the missions you go on have optional conditions to attain more Mirin since there is nothing to spend it on.

The big question is, is this DLC worth the price being asked for it? Well, mileage may vary here but I think it is in this case. I do find it a bit of a shame that this DLC and all its features are kept separate from the base game.

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Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor – The Bright Lord

Developer: Monolith Productions
Publisher: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment
Rrp: £6.99 (Steam)
Released: 24th February 2015
Available on: Steam
Played Using: Xbox One Control Pad
Approximate game length: 3 Hours +

Before starting the DLC it’s highly recommended that you complete the base game first as the character you play as is a spoiler. Take what I just wrote to also mean that from this point I shall be telling some spoilers so if you wish to play this game without knowing anything please stop reading.

In this DLC you play as Celebrimbor, otherwise known as the elven wraith that inhabits Talion in the base game. However, this DLC is set long before the events of the base game (I think by two or three thousand years though I’m not sure). In this DLC Celebrimbor is attempting to use the One Ring and stop Sauron by turning the Uruk army against him.

The main thing I would say about this DLC is that it’s much more difficult than the base game. Celebrimbor has similar powers to that of Talion but they are weaker over all and he starts with less health and focus available. To top it off the various Captains and War-chiefs start with a higher power rating and quite a few immunities.

I admit I enjoyed this DLC less than the main game and the previous DLC, I’m not sure if it was because I was starting to tire of the format or because I found the DLC less engaging than the main game. Either way this DLC failed to grip me and I played it through more to write this review rather than through any real enjoyment.

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