It looks likes Middle Earth: Shadow of War is getting a definitive edition packing all sorts of goodies into the epic. Making it now… even more… epic.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have announced the new version drops August 28th (NA) and 31st (Europe) with all the expansions from the Gold edition – which includes the Slaughter Tribe and Outlaw Tribe Nemesis Expansions as well as the Blade of Galadriel and Desolation of Mordor story expansions.
Shadow of War launched in 2017 following 2014’s successful Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor gaining a mostly positive score with critics, but endured backlash over its market system whereby players could essentially buy their way through the game. Monolith defended their choices saying that everything could be gained for free through playing the game but the damage was done, before the game had even launched. The market and micro transactions have since been removed from the game.
The unpopular Shadow Wars post game has also been reworked adding some narrative slickness and rewards in lieu of the mission structure from the original release. All narrated by the lovely Shelob and Dark Talion.
That’s a lot of beef but wait, there’s more. The new edition will also unsurprisingly sport all the updates and improvements that have been released since launch:
Nemesis System Enhancements: Numerous improvements bringing further depth to combat encounters and player interactions, along with added traits and behaviours for Orc enemies, more Legendary Orcs to encounter and more ways to get Training Orders.
Powering Up: Follower level cap has been increased to 80, the enemy Captain level cap has been increased to 85, greater XP rewards, new Prestige skills, upgrades and more.
Gear Upgrades: Players can now use Mirian to raise the level of a piece of gear to their current level and use gems to re-roll abilities.
Skins: Added player skins for Celebrimbor, Eltariel, Dark Eltariel, Baranor and Serka.
Online Pit Fights & Conquests: Added search feature to challenge specific players’ Overlords and fortresses in Friendly Mode.
Endless Siege: Added feature to defend fortresses against never-ending waves of Sauron’s forces.
Rebellion: Added feature to crush rebel Ologs and Uruks who undermine the Bright Lord.
Photo Mode Upgrades: Capture every battle with new filters, frames and textures.
Difficulty Levels: Added Brutal and Gravewalker difficulty levels.
Player Stats: Added player stats page to track in-game enemy kills, dominations and betrayals.
There is no information regarding the Forthog the Orc-Slayer DLC pack which was released to honor Michael David Forgey, executive producer on 2014’s Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, who passed away in 2016. Monolith garnered backlash after it was discovered that the price, which was meant to help Forgey’s family was only partly so and Warner Bros. still made profit. That DLC was eventually released for free. Presumably it’s still in the main game.
The series is known for it’s awesome Nemesis system whereby defeated enemies return later for revenge! If you haven’t played it yet, it sounds like now is the time!
Why not check our review and the demo on PC, Xbox One and PS4. Fingers crossed for a Switch release! :P
