Grade: 9

A game developer capitalizing on a franchise license to make a truly great game is rare. Usually, games of this nature focus on meeting a specific deadline to coincide with a movie’s release date or an anniversary of the game’s franchise. This almost always leads to a substandard game plagued with poor use of characters, locations and events.

Luckily, this isn’t the case with “Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.” Filling the gap between “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” “Shadow of Mordor” is a game hardcore Tolkien fans will undoubtedly enjoy, as it is overflowing with lore. Simultaneously, regular gamers will equally enjoy passing the time with gameplay reminiscent of “Assassin’s Creed” and a combat system similar to “Batman: Arkham Asylum.”

In short, developer Monolith Productions has created a surprisingly deep, expansive game, a long overdue necessity for “Lord of the Rings” fans.

“Shadow of Mordor” shamelessly borrows the signature stealth mechanics and character movement from Ubisoft’s “Assassin’s Creed” franchise. While Monolith could be faulted for utilizing this in their game, the developer has expertly crafted these mechanics into Tolkien’s world. In fact, one might even forget the “Assassin’s Creed” elements once they start exploring the vast realm Monolith has created.

The second shamelessly borrowed game mechanic, the combat system, is less forgivable. While the system itself is integrated well with the main character, Tailon, and his fighting capability, there isn’t a huge departure from how “Batman: Arkham Asylum” implemented the same three-button combat mechanic.

In short, it works in “Shadow of Mordor,” but it would have been nice to see an unique difference that justifies the obvious copy-and-paste style employed by Monolith.

However, one views these mechanics, there is no doubt Monolith has striven to create a game for Lord of the Rings fans, created by Lord of the Rings fans. Mordor, the game’s sprawling, surprisingly diverse setting, is immediately recognizable yet worthy of endless exploration.

Within this land, numerous “Appendix” entries — in true Tolkien style — are begging to be unlocked; even the most minute detail, such as a detailed explanation of Middle-earth’s use of potatoes, is accounted for. Hardcore Tolkien fans will undoubtedly appreciate the care and attention to detail given to Tolkien’s established lore.

From a visual standpoint, “Shadow of Mordor” isn’t the Xbox One’s best looking game, especially compared to the shiny polish of “Destiny,” but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to love. Character models are extremely detailed, with eye-catchingly detailed skin textures on the foul, malformed Orcs and Uruks. As there are quite a few different character models for these enemies, it is refreshing to see such consistent attention to detail. Likewise, weapon detail, with respect to bump-mapping and lighting, are top-notch.

The game’s graphical aspects create an authentic Middle-earth, which is missing from previous “Lord of the Rings” games. In the game world itself, however, things aren’t so high-end; for every beautiful vista, there is non-player character with awkward animations and a rough character model. Likewise, environmental interaction animations, a common action in “Shadow of Mordor,” is rarely synced with the world’s geometry. Overall, “Shadow of Mordor” presents an effective yet hardly perfect graphical package.

What really sells “Shadow of Mordor” is the game’s “Nemesis System,” a novel approach to how boss battles play out. Basically, the game randomly generates Orcs and Uruk-hai for Tailon to fight, and the way those characters assume power within Sauron’s army is largely dependent on player actions. This system, combined with the aforementioned pros, make “Shadow of Mordor” a game worthy of any player’s attention.

Monolith has crafted an exceptional game under high expectations, delving into Tolkien lore and presenting Middle-earth in a novel, approachable, and highly entertaining fashion. Even after completing the 10- to 12-hour story, there are plenty of side missions and collectibles to occupy your time, and the game world itself is worthy of lengthy exploration. Expect to keep “Shadow of Mordor” in your disc drives for a while.