<s>
Middle-earth	B-Application
:	I-Application
Shadow	I-Application
of	I-Application
War	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2017	O
action-adventure	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Monolith	O
Productions	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Warner	O
Bros	O
.	O
Interactive	O
Entertainment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shadow	O
of	O
War	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
2014	O
's	O
Middle-earth	B-Application
:	I-Application
Shadow	I-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
,	O
both	O
of	O
which	O
based	O
on	O
J	O
.	O
R	O
.	O
R	O
.	O
Tolkien	O
's	O
legendarium	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
between	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Peter	O
Jackson	O
's	O
The	B-Application
Hobbit	I-Application
and	O
The	O
Lord	O
of	O
the	O
Rings	O
film	O
trilogies	O
,	O
from	O
which	O
the	O
game	O
also	O
takes	O
inspiration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
continues	O
the	O
story	O
of	O
Talion	O
,	O
the	O
Gondorian	O
Ranger	O
who	O
bonded	O
with	O
the	O
wraith	O
of	O
the	O
Elf	O
Lord	O
Celebrimbor	O
,	O
as	O
they	O
forge	O
a	O
new	O
Ring	B-Application
of	I-Application
Power	I-Application
to	O
amass	O
an	O
army	O
to	O
fight	O
against	O
Sauron	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
builds	O
upon	O
the	O
"	O
nemesis	O
system	O
"	O
introduced	O
in	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
,	O
allowing	O
Talion	O
to	O
gain	O
followers	O
from	O
several	O
races	O
of	O
Middle-earth	O
and	O
plan	O
complex	O
strategies	O
using	O
these	O
to	O
complete	O
missions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shadow	O
of	O
War	O
was	O
more	O
ambitious	O
in	O
scope	O
when	O
compared	O
with	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
,	O
with	O
the	O
introduction	O
of	O
various	O
new	O
gameplay	O
mechanics	O
and	O
the	O
expansion	O
of	O
the	O
nemesis	O
system	O
,	O
which	O
aims	O
to	O
create	O
procedurally	O
generated	O
orc	O
characters	O
that	O
the	O
protagonist	O
can	O
encounter	O
in	O
battles	O
or	O
recruit	O
as	O
followers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Troy	O
Baker	O
returned	O
to	O
provide	O
the	O
voice	O
of	O
Talion	O
,	O
while	O
simultaneously	O
serving	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
motion	B-Application
capture	I-Application
director	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Announced	O
in	O
March	O
2017	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
on	O
October	O
10	O
,	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Middle-earth	B-Application
:	I-Application
Shadow	I-Application
of	I-Application
War	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
set	O
in	O
an	O
open	O
world	O
environment	O
and	O
played	O
from	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
combat	O
system	O
in	O
Shadow	O
of	O
War	O
is	O
similar	O
to	O
its	O
predecessor	O
and	O
the	O
Batman	B-Application
:	I-Application
Arkham	I-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
nemesis	O
system	O
expands	O
upon	O
its	O
introduction	O
in	O
Middle-earth	B-Application
:	I-Application
Shadow	I-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
"	O
generic	O
"	O
orcs	O
serve	O
as	O
cannon	B-Application
fodder	I-Application
,	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Sauron	O
's	O
armies	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
will	O
begin	O
tracking	O
the	O
ones	O
that	O
have	O
notable	O
talents	O
within	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
killing	O
the	O
player	O
,	O
or	O
surviving	O
an	O
encounter	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Captains	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
will	O
also	O
adapt	O
,	O
as	O
the	B-Application
artificial	I-Application
intelligence	I-Application
in	O
the	O
game	O
will	O
learn	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
preferred	O
gameplay	O
tactics	O
and	O
develop	O
strategies	O
to	O
counter	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
transfer	O
their	O
top	O
Nemesis	O
and	O
their	O
most	O
loyal	O
follower	O
from	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
into	O
Shadow	O
of	O
War	O
through	O
the	O
Nemesis	O
Forge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shadow	O
of	O
War	O
continues	O
the	O
narrative	O
from	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
,	O
following	O
Talion	O
(	O
Troy	O
Baker	O
)	O
who	O
is	O
still	O
infused	O
with	O
the	O
spirit	O
of	O
the	O
elf	O
lord	O
Celebrimbor	O
(	O
Alastair	O
Duncan	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Talion	O
and	O
Celebrimbor	O
travel	O
to	O
Mount	O
Doom	O
,	O
where	O
they	O
forge	O
a	O
new	O
Ring	B-Application
of	I-Application
Power	I-Application
that	O
is	O
free	O
of	O
Sauron	O
's	O
corruption	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
uses	O
the	O
Ring	O
to	O
see	O
into	O
the	O
future	O
and	O
directs	O
Talion	O
to	O
the	O
last	O
Gondorian	O
stronghold	O
near	O
Mordor	B-Application
,	O
Minas	O
Ithil	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
under	O
siege	O
by	O
Sauron	O
's	O
forces	O
,	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
city	O
's	O
possession	O
of	O
a	O
valuable	O
Palantír	O
that	O
allows	O
whoever	O
possesses	O
it	O
to	O
see	O
anything	O
they	O
wish	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
either	O
a	O
valuable	O
tool	O
for	O
Celebrimbor	O
or	O
a	O
powerful	O
weapon	O
for	O
Sauron	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
implores	O
Talion	O
to	O
continue	O
to	O
fight	O
to	O
contain	O
the	O
darkness	O
within	O
Mordor	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
latter	O
two	O
manage	O
to	O
gain	O
the	O
upper	O
hand	O
and	O
Celebrimbor	O
attempts	O
to	O
dominate	O
Sauron	O
,	O
only	O
for	O
Sauron	O
to	O
cut	O
off	O
two	O
of	O
Eltariel	O
's	O
fingers	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
which	O
is	O
adorned	O
with	O
the	O
Ring	B-Application
of	I-Application
Power	I-Application
,	O
and	O
merge	O
himself	O
with	O
Celebrimbor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knowing	O
he	O
will	O
not	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
resist	O
the	O
Ring	O
,	O
Talion	O
decides	O
to	O
use	O
Minas	O
Morgul	O
as	O
a	O
fortress	O
to	O
keep	O
Sauron	O
's	O
forces	O
contained	O
in	O
Mordor	B-Application
as	O
long	O
as	O
he	O
can	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eltariel	O
reluctantly	O
confronts	O
Talion	O
,	O
who	O
manages	O
to	O
convince	O
her	O
that	O
by	O
working	O
together	O
,	O
they	O
can	O
keep	O
Sauron	O
's	O
influence	O
contained	O
within	O
Mordor	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Afterwards	O
,	O
Eltariel	O
continues	O
to	O
battle	O
the	O
forces	O
of	O
Mordor	B-Application
until	O
she	O
witnesses	O
the	O
destruction	O
of	O
the	O
One	O
Ring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Creative	O
director	O
Michael	O
De	O
Plater	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
was	O
a	O
learning	O
study	O
for	O
Monolith	O
in	O
how	O
to	O
make	O
open	O
world	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
limited	O
themselves	O
in	O
the	O
scope	O
of	O
what	O
they	O
could	O
deliver	O
for	O
that	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
's	O
kind	O
of	O
our	O
Terminator	B-Application
2	I-Application
to	O
Terminator.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Monolith	O
upgraded	O
their	O
game	O
engine	O
,	O
named	O
LithTech	B-Application
,	O
from	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
,	O
to	O
the	O
Firebird	O
engine	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
support	O
large-scale	O
battles	O
and	O
more	O
complex	O
features	O
in	O
the	O
nemesis	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
wanted	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
to	O
"	O
evoke	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
iconic	O
and	O
epic	O
elements	O
"	O
in	O
Lord	O
of	O
the	O
Rings	O
and	O
The	B-Application
Hobbit	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
would	O
weave	O
these	O
moments	O
into	O
the	O
story	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
provide	O
context	O
for	O
the	O
nemesis	O
system	O
,	O
whose	O
ultimate	O
goal	O
was	O
to	O
facilitate	O
Talion	O
's	O
complete	O
conquest	O
of	O
Mordor	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
game	O
takes	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
decades	O
between	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Hobbit	I-Application
and	O
Fellowship	O
of	O
the	O
Ring	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
believed	O
that	O
they	O
could	O
fill	O
in	O
some	O
missing	O
details	O
without	O
impacting	O
the	O
wider	O
story	O
depicted	O
in	O
Tolkien	O
's	O
novels	O
,	O
as	O
this	O
period	O
was	O
relatively	O
less	O
explored	O
in	O
fiction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
was	O
also	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
accessible	O
,	O
and	O
players	O
need	O
not	O
play	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
or	O
understand	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
Tolkien	O
's	O
work	O
before	O
playing	O
Shadow	O
of	O
War	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
bonus	O
ending	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
Knightfall	O
ending	O
in	O
Batman	B-Application
:	I-Application
Arkham	I-Application
Knight	I-Application
,	O
as	O
the	O
team	O
expected	O
only	O
a	O
small	O
percentage	O
of	O
players	O
to	O
unlock	O
this	O
final	O
ending	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
narrative	O
follows	O
a	O
three-act	O
structure	O
,	O
and	O
provides	O
a	O
definitive	O
ending	O
to	O
Talion	O
's	O
story	O
that	O
begins	O
in	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Troy	O
Baker	O
returned	O
to	O
provide	O
voice	O
for	O
Talion	O
,	O
while	O
also	O
serving	O
as	O
the	O
motion	B-Application
capture	I-Application
director	O
for	O
all	O
story	O
sequences	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baker	O
drew	O
from	O
his	O
experience	O
working	O
with	O
Naughty	O
Dog	O
on	O
The	B-Application
Last	I-Application
of	I-Application
Us	I-Application
and	O
Uncharted	B-Application
4	I-Application
:	I-Application
A	I-Application
Thief	I-Application
's	I-Application
End	I-Application
while	O
working	O
on	O
the	O
project	O
,	O
while	O
working	O
closely	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
writers	O
and	O
cutscenes	O
directors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
wanted	O
to	O
take	O
players	O
to	O
areas	O
outside	O
of	O
Mordor	B-Application
and	O
have	O
Talion	O
meet	O
other	O
new	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
New	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
cast	O
include	O
Laura	O
Bailey	O
,	O
who	O
played	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
Eltariel	O
,	O
an	O
elven	O
assassin	O
working	O
for	O
Galadriel	O
who	O
fights	O
to	O
keep	O
the	O
Nazgûl	O
within	O
Mordor	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
De	O
Plater	O
added	O
that	O
each	O
region	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
larger	O
in	O
size	O
when	O
compared	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
,	O
and	O
was	O
more	O
environmentally	O
diverse	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
five	O
regions	O
were	O
also	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
more	O
colorful	O
,	O
contrasting	O
with	O
the	O
gritty	O
artstyle	O
of	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Compared	O
with	O
the	O
enemy	O
traits	O
in	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
,	O
traits	O
in	O
Shadow	O
of	O
War	O
were	O
more	O
predictable	O
,	O
making	O
them	O
less	O
likely	O
to	O
be	O
completely	O
undefeatable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
also	O
have	O
the	O
option	O
to	O
completely	O
ignore	O
the	O
nemesis	O
system	O
and	O
play	O
Shadow	O
of	O
War	O
like	O
a	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
rectify	O
a	O
situation	O
in	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
Mordor	I-Application
where	O
competent	O
players	O
would	O
rarely	O
be	O
killed	O
by	O
enemies	O
and	O
therefore	O
never	O
get	O
to	O
explore	O
the	O
nemesis	O
system	O
,	O
Shadow	O
of	O
Wars	O
system	O
will	O
track	O
a	O
player	O
's	O
gameplay	O
style	O
and	O
have	O
enemies	O
adapt	O
to	O
these	O
tactics	O
,	O
making	O
for	O
a	O
more	O
challenging	O
experience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Olog-Hai	O
was	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
smart	O
trolls	O
created	O
specifically	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
;	O
their	O
design	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
super-soldiers	O
from	O
Warhammer	B-Application
40,000	I-Application
:	I-Application
Space	I-Application
Marine	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Play	O
Anywhere	O
feature	O
extends	O
to	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
X	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
free-to-play	O
companion	O
game	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
devices	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
28	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
ahead	O
of	O
the	O
console/PC	O
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
commemorate	O
the	O
loss	O
of	O
Shadow	O
of	O
Wars	O
executive	O
producer	O
,	O
Monolith	O
,	O
and	O
Warner	O
Bros	O
.	O
announced	O
a	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
(	O
DLC	B-Protocol
)	O
named	O
"	O
Forthog	O
Orc-Slayer	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
selling	O
for	O
$5	O
,	O
Warner	O
Bros	O
.	O
promised	O
to	O
donate	O
$3.50	O
of	O
the	O
proceeds	O
from	O
each	O
sale	O
of	O
the	O
DLC	B-Protocol
made	O
from	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
the	O
U.S.	O
states	O
to	O
the	O
Forgey	O
family	O
through	O
December	O
31	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
a	O
public	O
backlash	O
,	O
on	O
September	O
27	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
the	O
DLC	B-Protocol
was	O
made	O
free	O
to	O
all	O
who	O
purchased	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
all	O
proceeds	O
were	O
refunded	O
to	O
those	O
who	O
purchased	O
it	O
beforehand	O
,	O
in	O
favor	O
of	O
Warner	O
Bros	O
.	O
making	O
a	O
lump	O
sum	O
donation	O
to	O
the	O
Forgey	O
family	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
alongside	O
an	O
expansion	O
pass	O
,	O
which	O
grants	O
players	O
access	O
to	O
several	O
pieces	O
of	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
2018	O
,	O
Monolith	O
released	O
an	O
expansion	O
named	O
Desolation	O
of	O
Mordor	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
demo	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
complete	O
all	O
missions	O
in	O
the	O
Núrn	O
region	O
,	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
for	O
Steam	B-Application
users	O
in	O
August	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Middle-earth	B-Application
:	I-Application
Shadow	I-Application
of	I-Application
War	I-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
UK	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
second	O
best-selling	O
video	O
game	O
in	O
its	O
week	O
of	O
release	O
,	O
behind	O
FIFA	B-Application
18	I-Application
.	O
</s>
