A new IGN interview with Monolith Studios has gone into deep detail on the Middle-earth: Shadow of War visuals, including the looks of the various Orc tribes in the game, the weapons and armor Talion will be using, and the geography of Mordor and the weather that comes with it.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is going to be a much bigger game than Shadow of Mordor in every respect. Players will be traveling across Mordor and outside of it, using the power of their new Ring to build an army to destroy Sauron and take Mordor for their own. These locations include snowy mountain ranges, deep forests, islands, and a human city, the city of Minas Ithil.
The new Shadow of War visuals also extend to the Orcs themselves. There are a large variety of different tribes in the game, including groups like the Terror Tribe, the Mystic Tribe, the Marauder Tribe, the Machine Tribe, and more. Each of these tribes will have a unique look, with unique banners, weapons, fortress designs, and more.
The tribes won’t be the only way the Orcs will look different, either. With the new engine, players that brutalize the Orc captains in the Nemesis system will see many more new ways that they’ve scarred their victims (as you can see in the gameplay reveal, where a Captain Talion had previously killed was now missing an eye).
Talion’s own weapons and armor are also an important part of the Shadow of War visuals. Unlike the first game Talion will be able to change his armor and weapons, including armor and weapons for dwarves, elves, and men, rather than sticking to his Ranger clothing like in Shadow of Mordor.
We’ll be seeing more information and gameplay from Shadow of War when E3 rolls around in mid-June, and the game will be releasing on August 22 for Xbox One, Playstation 4, and PC.
