Middle-Earth Shadow of Mordor’s Enemies Remember Players

Speaking to Official PlayStation Magazine UK, Middle-Earth Shadow of Mordor's director of design Michael de Plater has spoken about the game's complex Nemesis AI systems which promises sophisticated encounters with orcs and the other creatures you'll be facing. 

de Plater said: 

“Honestly, there isn’t a day that goes by where we don’t see something we’ve never seen before. With the Nemesis System, the personality of the villains effects how they respond to you and what they say, so memories mean each encounter influences the next. Between each player, and on each playthrough, there are really unique, memorable and emergent moments.”

Some enemy interactions will turn into lengthy vendettas and if you lose a battle, your enemy will remember your past encounter. 

“Players can create unique stories through a series of encounters with personal villains. Seeing an enemy remember your previous encounters and react differently according to their personality and role makes the whole world feel so much more alive.”

Set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series, Shadow of Mordor sees the Dark Lord's realm before his return to power meaning there's some greenery to be found at the outset of the story. de Plater added: 

“It’s extremely important to have balance and contrast. It’s part of what makes it so interesting to explore Mordor in this time period. Mount Doom is dormant, Barad-dûr is a ruin and there are people and life in Mordor. It’s a vision of the past and the future. As well as bringing sunlight and contrast to the game it also gives you a heroic purpose in helping save the people that have been trapped by Sauron’s return.”

The game is coming to PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One but de Plater has previously said that Warner Bros. is focusing on the PS4 and Xbox One versions. 

You can check out some Middle-Earth Shadow of Mordor's screenshots here.