The battles also magnify the theme of death and undeath, as Talion fights these final battles as an undead character, and he goes up against Orcs who are either alive or undead. So the players are meant to enjoy the variation that results in different outcomes in the Siege Battles and different dialogue due to the Nemesis System. These moments make the player feel like the game is truly reacting to their gameplay, and that’s something the Siege Battles are meant to amplify. You may have killed a captain earlier, but he may come back in the later battles as an undead Orc, itching for revenge. As you progress through each battle, where Talion himself has become undead, you can run into the same Orcs over and over. One reason is the Nemesis System, which records the choices you make and what you do once you capture, kill, or shame the Orc captains. You have to capture and convert those captains one at a time, as you wander through the landscape around the fortress.ĭe Plater said that he doesn’t view the Siege Battles as a pure grind. This task can be demanding because you need a half-dozen or so Orc captains to take or defend a fortress. In the first stage, there is just one task, defending one of the fortresses. There, you start taking over the four fortresses … and then defend them, again and again. You have to fight through 10 stages of a campaign in the Siege Battles section. He survives, and he continues to wage his civil war against Sauron and his Orcs. The battle and cutscene in the above video appears to be the end of the story, but then it continues. In any case, the ending that De Plater views as the true ending leaves room for more conflict with Sauron in the future. But he said he isn’t able to share yet whether there will be a third game or not. He noted that you’ll be able to play Eltariel in upcoming downloadable content. It suggests that there is more to the story ahead, as Sauron hasn’t been defeated. De Plater said he considers the cinematic below to be the true ending of the game. A fair amount of it has focused on the multiple endings. Shadow of War has had a huge reaction from fans on social media, de Plater said. Your skill decides which way it goes, and that’s the way the ending of a game should be. In this “ending,” the battle is up to you. And then Eltariel and Celebrimbor go on to engage in an epic fight against Sauron in the Dark Tower. But Eltariel’s campaign leads to a rift between the wraith and the ranger.
The story splinters into separate threads, including a campaign for the Elf warrior, Eltariel, and another short four-mission campaign related to Shelob, the giant spider who takes the form of a woman in a black dress in Shadow of War.Īt first, Eltariel and Talion are allies, fighting side-by-side with Celebrimbor against the Dark Lord’s forces. Most of the narrative comes through the Minas Ithil campaign, but this ends without a true resolution.