Playing Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor presently and I must say it's pretty damn good.
A review on it...
It's been a while since I played a game that has provided so much fun for me. In a day where we're flooded with multiplayer-focused games with thin stories and 6-hour or less "campaigns", Shadow of Mordor is really a breath of fresh air. Simply put, I can sit down and play this game and just have simple, unadulterated fun with it.
The game is deep enough to provide some interesting RPG elements (leveling up attributes, learning new skills, collecting runes to add different powers to your weapons and deciding which ones are the best to fit your play style, etc.), but stays simple enough to feel fun to play no matter what you choose or how you choose to play. You never feel hindered by choosing one attribute over the other or learning one skill first before another.
The gameplay itself has been criticised for "being an Assassin's Creed rip-off". But hold on now...let's not forget a little game released in 2003 called Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which came long before both. Uncharted also uses this leaping/grabbing/acrobatic-style gameplay to great effect. The Assassin's Creed series (it has fallen victim to the CoD one-a-year treatment), but the point trying to be made here is this: although the games have similar mechanics, I feel Shadow of Mordor uses it to a greater, and more fun, effect. Simply put, don't let the haters detract you from at least trying the game.
The core fighting gameplay is very fun. You can complete the game using button mashing if you desire, but certain unlockable skills later on reward you for timed combos. Fighting 1-5 enemies or so is an easy affair; however when you get ambushed by a Captain and they bring in 30 or 40 Uruks to aide them, the tides turn a bit and you are constantly kept on your toes by having to counter attacks and keep your combo counter up to perform executions. I especially enjoy the stealth gameplay; performing aerial takedowns and "brutalizing" Uruks which makes enemies flee is very satisfying.
The Nemesis system is also done very well. Enemies will remember you if you fight them, do not kill them, and come back to them later. Scars from the battle will remain on their bodies. You can gain intel from lower-ranked Uruks to learn the weaknesses of the Captains which will help you defeat them quicker (example: some Uruks might be able to be killed instantly by a stealth attack, or a charged bow shot to the head). Learning intel also tells you their strengths; some Captains, for example, are enraged when they are on fire and will become stronger and regenerate health. It makes for some very interesting fights.
The gameplay missions are varied by objectives of different kinds; you have the main story missions which progress the overall plot, but there are also side missions, which range from upgrading your weapons to participating in helping one Captain overthrow another, and more. There are also various things to collect inside the game world that reveal lore and backstory in the game, and small "missions" that add to the overall game percentage completion (collecting herbs, hunting).
In all, the game is very well done. I've had so much fun with this one that even an occasional minor glitch (which I personally haven't experienced yet but have heard about) doesn't detract from the fun I've had. If you're a fan of LotR, or you just want a fun, action-packed game in general, definitely pick this one up and give it a shot.