10 Things To Know About Shadow Of War’s Nemesis System

The Nemesis System seen in Shadow of War and its predecessor, Shadow of Mordor, was a defining part of the 2017 action-adventure title set in the Lord of the Rings universe. It was actually patented by Warner Bros., though that could spell trouble for the future of the series.

It has recently been at the center of controversy thanks to a legal decision, and there are plenty of rumors regarding the future of this concept. However, many are still unfamiliar with the Nemesis System, as it is still in its early years since its debut. It has thus far been used to great effect, though, and the potential of the Nemesis System appears to be limitless.

10 An Original Idea

The Nemesis System was actually an original idea for the production company, with no one having encountered it previously. The idea is based around a character-driven story arc where a player’s interactions with NPCs are influential on the game narrative itself. These interactions are more sophisticated than the familiar Morality System, which games like Knights Of The Old Republic perfected.

9 Debut

The Nemesis System actually made its debut under Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Monolith Productions in 2014. Its introduction came alongside the release of Shadow Of Mordor, a brand new Lord Of The Rings tale set within the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

The video game itself was highly regarded, but a significant contributor to its success was that of the Nemesis System. Fans felt like they had a unique, personalized set of character interactions thanks to the adapted dialogue, visual design shifts in the characters, and call-backs to previous player choices.

8 Patented

The benefits of the Nemesis System meant that players got to experience movie-worthy plots that were actually impacted by the actions of the audience. The ingenious system was therefore invaluable to Warner Bros., who sought to further cement their place in the gaming industry.

In 2015, shortly after the release of the initial game, Warner Bros. filed for a patent that would see their developers get the exclusive rights to this unique gameplay mechanic. In 2021, after a lengthy legal battle, this patent was eventually approved, resulting in the system being banned from use by other studios.

7 Mechanics

There are a number of mechanics that really demonstrate the ground-breaking ideas contained within the Nemesis System, with the game’s Orcs feeling like genuine characters rather than run-of-the-mill enemies.

Each of these NPC Orcs are separated into enemy types; video games will traditionally do this with henchmen, but this does not usually play into the character story. Secondly, these NPCs are given unique and recognizable designs. If a random Orc was to show up again, the player would remember a previous interaction. Thirdly, the system puts a hierarchy in place for these Orcs to progress through.

6 Character Interactions

The three key mechanics of the Nemesis System are what drives the story forward. With the example of this Lord Of The Rings video game series, each time a player will interact with an Orc, that enemy type will remember any previous meetings within the game.

What’s more, if they had previously killed, the player they will remember this too, using unique dialogue to mock the audience. On top of this, any damage the player may have caused in past meetings will also be reflected in the Orc’s design. For instance, if the protagonist had utilized fire against his enemy, the Orc may appear to have suffered burns.

5 Narrative Driven

All of these interactions are driven by the narrative. Each death and respawn is built into the story and given an explanation which plays well into the Orc’s dialogue. The hierarchy in place is also not a gimmick but contained within the campaign, as the player must dominate or remove significant players in Mordor’s realms.

The result of all of this is that players will end up having their own unique rivals and witness scenes that play out as if they have been taken directly from a Peter Jackson film. Every copy of Shadow Of Mordor or Shadow Of War will contain an alternative story for the audience to enjoy that is focused on the movements of the individual.

4 Individual Stats

As previously mentioned, diverse enemy types can make up any game with an array of henchmen to overcome. The difference here, though, is that, not only does each enemy have their own strengths to battle through, but they also have weaknesses randomly assigned.

These connect into their personalities, as well, contributed to by the brilliant voice performances of the cast. One Orc may be terrified of defeat, running away at the final minute before the killing blow. Another could be fearful of flames, with the player utilizing fire to their advantage. Consequently, each battle will require a spectrum of combat tactics.

3 Revenge Story Beats

As one can imagine, if an enemy proves to be particularly difficult to overcome a rivalry may begin with that Orc, Troll, or War Lord. Each interaction will build upon the last, with the dialogue evolving the more times these rivals face off against one another.

The Nemesis System has accounted for this and therefore also built-in revenge-based story beats. One’s ultimate nemesis may be brought in as an enemy within a campaign battle. What’s more, side quests can be opened which allow Talion to try to get revenge upon his foe.

2 Future In The Industry

Shadow Of War was a highly-anticipated sequel thanks to the popularity of the Nemesis System the original game featured, and the future is bright for this concept. It’s clear that Warner Bros. may want to reuse it down the line, considering their choice to file for a patent.

However, other studios will be looking to develop their own iterations of the idea without stepping into any legal trouble. It’s obvious that players want gameplay mechanics which continue to allow for unique, story-driven experiences, and the Nemesis System is perfect for that.

1 Rumored Games

Naturally, fans are looking towards future Warner Bros. video games to discern when the Nemesis System might next be brought into play. There are a few upcoming titles, featuring well-known intellectual properties which could benefit from the use of this concept.

The Harry Potter game Hogwarts Legacy looks to be developing a more personalized narrative and may work well with a Nemesis System involving both students and teachers. The other prime candidates are the upcoming DC titles, including Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League and Gotham Knights. Both will contain colorful comic book thugs which could mimic a criminal empire similar to that of the Orcs.

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