G2A.COM G2A News Features 5 Games like Shadow of War [2021]
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is an open-world action RPG set in Tolkien’s legendarium. It was released in 2017 so chances are you already played it and did everything there was to do.
In this case, you may be interested in checking out some similar games that should keep you busy and entertained for hours to come. If you’re looking for some cool Shadow of War alternatives, we’ve got you covered.
Below you will find some of the best games like Shadow of War
For the first game on the list, we’ve got a story set in a world that could be best described as a future-ancient one – it’s overrun by machines and you will have to use primitive tools and weapons to get rid of them.
Horizon Zero Dawn is more or less an obvious choice when you’re in need of some good Shadow of War alternatives. It has a wide-open world you can freely roam, character progression that allows you to make your protagonist stronger over time, and it even comes with several primitive weapons, including a bow that was commonly used in Shadow of War. The game does, of course, lack some of the most interesting SoW features, such as the Nemesis system, but it shouldn’t be considered a flaw at all. It’s not a game you could call a SoW clone, and it’s a good thing – it’s a refreshing experience you wouldn’t want to miss.
Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition
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Many players looked forward to an Assassin’s Creed game that would focus on the Viking era, and their praises were finally heard. The Assassin’s Creed franchise has a lot in common with Shadow of War, and the latest AC release is no different, except it brings even better visuals and more polished gameplay than what its predecessors could offer.
This time, the centuries-lasting conflict between Assassins and Templars will take you to the snowy lands of Scandinavian folklore, where you will have to face new formidable opponents. The combat feels surprisingly close to what Shadow of War offered, so the game should serve as a great SoW alternative. It’s also worth noting that the game got favorable reviews from the Reddit community.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla (Ubisoft)
If you want a game with more magic and other stuff that would remind you more of Celebrimbor’s tricks, then you should try Dark Souls III. The Dark Souls franchise, as well as many other FromSoftware’s games, were always known for their high and unforgiving difficulty level, demanding boss fights, and dark atmosphere, as well as skill-based combat that rewards mastering each weapon’s unique moveset.
The difficulty comes in form of surprising gameplay mechanics – once you figure out the enemies’ attack patterns and where the enemies respawn, things become much easier. The game also has rich lore, if you’re into this kind of stuff. Keep in mind, however, that it’s mostly hidden in form of item descriptions, and some items can be extremely hard to find, which means that only the most dedicated players will be able to collect all the pieces and make something out of them.
Dark Souls III Deluxe Edition
On the other hand, if having magic in a game is a problem, then you may want to take a look at the game that doesn’t have this kind of stuff at all. Kingdom Come takes a more realistic approach to the genre, even to the point where it wouldn’t be too inaccurate to call it a medieval life simulator. Usually, combat in action role-playing games is quite simple – push this button to attack, push the other one to block or use some special move, and so on. Here, however, you will actually need to think before you strike, so no mindless button mashing.
You can choose the direction of your attacks and blocks, and the same applies to your opponents – the key to success is to predict their moves and act accordingly. Attack from the direction they expect the least and surprise them with a deadly blow. It would certainly be fun to test your combat skills against other players online, so it’s a shame it’s a single-player-only experience.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
The list of games similar to Shadow of War wouldn’t be complete without one of the fullest and truest RPG experiences available up to date. Who said that offline games are dead?
The Witcher 3 is a game about the titular witcher – a mutated human who will gladly undo hexes and curses, even if it means dealing with some powerful evil creatures. However, his services aren’t free, so prepare to toss a coin to your witcher if you are in need of his help. Although he seems like a good guy, he usually meets with hate and disrespect due to his mutant nature. The common folk are scared of him and thus treat him like one of the monsters he fights against. It’s hard to blame them, though – did you see his cat eyes?
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Game of the Year Edition
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a sequel to Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and just as its predecessor it’s an action role-playing game based on Tolkien’s legendarium. It offers a huge open-world environment that can be freely roamed and it’s filled with dangers and collectibles of all sorts, which encourages exploration. The game’s most notable feature is certainly its Nemesis System in which you can interrogate encountered orcs in order to learn more about the Sauron’s army and infiltrate orcs’ ranks.
Orcs are generated randomly and they can get numerous different strengths and weaknesses, which adds a lot of replayability to the game. Once an important orc dies, another one can replace him – you can even dominate orcs, so they will enter the Nemesis System while being under your control, which will give you the possibility to spy on the actions of the Sauron’s army and may help you decide on your next move.
There are numerous similar action role-playing games out there, but they all do some things differently, so don’t get your hopes high if you want to find an exact SoW clone, though some titles come pretty close. Shadow of War alternatives can approach the genre from a more realistic side, while the others prefer to stick to the fantasy one, but they all usually have an open-world environment that can be freely roamed. They also do have some kind of character progression system, which makes it possible to make your character stronger as you play.
Depending on which features of the Shadow of War you liked the most, you will be probably interested in different kinds of action RPGs. We tried our best to find games that would be entertaining to any type of player, so check out the list above and you’ll surely be able to pick something you’ll enjoy.