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Review: ‘Shadow of Mordor’ grabs the gold ring

By WTOP Staff

LOU KESTEN
Associated Press

“The Lord of the Rings” has inspired hundreds of video games, but there’s never been a great one based directly on J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic. Until now.

“Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor” (Warner Bros., for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, $59.99) is the most satisfying virtual adventure ever set in Tolkien’s world. And one big reason it’s so successful is that it jettisons so much of what you might expect from a “Rings” game.

It’s not a “Dungeons & Dragons”-style role-playing game. There are no hobbits. Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli are nowhere to be seen (although Gollum plays a key role). Most of the time, you’re dealing with orcs — nasty, smelly, brutish orcs.

“Shadow of Mordor” takes place in between the events of “The Hobbit” and “The Fellowship of the Ring.” The protagonist, a ranger named Talion, is killed in the prologue, but his corpse is reanimated by an angry spirit named Celebrimbor. He’s the elf who forged the Rings of Power, including the One Ring that made the evil Sauron such a terror. Celebrimbor’s goal is to exact vengeance by using the now immortal ranger to tear apart Sauron’s army.

Talion is armed with a sword, dagger and bow and arrow, but he’s too weak initially to take on Sauron’s vicious Uruk war chiefs. Instead, he has to battle his way through their hierarchy, honing his skills by battling less powerful captains.

Combat in Mordor is mostly face to face, and will feel familiar to anyone who enjoyed the melees in WB’s Batman-starring “Arkham” games. Taking out one orc is easy enough, but the action gets frenetic when 20 or so of the beasts gang up on you. You can improve your odds before battle by sneaking up on enemies and taking them out quietly, or by shooting arrows into them from afar. But if you can’t get into the rhythm of attacking, dodging and deflecting up-close blows, you won’t last long.

What elevates “Mordor” above a generic hack-and-slash adventure is the Nemesis System created by developer Monolith Productions. The Uruk war chiefs and captains have personalities: Some are afraid of fire, for example, while others are impervious to long-distance arrow attacks. They have memories, too, so if you lose a fight to one it becomes more powerful and remembers you the next time you show up looking for trouble.

Halfway through the campaign, you gain a game-shifting power: the ability to “brand” Uruks so they do your bidding. It becomes much easier to topple a war chief when you have four or five of the big lugs on your side.

The missions are nicely varied: Sometimes you need to be stealthy, sometimes you need to be aggressive and sometimes you need to be able to tame wild animals. The result is an addictive mix of strategy and fast-paced action. It may not be everything you’d expect from a “Lord of the Rings” game, but it’s quite rewarding. Three-and-a-half stars out of four.

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Online:

https://www.shadowofmordor.com/

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Follow Lou Kesten on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lkesten

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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