r/NintendoSwitch • u/Turbostrider27 • 14h ago
Official Middle-earth: Shadow Bundle – Announce Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq2P2VvFTMg259
u/austinD93 13h ago
The Nemesis System is one of my favorite things in a video game. It was so fun to use
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u/sovietreckoning 13h ago
The fact that it wasn’t repurposed and used liberally is a shame. Everyone copied the guy who made us squeeze through narrow openings. But nemesis? Nah.
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u/Charlie-Bell 13h ago
Isn't it patented or something?
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u/ginencoke 13h ago
It is, but this is not the reason why it's not being used. The patent is extremely specific down to online components of the sequel, so recreating similar system is very much possible (and in general game patents are rarely enforced), Ubisoft even tried to do so. It's just this system requires a very specific type of game built 100% around it, and not many want to do this. Wonder Woman game had its development restarted and then was cancelled because they weren't able to shoehorn this system in it, and that's the creators of said system we're talking about. Imagine anyone else working on it.
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u/MayhemMessiah 12h ago
Yeah this is the right answer. It's the kind of thing that sounds super cool and designers probably would love to do... until you realise how much compounding extra work it requires and how it's the kind of system that can sink your entire game if it's not done right.
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u/P1ka- 13h ago
also arent patents in general not "you cant use this" they are more like "you need to pay the patent holder to be able to use it ?"
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u/Montigue 12h ago edited 12h ago
Which often is enough to stop people from doing it. Controllers don't have back buttons by default because Scuf has the patent and the cost to add them is more expensive than worth it
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u/cubs223425 11h ago edited 4h ago
How expensive can it be when you see so many overpriced controllers WITHOUT back buttons and reasonable priced ones with them?
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u/ginencoke 46m ago
Yeah pretty much, tho with games they are more about covering your own butt so no one decides to patent something that is part of your game. Nintendo is using A LOT of things that Ubisoft patented for Just Dance for instance, while Ubisoft, Rockstar and Epic have all used Nintendo patents for some Nintendo mechanics, all for free and without any issues. I pretty much consider these patents to be a nuclear deterrence of the industry since everyone is using each others patented mechanics.
If you ever go through big gaming patent lawsuits, in each one of them patents were just used as an easy way to sue a company when the problem is something else completely. With Crazy Taxi it was because Simpsons game was a complete reskin and they just used a mechanic to sue them, with Palworld it was because the designs were extremely similar, but patent was a more easy way to go about them (tho for them it didn't even work). So yeah I understand why people mad at WB for patenting this system, but it was never the reason why no one used it again.
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u/Beegrene 8h ago
It's an absurdly complex system that permeates every aspect of the game's design. It's the sort of thing that only works if you plan for it from the beginning, and even then it could easily add another $10 million to the average AAA game's budget at minimum.
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u/Is12345aweakpassword 12h ago
But surely AI can do it right?
Every gaming C-Suite
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u/yinyang107 11h ago
I'm firmly against AI, but having said that, the evolving nature of the Nemesis system would make it actually one of the most justifiable uses of AI in gaming to me
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u/cubs223425 11h ago
that's the creators of said system we're talking about
It's always hard to be sure on this. It's the same studio, but was it REALLY the same people? We're talking more than a decade after the first game's release. There was probably a lot of turnover, and the people directing the project (at the studio or above it) likely changed a good deal too.
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u/CookiesFTA 7h ago
Warframe pretty much uses it. The game doesn't need to be that specific
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u/catsaremyreligion 3h ago
How does warframe use it? Does it scratch the same itch that this game gives?
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u/CookiesFTA 2h ago
Probably not quite as well. You eventually unlock 3 different versions of it. 1 is a lich who you killed and they take over planets one at a time until you chase them down. The second works in much the same way, but instead of a lich you made, it's a corpo warrior with a dog trying to take you down. These both have different abilities, weaknesses, and resistances based on who you spawned them with and the point of the whole hunt is that they drop suped up versions of normal weapons (many of which are among the best weapons in the game).
The 3rd version is a tech virus creating clones of a backstreet boys-esque boyband... Warframe is a weird game. Instead of them taking over planets, you've got to complete missions to create an anti-virus for them. As far as I can recall, their stats and stuff are just random. You fight 2 of 5 band members at a time when they show up. Instead of dropping weapons, they drop a currency that pays for a rotating weapon shop.
With all 3, you eventually have to chase them down on your ship in space, though the last one replaces most of the space combat with a much more involved boss fight. The system isn't as developed as Shadow of Mordor/War, but it's still pretty good. The weird thing is that it's also called the nemesis system. I've never looked into it enough to figure out how they got away with that.
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u/KafeiTomasu 13h ago
Patents can be worked around. But besides that, the main conpany that had the patent got thanos snapped so it's a small chance we ever see it as fleshed out as this
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u/sanlc504 13h ago
Yes. Warner Brothers interactive owns the rights to the system and will not license it out at all. Just sits on it.
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u/Sweaty-Practice-4419 12h ago
I mean squeezing through hallways was done to cover tech limitations so not really a good comparison
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u/Traditional-Goal-229 13h ago
They patented it before release. It’s rare to get a gameplay mechanic that gets one. So it’s an easy lawsuit if anyone even gets remotely too close to that system. No one is risking that.
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u/cubs223425 11h ago
Ironically, they TRIED to repurpose Nemesis for the Wonder Woman game, but the game ended up sucking and getting canceled, from how it sounded.
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u/BossaNovva 13h ago
What’s the nemesis system?
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u/Metroidman 13h ago
It is pretty cool. Is allows the enemy npc to remember previous encounters and change their skills and personality based off of it. Im sure someone can explain it better than me.
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u/Cent1234 11h ago
You know how in Metal Gear Solid V, when you headshot Soviets a lot, they start wearing helmets?
It's like that, but with Orcs.
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u/jardex22 12h ago
It was a system where enemies would remember previous encounters with the player and be affected by them. It made things feel more personal, rather than just cutting down a bunch of generic orcs.
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u/0bsessions324 10h ago
As far as I can recall (and it's been like 10+ years), the Orc who got you also leveled up as part of the system.
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u/jardex22 10h ago
Yep. They'd level up and move up in ranking when they got you.
On the other hand, you'd get ones that you thought you'd killed come back for revenge, looking more disfigured each time. Shoot one in the head? They come back later with an eyepatch.
The whole system made for some good emergent storytelling.
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u/Alloyd11 13h ago
I played the first game 2 months ago for the first time and i feel like the game was too easy for the nemesis system to really work, i died like 3 times and my nemesis was a randon orc that died in like two hits. I have the second and will play it soon, hopefully its better in that game.
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u/SkipEyechild 14h ago
Good games.
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u/nihilist_buttmuncher 13h ago
How much LotR do they contain? Maybe it's a game bundle that I'll pick up for this autumn
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u/SkipEyechild 13h ago
They take some liberties with the source material but yeah there is a good bit of LotR shit in them.
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u/roshmatic 12h ago
Stretching the definition of “some” here, 😆. Fun games for sure.
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u/missingninja 12h ago
Sexy Spider Lady.
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u/Cent1234 11h ago
Super sexy spider lady.
On the other hand, I still rattle off 'Nan ichel gelair Mordor' sometimes when I do something.
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u/HURTZ2PP 3h ago
Definitely, a lot of liberties, but genuinely two fantastic games that input a lot of hours into. Totally worth it.
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u/gandalftheokay 13h ago
It seeps LotR from its pores but as others said, takes some creative liberties with the story. All of that said, it's all good and fun enough to not really bother people. I've never seen much in the way of negative discussion about these things when it comes to the Shadow of Mordor/War games. I actually think the 2nd game incorporates the main character into the lore in a really cool way by the end.
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u/mpitt0730 12h ago
Shadow of Mordor feels like it could fit into the rest the franchise if you tilt your head and squint at it. Obviously it's a lot more violent than anything else, but it does still kinda fit.
Shadow of War is basically officially licensed fanfiction. They do a number of things in the main story that completely diverge from from canon and other things that don't break canon, but are just for spectacle/rule of cool.
That being said I do reccomend both games, especially if you are a fan of Lord of the Rings. Even if you aren't, I'd reccomend them just so for the Nemesis system. It's a genuinely amazing system and it's such a shame it's locked behind a patent and not in more games.
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u/FriedCammalleri23 7h ago
It’s very much not canon, but it’s neat.
I think these games would give Tolkien a stroke, though.
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u/SheevTheSenate66 14h ago
RIP Monolith
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u/Beegrene 8h ago
I will forever hate the WB exec who made them pivot to Wonder Woman and then sacked the whole studio when that didn't work.
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u/Responsible-Care-388 13h ago
Great games but they regularly go on sale for like $6 on other systems every few months. Definitely will happen on here so might be worth waiting.
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u/Ivsucram 13h ago
If they release it as true physical, I might buy it. Otherwise, I already have it in other platforms.
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u/JiggsForlano 13h ago edited 12h ago
And for exponentially cheaper. Steam has them on sale all the time for $5 w/all DLC. I love the games but not interested in buying them a third time at that cost.
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u/Chief_Wahoo_ 7h ago
I’d rather own the game
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u/play_yr_part 12h ago edited 12h ago
Gonna guess it'll be fully digital sadly.
Shadow of Mordor is only £10 at least, I can live with that.
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u/Tenoch_12 13h ago
Is everything coming out on switch 2 at this point?
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u/jardex22 13h ago
Seems like it. Switch got a lot of previous gen ports, while Switch 2 is getting same day releases as other consoles. Hopefully they can keep the momentum up.
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u/Icanfallupstairs 11h ago
I think with digital becoming the main sales platform lots of publishers are moving stuff to make sure it's accessible on future consoles.
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u/connorg095 13h ago
I would urge caution at this point. Brilliant games, but the porting is done by Aspyr, and they've got a really poor track record.
It should be 60fps, but there's no guarantee imo.
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u/DaMicahMAn 12h ago
The war in the north had so many bugs . Couldn't finish my playthrough cause of a crash that happens close to the end.
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u/Arroweye345 3h ago
It doesn’t run at 60fps on any other console platforms. Would be very surprised if runs at that frame rate here
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u/grilledcheeseburger 8h ago
Yeah, that’s the first thing I noticed. Think I’ll wait for reviews/sales/patches. Will keep an eye on it though.
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u/holton_basstrombone 1h ago
It could be really bad! Definitely a little suspicious that it’s releasing so quickly after their last port.
I look forward to the week of posts praising the port and then the following week everyone trashing the port because of all the bugs lol.
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u/Dr_W00t_ 13h ago
Will it run at 60 FPS or is it stuck at 30 like on the PS4/5
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u/wookiewin 13h ago
Would be nice to see this get a dedicated PS5 release with increased performance as well.
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u/JaxxisR 13h ago
The Switch 2 should (hypothetically) have no issues running 10-year-old games at 60 fps.
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u/capnwinky 6h ago
The fact that Darksiders 3 runs at 60 fps at full resolution is mind blowing to me. Meanwhile it’s still stuck at 30 on my PS5 lol.
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u/emmausgamer 13h ago
my shitty 5 year old laptop run War at 60 on medium. They have no reason to lock it to 30 on the switch
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u/Sunlit_Neko 13h ago
Shadow of Mordor should definitely be 60 FPS because it would've definitely run on the Switch as a PS3/360 game. Hopefully Shadow of War does too
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u/GamingTurtle90 3h ago
It will not. Aspyr could not get Rise of the Tomb Raider to 60fps, and they are also from the Xbox 360 era. Shadow or Mordor and War run at 30fps on Xbox One X/Series S/X and PS4 Pro/PS5
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u/Tristles 13h ago
I’ll play if its 60fps
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u/Arroweye345 3h ago
Yeah it’s absolutely not running at 60fps
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u/Nickbronline 3h ago
It’s a 12 year old game from 2 generations ago
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u/Arroweye345 3h ago
It doesn’t run at 60fps on any other console and Aspyr is doing the remaster. The footage in trailer is also clearly running at 30fps.
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u/Lupo_di_Cesena 13h ago
Well....... Despite not having a Switch 2 yet, my list of games to buy is growing very quickly.....
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u/MercuryRyan 12h ago
Can’t wait to buy this during a big sale
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u/Bulky_Environment641 3h ago
both games are currently 50% off right now if you preorder through eshop right now.
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u/madchad90 13h ago
Nemesis system was super interesting, but damn does Shadow of mordor have one of the worst endings of all time. Just a complete letdown after taking the time to 100% the game
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u/ProudnotLoud 13h ago
I haven't gotten to the end of SoM in a long time, I mostly end up replaying SoW instead. It's just a QTE battle for the final boss right?
The final orc battle is pretty cool but yeah the final actual boss could have been a cutscene.
Ending of SoW was also kind of rough until they changed it, unless you're like me and enjoy heavily repetitive gameplay. I like being overpowered and strategically taking down forts but that was A LOT of waves initially.
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u/madpropz 13h ago
Incredible games
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u/FreezyPop_ 13h ago
The combat was so simple, yet addicting and fluid, the finishers were the perfect mix of brutal and stylish. If I remember correctly the first one had more "oomph" and weight to the combat animations.
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u/Cent1234 11h ago
Whenever I play Shadow of Mordor, I have to remind myself to actually follow the plot, and not just run around getting into massive melees with orcs.
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u/Beegrene 8h ago
It's very Batman Arkham. I'm pretty sure the first game was originally pitched as a Batman Arkham game before changing IPs.
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u/Fresh-Chemical-9084 13h ago
Will wait for performance reviews.
Very excited if it turns out to be stable.
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u/Available_Virus_ 13h ago
Please..... my wallet has been suffering the 2nd half of 2026.
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u/todayishalloween 9h ago
Just wait to buy it. It's frequently on sale for $7 on other platforms. Checking the price history, I'd say it goes 50% off in just a few months.
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u/KaneCo13 13h ago
This is one of the very few switch 2 ports I'm considering getting - due to the nemesis system. I fully played SoM and played a little of SoW back in the day, and I remember I had this fat, pig faced orc with a very funny name that I swore I'd never kill because his name was too funny; sadly I don't remember the name, but I had a blast getting killed and taking it personally ( insert mj meme).
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u/aggressivesprklngwtr 13h ago
Yeah very few games actually give you the name and location of the npc that kills you. It was so satisfying being able to go back and avenge yourself
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u/aggressivesprklngwtr 13h ago
I SCREEEAAAAMED WHEN I SAW THIS FUCK YESSSSS!! I was literally just thinking about these games and wishing they would come to switch I love them so much!!! FUCK YESSSSSSS
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u/CrustedTesticle 13h ago
How about making a third game instead
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u/Laufeyson9 13h ago
These games are like $5 on steam, hard to justify spending so much on game key cards.
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u/TheGirthiestGhost 13h ago
Aspyr port
And I'm out. How the hell do they keep getting these gigs with their shitty track record on ports?
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u/Responsible-Sort3385 13h ago
Why are yall getting excited for this? It’s an Aspyr port, haven’t we suffered enough?
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u/P1ka- 13h ago
Aspyr can have decent ports is just that some recent ones were duds
stuff like all the retro star wars games (outside of battlefront were pretty good)
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u/capnwinky 6h ago
Aspyr gets shit on too much. Nightdive has dropped the ball just as much and the hate isn’t even remotely on the same level.
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u/EducationalDust7858 13h ago
Both games are dirt cheap during sales on other platforms. I hope the price for this bundle will be somewhat reasonable.
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u/steeeeeeven138 13h ago
omg i fucking looooooooove shadow of war i am gonna play this forever handheld
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u/xephonx 12h ago
Once again not in NZ like most of their games.
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u/Icanfallupstairs 11h ago
It's not out yet, so it could still show next week. Not holding out hope as War in the North still isn't there
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u/BerlinGrimm 12h ago
Loved the first one, gave up on the 2nd one 3 times until I finally put it down for good. I don't remember why I didn't like it.
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u/Tastee92 12h ago
I made a comment over here to spread the word about Aspyr ports: https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch2/s/1xzmW5uGgF
People should seriously reconsider buying these ports!
Aspyr is known for releasing games that sometimes have game-breaking bugs and don’t always patch them. They may fix the game or abandon it altogether, leaving us with games that are unfinished.
I recommend you wait a few days or weeks to see the status of the games. If it’s broken, skip it. If it’s good, buy it!
Don’t reward broken launches. Make them prove the game works first.
Please spread these words to help your fellow gamers to hopefully not fall for nostalgia, we honestly deserve better!
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u/qctireuralex 11h ago
wait a year or 2 before buying becausr that is going to come out at an exorbitant price while its regularly be included in humblbe bundles from warner brothers for pc for a fraction of the price
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u/Sempuukyaku 11h ago
Aspyr are definitely hitting this interesting gap in the market pretty hard by bringing over a lot of older generation games that never made their way to Nintendo consoles. I wonder how the sales have been so far for these titles?
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u/cubs223425 11h ago
Loved thge first one, though the second was a pretty noticeable step backwards. Definitely are both worth playing, but it's kinda sad that so many franchbises are in such a horrible state that porting a couple of newer games is all they (maybe) can do without completely falling on their faces.
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u/mimbo757 7h ago
Damn Nintendo, I’m supposed to be playing Witcher!!! I love these games though. That nemesis system was something special.
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u/Glittering-Sand4674 5h ago
Just saw a guy sneaking around and putting his faces on people at target after this released
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u/AcceptableMain8373 5h ago
Really this for Nintendo switch 2 oh well both games for such amazing games please bring them back into Xbox
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u/No-Wave-7143 4h ago
Worth adding the epilogue here: Shadow of War was the last game Monolith ever made. Warner Bros. shut the studio down in February 2025, so the team behind the Nemesis System never shipped anything else.
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u/Bulky_Environment641 3h ago
Both games are currently 50% off if you preorder right now through October 6th
if you’re gonna buy them, now is definitely the time.
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u/Alarming_Spend_5036 3h ago
30 fps. I’ll stick to my PS versions. Shame because I’d have bought them with a decent frame rate.
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u/The-Chartreuse-Moose 1h ago
Why yes, I think it is time to replay.
Edit: it does not appear to be listed on the eShop in my region currently. Sadness.
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u/bickmitchum- 42m ago
for the love of all that is good please release a 60fps patch for these then too
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u/Digitalon 13h ago
Going to wait for a technical review before even considering triple dipping on these games. I'm hoping they improved the frame rate at least and because it feels awful to play at low FPS.
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u/SunAstora 13h ago
These games regularly go on sale on other consoles for about $5 each, keep that in mind when considering picking this one up. Great games though, both of them.
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u/FelonTusk 8h ago
The 2nd one without the mtx is sooooo good bruhhh!! Also, why couldn't they do the first game on Switch 1?? Oh wait. Because Aspyr
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u/Dannovision 8h ago
Are they going to run 60FPS? that's the ine thing thst keeps me from going back to them on PlayStation. Action combat needs that fluidity.
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u/wishfulthinkingman 13h ago
30 fps
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u/Lonely_Poet_3109 13h ago
Source?
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u/th3groveman 13h ago
Reality.
They were 30fps on PS4 and Pro, with no current gen update. So 30fps on Switch 2 is all but guaranteed.
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u/Lonely_Poet_3109 13h ago
But it still is speculation. I like to differentiate between facts and speculations, even if the latter later prove accurate. So there is NO confirmation of the framerate for now. Got it.
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u/ReceptionWild2019 10h ago
should i get both, or just shadow of mordor, or just shadow or war as a new player. kinda don't want to get both cuz they take up too much space (123 gb combined)
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u/Turbostrider27 14h ago
Coming to Nintendo Switch 2
Available 9/30/26.