There's a really cool 'build an army and seige fortresses' game hidden underneath a TON of bloat. Maps are unnecessarily larger, you have multiple armies to fight now, and the entire first act is a colossal waste of time plot-wise. Unfortunately, by the time you get into the real meat of the game in Act 2, I tired of the gameplay loop. Shadow of Mordor had a cool system that needed fleshed out. I think had they simply done that and left everything else thin, this would be a better-paced game.

This series narratively also feels far too bogged-down by being a 'Lord of the Rings' game. I am so sick of Gollum. He can't do anything interesting plot-wise in these spinoffs as it would contradict the books. Surely nobody likes Gollum THAT much that you'd want to see him in every LotR product.

I'd love to see the Nemesis system used in a leaner game, without a large franchise weighing it down. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening thanks to the patent on the system.

"Max those guys look dangerous you better sneak past"
"Max some guys have been stationed outside my apartment you need to come here quick"
"Max you need to beat up those guys quick"
"Max you need to come to my apartment"
"Max where are you"
"Max I'm so lonely"
"Max, hey, just dropping a call to say hi, how's the family doing"
"Max wouldn't it be funny if you beat up those guys outside my apartment?"
"Max please answer my calls"