But that's not the extent of the Nemesis system. It's not my shining moment as a human being but, boy, does it feel good. That's when you have someone like me putting everything else on hold for pure, unadulterated revenge. Being killed by a lowly peon, whether it be through mob-filled side missions or just your own carelessness is another. Being killed by a captain or a war chief - who can have formidable strengths and few weaknesses - is one thing. If it's a footsoldier, it also gets promoted to a named captain who gets its own turf and has no qualms in talking about your defeat. Any Uruk that kills you burns your shame into its memory and receives a power up. Then there's the refreshing Nemesis system. I also remember one time when a roving Uruk warrior came across the body of an Uruk I slayed and pointed and laughed at it instead of going on alert and looking for me. This includes the constant bickering, in-fighting and even hilarious plotting by characters such as Ratbag, for example. Part of it is the excellent representation of the Uruk's shared dysfunction.
So much so that I often found myself more invested in the game's countless Uruk foes than protagonist Talion - as well voiced and acted as he may be. With few well-known characters such as Sauron and Golum, the game takes great pains to bring even lesser foes to prominence. Shadows of Mordor, on the other hand, flips the script.
While the Batman Arkham series does a great job in fleshing out the Dark Knight's excellent rogue's gallery as bosses, the cannon fodder enemies are just about as memorable as the many lampposts and benches scattered throughout Gotham. What really sets the game apart, however, is the way it makes you care about your enemies.