When comparing Doki Doki Literature Club! vs Middle-earth: Shadow of War, the Slant community recommends Doki Doki Literature Club! for most people. In the question“What are the best singleplayer games on Steam?” Doki Doki Literature Club! is ranked 47th while Middle-earth: Shadow of War is ranked 93rd. The most important reason people chose Doki Doki Literature Club! is:
Unlike your regular psychological horror game, Doki Doki Literature Club doesn't show it head first to you. It delivers it as a form of glitches, or even disturbing imagery which captures the players' off-guard.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Uniquely delivers the horror elements
Unlike your regular psychological horror game, Doki Doki Literature Club doesn't show it head first to you. It delivers it as a form of glitches, or even disturbing imagery which captures the players' off-guard.
Pro Completely original and innovative ideas
Original ideas for a horror game. This even extends to the actual game files it runs on, which the player also has to keep a track of.
Pro Nails Horror
If you think this is some happy, go-lucky dating game, well... you'll be surprised what hides. It nails horror and the feeling of helplessness, since in a dating simulator you don't have power. The game keeps you on your toes once you're past act one, and it's generally scary what happens.
Pro Character connections make for a compelling experience
Shadow of War uses the Nemesis system to create a more immersive and alive-feeling world. Thanks to it, orc leaders have names, ranks, titles, tribes they belong to, and most importantly, connections to other orc leaders.
For example, an orc leader might be at war with another orc leader. This conflict won't end until one of them dies. There are also orcs that are considered blood brothers, having unwavering loyalty to each other. Because of this, don't be too surprised if you ever get betrayed by one of your followers that's trying to do right by his blood brother.
Additionally, the leaders you fight will also develop connections with you. Orcs that you've killed or spared, may come back with scars, recalling your previous encounter and vowing to exact vengeance. Orcs that you've escaped from will mock you for being a chicken, and so forth. The gradual creation of this web of connections is very enjoyable and sometimes even more compelling than the game's main story.
Pro Addictive gear collection fuels your thirst for orc blood
As you kill orc leaders, they'll drop random quality gear items, ranging from common rarity every-orc weapons/armor to legendary rarity artifacts with unique names. Each item serves to improve your character, providing various stat increases and damage bonuses. You can also upgrade gear with gems or via challenges that usually involve killing orcs, bolstering your strength even further. On top of that, there are set bonuses for legendary items, giving you special abilities such as your hits applying explosive poison on regular enemies. It's very exciting seeing what gear piece an orc leader will drop once you lob his head off, causing you to constantly seek out new victims.
Pro Satisfying combat
Shadow of War gives one of the better feeling combat systems in recent times, allowing you to be either stealthy or go for direct confrontations.
If you choose to be stealthy, you can skewer unsuspecting orcs from behind with your dagger, drop onto them from a building while impaling them with your sword, or just pierce them from afar with your bow.
If you choose a direct confrontation, it's a really quick-paced and brutal showdown against your enemies with your chosen melee weapon. You weave combos against enemies, dodging, parrying, and countering enemy attacks, which ends in a devastating finishing move, resulting in a mutilated or decapitated orc.
Whichever method you choose, the combat flows really well and you always feel like a force to be reckoned with.
Pro You can lead an orc army and expand your own dominion
As part of the Nemesis system, you can recruit orc leaders after you've bested them in combat. Each one has his own unique strengths and weaknesses, so making the best possible army for conquering enemy territories might take a while.
For example, an orc leader can be completely immune to ranged attacks, but can take increased damage from explosions. You should take such an orc leader on assaults against fortresses filled with archers but be wary of the slightest hints of any bombs.
Once you've finished building a sizeable force, you can assault a fortresses. If you succeed in the assault, you'll take over a territory, allowing you to install your own orc leader as the ruler. With enough effort you'll gradually take over Mordor and its surrounding lands.
Shadow of War makes you feel like a recruiter, general, and a ruler, which is very empowering and a lot of fun.
Cons
Con Feels like a crappy gaming creepypasta
There’s a lot of cheap tricks used in this game used by a various crappy gaming creepypastas. One example is when a character’s eyes turn HyPeR ReAlIsTIC, which is a common trope in gaming and lost episode creepypastas. The worst part about this is that the characters are really interesting before the game tries to be a bootleg Sonic.exe.
Con Overwhemingly has a mental impact on the player
If you are disturbed easily, DO NOT play this game. Heed the game warnings.
Con Spoiler sensitive
Even though it has a great story, it is prone to spoilers too which is very hard to avoid.
Con Can get repetitive
The overall gameplay formula doesn't change much over the course of the game. You fight orcs, take over strongholds, upgrade your character, and collect blips on the world map. After a while it can start feeling like a grind, especially during long play sessions. This is made worse in the final stretch of the game where you have to fight through 20 consecutive stronghold battles without any story segments or exposition.
Con Unskippable cutscenes disrupt the flow of the gameplay
Every time an orc leader enters the screen, there is an unskippable cutscene where he rambles a bit, focusing the camera on him and halting combat until the cutscene ends. This usually happens as you're fighting another enemy, potentially disrupting your rhythm, which can be really frustrating, especially if mess up your combo or take an unnecessary hit after the cutscene.