When comparing Dishonored: Death of the Outsider vs Middle-earth: Shadow of War, the Slant community recommends Middle-earth: Shadow of War for most people. In the question“What are the best single player games on PS4?” Middle-earth: Shadow of War is ranked 55th while Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is ranked 81st. The most important reason people chose Middle-earth: Shadow of War is:
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.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Freedom to choose between lethal or stealth gameplay
Changing things up from Dishonored 2, in Death of the Outsider, you can tackle levels with any playstyle you choose: stealth, lethal kills, or a mixture of both. There are no story penalties for messing up and getting spotted this time; you can simply pull out your blade for a bloody, visceral attack, making quick work of anyone who gets in your way. Sticking to either playstyle is more for your own personal style and satisfaction.
Pro Fun options for stealth and mobility
Your character, Billie, has many abilities that can be used for stealth and mobility. This includes a teleport ability that warps you to a specified point in your view, an ability that lets you steal peoples' faces as an innovative form of disguise. There's even a foresight ability that stops time, allowing you to individually mark enemies with visible outlines to better keep track of them while sneaking around the map. These supernatural elements are fun and unique, with many ways to use them in various situations, such as using the displace ability to quickly get out of sight right before being targeted.
Pro Many different approaches to clearing objectives
Death of the Outsider's levels are filled plenty of options for exploration and escape routes.
As an example, the bank heist level features a number of ways to enter the vault and deal with patrolling enemies along the way, like abusing an air duct to sedate bank personnel inside the building. On another playthrough, you may choose to clear the level by killing each enemy you come across, or by taking a different route altogether.
It's the type of intricate level design that gives players a lot of freedom to progress through levels however they want, which can make each playthrough very engaging.
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 The story is passable, but not great
With a revenge story where Billie sets off to kill the Outsider, the plot sets up a number of moral issues about who or what the true cause is behind the chaos, as well as the idea of killing God as the Outsider as a form of social commentary, but it doesn't do enough with this topic of morality. The story is more interesting through gameplay where the player decides how to tackle each level that they traverse through, defining Billie's character as either a pacifist or a cold-blooded killer. Thankfully, the conclusion wraps everything up nicely for those who have been around since the first Dishonored game.
Con Gameplay gets repetitive throughout the short campaign
Originally pitched as DLC for Dishonored 2, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider stands on its own as a solid game overall, but the limited amount abilities and unlocks get old after a while. The story is only about 8 hours long. Things can fall into a routine of tracking enemies, slipping past them or stabbing them, with the only added bonus of figuring out ways of making your way through each level.
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.