Traversal Mechanics
In Shadow of Mordor there was definitely a lot of running around, traveling to the next mission or area. While the open world wasn’t the largest out there, it could certainly get old traveling to and from various places. On top of that, climbing functioned almost exactly like it does in Assassin’s Creed, with Talion scaling buildings, creeping over ropes, and hiding in bushes. You could get a quick boost of speed by hitting X when you hit the ground after running, but it wasn’t something you could do at will.
Now with Shadow of War, however, by clicking the left stick you can get a surge of speed sending Talion dashing like the Flash. A focus meter dictates this ability and others, but it refills rather quickly. At the same time, climbing is a cinch, as hitting X (A on Xbox One) propels Talion up the wall or object, letting you clear giant buildings in 2-3 leaps. A double jump is also introduced letting you bound across great lengths, and all of these abilities combine to make you feel like a veritable superhero in the Lord of the Rings.
These mechanics in Shadow of War feel empowering, also making it much easier to escape from the hordes of enemies that can surround you. It’s incredibly easy to get around, an absolute blessing with how much there is to do in the open-world of Shadow of War. This means that although the open-world still suffers from known issues of open-worlds, Shadow of War rectifies it to a point at least, by allowing you to quickly get to the activities you want to do. Looking back at Shadow of Mordor compared to Shadow of War, traversal just seems incredibly slow, as you have so many more options now.
