It's delightfully trivial once you've unlocked a few abilities. I've got a rune on my bow which gives me 46% of my focus back when I get a headshot while unseen. It equates to unlimited bullet time, you never use enough focus to dent 46% while lining up a headshot.

pantyfire wrote:

I played Batman AC the either day (in 3D - it's pretty sweet) and I would go as far as to say the combat in this is better.

Batman is awesome in 3D though perhaps I have my rose-tinted specs on as I seem to remember the moves in Batman being quite ace! Saying that the executions in this are smart.

How do I know what 'level' I am or does that not matter?

As for the difficulty I think perhaps it must ramp up because I have only died a couple of times and tbh that was my own fault for not running.

I am loving finding out the intel on your would-be target before you get to him...

I found I was in control of the pace of the combat in this more than I was in Batman AC the other day. It was quite surprising.

It's RT and X when they're on the deck, not Y and B.

Yeah you usually have to counter someone in the middle of the execution animation, but that gives you a little time to try it again and it usually works second time.

You don't need the combo chain up to do a ground execution BTW, you can do them any time.

Yup. Knowing what to do is only half the battle innit? You have to try to pull it off in the middle of a riot.

Again, bail from fights once it gets rowdy to keep the numbers down.

I can't remember this one. Are you sure it's not just sneak executions or something?

Just did that bridge one you were on about Panty. I'd love to have said I did it first go like Billy big bollocks but I ran too far forward and insta-failed again, so second time was a charm. It wasn't too bad, no captains involved, keep your executions for the torch runners and use the barrels and fly's to thin the numbers down.

I've recorded a video of me insta-failing a dagger challenge, I think the archer I stealth drain actually sets off the alarm as no one else can see me. Fucking shit. I've only got one dagger, one bow and a hunting challenge left, all other stuff is done. Love this game despite the bullshit.

I'm not sure you even have to kill them, one hit and they drop the torch. Better to make sure though eh? Filthy orcses.

pantyfire wrote:

I can't remember this one. Are you sure it's not just sneak executions or something?

It is where you have to kill some supporters with a combat or ground execution.

All the enemy congregate in a sort of large hall and they have yellow dots over their heads, there are fucking tons of enemy's and I haven't had a single confirmed execution?

I will try and find a youtube video that will firstly highlight the mission I am talking about and secondly make it no doubt look easy and with it myself a numpty.

This is the mission (starts at 1:36) but mine is nowhere like this? I have about 20 yellow dots (targets) all in one location (the aforementioned large hall) and I have to fight about 20-30 people all at once so I don't get time to do a 'normal' execution (RT+X) so I have been building my hit combo and then using the other execution (which you see it tells you on the screen in this video).

I even did a brutalize to split up the pack and chased a lone supporter where I then did a RT+X execution and my count stayed on zero? If my Upload Studio actually fucking worked I could show you...

Got this game for £30 from simply games, loving it so far!

I played Batman again the other day and I would say the combat in this is better. 
You fight at your own pace in this, you can speed it up or slow it down depending on the situation. I was surprised to find in Batman that you had no choice, you fought to the games rhythm and that was it.

@uncle & ZMM 
I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's my GOTY so far too. But FC4, Dragon Age Inq and Sunset Overdrive have yet to be played.

Yeah I have it. And it is shockingly bad. It's actually broken. Cut scenes audio playing before any sign of visuals, the worst texture pop in I've seen in years, horrendously foggy and jerky all round and pause screen hanging for anything up to five minutes. Looked like a shonky PS2 game! I got to play it for all of ten minutes before my 360 crashed. I couldn't quite believe how bad it looked and thought maybe the install had corrupted, but no, it's not just me:

http://shadowofmordor.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:30567

Metacritic is quite funny reading to:

http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor

Fucking terrible.

No idea how it's so broken, but it's a real shame as it's a quality game.