Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War remain a strong pair of open-world action games, but their arrival on Nintendo Switch 2 is more notable for what the ports do not change than what they improve. Both games are generally stable and perfectly playable on the new hardware, yet neither receives the kind of technical upgrade that would make them feel properly rebuilt for a modern console.
The combat is still the foundation. Shadow of Mordor combines attacks, counters, executions and special abilities with stealth and ranged options, allowing encounters to grow from small skirmishes into large fights without becoming difficult to control. Shadow of War expands this formula with deeper progression and more RPG elements, but the basic pleasure of moving between enemies and turning a dangerous situation around remains the same.
The Nemesis system is what makes both games stand apart. In Shadow of Mordor, orc captains can rise through the ranks, remember previous encounters and become recurring rivals. Their relationships and rivalries can also change without your involvement, giving you opportunities to exploit weaknesses or manipulate the hierarchy. It creates small, unscripted stories that remain more memorable than much of the scripted campaign.
Shadow of War takes that concept further, placing greater emphasis on building an army and managing the orc hierarchy. The sequel feels broader as a result, although the underlying formula is familiar. Both games can become repetitive over longer sessions, and their relatively simple combat systems show their age, but the Nemesis system still gives them a character that many newer open-world games lack.
The stories are largely there to support the systems. Shadow of Mordor provides an accessible introduction through Talion’s revenge against Sauron’s forces and his connection with Celebrimbor. It fits comfortably into Tolkien’s world without requiring much knowledge of the books or films. Shadow of War expands the conflict and makes greater use of the army-building elements. Neither game is particularly dependent on its narrative, but both provide enough context to keep the action moving.
The real issue is the Switch 2 performance and presentation. Neither game receives a meaningful visual overhaul, with no major improvements to textures or lighting, and both are capped at 30fps. Dynamic resolution ranges from roughly 900p to 1440p when docked, while handheld play can reach 1080p. In practice, both games look broadly like their original console versions with some resolution improvements rather than remasters designed around Switch 2.
Performance itself is reasonably solid. Both Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War generally maintain 30fps in docked and handheld modes, with occasional traversal stutter and some dips during heavier scenes. Shadow of War is somewhat more visually ambitious, but there is little meaningful difference between the two in terms of performance. Neither game suffers from major stability problems, which makes the ports perfectly serviceable for portable play.
The disappointment is that Switch 2 appears capable of more. These games rely heavily on quick movement, counters and large combat encounters, making 60fps an obvious target. Shadow of Mordor can already reach 60fps on relatively modest PC hardware, so the decision to lock this version to 30fps feels unnecessarily conservative. There is no performance mode or higher frame-rate option to compensate.
Portability does give the collection a genuine advantage. Being able to play both games handheld is convenient, and their generally stable performance makes them well suited to that format. Shadow of Mordor also adds gyro aiming for its bow, which is a useful, if minor, addition. It does not change the experience, but it works nicely when playing away from the TV.
The visual limitations are more obvious than the occasional performance issues. The orcs remain distinctive and Shadow of Mordor’s persistent battle damage is still a clever detail, but the environments reveal the games’ age through dated textures and geometry. Minor visual glitches and awkward camera behaviour also remain. The audio has similarly received little attention, with Shadow of Mordor suffering from an uneven mix between gameplay and cutscenes alongside some compression. The voice acting remains effective, but the overall presentation feels largely untouched.
Content is not a problem. Shadow of Mordor’s Game of the Year edition includes its additional campaigns and Nemesis-focused content, while Shadow of War expands the formula with a larger world and deeper progression. Together, the games provide a substantial amount of content, particularly if you enjoy experimenting with the systems rather than simply following the main objectives.
Ultimately, these are good ports of two games that remain worth playing, but they are not particularly ambitious Switch 2 upgrades. Shadow of Mordor still offers one of the most interesting open-world systems of its generation, while Shadow of War successfully expands that foundation. The problem is that the hardware is capable of presenting them far better than this release allows.
For newcomers, the ability to play both games on Switch 2, particularly in handheld mode, makes the collection an appealing way to experience them. Existing owners have a weaker reason to return unless portability is important. A stable 30fps is entirely playable, but with no visual overhaul and no 60fps option, these versions feel more like convenient re-releases than definitive editions.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War remain excellent open-world action games, with responsive combat and the still-impressive Nemesis system doing most of the heavy lifting. The Switch 2 versions are stable and convenient in handheld mode, but the 30fps cap, dated visuals and lack of meaningful technical upgrades make them feel more like straightforward ports than definitive editions.
