Friend or foe? One Shadow of Mordor orc stands out amidst the armies

By Adam Rosenberg Published October 2, 2014

Read our full Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor review.

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Meet Ratbag. He’s an Uruk in Sauron’s army, but unlike the other forces assembled by Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor‘s randomly generated Nemesis System, he’s always there. He’s got a role to play in Talion’s journey, as the dead-then-resurrected ranger and his ghostly companion Celebrimbor seek vengeance inside the towering natural walls of Mordor.

Related: A look at the magical randomness of Shadow of Mordor‘s Nemesis System

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment released this new trailer for developer Monolith Productions’ upcoming game as PAX Prime 2014 descends. Shadow of Mordor has slowly transformed since its initial announcement from curious-yet-uninspiring Lord of the Rings tie-in to inventive open world action-RPG with an organic, unpredictable enemy ecosystem.

Lots to look forward to here. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor comes to PlayStation and Xbox consoles on September 30, 2014 and to Windows PCs on October 2.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Gaming

There’s a horrific beauty in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl’s bugs

A mutant with a split jaw screams in Stalker 2.

I was still getting my bearings in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl as I searched an abandoned building in the dead of night. Using my pitifully dim flashlight to scan the faded walls and floors, I hit a dead end and turned to retrace my steps back outside and onto the critical path. That's when I saw something curious: A box was falling from nowhere in particular to the ground. I noted that the room was littered with boxes and other refuse upon entering, but they were all scattered on the floor. Seeing one falling for apparently no reason startled me, but I calmed myself thinking it was a simple physics bug that crops up fairly often in giant open-world games such as this. Stalker 2 already had a reputation for being buggy, after all.

Not five minutes later my expectations flipped on their head when I watched a can lift itself off a table, hover for just a moment as if to mock my previous assumption, and then hurl itself at me and knock out a chunk of my health. That was not a bug despite it appearing exactly like one I had encountered in many games prior. This was an invisible enemy known as a Poltergeist whose invisible nature and method of attack mimicked what a typical bug looked like. Suddenly, I had to question my instincts whenever I came across something unexplainable. I couldn't take anything for granted and that distrust in myself added a new layer of horror.

Gaming

Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for November 22

Someone playing Wordle on a smartphone.

We have the solution to Wordle on July 16, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself, right here. We've placed the answer at the bottom of the page, so we don't ruin the surprise before you've had a chance to work through the clues. So let's dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday's answer.
Yesterday's Wordle answer
Let's start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday's Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don't play it daily, which was "SPINE." So we can say that the Wordle answer today definitely isn't that. Now, with that in mind, perhaps take another stab at it using one of these Wordle starting words and circle back if you have no luck.
Hints for today's Wordle
Still can't figure it out? We have today's Wordle answer right here, below. But first, one more thing: Let's take a look at three hints that could help you find the solution, without giving it away, so there's no need to feel guilty about keeping your streak alive -- you put in some work, after all! Or just keep scrolling for the answer.

Today’s Wordle includes the letter P.
Today’s Wordle uses two vowels.
Today's Wordle is something you might find in an oyster.

Gaming

NYT Connections: hints and answers for Friday, November 22

New York Times' Connection puzzle open in the NYT Games app on iOS.

Connections is one of the best puzzle games from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends.

Some days are trickier than others — just like other NYT Games favorites The Mini and Strands. If you're having a little trouble solving today's puzzle, check out our Connections tips and tricks guide for some good strategies or check out the hints for today's Connections puzzle below. And if you still can't get it, we'll tell you today's answers at the very end.
How to play Connections