Moody Shadow of Mordor launch trailer

It's been 10 long months since The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug scratched our Tolkien itch, which means we're due a slice of Middle-earth entertainment. Thankfully, like Gandalf the White atop Shadowfax, Shadow of Modor has emerged as a timely hero.

Set in the gloomy period between the conclusion of Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, Shadow of Mordor casts players as Talion, a Ranger of Gondor with the unenviable task of guarding Mordor’s Black Gate.

Having been killed by Sauron and his dark wraiths, Talion is kept from death by a spirit which causes him to become half human, half wraith. This allows him to enter the wriggly black and white wraith world that Frodo and Bilbo see whenever they wear the one ring, and gives the player an arsenal of handy supernatural powers.

An immensely entertaining Tolkien-fest, this could be the surprise hit of the year. Check out the atmospheric trailer below.

Shadow of Mordor is now available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, arriving on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on 18 November