Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor sees all with new photo mode [update]
A patch available now for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One introduces a new photo mode, letting users play around with some camera tech to get just the right image of Monolith's action-RPG. For all its magic and mystery, we're not sure the ancient art of photography has ever reached the shores of Middle-earth until now.
Toggled on and off, the mode lets you adjust things like the angle, depth of field, zoom, texturing, shading, frames, filters, borders, logos and so on. For example, trigger-happy types can apply a film grain texture or a saturated filter, very much comparable to the Photo Mode introduced to The Last of Us on PS4.
As shown above by our own photographer extraordinaire Alexander Sliwinski, it's easy to capture the image on PS4 using the system's Share functionality. We've yet to verify this ourselves, but Eurogamer reports that because there's no inherent ability to take screenshots in Photo Mode, you can't save shots on Xbox One in the same way, which seems a bit unfortunate. Eurogamer suggests using gameplay recording as a workaround by pulling the screenshot from your Xbox Clip. [Update: We've now checked and there appears currently to be no in-game function to take a screenshot on the Xbox One version]
In any case, we've reached out to Warner Bros. for details on the patch and photo mode, including if it's coming to other platforms. For more on Shadow of Mordor itself, check out Alexander's the-One-Ring-type glowing review. He gave Mordor the five-star treatment, describing it as a "well-paced sandbox game with a revolutionary new game mechanic in the Nemesis System, which I imagine we'll see iterated on in the years to come."
Update: A belated Warner Bros. press release announces the Photo Mode's arrival on PS4, Xbox One and PC, and sure enough, a new Steam patch confirms the feature's addition.
[Images: Warner Bros.]
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Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor – New Photo Mode
Today, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) announces Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor's newest feature, Photo Mode, where players can capture their favorite in-game moments and showcase their encounters throughout the land of Shadow. The free Photo Mode is available now through the latest online update for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The update for PC will be available very soon.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor delivers a dynamic game environment where the player orchestrates their personal plan of vengeance as they bend Mordor to their will. The game begins on the night of Sauron's return to Mordor, as his Black Captains brutally execute the Rangers of the Black Gate. Players become Talion, a ranger who loses his family and everything he holds dear, only to be returned from death by a mysterious Spirit of vengeance. Based on the player's actions with the in-game Nemesis System, every enemy encountered is distinct and can evolve to become a personal archenemy through the course of the game. As Talion's personal vendetta unfolds, players uncover the mystery of the Spirit that compels him, discover the origin of the Rings of Power and confront the ultimate nemesis.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is available now for PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, PC and Steam and on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 from 21 November 2014.
