There are game mechanics that define a generation. The regenerating health bar. The two-weapon limit. Dialogue wheels. In 2014, Shadow of Mordor’s Nemesis system appeared to be the new idea that would soon become game design 101. Yet, three years later and at the dawn of sequel Shadow of War, no other developer has attempted it. And I’ve got a simple question: why not? 

When will our list of the best upcomming PC games feature a game with the Nemesis system? 

The Nemesis system changed how an open world can feel. By generating and evolving individual Orcs, the system makes it feel like there is a living world surrounding you. The uruks seem real, with lives and military careers that develop and change in response to both their rivalries with other orcs and your direct interactions. Importantly, the Nemesis system isn’t based on scripting; it dynamically creates new characters using a matrix of rules, and then inserts them into the world to create drama unique to every player.