I genuinely want to make one of those 3 hour long video essays about this. Before anyone says anything, yes I very obviously started playing Shadow of War again recently and thought of this. For those unaware, the nemesis system was this incredible system made for Middle-Earth Shadow of Mordor and heavily improved in Shadow of War that allowed NPCs to remember interactions with the player and make decisions that gave some incredible moments. NPCs could be killed by you and then return with new physical features like an axe in the head or a mechanical arm and tell you how made they are at you for killing them. There was an enemy once that took my sword from me and broke it so I had to equip a new one. You can have NPC’s whose names change based on things they do, becoming Ur-Bek the Pit Fighter if they did well in the fighting pits in the game or “The Unashamed” if you shamed them to lower their level but they took it with pride instead. I’m heavily oversimplifying it but it created an incredibly rich world that felt entirely based around you and what you do. I had a guy that I kept killing over and over again and he kept coming back, only for a pivotal moment in the game to occur and he shows up AGAIN to fight me. I’ve had friendly NPCs come out of nowhere to save me from death at the hands of others. A friendly NPC will betray you if you kill his blood-brother. You can accidentally drive enemies insane and they start chittering nonsense or just screaming. Regular enemies can become captains with their own names and titles if they kill you. Just today, I had my favorite captain infiltrate the warchief to betray him when I attacked the fort and, when I attacked, the warchief had him tied up. He said he found out he was a spy and slit his throat before throwing him off the edge of a tower. I loved that orc. His name was Bork. Needless to say I killed the warchief when I got to him as revenge for Bork. But this is what I’m talking about. It’s all unscripted and absolutely amazing. It makes the world feel so rich. You really just have to play the game to experience it. There really is nothing like it out there.
So WB has this amazing system which they patented and was met with massive love and appreciation. And what have they done with it since Shadow of War? Absolutely nothing. We have not seen this incredible system in 6 years. And they’re not letting anyone else use it either. Why? Can you imagine how cool this would be in other IPs they own? Can you imagine a Mad Max game similar to the one they already came out with but with this system in it? Cool weirdos in the post apocalypse that remember you and have these unique designs and stories that are naturally formed around the way you play? I heard rumors they were using it for whatever Wonder Woman game they’re making so hey, if that means we get to see it again, then kudos. But they have to do something with it. Let other companies use it if you won’t. WB as a whole has become a horrible company for both games and movies, with their emphasis on live-service games becoming prevalent. But could you imagine a system like this in a Batman game or if they used it in Suicide Squad Kills the Justice League? I guarantee it would be way more interesting than what they’re doing now. I’ll end my rant here but I just think it’s a tragedy that something so unique and incredible that could only be improved upon has been collecting dust for 6 years now.
Seriously, why patent something so innovative and then let it gather dust? The nemesis system is begging to be used in more games. WB, take note!
Same with the Origins system in Dragon Age. I just can’t understand the thought process of “Lets take this ridiculously successful concept, patent it so no one else can use it, then put it in a vault never to be used again.”
A Mafia/Godfather game using the Nemesis System is a match made in heaven.
They’re going to put it in the upcoming Wonder woman game
I wish they’d use it for a Golden Age superhero game. Imagine creating your own hero and spinning up your own rogue’s gallery as you fling random mooks into vats of chemicals or inflict other thematically-appropriate injuries that they turn into their supervillain identity.
Yes but gameplay and combat was ridiculously easy once you unlocked more and more super powers.
Here is the actual Patent:
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20160279522A1/en
They also patented the Siege system too, where you can build a foundation and then have other players attack. Super interesting stuff. They were trying to get it since 2015 and this patent will last until 2035.
TO be fair - another game company can do something very similar and call it “The Revenge System” or some bullshit. WB will 100% sue, as it is their nature. But as long as it skirts some of these traits, should be ok. But I am not a lawyer.
The nemesis system is one of those things that make you wonder why other games aren’t doing it. It’s a shame WB isn’t capitalizing on it. A Mad Max game with this system? I’d play that in a heartbeat.
I would straight up kill for a superhero game that uses that system. Especially if I could play heroes with different powers, or even customize my own character. It seems like an engine that is just asking for some kind of small-medium threat super hero game, like Green Arrow.
cries in Eternal Darkness fandom
Patents are one thing that ruin our world.
Imagine If botw had it
There’s a Wonder Woman game that will be using the system.
No gameplay though yet
It’d be cool to have a Skyrim mod using the Nemesis System.