Yes, Shadow of War does have New Game Plus.
So, you’ve conquered Mordor, forged alliances, and dominated the orcish ranks, but the question lingers: does Shadow of War have new game plus? Many players are eager to know if they can revisit the game’s world with their hard-earned skills and gear.
Luckily, the developers added this feature, allowing you to begin a new playthrough while retaining your Talion’s levels, abilities and equipment. This lets you face the challenges again, this time with all your progression from the previous play through.
Does Shadow of War Have New Game Plus?
So, you’ve conquered Mordor, built your army, and faced down the Nazgûl. You might be wondering, “What’s next?” If you’re like many gamers, you’re probably asking: “Does Shadow of War have New Game Plus?” It’s a great question, and the answer is… kinda complex. Let’s dive in and explore everything you need to know about playing Shadow of War after you’ve completed the main story.
Understanding New Game Plus
Before we get into the specifics of Shadow of War, it’s important to understand what “New Game Plus” actually means. In many video games, completing the main story means starting over from the beginning if you want to play again. You lose all your progress. But New Game Plus changes that. It allows you to start a new playthrough, but with some of the advantages from your previous game. This usually means keeping some, or all, of your character’s power and items.
Why Do Games Have New Game Plus?
New Game Plus offers players a chance to experience the game in a new way. It lets you enjoy the game’s story and world again, but this time, you get to do it while feeling more powerful. Here are some main benefits:
- Replayability: It gives you a reason to play the game again.
- Enjoyment: You can feel like a super-powerful character from the start of the game.
- New Strategies: With all your skills and abilities, you can try different tactics and strategies.
- Completing Everything: You have the strength to take on all the side missions and challenges you might have missed the first time.
- Testing: You can try out different builds and playstyles because you have all your gear already.
Shadow of War’s Approach to Post-Game Content
Now, back to Shadow of War. It doesn’t technically have a traditional “New Game Plus” mode like some other games. Instead, Shadow of War takes a different approach. Once you’ve beaten the main story, the game doesn’t return you to the beginning. You’re still in the same world, but things have changed significantly. Let’s examine what happens and what you can do after the main quest line.
The Shadow Wars
After you complete the final story mission, you move into what the game calls “The Shadow Wars.” This is essentially Shadow of War’s version of a post-game mode. Instead of starting from the beginning with your old powers, the Shadow Wars presents you with an ongoing series of fort defense missions.
Here’s how it works:
- Fort Sieges: Orcs will constantly attack your forts. You must defend them using your own army.
- Increasing Difficulty: Each wave of fort defenses you complete increases the difficulty of the next.
- Nemesis System: The Nemesis System keeps working. Orc captains will still grow in power. You can recruit them, make them part of your army, or dominate them.
- Rewards: You get rewards for successfully defending your fortresses.
The Shadow Wars is more like a continuation of your existing game rather than a fresh start, which differs from the New Game Plus most players expect. It allows players to further strengthen their own army, gather higher-level gear, and enjoy more intense Nemesis system encounters.
What Carries Over?
While it’s not a traditional New Game Plus, you do get to keep quite a bit when you transition into the Shadow Wars mode. Here is a list of what carries over when you finish the story:
- Character Level: Your character’s level stays the same. You get to keep all your skill points and perks.
- Skills: All your skills and abilities stay with you.
- Gear: All your weapons, armor, and other gear remain in your possession.
- Garrison: All your recruited orcs are still in your army, and you can use them in defense and sieges.
- Nemesis System: The relationships and rivalries you’ve created with your orc captains carry over.
What Doesn’t Reset?
There are some things that do not reset when you finish the main game and start the Shadow Wars. Here’s what you won’t be able to start fresh:
- Story Progress: The main story is complete. You can’t replay it from the beginning with your existing character.
- Map Exploration: All the map areas you’ve previously traveled through will remain in that state.
The Differences From a Traditional New Game Plus
Now let’s compare Shadow of War’s approach to a more typical New Game Plus. Here are the key distinctions:
| Feature | Shadow of War (Shadow Wars) | Traditional New Game Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Point | Continues after the final story mission. | Starts from the beginning of the main story. |
| Story Progression | The main story is complete. You move on to defend your forts. | You replay the main story, with all your previous power and items. |
| Primary Focus | Fort defense, army building, and the Nemesis system challenges. | Replaying the story with advanced abilities. |
| Gameplay Loop | Ongoing defense missions that get progressively more difficult. | The same gameplay loop, but with an already powerful character. |
As you can see, Shadow of War provides a way to continue playing after finishing the main story, but it does it differently than a traditional New Game Plus mode. It’s about further developing your army and tackling new challenges, rather than replaying the story.
The Advantages of Shadow Wars
Even though it’s different from the usual New Game Plus, Shadow Wars has some great things to offer. Here are some benefits of the Shadow Wars in Shadow of War:
Continued Nemesis System Fun
The Nemesis System is one of the game’s main draws, and it continues to shine in the Shadow Wars. You still have the chance to encounter new and challenging orc captains, create new rivalries, and recruit powerful soldiers to your army. The fun never stops.
More Challenging Combat
The difficulty increases during the Shadow Wars. This gives you tough fights with the enemy orcs. You really need to use all your skill and gear to succeed. It’s a great way to keep things interesting and rewarding.
Opportunity to Complete Everything
If you didn’t complete all the side missions during the main story, the Shadow Wars gives you the perfect chance to go back and complete them. You have all your abilities, so you can easily handle the challenge. This is great for players who want to experience everything the game has to offer.
Test Your Orcish Army
You’ve spent all that time building your army. Now is the time to put them to the ultimate test. The fort defense missions require careful planning and strategy, so you can really see your army’s potential.
Tips for the Shadow Wars
If you’re jumping into the Shadow Wars, here are some tips to make sure you have a great experience:
- Upgrade your forts: Before you start the endless sieges, make sure your forts have the best defenses you can manage. This will help keep the enemy from getting inside your walls.
- Recruit high-level orcs: The higher the level of orcs you recruit to your army, the stronger your defense forces will be. Look for Epic or Legendary orcs.
- Assign Warchiefs: Make sure to assign powerful orcs as your warchiefs. They will help defend your forts and lead your troops in the siege.
- Keep Improving your Gear: Collect new and better gear. This will make you stronger and help you survive longer in battles.
- Don’t be afraid to use your skill: Test out different skills, and make new strategies.
Is It Worth Playing?
If you are wondering if continuing the gameplay in Shadow Wars is worth your time, we can say, absolutely. It’s a great way to stay in the world of Middle-earth. The continuous fort defense provides more challenges. This will definitely keep you busy for many hours. The Nemesis system will keep providing new content and keep your gameplay fresh and varied.
So, while Shadow of War doesn’t provide a traditional New Game Plus, its Shadow Wars mode offers a unique and fun way to continue playing after the story is finished. It lets you keep your power, try out new strategies, and keep battling with Orcs in Mordor.
Essentially, instead of restarting the whole story with your super powered character, you become a sort of overlord dealing with continuous attacks of orcs trying to take your fort. You will defend them with your previously created army and with new recruits.
The Shadow Wars mode continues the experience of the core game. It offers a good amount of fun, action and challenges. So, if you have finished the story in Shadow of War, don’t hesitate to jump in and see how long you can survive in Shadow Wars.
Here's Shadow of War's endgame (Shadow Wars gameplay)
Final Thoughts
Yes, Shadow of War includes a New Game Plus mode. Players can restart the story with all their previously earned skills and gear. This offers a chance to experience the narrative again with significant advantages.
Therefore, does shadow of war have new game plus? The definite answer is yes. Replaying with upgraded abilities provides a compelling reason to revisit Middle-earth.



