Ahead of the launch of Middle-earth: Shadow of War this fall, Xbox Live Gold members can check out the first entry in the series for free this weekend on Xbox One. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor will be free for Gold subscribers to download and play through Sunday, July 9.
Shadow of Mordor hit consoles in 2014, pitting players in the role of a ranger named Talion while fighting your way through legions of Orcs and Uruk-hai. One of the games most innovative features is the Nemesis system, which allows you to establish rivalries as you kill or get killed by leaders in Sauron's army, each of which has its own personality, weaknesses, and strengths.
The free play days come just as Shadow of Mordor introduced the Nemesis Forge, which will let you transfer a nemesis and follower from the first game to Shadow of War when it launches this fall. Check out an overview of the system in the trailer below:
If you're a Gold subscriber, you can download the game now for free from your Xbox One dashboard. If you want to keep playing after the free play days, Shadow of War Game of the Year Edition is currently up for grabs for only $4 as part of Microsoft's Ultimate Game Sale.