Shadow of Mordor
I think the best word to describe my feelings towards Lord of the Rings etc. etc. is appreciation. There are many legendary artistic works that I respect: I understand what they do and how they do it, I acknowledge their place in modern cultural canon, and yet I do not particularly enjoy them. That doesn’t prevent me from understanding what their creators accomplished and why others speak of them so highly. On the flip side are works that I admire and adore, my favourite franchises, those I personally believe mark the heights of their media and genre. Somewhere in between are those that I appreciate. When it comes to these, I generally acknowledge that I like them without loving them. They might not speak to me on the deepest level, but I find more value in them than simply respecting their place in the canon. On the occasional weekend, I might be possessed by a sudden obsession for them, for the feelings that surround them, but after a few days this intensity recedes and they fall fr...