We learned a lot about Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor today. The game is coming out earlier than expected (now set for September 30), and we have an in-depth interview with the developers about the game’s story and where it fits into The Lord of the Rings lore. And at a panel for the game at SDCC, we learned the team looked to the Batman: Arkham series for inspiration.

When asked about the similarities between Shadows of Mordor and the Assassin’s Creed games, Mordor’s design director Michael de Plater said, “The main thing to say is to play it. I think there’s two things: One is we’re a third-person, open-world action adventure game, and there’s just not that many of them. So I guess the comparisons become inevitable.

“The game that definitely was a big inspiration for us, within Warner Bros. and at the studio, was Arkham.” — Michael de Plater

“Two: The game that definitely was a big inspiration for us, within Warner Bros. and at the studio, was Arkham–that combination of stealth, combat, and incredible gameplay. But the short version is just to play it; it’s a very different game.”

Another panelist from the development team pointed out how he felt the game’s Nemesis system (which you can learn more about here), works to set the game apart from other adventure games. In the Nemesis system, the stats, appearance, and personality of some of the primary enemies you face are unique to each player.

What do you think? Without trying the game yourself, it’s impossible to make a concrete comparison, but has the game set itself apart from what you’ve seen, or does that even matter to you? Let us know in the comments.

Justin Haywald is a senior editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @JustinHaywald Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com