Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are deeply beloved around the world, partially because of the compelling characters that fill out their casts and the adventures that each of those characters go on. Even so, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum came as a bit of a surprise when Daedalic Entertainment first announced it. The reclusive and duplicitous Gollum doesn't sound like a top choice for a game protagonist, but even so, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum seems like it could take this character in interesting new directions. Daedalic's take on Gollum and his interactions with Middle-earth could offer a valuable new angle on his character arc between the books.
Of course, the way that Daedalic Entertainment represents Gollum physically is just as important as his internal journey. Gollum's appearance, voice, and movement are all iconic parts of the character that Daedalic has to get right. That's why it's notable that, although Gollum's appearance in the game has been known for some time, it was surprising to see some small but significant adjustments had been made when Daedalic released a new Gollum trailer at The Game Awards 2021. While Gollum's new look is striking in itself, it also speaks to how Daedalic Entertainment might represent other characters and what the game will look like on the whole.
Gollum's Change in Appearance
When Gollum was first revealed, he was everything a Lord of the Rings fan would expect, from his thin wisps of hair to his skinny, shriveled body to his enlarged eyes. Even so, Gollum seems to look a little different in The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's new trailer. Although some of the changes are subtle, it seems like Gollum has gotten a little more long-limbed and bug-eyed since Daedalic last showed him off. Larger eyes with smaller irises seem to exaggerate Gollum's facial expressions, while his limbs and thin neck enhance his lanky body, giving him a more stylized and less realistic appearance overall.
It's possible that Gollum's appearance in the new Gollum trailer sends a message about the game's other characters. Fans have already seen character models for major characters like Gandalf the Grey and the elf king Thranduil, but it's possible that these designs are a little out of date as Daedalic moves toward less realistic character designs. Gandalf could look very different in the final version of the game, getting a slightly more cartoonish look that helps set Gollum apart from other Lord of the Rings media.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Stands Alone
Whether or not The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's potentially stylized looks work out in its favor remains to be seen. Many fans have already commented on Gollum trailers, asking Daedalic to make the protagonist look and sound more like Andy Serkis' depiction of Gollum in Peter Jackson's film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Unfortunately, since Gollum isn't a tie-in for Jackson's films, Daedalic doesn't have access to the Serkis version of the character, meaning it has to strike out on its own. The same is true for other beloved characters like Legolas who could make appearances and haven't been seen yet. Daedalic has no choice but to make brand new versions of each character.
Ultimately, Gollum's seemingly adjusted design still suggests that Daedalic will err on the side of realism when making NPCs out of famed Lord of the Rings characters. Figures like Gandalf won't get drastic revisions that make them clash with the grounded fantasy of Middle-earth. Daedalic is still dedicated to delivering the most detailed and faithful representation of Middle-earth that it can, so the characters will probably follow the same principle. Even so, Gollum will have to experiment with character design a little bit in order to differentiate itself from other Lord of the Rings adaptations. Hopefully, it has some designs in mind that strike a balance between familiar and unique.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum releases in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
