Since being announced in 2019, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has been somewhat of a mystery. The game was due to be released in 2021, but this was delayed for further work to be undertaken by developers Daedalic Entertainment.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is being created in conjunction with Middle-earth enterprises and is set for a release on September 1 across major consoles and PC, with the Switch version coming later in 2022. The game takes place during the opening chapters of J.R.R Tolkien’s seminal The Fellowship of the Ring and tells the story of how Gollum sets off on a journey through Middle-earth to recover the Ring of Power, which was stolen by Bilbo Baggins during the events of The Hobbit.
Daedalic Entertainment and Nacon have released the first gameplay footage for LOTR: Gollum. In the short trailer, gamers will see the titular character stalking through dark mines and traversing tight ravines to escape the likes of Orcs, Men, and even the terrifying Ringwraiths in his quest to reunite with his precious. The game shows that not only does Gollum have to tread carefully to avoid enemies, but that he is also struggling with his old Hobbit-self, Smeagol.
Throughout the trailer, players see familiar faces like the Elves of Mirkwood and the Orcs of Mordor. It is up to the player how to handle key moments as LOTR: Gollum expects gamers to manage Gollum’s mental health and make decisions on how to approach any given situation. Fans are also treated to the first look at the series stalwart Gandalf the Grey in action, although it seems that the wizard has forgone the traditional grey garb and is instead draped in a blue robe. It is unclear if this is a creative decision or one that will be relevant to the story.
Unlike Shadow of Mordor, which centered around a huge open world with a deep combat system, Daedalic has opted for a more story-driven action RPG, relying instead on Smeagol’s cunning. Although at this stage, it remains unclear if LOTR: Gollum will avoid combat altogether or if there will be some form of boss fights sprinkled throughout the adventure.
There is no doubt LOTR: Gollum is shaping up to be a different beast from the action-heavy games that have come before. The focus on stealth is prevalent throughout the trailer, however, fans will be pleased with the recognizable characters included as well as expanding on the vast lore set out by the original trilogy, although it still remains to be seen how companion NPCs will interact with Gollum.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum – arrives on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on September 1st. The Nintendo Switch version is planned for a 2022 release.
