Highlights
- Return to Moria and Tales of the Shire are expanding the Lord of the Rings franchise in exciting new ways.
- New games are exploring diverse genres and cultures, moving away from core story and classic experiences.
- The trend of exploring different races and cultures in Middle-earth should continue in future games.
While Lord of the Rings may be one of the biggest names in fantasy, it has not really dominated the video game landscape. There was a time when titles like Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor were met with rave reviews, however after its sequel was released, the franchise seemed to vanish from the gaming scene. But things seem to be changing for Lord of the Rings with the release of Return to Moria and Tales of the Shire. And so far, the direction that those games have chosen to take the franchise has been great to see.
For years, it felt like Lord of the Rings games wanted to purely focus on the core story or classic action-adventure experiences. With these latest games, Middle-earth seems to be branching out a bit by exploring new genres and new cultures. This has not only given fans a diverse catalog of titles to mess around with, but it has also built out this fantasy landscape further in the process. Even if some of these titles have not been met with overly strong reviews, this direction will hopefully not change any time soon.
Tales of the Shire Can’t Let Hobbit Holes Become a Double-Edged Sword
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Lord of the Rings Games Seem to Be Moving in the Right Direction
Return to Moria and Tales of the Shire Have Expanded the Franchise in Exciting Ways
After the release of Middle-earth: Shadow of War back in 2017, the Lord of the Rings franchise was seemingly put on the backburner outside some Lord of the Rings Online expansions and mobile games. And while Lord of the Rings: Gollum was supposed to be its grand return, that game was critically panned and ultimately led to the closure of the studio. So, it felt like fans really had nowhere to turn to. However, that seems to be quickly changing with a slew of new experiences that started with Return to Moria.
Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria may have been met with a mixed reception, but it was unlike anything fans had really gotten before. It brought the franchise to the survival genre for what was mostly a pretty basic experience. However, it also spotlighted the Dwarves and their culture for the first time. The focus was no longer on the One Ring or The Hobbit, and instead, players got to see a new side of the franchise. Not only that, but they also got to see a time after the main trilogy, which was an exciting prospect.
Tales of the Shire will also be bringing Middle-earth to a new genre: the life sim. Additionally, it will also be taking the focus away from Lord of the Rings' core story and instead follow the simple lives of Hobbits. Players will be experiencing what it means to be a Hobbit while interacting with a wide variety of new and familiar characters. While it remains to be seen if it results in a memorable experience, the concept alone sounds extremely promising.
Future Lord of the Rings Games Need to Take Notes
Both Return to Moria and Tales of the Shire seem to be leading a new era of Lord of the Rings games that are less about Sauron and more about simply living in the world. It has given players new ways to interact with this fantasy landscape while also letting them experience the unique cultures of the races that call it home. Even if these titles have not been stellar so far, the trend of exploring these cultures should not stop any time soon.
Letting players get a look at the races that call Middle-earth home has been a fantastic way to further expand Tolkien’s world. Additionally, the wide variety of genres it has explored has helped make this world far more accessible to more players. So, hopefully, there are even more unique experiences like that. While the Hobbits and Dwarves have now gotten their time in the spotlight, there are many more cultures and races just waiting to headline their own fantastical adventure.
Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game
Tales of the Shire is a charming life sim set in the iconic and idyllic location from Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. You'll take part in gardening, fishing, and cooking, as well as decorating your home and getting to know the local Hobbits.
