Summary
No matter how many fantasy series come out,The Lord of the Ringsis still considered one of the greatest stories ever told. Because of that, the gaming industry has been trying to capture the essence of Middle-earth for years. Monolith had the massively successfulMiddle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Traveller’s Tales took the franchise for a spin withLEGO The Lord of the Rings, andThe Lord of the Rings Onlinehas been going strong for years.
All of those titles make it seem likeThe Lord of the Ringsis in a pretty healthy spot, yet recent games have proven otherwise. Games likeThe Lord of the Rings: GollumandReturn to Moriahave been mostly lackluster, and no one really knows what Amazon’s MMO will look like. While it is fun to experience this world from different perspectives, these disappointing adventures may also put the franchise in a bit of a tough spot.
Lord of the Rings Games May Have a Lot to Prove
Recent Lord of the Rings Games Feel Kind of Bland
Since the release ofMiddle-earth: Shadow of Warin 2017, it has felt like gaming does not know what to do with the IP. Besides a few mobile titles, a card game, and multipleLord of the Rings Onlineexpansions, the franchise has remained mostly dormant. But that all seemed to change in 2023 with the release of twobrand-newLord of the Ringsadventures.
In 2023, fans were treated toThe Lord of the Rings: GollumandReturn to Moria.Gollumput players in control of the titular characterfor a brand-new adventure. Instead of being an exciting return to Middle-earth, though, the game was critically panned. Nearly everything about this title had issues and many have cited it as one of the worst games of the year.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moriawas received a bit better, but it was still far from what was expected from the franchise. This game lets players explore the long-lost ancient kingdom of Khazad-dum within the survival-crafting genre. While it did provide fans with a decent experience, it was still pretty lackluster as the gameplay loop was rather bland.
Future Lord of the Rings Games Will Have to Blow Players Away
In 2024, players are supposed to be gettinga new Shire-focused gamefrom Private Division. Along with that, Amazon’s MMO looms on the horizon. Not much is known about either experience, but when they finally release, they may have a lot to prove to fans of the IP.
Lord of the Ringsfanswere burnt twice in 2023, so they may be less inclined to jump on whatever comes next for the series. Unless these next few titles can truly deliver on that premise, then fans may just ignore them altogether.
Even thoughThe Lord of the Ringsmay be the biggest name in the fantasy genre, players do not seem that excited about its future. On top of that,Rings of Powerwas extremely controversial, so audiences on the whole seem to be a bit wary about where the franchise is going. While it remains to be seen if these next couple of titles are truly affected by the 2023 output, there is a strong chance that if they do not blow audiences away, then the brand may have to be put to rest for a bit.
The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum
WHERE TO PLAY
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is an action-adventure game developed and published by Daedalic Entertainment and co-published with Nacon. The game, set in the fictional world of Middle-earth created by J. R. R. Tolkien, takes place in between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring.He’s got nothing more to lose… How far will he go to retrieve his Precious?Taking place in parallel to the events described in The Fellowship of the Ring ™, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is an action-adventure game and an epic interactive experience. You play as the enigmatic Gollum on his perilous journey and find out how he outwitted the most powerful characters in Middle-earth.Gollum is one of the most fascinating characters in The Lord of the Rings universe. In 500 years he has experienced events that would destroy the toughest of beings. But Gollum doesn’t break; he bends, he adapts…Tortured by his split personality, he can be vicious and wicked as Gollum, yet friendly and cautious as Smeagol. It’s up to you to decide which of his personalities will triumph in the difficult moral choices that will dictate the future of your precarious alliances.The Lord of the Rings: Gollum™ is an official adaptation based on the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
