Weta Workshop’s new life simulation game, Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game, released on July 29 for multiple platforms including Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5, aimed to bring the charm of the Shire to players, but it unfortunately falls short of expectations.
Set in the quaint Hobbit settlement of Bywater, the game allows players to inhabit the lives of Hobbits, completing quests known as Tales, befriending locals, and improving the village to meet Hobbit standards.
The game includes typical cozy life-sim features such as NPC interaction, home decoration, and cooking using a variety of ingredients sourced from the wild, your garden, or local waters. However, character creation is limited, offering a modest selection of skin tones without much further customization.
Far from the endearing charms traditionally associated with Hobbits, the characters in Tales of the Shire have been described as unsettling, reminiscent of troll dolls rather than the beloved beings from Tolkien’s works. The game’s environments also lack visual appeal, leading to comparisons with less sophisticated titles like Old School Runescape.
The gameplay loop presents serious limitations, with players undertaking fetch quests that feel unnecessarily tedious. Although famous characters like Gandalf and references to Bilbo Baggins are incorporated, the focus remains on a cast of forgettable local residents.
Befriending residents often involves inviting them over for meals, where players prepare their preferred dishes using foraged ingredients. Yet, the joy of building these relationships is diminished by the tedious nature of the multi-step fetch quests that seem to stretch on indefinitely.
Tales of the Shire attempts humor in its quests, but the execution fails to entertain, leaving many players frustrated rather than amused.
One of the game’s shortcomings is its lack of meaningful exploration and flexibility. Players may encounter foraging opportunities, but when quest dialogue options restrict responses to falsehoods, it undermines the gameplay experience.
Foraging mechanics also often lead to frustrating scenarios. When tasked to gather specific items, the inability to count already collected resources inevitably leads to players being stuck in areas with no viable options left.
Clear instructions are another notable issue; players must often decipher commands without guidance. Tasks such as equipping tools lack clarity, and key mechanics like fishing rely on players figuring out the controls through trial and error due to vague help sections.
Farming and fishing don’t present much depth either. While there are various crops and fish, the absence of upgrades or dynamic weather to affect farming dulls the experience. The bland cast of characters, lacking visual charm or romantic options, hardly serves to incentivize interaction.
On a positive note, decorating homes in Tales of the Shire offers players some creative freedom. Unlike games such as Animal Crossing or The Sims 4, players can choose from various designs for each room and freely place decorative items, enhancing the customization potential.
Unfortunately, a limited selection of decor items and the lack of diverse color options diminish this aspect of gameplay.
Overall, the game fails to connect with its intended audiences. Fans of Lord of The Rings may find the flat dialogue and uninspired storyline disappointing, while enthusiasts of life sims might feel similarly let down by the overall lack of depth and customization options.
Though the Shire is synonymous with warmth, beauty, and life, Tales of the Shire delivers a drab experience, never quite capturing the whimsical essence of Tolkien’s world. The game, while promising a delightful life sim experience set in a beloved universe, ultimately fails to deliver, leaving players yearning for a richer, more engaging adventure.
image source from：polygon
