The Serenity of the Shire: Rediscovering Moria in a Peaceful Tale

Highlights

Tales of the Shire has the potential to depict the world of Middle-earth in a way that has not typically been seen, offering a cozy and idyllic experience.

Revolving around lesser-known characters, the game offers players a unique outlook on the cherished Middle-earth saga. Tales of the Shire aims to provide an immersive experience, delving into the everyday routines of the Shire and showcasing the ordinary facets of this world, contrasting the ravaged battlegrounds and precarious existence depicted in Return to Moria.

Very little information is available about Tales of the Shire, except for its planned release next year by a development team at Weta Workshop through its publisher Private Division. While Weta Workshop may have limited experience in game development, it is renowned as a top design house in Hollywood and has previously supported game studios. The recent release of Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria demonstrated the success of crafting and survival games in Tolkien's universe. If Tales of the Shire can adopt a similar formula and create a cozy atmosphere, the game has high potential for success.

In other media, Middle-earth is often portrayed as a war-ravaged realm, which aligns with the conflict-driven structure commonly found in books and films. However, the Shire and various other regions are depicted as tranquil and serene when conflicts are absent. Unlike other mediums, video games offer a greater opportunity for open-ended storytelling, particularly in cozy games that do not require a traditional plot. Consequently, Tales of the Shire has the exciting capability to showcase the world of Middle-earth in a unique and unprecedented way.

Return to Moria Gets Lore Right

LotR games this year have largely focused on The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, but Return to Moria offers an exceptional survival experience for fans of Tolkien's universe. As players take on the role of a dwarf seeking to reclaim their ancestral homeland, they become trapped with a small group on the journey to Moria, navigating through its ruins while trying to stay alive. The game not only incorporates Tolkien's lore effectively but also incorporates a robust crafting system, RPG elements, and the option for cooperative gameplay.

One of the standout features of Return to Moria is its departure from established characters. While Gimli does make an appearance, he does not command the central spotlight, and the game's events do not directly align with the books' narrative. This sets Return to Moria apart from other games by presenting Middle-earth through the perspective of less renowned characters, offering a narrative that diverges from the grandiosity of the books. Tales of the Shire, similarly, aims to explore the significance of the Shire in a gaming context, as it remains an underexplored location thus far.

Tales of the Shire offers a cozy and inviting setting for players to immerse themselves in the lore of The Shire, presenting a fresh perspective on Middle-earth. Instead of being caught in the midst of conflict, this game encourages players to embrace and personalize the world of The Shire. Although limited information has been released about the game, it falls into the cozy genre, which involves crafting, crop cultivation, and home building. This focus on day-to-day activities allows Tales of the Shire to delve into the quieter aspects of Middle-earth that a grand storyline may overlook, offering a leisurely exploration of The Shire's different regions.

With Weta Workshop, a revered design studio known for their work on the Lord of the Rings films, on board, the potential for creating a captivating game world with intricate details is immense. By deviating from the traditional action-packed battles of 'good versus evil,' as seen in Return to Moria, Tales of the Shire goes even further, offering players a chance to truly experience life in Middle-earth instead of solely saving it. Similar to how Return to Moria expanded upon the original books' lore in novel ways, Tales of the Shire takes a peaceful approach to further explore this beloved universe.

Return to Moria: The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria by Free Range Games is an immersive survival game with a strong emphasis on crafting. Set in the legendary mines of Moria in Middle-earth, this upcoming 2023 title allows players to embark on a thorough exploration as their very own custom-created dwarf, thanks to the implementation of advanced procedural-generation technology.

Franchise The Lord of the RingsPlatform(s) PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series SReleased October 24, 2023Developer(s) Free Range GamesGenre(s) Survival