Want to know more about Daedalic Entertainment’s newest The Lord of the Rings game? This the Lord of the Rings: Gollum Guide will cover everything you need to know.
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Release Date
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is all set to release on May 25, 2023. That’s less than a week away! But the journey here wasn’t easy.
Daedalic Entertainment first announced the game in March 2019. Its launch was expected in 2021. This was then delayed to 2022. Things were looking good for the September 1, 2022 release. But the launch got pushed by “a few months” so fans could get “the best possible experience”. Now almost 9 months later, we finally have a confirmed release date.
Platforms
On May 25, 2023, the game will release on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One. A switch version is also in development. And while we don’t have an exact date, it will probably release sometime later this year.
You can pre-order the game on most major retailers and console stores. This includes Steam, the PlayStation Store, and the official Xbox website.
About the Game
Story
Set in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a stealth game based on the books. The game follows Gollum eight years before his appearance in The Lord of the Rings. And covers everything from his captivity in Mordor to tailing the Fellowship of the Ring in Tolkein’s first book.
We start off at Barad-Dur as Gollum tries to reach a gate and escape the Mordor fortress. He then sneaks around Middle-earth, avoiding orcs, humans, elves, and more. All in a quest to discover the Ring’s fate after he lost it to Bilbo in The Hobbit.
The rest of the story depends on you. Your dialogue decisions change how you interact with the world and how it interacts with you. Will you listen to Gollum or Smeagol? This narrative branching is a core mechanic. It affects the options you get and what the levels look like.
Gameplay
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a stealth-based action adventure. Its mix of stealth and parkour is unlike most other The Lord of the Rings games. You can still confront enemies, but every encounter comes with big risks. You play from a third-person perspective. Controlling Gollum as he climbs, jumps, and swims his way across Middle-earth.
Your biggest weapon is your cunning. Trigger environmental hazards, hide behind cover, lead foes into traps, and sneak past enemies. You can strangle any weakened enemies you catch by surprise. But be careful their allies don’t spot you. You can also throw rocks or use other tools as a distraction.
For PS5 players, the game supports DualSense’s haptic feedback ability. This increases the resistance to the triggers when Gollum is out of stamina. Meaning his physical struggle will affect the way you play.
World Design
The Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a mix of linear and open-world environments. The more linear levels feature alternative routes. So you decide the risk you’re comfortable with and how you’d like to play.
The game uses ray tracing to mimic how light reflects in the real world. The result is a well-lit world with realistic shadows. Something very important in a stealth-based game. Ray-tracing also makes the game world feel realistic and vast. Resulting in beautiful roaming environments right out of Tolkein’s imagination.
Characters
Gollum stays true to his portrayal in the books with big round pale eyes, a thin face, and large feet. But don’t feel disappointed if you’re a movie fan. His impressive voice acting is reminiscent of Andy Serkis’ performance in the films.
Other familiar characters include Gandalf, Thranduil, and the Mouth of Sauron.
Conclusion
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is all set to release on May 25, 2023, on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One. We hope our The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Guide answers all your questions. That said, happy gaming!
