When one imagines a video game based onThe Lord of the Rings,one generally imagines an action-packed epic about battling Sauron’s forces and questing all across Middle-earth with the help of mighty characters like Aragorn and Gandalf. WhileThe Lord of the Rings: Gollumwill involve some iconic Tolkien characters, as well as a large-scale quest, it won’t be anything like mostLotRgames.Gollumis heavy on stealth, since it’s one of the titular character’s main skills. That may be disappointing forLord of the Ringsfans hoping for a more action-packed adventure, but it may be a positive sign forThe Hobbitin terms of game adaptations.
The Hobbit’s protagonist Bilbo Baggins may be surrounded by skilled dwarven warriors for much of the book, but he himself isn’t much of a fighter. That isn’t the point of his role, of course; Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield bring him on as a burglar, not as additional muscle. Bilbo’s stealth and wit set him apart frommany otherLord of the Ringscharacters, but it also gives him some similarities to Gollum. Thanks to those similarities, the mechanics that Daedalic Entertainment builds into itsGollumgame could lay the groundwork for an excellent new adaptation ofThe Hobbit.
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Gollum as a Hobbit Game Blueprint
As one might expect, gameplay trailers indicate that Gollum can’t really collect weapons and armor in his upcoming game, setting him apart from most action-adventure protagonists. Instead of battling throughhordes of Sauron’s orcsthrough raw force,Gollumplayers will find themselves using the protagonist’s platforming and stealth skills to navigate around dangerous areas. Once they’ve done so, players are bound to find environmental tools that help Gollum defeat his enemies. Although Gollum will likely fight a few foes head-on out of necessity,Gollumis bound to focus on clever solutions to the player’s problems overall.
That happens to be exactly what a new game ofThe Hobbitought to look like. Throughout the book, Bilbo Baggins finds ways out of dangerous situations by being smart and stealthy, outwitting enemies to buy time for himself and usingthe power of the One Ringto avoid danger. OnceGollumsets a precedent for a stealth-drivenLord of the Ringsgame, a newThe Hobbitvideo game could borrow elements from it, encouraging players to slip past enemies and wield the element of surprise. Daedalic Entertainment could even consider putting its ownGollumexpertise to use by pivoting directly into a game about Bilbo.
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A New Lord of the Rings Game Generation
Regardless of whether Daedalic makes such a game or some other studio jumps on the idea,The Hobbitdeserves to get another adaptation afterGollumcomes out. Big-budget adaptations ofThe Hobbithaven’t been commonplace lately, even though it’s a literary classic with major influences on modern fantasy. The book deserves to be acknowledged through gameplay that makes the most ofBilbo Baggins' set of skills and greatest achievements. IfGollumcan successfully prove that not everyLord of the Ringsgame needs to be about warfare in Middle-earth, then the door will be open for a stealth-drivenHobbitexperience.
Until then,Gollumat least looks like it’ll contribute some welcome diversity toLord of the Ringsvideo games. Aside from its stealth focus, mechanics like the internal battle between Gollum and Smeagol ought to set the game apart in terms of both storytelling and gameplay. Daedalic Entertainment may not be known for adaptations of Tolkien’s works yet, butGollumreally looks like it could help establish a new identity for the studio. It’d be great to see any kind ofLord of the Ringsgame come out of Daedalic afterGollum,but considering the style of game thatGollumis, Daedalic should really consider looking towardsThe Hobbit.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollumreleases in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
