Tales of the Shireis drawing closer, as the game is set to be released on March 25. Announced during the first half of 2024,Tales of the Shireis an intriguing title, as it brings the world ofThe Lord of the Ringsinto a cozy life simulation setting. Both fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s franchise and the life sim genre have been eagerly awaiting the game’s arrival, especially after it faced a delay.
While the developer Weta Workshop has provided a decent amount of detail about what to expect inTales of the Shire, there is still a lot of mystery surrounding the various characters inthe town of Bywater. With the game being part ofThe Lord of the Ringsworld, it feels almost inevitable for familiar faces from Tolkien’s world to appear through cameos. As a central figure in Tolkien’s stories, Bilbo Baggins will hopefully make an appearance, but even if he doesn’t, Bywater may feel incomplete without a Bilbo counterpart.
Tales of the Shire Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Bring Bilbo Baggins' Restless Energy to the Party
Afterthe events ofThe Hobbit, Bilbo is left feeling rather unhappy. To be thrust into adventure and turmoil just to come back to the sleepy Shire bores him, which leads him to become somewhat of a restless grump. It’s a charming contrast to the cheeriness and carefree nature of the normal Hobbits he lives among, andTales of the Shireshouldn’t sidestep this type of personality.
Of course, Bilbo Baggins himself is the ideal cameo to bring this grumpy personality into the spotlight, but if that’s not possible for some reason, then the next best thing would be to introduce a character with a similar temperament.The unconfirmed cameos inTales of the Shirecould bring many different characters into the spotlight, but Bilbo and his personality would serve as a great way to balance the seemingly non-stop cheeriness of the game.
Tales of the Shire’s release date has a deeper meaning. InThe Lord of the Rings, Frodo destroys the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom on March 25.
Tales of the Shire May Want to Avoid Being Too Happy-Go-Lucky
Compared to otherLord of the Ringsstories,Tales of the Shireis a major change of pace. It opts for a slower, more peaceful approach to the franchise, instead of focusing on the battle between good and evil,Tales of the Shireaims to bring players a fresh perspective. While this could be the right way forward forLord of the Ringsgames, making every Hobbit cheery could quickly grow generic over time. A cozy life sim set in the Shire is a perfect match, but the risk of making things overly-cheerful may also alienate some longtime fans of the franchise.
Tales of the Shire’s first-time developer, Weta Workshop, has a long history withThe Lord of the Rings, as it was the special effects studio that helped bring the live-action films to life.
Tales of the Shire Can Hopefully Help the LOTR Game Slump
The Lord of the Ringsgames have had a rough couple of years. Between the notoriously abysmalGollumgame and the mixed-reviewedReturn to Moria, the franchise has had trouble finding its footing since the success of games likeShadow of MordorandShadow of War.Tales of the Shiremay not be a return to what makesLord of the Ringsso compelling for many, but gettingan easy-living Hobbit experiencecould have its own powerful draw.
As March 25 inches closer, it will be interesting to see just what allTales of the Shirehas in store for bothlovers ofThe Lord of the Ringsand the cozy life sim genre. Even if the game is selective with its cameos, bringing the spirit of characters like Bilbo and others forward could make up for some potentially missing faces.
