Summary
Many longtime fans ofThe Lord of the Ringshave always wanted to experience how the Hobbits live, and they can soon do it in the cozy gameTales of the Shire. Set in Bywater,Tales of the Shirelets players create their own Hobbit who will help the town flourish through missions, friendship-building, and more.
AlthoughTales of the Shireseems to be mostly Hobbit-centric, there’s still a possibility that it will featurecameos from otherLord of the Ringsraces, such as Elves and Dwarves. There’s also one entity from the sagathat would be an awesome addition to the game: the mighty Ent.
Tales of the Shire Shouldn’t Ignore One of Lord of the Rings' Most Memorable Subplots
InThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Merry and Pippin get separated from the Fellowship and find themselves in the protection of Treebeard and the Ents, which are tree-like creatures. It’s an interesting subplot that showcases wholesome conversations between the Hobbits and the Ents, which later leads to the tree creatures helping the Fellowship to attack and destroy the forces of Isengard.
WithTales of the Shirealready simulating what life is like for a Hobbit, it would be interesting to see content inspired by memorable events inLord of the Rings, such as interactions with the Ents. IfTales of the Shireallowed players to interact with the Ents, it would mean opening up other regions of Middle-earth, so the Hobbit could venture out to Fangorn Forest and other areas where the Ents reside.
According toLord of the Ringslore, the Ents can be found in Fangorn Forest, Eriador, East Beleriand, and Treegarth of Orthanc.
It would be interesting to see ifTales of the Shirewill let players venture off toother regions in Middle-earth, especially the lesser-known ones. Hobbits are known to be friendly and adventurous, so this would be a great way to showcase these qualities. Plus, they could discover other quests and mini-games beyond Bywater and also meet and befriend interesting characters. Perhaps the Ents can task the Hobbits with helping take care of the forest and the creatures that live in them to maintain a sense of harmony. Even without a travel option, it’s still possible forTales of the Shireto incorporate Ents through mini-games, conversations between Hobbits, and books that further expand the game’s universe.
Exploration Can Be Key to Tales of the Shire’s Success
Most cozy farming and life sims are limited to one location, as they follow the protagonists' flourishing life and the positive domino effect on the surrounding villagers. InTales of the Shire, it seems like the game mightstick to exploring Bywaterfor farming materials, food, and cooking ingredients to improve the main Hobbit’s living experience. However, there’s a real opportunity forTales of the Shireto allow inter-region exploration to add more variety to crops, dishes, and more.
This is already a feature that games likeCoral Islandhave adopted. It’s been teased before thatCoral Islandwill one day allow players to go island hopping, where they can encounter new people and items to bring home to their farm. The feature isn’t out yet, but the closest that players have gotten is the ability tolive and thrive in the Merfolk Kingdom, as they can unlock the ability to cultivate a farm and take care of sea creatures underwater, and players can carry the items to the surface as consumables and gifts.
Middle-earth is a vast world with different kinds of people, making it possible to have more cozy games based onLord of the Rings. ButTales of the Shirecan get the ball rolling with regions like Fanghorn Forest to give players another perspective on Hobbit life and adventure.
