Daedalic Entertainment first revealed their project "Lord of the Rings: Gollum" back in March 2019. After all these years in production, they have finally released a CGI-trailer for the upcoming action-adventure game on YouTube.
Andy Kelly of PC Gamer also got a chance to see the test of the early gameplay, revealing his first impressions and what to expect for the game's full release in 2022.
Gollum and "Lord of the Rings"
Gollum is a popular character in the "Lord of the Rings" anthology. This game, however, is a prequel to the events taking place in the "Lord of the Rings."
The game follows Gollum, who has been imprisoned in Barad-dûr, the colossal tower built by Sauron in the heart of Mordor. This game is expected to be a grand escape plan as Gollum finds his way around the hell hole in Middle Earth.
"Lord of the Rings: Gollum" Gameplay
Kelly made a disclaimer that the game he saw is 10 months old in development. Therefore some of the features might have undergone significant updates and improvements. He noted that it is not an accurate picture of how much the game is finished except for its official release due in 2022.
Before being corrupted as the holder of "One Ring," Gollum was once a Hobbit named Sméagol. The game presents an exciting play of Gollum's internal battle and his polluted mind. Specific points of the game require players to make choices that will affect the story flow and ending, much like any other choice game.
Gollum is planning his escape from Barad-dûr. Luckily, he spent 500 years clambering up in the Middle-earth. so he has the skillset of being an expert climber. The game features him crawling up surfaces, running on walls, sliding down cliffs and swinging on poles.
The animation, however, is a little off-balance--which is to be expected from a demo. Per Kelly, there is no smooth transition between his command actions such as climbing, running, and swinging. He looks unconvincingly weightless as he moves.
There are no minimaps or map screens to aid the character's escape. The game also requires players to pay attention to the environment. However, the exploring experience is enjoyable because the digital design of the tower is both detailed and impressive.
The game also features heavy player and environment (PVE) interaction. As Gollum picks his routes, some areas might involve players sneaking through hordes of heavily armed orcs. The primary asset of Gollum is stealth, so players can use his abilities to lurk in dark and gloomy places to escape. It is teased that the game has features that help Gollum "sniff and hear" enemies as part of his skills.
This game holds a lot of promise and expectation for their fans. Based from the leaks released by Daedalic Entertainment, the company looks like they can deliver.
"Lord of the Rings: Gollum" is an action-adventure story with amazing graphics and gameplay that all remains faithful to the books of J.R.R. Tolkien. The game will soon be available for Xbox Series X and PS5.
