The idyllic rolling hills and comfy hobbit holes of The Shire are such a perfect setting for a life-sim game that its a wonder no one thought of the premise for Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game before. Farming, fishing, and decorating are all core features confirmed for this cozy game, which is set in the hobbit village of Bywater. The game takes place in the years between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Tales of the Shire gameplay will be familiar to anyone who’s played the likes of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You’ll build a garden, befriend your neighbors, and eat second breakfast every day. But what can truly set Tales of the Shire apart is its connection with Middle Earth. Today, we’re looking at ten features we’d like to see in this game.
10. Assisting the Bounders
The wide world of Middle Earth that lies outside The Shire is a unique and dangerous place with many stories to tell. As a member of the bounders, a group of hobbits assigned to patrol the borders of The Shire in the books, you could potentially play a small part in these stories.
9. Pets & Livestock
If you’ve played Stardew Valley, you’ll know that caring for your animals is half the fun of owning a farm. Though you might be restricted to a garden in Tales of the Shire, it would still be nice to have a few chickens or cats wandering around your hobbit hole.
8. Tie-ins With Familiar Characters
If you watch the Tales of the Shire trailer closely, you’ll notice that Gandalf is in the game. However, there should be more than a few other familiar characters for Lord of the Rings fans nearby, even within the confines of Bywater.
7. Mathoms
Mathoms are gifts that hobbits give on birthdays, though they are often re-gifted later. Passing around these gifts would be a fun way to interact with neighbors.
6. Smoking Pipe-weed
Hobbits are known for smoking pipe-weed, and according to the books, have a history of growing the plant as well. Hopefully we’ll be able to kick back and launch a few smoke rings, though the game’s PEGI rating makes this feature less likely.
5. Seasonal Festivals
Part of the game’s story will revolve around an event called the ‘Bywater Festival’, but it would be nice to have festivals for the game’s changing seasons as well. A yule or harvest festival similar to the festivals in Lord of the Rings Online would certainly be welcome.
4. Brewing at Inns
From what we’ve seen so far in demos and trailers, you’ll be able to visit The Green Dragon, an iconic inn from the books. Brewing ale at the inn could be an enjoyable mini-game that ties in with the game’s cooking mechanics.
3. Romance
Romance is a fun feature of Stardew Valley and would be a fantastic addition to this game as well. It would be especially important if Tales of the Shire co-op gameplay is confirmed.
2. Lighting Fireworks
The fireworks at Bilbo’s birthday party are a memorable part of the Fellowship of the Ring, and lighting a few in Tales of the Shire would also be good time.
1. Multiplayer
Multiplayer is without question the feature we’d like to see most in Tales of the Shire. Working with your friends or partner to design your hobbit hole and manage your garden would be a wholesome experience sure to win over fans.
We don’t have any confirmation that Tales of the Shire multiplayer gameplay exists, but hopefully that changes before the game’s release later this year.
