Summary
Weta Workshop’s upcoming cozy life simTales of the Shiresees players living out their lives as Hobbits in the idyllic village of Bywater, with plenty of iconic features made popular by other cozy games such asAnimal CrossingandStardew Valley. During their time inTales of the Shire, players will participate in a variety of activities associated with the genre, like farming, cooking, decorating, exploring, foraging, and fishing. Furthermore, when they’re not busy with some important task, players will get the opportunity to interact with the residents ofBywater, some of whom have been confirmed to be “iconic characters” from theLord of the Ringsseries.
It’s currently unclear what time periodTales of the Shirewill be set in, though the game’s description states that, in this rendition of Bywater, the quaint village hasn’t been established as a part of Hobbiton. As such,Tales of the Shirecould take place much earlier than casualLord of the Ringsfans are familiar with. If that’s the case, although Weta Workshop has confirmed that players will get to meet “iconic characters” inTales of the Shire, it may not be any or many of the characters seen in theLord of the Ringsfilms. Instead, Weta Workshop may prioritize introducing original characters for players to meet and build relationships with. This putsTales of the Shireat a major fork in the road, and one it should heavily consider before moving in one direction or another.
Tales of the Shire Has a Tough Choice to Make With Its Characters
More Iconic Characters in Tales of the Shire Could Appeal to Lord of the Rings Fans
Fan service is one of the best things a developer can do in video game adaptations, especially when it comes to franchises as well-known asThe Lord of the Rings.Including popularLord of the Ringscharacters and Easter eggsfor veteran fans to meet and find helps solidify it as belonging to the brand. In light of that, it would make sense forTales of the Shireto focus more on some of the franchise’s more popular characters, as it would provide players with a more recognizableLord of the Ringsexperience.
That being said, since it’s unknown what periodTales of the Shireis set in, it’s impossible to know what characters it could bring in that the average player would recognize. It seems almost certain thatGandalf will appear inTales of the Shireat some point, though it’s unclear why he would be visiting the Shire in the first place unless Bilbo Baggins was around. In that case, the game could also feature Bilbo, even though Bilbo isn’t from Bywater. Still, perhaps he would visit Bywater on occasion inTales of the Shireto have a drink at the Green Dragon.
More Original Characters in Tales of the Shire Would Allow for a Unique World and Story
While the appearance of iconicLord of the Ringscharacters inTales of the Shirewould undoubtedly be welcomed, it might make even more sense to prioritize the appearance of original characters instead. Original characters would simultaneously result in a more unique world and would therefore provide players with aLord of the Ringsexperience unlike any they have had before. The prominence of original characters would allow a bit more breathing room for an original story as well, which would increaseTales of the Shire’s gameplayvalue as a result.
It’s impossible to know just yet which or how manyiconicLord of the Ringscharacterswill be present inTales of the Shire’s cozy world, but the game will need to approach this fork in the road with plenty of consideration. Hopefully, it will find a way to strike a balance between fan service and originality.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.
