Summary
UpcomingLord of the Ringscozy gameTales of the Shirehas generated quite a bit of buzz since its announcement in April. Private Division’s Hobbit-centric farming and life sim looks promising, but it will need to stand out in a market saturated with low-stakes, relaxing titles inspired by the likes ofStardew ValleyandAnimal Crossing. One way thatTales of the Shirecan do this is by doubling down on the more interactive and immersive aspects inherent to the genre.
TheLord of the Ringsfranchise may be knownfor its high adventure and mythic-scale battles, but it’s just as renowned for its smaller, more intimate details. Things like the bonds of brotherhood found within the Fellowship of the Ring, the enemies-to-friends arc of Legolas and Gimli, and the unbelievably earnest connection between Frodo and Sam are among the most memorable aspects of the original books and films, and just as important to the story as the existential battle against Sauron. Given its genre and general design approach,Tales of the Shireis uniquely positioned to explore these sorts of interpersonal relationships, supported by such an iconic fantasy backdrop.
Dialogue Trees Would Elevate Tales of the Shire’s Social Sim Gameplay
Tales of the Shire Needs to Leave a Strong Impression
As previously mentioned, the games industry is awash with cozy games, and it’s clear thatTales of the Shire is inspired by games likeAnimal CrossingandStardew, leaning into quaintness and comfort rather than bombastic heroism. A cozy life-sim set in Hobbiton is actually quite an ingenious idea, as the fictional setting has long been idealized byLord of the Ringsfans thanks to its warm and charming atmosphere.
But it will take more than aunique setting to makeTales of the Shirestand out. The game will be adopting many of the tropes associated with the cozy genre, such as fishing, farming, and foraging, and as these are typically mechanically simple, it will be difficult to make them feel fresh beyond a superficial level. However, it looks likeTales of the Shirecould take a more in-depth approach to its social elements, as players will be able to invite other Hobbits over for dinner, which will presumably lead to special conversations and bonding opportunities. This system has the chance to be much more than a linear series of cutscenes or a few cute lines of dialogue, however.
Tales of the Shire Can Be More Moving With Dialogue Trees
While a game likeStardew Valleyoffers some dialogue options, interactions between the player and NPCs are generally focused more on the latter; townsfolk will talk at length about their own lives, with only occasional contributions from the player-character, usually only in direct response to a question. There’s nothing wrong with this, as the protagonist ofStardewis meant to be more of a player-avatar than an actual character, butTales of the Shirecould take a different approach by letting the player flesh out their character through more interactive dialogue exchanges.
Perhaps the player-character could assume a more dominant role in interactions, leading conversations with the NPCs instead of just listening to them relay their life stories. The possible benefits of this broad-strokes approach are myriad, but at the very least, it would allow the player tobuild their own three-dimensionalTales of the Shirecharacterwhile learning more about the game’s predetermined NPCs. Additionally, by creating dialog trees with more extensive branches, the game could offer both greater replay value and more affecting RPG gameplay, connecting players to the fictional community in a deeper and more personalized way.
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.
