Game Review

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

Fans of *The Lord of the Rings* series, whether movies or books, know how rich this universe is. It’s full of impactful and unique stories, with each character deserving their own dedicated game. Unfortunately, *The Lord of the Rings: Gollum* doesn’t live up to this potential.

Story

Gollum is one of the most intriguing characters in the series, especially with how the ring transformed him from a regular hobbit into a schizophrenic creature. The game takes place 60 years after Gollum loses the ring, starting with his time in the mountains talking to himself. One day, he notices a raven spying on him, triggering a series of events.

While chasing the raven, Gollum is captured by Orcs and imprisoned. The gameplay revolves around completing daily tasks in the prison while trying to escape and resume the search for the ring.

The game accurately depicts Gollum’s split personality through excellent voice acting. Players often choose between the manipulative or the kinder side of his personality, adding depth to his character.

However, the story doesn’t offer new insights into the *Lord of the Rings* universe. Despite including iconic characters like Gandalf and Shelob, their roles feel minimal and lack the desired impact.

Gameplay

The gameplay focuses on stealth and parkour. Stealth involves basic mechanics like hiding in bushes or staying in the shadows, but it lacks innovation and feels repetitive.

The parkour elements are simplistic, with no real challenges or puzzles. You mainly follow pre-determined paths marked with yellow highlights, making the gameplay feel linear and uninspired.

Overall, the gameplay feels outdated, as if it belongs to a game from over a decade ago. It fails to compete with the modern gaming era.

Technical Performance

The game struggles to perform well on medium or low-end devices, with frequent frame drops and glitches. Even high-end PCs encounter AI issues and occasional crashes.

Graphics and Audio

The visuals include some impressive scenery, but most of the game occurs in dark, enclosed spaces. Gollum’s design is faithful to the films, but graphical glitches in hair and textures detract from the experience.

The voice acting is a strong point, especially for Gollum and Gandalf. Supporting characters and enemies also have decent voice performances.

Final Score

5/10