In The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, we embark on Gollum's harrowing journey and inner duality in an interactive narrative set in the epic universe of The Lord of the Rings.
Distributed and developed by Daedalic Entertainment, a German game developer known for creating immersive and visually stunning narrative experiences, with titles spanning a variety of genres, from adventure to strategy, with an emphasis on games based on original stories and licensed intellectual properties.
The game is available for: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S
STORY
The story of "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum™" is set in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic universe and explores events that precede the main plot of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The game follows Gollum, a creature tormented by the duality of his personality, divided between Sméagol and Gollum, as he searches for the One Ring, his "precious".
During the narrative, players witness Gollum's internal struggle and his interactions with other iconic characters from the universe, such as the Nazgûl. The story addresses Gollum's gradual corruption by the power of the One Ring and explores the challenges he faces in his quest to possess the ring.
The game emphasizes elements of stealth and exploration, providing players with a unique experience as they experience Gollum's unique perspective and elusive behavior. The narrative aims to offer a deeper insight into the character and world of "The Lord of the Rings".
It's almost ironic to admit, but I initially counted myself among those who doubted the choice of Gollum as a game's protagonist, given the wide range of iconic characters that made The Lord of the Rings so beloved by fans. However, the parts that involve making decisions while dealing with your duality represent some of the game's most captivating moments, in my opinion.
To the aesthetic decisions involving the chronology adopted in the game, which I consider regrettable. Starting the narrative in Mordor, with the need to escape from that place, could have been much more impactful if it had been reserved for the final third of the adventure, involving Gollum chasing Bilbo and Frodo (even though the game was set eight years before the events of the Mordor films). LOTR by Peter Jackson), or similar events. When starting the game in Mordor, not only is the opportunity to give greater gravity to the environment lost, but the player is also deprived of the typical open and bright landscapes. If this were the initial third of the game, many things would certainly be different, the which are striking characteristics of Middle Earth.
This last part, in particular, deserves attention, as it is common for the "specialized media" to limit themselves only to the first hours of the game to base their analyses. However, I highlight that this portal adopts a different approach, valuing a more in-depth and complete analysis, my dears. :)
I firmly believe that the root of this game's flaws lies not in its conception, but rather in its implementation. Surprisingly, the premise of "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum" is admirable, however, a series of mistaken choices were made during its development, neglecting crucial aspects such as duality, previously mentioned, which could have added considerable value to the experience. .
GAMEPLAY
The gameplay of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum focuses on exploring environments, solving puzzles and stealth. Players control Gollum, switching between his dual personality as he faces challenges and interacts with the world around him. The narrative is driven by the player's choices, influencing the course of the story.
At this point is where the foundations start to fall apart, as the game itself fails to execute anything in a truly satisfying way. It sticks to the basics in every aspect and often fails even there. Be it the jumping movements that seem clumsy, or the simple commands that are not adequately explained or are too difficult to explain.
When analyzing The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, I realize that the studio tried to take a leap beyond its capabilities, aspiring to something great. Using Unreal Engine 5 highlights this ambition, reminding me of the painting classes my mother used to take, where she explained to me that portraying human figures was the most complex challenge in art. The game features stunning landscapes, spectacular skies, but the artistic representation of all life forms, including Gollum himself, is pitiful.
I firmly believe that Lords of the Rings Gollum would need an additional period of development, extending over another year or two of dedication. Even considering the possibility of extending this period to three years, if a complete review of character modeling was contemplated. This project, which used motion capture techniques to bring Smeagle's facial expressions to life, undoubtedly required considerable investment on the part of the company responsible for its development.
When it comes to gameplay, it's undeniable that correcting inaccurate pulses would be crucial to improving the user experience. This is an aspect that, unfortunately, negatively impacted the gameplay, despite its well-designed proposal. However, once these obstacles are resolved, it is possible to see that the game presents itself in a very solid way in its essence.
ACHIEVEMENTS
The design of achievements must be aligned with the game's proposal, however, it seems that there was no clear definition in this regard. The game's problems, often resulting from unattainable goals for the developers, are also reflected in the achievements, which end up not aligning with the reality of the experience. Some achievements, like collecting items or surviving without dying, feel out of place, especially in a game that hasn't reached a significant level of greatness.
In this circumstance, it becomes somewhat difficult to recommend the game, especially since we can enjoy a much more rewarding experience with smaller games that are also meticulously crafted in this aspect.
In relation to certain specific games that make the mistake of assuming that players prefer to complete their experiences without suffering deaths, I will choose, from this analysis, to adopt an alternative gamer tag instead of my usual one (Scoulz). This will allow me to enjoy the game without the self-imposed pressure of achieving all the achievements, thus highlighting my dissatisfaction with the poor decisions made by companies.
This approach will not only provide me with a more relaxed and immersive experience, but it will also serve as a way to more forcefully express my disagreement with such poor choices on the part of game developers.
TRAILER OFFICIAL
RESUME
This was, without a doubt, the most complex analysis I have done on this portal to date. In addition to the game itself, there is all the controversy surrounding the studio's closure after launch. Therefore, it was necessary to analyze the work impartially, going beyond any external opinion. I can say that the game is not completely devoid of merits.
I'm particularly fond of the Celebrimbor games in "Shadow of Mordor" and "Shadow of War." When I came across Gollum for the first time, I confess that I wondered who could be interested in such a unique character. However, it is undeniable that Gollum found his space in the gaming world, although the game itself is considered average. Much of the fuss surrounding this title is mainly due to the fact that it bears the name of Tolkien's beloved franchise. Certainly, creating a game centered around Gandalf or Aragorn would seem like a more obvious choice. However, it would be a monumental task for a small studio like Daedalic to handle, especially given the inevitable comparisons to the previously mentioned games. In addition to demanding stunning graphics, the established "Shadow of Mordor" franchise offers extremely captivating gameplay, not to mention the pioneering use of artificial intelligence to the benefit of the Nemesis system.
Given all this, it is clear that "Lords of the Rings: Gollum" has been unfairly criticized by both the media and gamers. Is it an excellent game? No. However, it is not completely a disaster in all respects. Smeagol's character carries a significant part of the game with him - his charisma, personality, dialogue and duality are elements that could, in themselves, captivate the game's audience. However, unfortunately, this did not materialize.
Review by Gamertag: MatheusBom#3245
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