Tales of the Shire

Tales of the Shire brings enough original content to the second breakfast table to satisfy Tolkien fans and devout cozy gamers alike.

The Lord of the Rings has been on a bit of a losing streak since 2017's Middle-earth: Shadow of War. 2023 brought two Lord of the Rings titles, with the first being the infamously panned Gollum, and the second being the slightly better-received Return to Moria. Now, after a few lengthy delays, Tales of the Shire is here, swinging open its brightly-painted Hobbit home doors and beckoning the world to feast on what it's prepared.

Tales of the Shire has a lot to enjoy for Lord of the Rings fans and cozy gamers alike, but several key problems hold the game back from its potential.

Great cooking and foraging systems, but not a lot else to keep you busy.

There is something magical in Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game, but it’s sometimes hard to find it… Still, I keep thinking that while a Hobbit hole means comfort, Tolkien’s favorite characters also deserve a bit more depth than just resting on genre fundamentals.

Tales of the Shire does Tolkien's lore justice and has a new approach to unlocking features in cozy games that'll make your heart sing. However, Bywater struggles to keep you content with staying in the Shire for long.

There’s the foundation for greatness here, with an incredibly cute art style, gorgeous world, and compelling characters I genuinely want to know more about, but Tales of the Shire just doesn’t deliver. If you’re looking for a super relaxing and cozy experience, you’ll have a fine time with this one, but don’t expect a game that’s going to stick with you.

There’s been no shortage of The Lord of the Rings games over the years, but precious few of them focus on the real stars of J. R. R. Tolkien’s books, the humble hobbits. Granted, outside of the unlikely adventures of the Baggins family, hobbits are known for living rather unexciting lives, so perhaps it’s not surprising that game makers would rather focus on Middle-earth’s elves, orcs, and dragons. But, of course, not all games have to focus on action and excitement – enter Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game,  a new cozy life sim in the vein of Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing t...

A great idea lost under the weight of tiresome game mechanics.

Welcome home, Hobbit! Live the cosy life of a Hobbit in the wonderfully serene landscape of the Shire. Discover, decorate, and share in this idyllic corner of Middle-Earth. PC version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes.

Tales of the Shire has some charming ideas, but dull gameplay, heaps of bugs, and a general sense of emptiness ultimately drag the promising life-sim down to the pits of Moria.

There’s no way to progress individual relationships outside shared meals, so if players focus more on the main story, milestone cutscenes between characters later on become odd. After spending weeks being integral to the village campaign, I got cutscenes with my neighbors about how I’d just arrived and that they knew nothing about me. My relationship didn’t rise with anyone through any of the quests I worked on with them, which feels like a real oversight for any players who tend to focus on the main storyline first.