The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria

Video game
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
Details
Developer	Free Range Games
Publisher	North Beach Games
Platform	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Release Date	24 October 2023 (PC) 5 December 2023 (PlayStation) Early 2024 (Xbox)

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is an online survival-crafting video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. It is set after the events of The Lord of the Rings, during the Fourth Age when the Dwarves attempt to retake the ancient city of Moria. It is the first licensed video game that is set in the Fourth Age. The game released on 24 October 2023 on Microsoft Windows, with the PlayStation 5 release delayed to 5 December that year. The Xbox Series X/S version was released in august 2024.

Plot

During the Fourth Age, summoned to the Misty Mountains by Lord Gimli, a company of Dwarves are tasked with reclaiming the lost spoils from the Dwarven homeland of Moria. As the Doors of Durin won’t open, they resort to using blasting fire to break their way into Moria. The floor then caves in and the protagonist is trapped, finding shadow runes sealing the doors shut from the inside. The protagonist is then left with the task of making their way to the other side of Moria and the east gate as an escape.

Gameplay

The gameplay is standard of a survival-crafting video game. The game encompasses systems such as mining, crafting, smelting etc in order for the player to progress. The games progression follows various areas or ‘deeps’ in which certain resources and enemies are found and must be collected/defeated to progress to the next area. The player can also find orc camps in which to attack and loot, and raids are common. The combat includes swords, shields, armour and more to emulate the dwarven combat style. Fast travel mechanics and spawn point systems are implemented into the game for quality of life.

Reception

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria was first revealed along with a short cinematic trailer on June 10, 2022, at the 2022 Epic Games Summer Showcase. The game was originally planned to be released in spring 2023 and was eventually released on October 24, 2023 for Microsoft Windows, with the PlayStation 5 release following on December 5, 2023. The Xbox Series X/S release was scheduled for early 2024. The Windows version was initially sold exclusively on the Epic Games Store, but was later released on Steam on August 27, 2024.

The game has received generally mixed reviews, with it getting a 4/10 from IGN, a 3/5 from Eurogamer and a 59% on Metacritic. User reviews on the game vary depending on general taste. The game is criticised for its poor linear progression, lack of balancing and a clear deviation from a lot of Tolkiens work. The most obvious story deviation is the organisation and number of orc camps and bosses, despite the destruction of the Ring and Sauron at the end of the previous age.