Summary
Tales of the Shireis an upcoming cozy life sim by indie developer Weta Workshop, based on theLord of the Ringsseries of novels by J. R. R. Tolkien. As a Hobbit in the village of Bywater, players will be able to complete a variety of activities associated with the genre, many of which have been made popular by other cozy life sim games such as ConcernedApe’sStardew Valleyand Nintendo’sAnimal Crossingseries.
Despite any similarities it may end up sharing with games likeStardew ValleyandAnimal Crossing,Tales of the Shirewill undoubtedly be a unique experience, simply based on the fact that it takes place in theLord of the Ringsuniverse. Still, ahead ofTales of the Shire’s release, Weta has revealed several features for the game that seem to line up with its cozy counterparts.
Every Feature Confirmed for Tales of the Shire So Far
Tales of the Shire Will Include Character Customization
Ascharacter customizationbecomes an increasingly popular feature in gaming, it only makes sense thatTales of the Shirewould include it as well. InTales of the Shire, players will not only be able to customize the physical appearance of their Hobbit but also their attire. At some point in the game, players will be allowed to trade for new clothes for their character, though it’s currently unclear whether they will be locked into their character’s physical appearance after creating them.
Players Can Decorate Their Own Hobbit Home in Tales of the Shire
Just as they can in theAnimal CrossingseriesTales of the Shirewas inspired by, players can decorate their very own Hobbit home in Weta Workshop’s upcoming cozy life sim.Tales of the Shireincludes a grid-free placement system, so players can fully bring their imaginations to life in the most accurate way possible. Players will also be able to eventually either craft new furniture or purchase it from stores withinthe Hobbit village of Bywaterthe game is set in.
Cooking Is a Core Gameplay Feature of Tales of the Shire
One of the many well-known facts about Hobbits is that they love food andTales of the Shirehonors that lore by making cooking one of its core gameplay features. As players explore the village of Bywater, they will be able to fish and forage for ingredients that they can then cook in the warmth of their kitchen at home. Furthermore, players will be able to plant vegetables in their garden, much like they can inTales of the Shire’s other inspiration,Stardew Valley.
Players Can Explore the Village of Bywater in Tales of the Shire
Tales of the Shiretakes place in the village of Bywater, which is featured several times intheLord of the Ringsfilmsand is mentioned often in the books.Tales of the Shire’s depiction of Bywater includes plenty of explorable terrain filled with secrets and treasures for players to find, and by the looks of it ahead of the game’s release, it is thoroughly visually captivating.
During their time exploring, players will encounter a dynamic weather system, and it also seems that different items will become available as the seasons change, similar toStardew ValleyandAnimal Crossing. Finally, Bywater is filled with iconic Hobbit characters from the books, so fans should be on the lookout as they explore.
Tales of the Shireis already set to be a unique experience, and one that cozy life sim andLord of the Ringsfans should keep an eye on. Weta Workshop has yet to announce a release date forTales of the Shire, but it has already been given a broad release window of the second half of 2024.
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.
