The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has finally unveiled gameplay footage and an official launch date for its PC and cross-gen editions.
PC Gamer associate editor Ted Litchfield detailed the twenty-minute presentation given to him featuring gameplay from the upcoming title. He described it as sharing "Gollum's conflicted personality;" while Gollum's side included stealth takedowns, "Gollum vision" and shimmying across ledges, Smeagol's featured combat-less platforming puzzles. In addition to Lichfield's analysis of the game, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum revealed it will launch on PC and consoles on September 1, 2022, with a later release for the Nintendo Switch.
Lichfield said the demo started in Mordor, the first of two primary settings for the game, will Gollum beginning his search to reclaim the One Ring. Much like Gollum's appearance, LotR: Gollum's interpretation of Mordor is distinct from Peter Jackson's portrayal in the films, with some yellow sulfur and greenery that sets it apart. During the demo, Gollum infiltrates an orc fortress and kills a guard with a stealth move. Lichfield had little to praise about this section of the game, describing it as "a fully standardized 2010s stealth-action design" that "both Batman and Assassin's Creed have trod and re-trod" already.
LotR: Gollum also includes a battle or moral choices between Gollum and Smeagol, though Lichfield isn't sure whether there is a distinct mortality meter for it or not. However, the game reportedly tracks moral choices the player makes that impact different story beats. Lichfield expressed some confusion to this point, pointing out how the presenters confirmed that the main plot points are set in stone, meaning what effects player choices make can't have much impact overall on the story. This may imply the developer's intention to make LotR: Gollum canon to the books, though it isn't clear whether it will be or not. In addition, Gollum and Smeagol frequently crosstalk to discuss the current situation, functioning as a way to let the player know where to go next and creak up the silences during gameplay.
The second part of the demo saw Gollum visiting the court of Thranduil in the Mirkwood, the second primary setting for the game. This section Lichfield described as "something halfway between the elven environments of Peter Jackson's movies and the Dreaming City from Destiny 2." Thranduil's court did not feature enemies, focusing more on puzzles which reminded Lichfield of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time as the player navigates "a cavernous fantasy obstacle course." While Lichfield was unimpressed by the first half of the demo, this section of the game proved far more exciting and intriguing. Overall, Lichfield described the full demo as "divided between visions of an uninspired stealth-action game and an intriguing throwback platformer."
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum launches on September 1, 2022, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC, with an as-yet-unannounced release date for Nintendo Switch.
Sources: PC Gamer, Twitter