Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game brings the elusive serenity of Hobbit life to current systems including the PlayStation 5, offering players the chance to wander, garden, and cook amid the rolling green hills of Bywater. Developed by Wētā Workshop and published by Private Division, it trades the epic quests of Peter Jackson’s take on Middle-earth for quiet magic. But that deliberate slowness – while also its greatest charm – can also be its biggest hurdle.
Upon arrival in Bywater, you create your Hobbit and immediately sink into the rhythm of peaceful routines: fishing by pond at dawn, gathering mushrooms beneath dewy hedgerows, or preparing second breakfast in a snug Hobbit hole. Decorating your home is a joy in itself – furniture and décor move fluidly with grid-free placement, letting your creativity flow with much in the way of restraints. The game excels when letting you simply live as a Hobbit, and the world’s emerald palette and shimmering light capture Tolkien’s warmth almost perfectly.
The heart of the experience lies in food and fellowship. Growing vegetables, cooking hearty meals, and hosting dinners—with options ranging from apple pie to hearty stew – create delightful interludes. Building relationships by inviting familiar Hobbit families for a meal nurtures Bywater’s path toward village status, adding tangible meaning to these domestic tasks. The cooking mechanics themselves remain simple, but they’re part of a satisfying loop of effort and reward that feels authentic.
Exploration is gentle but promising. Scattered across Bywater are hidden paths, invitations to help with village tasks, and seasonal changes that evolve both the world and routines. Club missions add incentive, earning rewards that unlock new cosmetic items or skill upgrades. That said, the pace occasionally drags, especially when tasks feel repetitive across days – gathering the same berries or repairing identical fences can undercut the sense of progress and discovery.
Performance on PS5 is mostly steady, and character animation – especially the expressive way Hobbits sip drinks, wring hands, or tip hats – adds emotional detail. The soundtrack complements the visuals sensitively, with pastoral flute melodies and warming tavern tunes. However, weather transitions and time-of-day shifts sometimes cause moderate pop-in, and NPC dialogue loops can feel overly limited after extended play.
There’s little in the way of conflict or challenge – no wargs to intimidate, or Uruk-hai to defeat – so expectations of combat will not be met. Instead, the game invites patience: whether tending gardens, catching fish, or swapping tales at night, Tales of the Shire asks nothing more than attention to its small beauties. For players seeking a cozy retreat from action-heavy titles, that is precisely its strength.
Yes, by modern game standards its scope is narrow. But in its corners, there’s a quiet, simple beauty that few contemporary experiences dare to offer. It succeeds not by filling hours with tasks, but by letting you breathe in its atmosphere – like a cup of long-forgotten tea taken beside a fireplace, as a hobbit might enjoy too. If you’re ready to swap sword and sorcery for pipeweed and poultry, this Shire awaits: hushed, welcoming, and wholly worth the visit. Just be aware it’s different than what you may have seen on the big screen.
Score: 6.8/10
Press Play Media 