When people think about J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantastical Middle Earth, they think of sweeping adventures,the numerous racesliving there, or beloved characters working together to stop evil spreading throughout the land. After all,The Lord of the RingsandThe Hobbitare fantastical adventures filled with unlikely heroes and epic action.
But adventuring isn’t the dream for most Hobbits. In practice, Hobbits were happy to live quiet, uneventful lives. So it’s refreshing to see a newLord of the Ringsgame that champions the typical hobbit lifestyle, giving gamers the chance to live a quaint and cozy life in Bywater, just as all good and self-respecting Hobbits intended to do. Take a look below to see what hopes players have for the game, and what can helpTales of the Shirebecome one ofthe best cozy games of all time.
6A Cozy Hobbit Life
The Simple Life
Middle Earth is a diverse landscape, and there’s no shortage of places for its inhabitants to reside. But thebest place to live in MiddleEarth for many would have to be The Shire. Its abundance of greenery and cozy real estate make it an ideal place to relax and forget the world’s troubles.
A key element thatTales of the Shirewill need to capture is the simplicity of thedaily Hobbit life. Players shoud be able to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, with plenty of time to eat, cook, garden, and, of course, throw celebrations (though probably not to the same extent as Bilbo’s and Frodo’s joint birthday party). In short, the game needs to capture that cozy vibe and give players a chance to rest and unwind in their peaceful countryside home.
5Rewarding Gardening
Make a Gamgee Proud
With the abundance of nature surrounding Bywater and Hobbits who are proud to grow and cook their food, it’s essential thatTales of the Shiremakes gardening an integral and rewarding part of its gameplay. After all, what wouldSamwise Gamgee have to sayif the gardens weren’t tended properly?
The game should focus on ways to improve gamers' gardening prowess. This could involve improving the amount harvested, or learning ways to mix plants and herbs to create new plant life the likes of Hobbits haven’t seen before.
It probably goes without saying, but a harvest of pipeweed should be a must for any aspiring Hobbit. Having plant life react directly to the location and surrounding wildlife, and even responding to tips from villagers, should be a key aspect in helping players make the most of their gardening experience. Players could even seek out words of wisdom passed down from famous gardener Hobbits from the past. It looks like a promising aspect of the game, and hopefully, it’ll be as bountiful as the harvest the Hobbits reap.
4Home Improvement
Make A House A Hobbit Home
There’s a huge draw for players to spend time within The Shire and set up their own home within it. Hopefully, players will get their chance to rank up their homes and burrow deeper to expand the size and number of rooms.
That will be a fundamental aspect thatTales of the Shirewill need to address. Many players will want to experiment and create featured areas and assigned rooms. This all links in with the amount of customization and items available for players to decorate their hobbit hole as they please. It would be great to have a great diversity of items and furnishings to make players' homes feel different from one another. The game should allow creativity to flourish and let players truly express themselves. It’s one thing to have a house, but it’s another thing to make it a home.
3Friendships Worth Making
A Memorable Hobbit Village
Being able to explore this small gem of Middle Earth will be enough for certain players out there to jump on intoTales of the Shire.However, it’s down to the games' inhabitants to ensure gamers will want to keep coming back. It’s nice to take in the scenery, but it’s a lot better to mingle with locals, build friendships, and share those moments together.
There’s a reason theAnimal Crossingfranchise has remained the gold standard for the cozy genre. It isn’t just about chilling out on an island or customizing homes. It’s down to the well-realized andcute villagersthat gamers spend their time with. Each has their unique charm and style and, though some share the same personality traits, players can find common ground with certain characters.
Tales of the Shirecould build on this further by featuring Hobbits known for their mastery of certain gaming aspects. Befriending them would offer more rewards than simply building a connection. Perhaps one of the villagers is renowned for growing the biggest pumpkins, and building up a relationship will allow them to share their gardening secrets. Maybe another villager, much like Bilbo Baggins, will be filled with stories and share their adventures, helping players record these feats and build a library of knowledge. All good Hobbits are rightfully invested in their history.
2Rewarding Cooking Gameplay
Po-Ta-Toes. Boil Them, Mash Them.
Tales of the Shireneeds to nail the cooking mechanics. Eating is one big love of Hobbits, and being able to whip up some impressive meals just in time for a second breakfast is a must. But much like any cooking experience, the joy of cooking will rely on the results, ease, and incorporating fun and rewarding cooking mechanics.
As a cozy game,Tales of the Shireshould keep it light, but still have wiggle room for errors to allow players to feel like they’re improving. One potential angle is for recipe books to start out basic, with more advanced recipes being hidden within Hobbit families. This would lead players to experiment with new ideas and swap knowledge with the other villagers to build their personal recipe book. Many games demonstrate some ofthe best cooking mechanics, so there’s no shortage of inspiration forTales of the Shireto draw from. The best cooking mechanics tend to favor timing and precision, but still reward players with accuracy-based results, granting great or good versions of meals.
Hopefully, WETA Workshop will take note and implement simple but fun cooking/baking mechanics. They shouldn’t feel overly complex, which would detract from the cozy vibe the game intends to build. Still, they shouldn’t be so easy or boring that it becomes lethargic, and an experience gamers won’t want to indulge in. It’s a fine line to walk, but there’s hope the game captures the perfect cooking gameplay balance.
1Middle Earth Guest Visitors
Gifts From Faraway Lands
Tales of the Shireis already being branded by many out there as ‘Shire Crossing’ due to its similarities with Nintendo’sAnimal Crossingseries, andit’s a nickname the game shouldn’t shy away from. But beyond the main similarities, there’s another gameplay idea in theAnimal Crossingfranchise thatTales of the Shireshould look to incorporate.
That gameplay idea is visiting NPCs.Animal Crossing: New Horizonhad a wide range of visitingNPCs, each with their own function. Some sold rare decor, while others offered gameplay events to earn themed furniture. One even sold turnips that featured in the game’s economy as turnip prices fluctuated, allowing players to invest and cash in to earn more money.
The same thing is a must forTales of the Shire.With so many unique races, visiting characters can turn up to The Shire to host tournaments, or to offer unique challenges to earn themed rewards like Dwarven furnishings or Elven clothing. There could even be visits from Gandalf requesting some help to show off fireworks displays. It would be a great way for the game to incorporate well-known characters, but also some lesser-known names into the mix. All the while, these events could provide unique gameplay moments and keep players excited about what visitors may come knocking tomorrow.
