Daedalic Entertainment and Nacon have announced a fresh release date for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, which has faced several roadblocks in its path to launch. While originally set to land in 2021, and then in 2022, before being pushed out further, it’s believed Gollum will finally be ready for launch on 25 May 2023.
When the game arrives, players can expect a new iteration of the beloved Tolkien mythos, inspired directly by the original novels. In the adventure, Gollum becomes a more central character, with his fight to survive Middle-earth, and the conflict in his own head, being major focusses of the story. Gandalf, Thranduil, and other iconic Tolkien characters will appear to help him on his tortured quest, although his path will largely be a solo one.
As described by developer Daedelic, the events of the game will take place in parallel to The Fellowship of the Ring, with Gollum’s quest shaped around his desire to regain the One Ring, even as Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship journey to Mount Doom to destroy it.
Read: The Lord of the Rings: Gollum gets major story trailer
While early previews for the game have provided reasons for concern about its quality – VGC called it a ‘licensed game from another era’ with ‘dated gameplay’ and Eurogamer said it ‘seems afraid to let players just enjoy the world’ – Gollum’s imaginative character designs, mythos, and worldbuilding inspire some hope.
This game appears to be a very fresh take on the Lord of the Rings franchise, with Gandalf in particular being a standout character, thanks to a wonderfully earthy design that incorporates elements of his personality from the Tolkien novels. Mirkwood, as a whole, appears similarly well-designed, with its green and floral charm.
That said, whether clever design and a devotion to Tolkien’s world is enough to buoy the harrowing tale of Gollum remains to be seen.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum launches on 25 May 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It will launch on
