The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria Review

thesixthaxis.com:

The Lord of the Rings is a cultural icon that needs no introduction and has been the inspiration (officially or otherwise) for a vast number of games across many genres. 2023 has perhaps not been a golden year for such titles, however, with the disastrous release of Gollum leaving a bad taste in even the most devoted of Tolkienist’s mouths. Return to Moria is a very different kettle of fish, however, and offers to shine a spotlight on the often-overlooked dwarves of Middle Earth.

Rather than a direct adaptation of any specific part of the novels or films, Return to Moria presents a side story that sees the dwarves attempting to reclaim their home following the collapse of Sauron’s empire. In a nice connection to the Peter Jackson trilogy, John Rhys-Davies returns as Gimli – now named Lord Gimli Lockbearer and acting as chief instigator and narrator. This small detail adds a welcome touch of continuity and class to the game.

I’ll be honest right at the start of this review – I have struggled to make as much progress here as I normally would due to the high difficulty level. I have mostly been struggling in single-player mode and the game is truly designed for multiplayer with little concession for a Billy no-mates. That being said, I got to play with a colleague and will discuss that later. In single player though, the mines are unforgiving and every move is fraught with danger.

Return to Moria looks good for what it is, with nice lighting effects and a decent range of customisation options for your dwarf. Obviously, most of the game itself takes place in almost complete darkness so visibility is limited. Because of this, the occasional gap in the roof where beams of sunlight find their way in are as welcome as they are