Tales of the Shire Review

by

Since 2017’s “Middle-earth: Shadow of War,” The Lord of the Rings hasn’t had much success, with 2023 offering two titles – initially criticized “Gollum” and slightly better-received “Return to Moria.” Now, after some extended delays, we have “Tales of the Shire” which welcomes everyone inside its colorfully decorated Hobbit house and invites us all to partake in what it has prepared.

The game titled “Tales of the Shire” boasts a compelling foundation, hinting at the perfect Hobbit lifestyle simulator for Tolkien enthusiasts as early as its 2023 trailers. In essence, Tales of the Shire largely delivers on this promise, offering an enchanting world filled with Hobbit folklore. However, it’s important to note that even in this land of whimsy, there are malevolent forces lurking.

A Day in the Life of Bywater’s Newest Hobbit

Delving right into the main aspects of this robust stew, “Tales of the Shire” offers a gameplay structure reminiscent of life simulation games, particularly for those who’ve experienced “Stardew Valley.” Similar to “Stardew,” but contrasting with “Animal Crossing,” “Tales of the Shire” adheres to a day/night cycle that spans roughly 17 minutes in real time. This 17-minute span is divided equally across the game’s five daily segments: dawn, morning, afternoon, evening, and night.

Throughout this stage, players are granted autonomy over Bywater, a tiny district within the Shire inhabited by 15 NPC characters that they can engage with frequently. These NPC characters, primarily fellow Hobbits, offer personal quests to the player, contribute to the main narrative, and manage several social groups.

In the game “Tales of the Shire,” there are four distinct clubs in all, each centered around a key aspect of its gameplay: gathering food through foraging, nurturing plants via gardening, fishing, and preparing meals after catching or growing produce. A typical day within the game usually involves collecting resources, tending to one’s garden, fishing at the nearby pond, and utilizing these items to organize social gatherings in a customizable Hobbit dwelling, where players can enjoy meals together using furniture they have acquired either by purchase or as gifts.

The loop here is a straightforward one, yet it mirrors the comfortable rhythm of life for the latest Hobbit inhabitant in Bywater, making it feel instantly homely.

An Expected Journey

As a gamer, I can’t help but appreciate how Tales of the Shire manages to keep me hooked despite its tranquil, life-sim vibe. It doesn’t shy away from offering regular rewards, which is quite refreshing. The heart of this Hobbit gameplay experience lies in a lengthy story quest that has me collaborating with an eclectic cast to turn Bywater into an official village.

In this game, you often find yourself chatting with characters, collecting specific items, or preparing particular dishes as part of the main storyline and many side missions. On paper, it might not sound thrilling, but the compelling narrative weaves throughout the game keep the storyline in Tales of the Shire engaging for a good chunk of its playtime.

In the main quests of Tales of the Shire, there are several narrative-focused exchanges with characters that are generally delightful, featuring engaging dialogue which effectively portrays each character’s unique traits. However, these interactions have some shortcomings. The game lacks voiced dialogue, which is common in this genre, but the absence of sound effects during these conversations can feel unexpected and disruptive. For instance, it’s quite disconcerting to witness a silent village of Hobbits cheering or applauding on screen without any accompanying audio.

Instead of feeling somewhat awkward, Tales of the Shire alleviates this issue by incorporating numerous lively character animations. These animations include everything from cheers and gasps to thumbs-ups, which are performed by NPC Hobbits when players interact with them. This adds a touch of charm and helps prevent Tales of the Shire from appearing unnaturally lifeless.

In approximately 10 hours, gamers will probably finish the main narrative of “Tales of the Shire” and move on to its extensive epilogue. During this epilogue, the previously mentioned social clubs take center stage. These clubs can be accessed after about 4 hours into gameplay for the first time in “Tales of the Shire”. In these clubs, players are given the opportunity to choose up to 10 tasks at a time. These tasks typically involve simple chores such as collecting a certain quantity of a specific fruit or planting a specific number of seeds.

In Tales of the Shire, though the activities might seem routine, the rewards are enticing enough to keep players engaged for some time. Each time a player participates in one of the game’s primary activities, they earn experience points for the associated club. Additionally, players receive extra XP when they finish a club task. This creates a continuous feeling of advancement within Tales of the Shire, which is consistently reinforced by a subtle yet satisfying visual icon that appears every time a player completes any task.

Progressively gaining XP boosts a player’s club standing within each club, with five distinct levels available for every club. With each level advancement, players receive significant bonuses, like improved fishing rods, expanded storage capacity, and new areas around their Hobbit dwelling to explore. These substantial rewards serve as motivators, keeping players engaged even after completing the main story of Tales of the Shire, much like the size of a player’s house in Animal Crossing signifies and acknowledges their efforts in-game.

Yet, these rewards might hold little significance if players find it challenging to connect with the fundamental gameplay aspects of Tales of the Shire.

Boil ‘Em, Mash ‘Em, Stick ‘Em In A Stew

In a similar fashion to its intricate plot structure, the fundamental gameplay mechanics of Tales of the Shire are straightforward yet robust. Gardening entails planting seeds and watering them daily, foraging is as effortless as picking up items found on the ground, and fishing offers a short but enjoyable minigame with an appealing musical tune.

In the game “Tales of the Shire”, cooking is the most sophisticated aspect of gameplay, but it may not present much of a challenge for players. Initially, cooking involves just tossing some ingredients into a bowl. However, as players advance, they gain access to additional cooking stations such as a mixing bowl and chopping board. These tools enable them to participate in brief minigames that alter the dish’s texture, enhancing the rewards they receive when feeding a Hobbit their prepared meal.

The fundamental four aspects of gameplay in Tales of the Shire may not be revolutionary, yet they align seamlessly with the game’s goal of simulating a peaceful Hobbit lifestyle. However, there exists an unspoken fifth element in Tales of the Shire‘s gameplay, which is subtly woven into the game and may be the primary reason for players’ continued engagement with the game.

In the game called “Tales of the Shire”, there are numerous options for personalizing your character and environment. You can deck out your Hobbit character in traditional clothing, but it doesn’t stop there – you can also customize the look of your Hobbit home both inside and out using a flexible system that caters to minimalists or maximalists depending on their preference. The user interface is sleek, the positioning controls are incredibly user-friendly, and with this gridless system, players have a lot of freedom in customizing their homes. This aspect of the game stands out significantly, although it might not have been emphasized enough during the main quests.

The World Is Not In Your Books and Maps, It’s Out There

As a dedicated fan immersed in the world of gaming, what catches my eye most about Tales of the Shire is undoubtedly its treatment of the beloved The Lord of the Rings IP. In every nook and cranny of this game, you’ll find nods to the original story, from the appearance of Gandalf in the opening scene, to the integral role Rosie Cotton plays as an NPC, down to the familial connections between the Tooks, Brandybucks, and Bywater residents. Even the Bagginses make their presence known throughout the main and side quests.

The Stories from the Shire occasionally alludes to the broader realm of Middle-earth, as Bywater shares a rich past with the Men’s lineage and an ancient king, and one of its inhabitants being a Dwarf hailing from the Misty Mountains. Scattered throughout Stories from the Shire are intriguing details about the lore that delight long-time Tolkien enthusiasts and give the village of Bywater a charming, small-scale feel within the vast tapestry of a fantastical universe.

Besides its captivating storyline construction, the game Tales of the Shire incorporates some charming gameplay elements that emphasize the casual atmosphere of the Shire. Instead of a sprint button, players are allowed to nimbly move around the village. Moreover, tiny blue birds guide the player towards their current goal by flitting about. Such minor touches effectively convey the whimsical charm that fans have come to associate with this part of Tolkien’s universe.

Bywater is a substantial region filled with notable landmarks, effectively creating an immersive fantasy environment similar to “Tales of the Shire” while simultaneously helping players understand the map layout. The area’s appearance changes according to the seasons, offering unique visuals for each time of year and introducing fresh resources and recipes to explore, preventing Bywater from becoming repetitive or dull.

Despite Bywater’s landmarks being vivid in concept, players using Nintendo Switch may not be able to recognize them clearly. In my review of Tales of the Shire on a hypothetical Nintendo Switch 2, I must confess that the game appears quite unattractive.

As a gamer, I’ve found that the character models in Tales of the Shire on Switch are somewhat lacking in clarity. Their faces, particularly, seem to lack focus and appear unclear. The textures overall have a bit of a foggy quality, with edges that are hazy. Additionally, draw-distance is noticeable, causing anything about 30 feet or more in front of my character to appear very blurry. Approaching these blurry areas often results in some noticeable pop-in, which unfortunately takes me out of the game experience quite frequently. This lack of sharpness and immersion is a significant drawback for a game in this genre.

Even though Tales of the Shire is filled with vibrant colors, these hues tend to appear quite dull. Personally, I found the art style in Tales of the Shire appealing, but it has been a subject of debate among potential fans. Unfortunately, the game’s visuals may not convince those skeptics, especially when viewed on Nintendo Switch screenshots.

In simpler terms, since “Tales of the Shire” was originally designed for the Nintendo Switch 1, its various graphic problems could potentially be more noticeable on the larger and clearer screen of the Nintendo Switch 2.

All things considered, the gameplay of “Tales of the Shire” was quite strong on the Nintendo Switch. Occasionally, there were brief loading screens during gameplay, but overall, it kept a fairly consistent frame rate.

Regarding the overall style of Tales of the Shire, it presents quite impressively. The music is scarce yet manages to bring to mind the Hobbit motifs from Lord of the Rings without relying on any of the film’s licensed tracks. The audio design is also well-done, with the sounds of birds chirping, flowing water, and soft Hobbit footsteps on stone and grass contributing to a peaceful and thoughtful ambiance.

Indeed, certain significant problems found in “Tales of the Shire” may be addressed and improved with a launch-day fix or subsequent updates; however, it is important to note that these issues currently have a substantial influence on the typical gamer’s experience while playing the game at the time of publication.

The game titled “Tales of the Shire” is an enjoyable life simulation game inspired by “Lord of the Rings“. However, due to certain graphical flaws (especially on Switch), it’s not a flawless adventure. Fans of Tolkien will find plenty of content and progression in this game that they’ll enjoy, but if you’re not a fan of the IP, there are probably better options available.

The Shire Tales will be available starting July 29, 2025 on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. For this review, Game Rant received a Switch code.

Read More

2025-07-28 19:08