LOTR: Return to Moria Brings Players to the World of Dwarves

Despite the rich lore that’s associated with Middle-Earth, Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will focus on the fallen Dwarven kingdom briefly seen in Fellowship of the Ring. This game is a new crafting survival game where players will take control of a group of dwarves to help rebuild their homes. The crafting-survival sub-genre is on the rise this generation and an IP that takes place within the Lord of the Rings landscape is suitable.

This title will have rogue-like tendencies where every playthrough will be completely different. Dig for treasures, mine for resources, and explore the belly of Dwarrowdelf. Naturally, players won’t be alone during this adventure. There will be sundry creatures dwelling in the shadows that will spring to action with any semblance of noise. It’s a tricky proposition to mine for goods without making much clatter, but that is what Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is all about.

This game can be played either solo or co-op. The deeper players dig into the mountain, the more harrowing the adventure will become. There will be a dynamic lighting system in place that players can utilize at their own discretion. Players will need to create tunnels, bases, and camps and they must make sure that the fires remain ablaze to keep all the threats away. The artwork in Return to Moria isn’t realistic by any means.

Instead, it is more stylized with games like Fortnite and its ilk. Even though this game has certain aesthetics, the gameplay will come with a certain amount of depth. This game offers a greater insight into the world of Dwarves and how their culture fits in with the world of Middle-Earth. Even though there will be a myriad of things to do and maintain, Return to Moria will also show things about the Dwarves that even the most hardcore Lord of the Rings fan might have missed.

They Are Coming

So, when it comes to keeping evil at bay in Return to Moria, there will be much to look after. Players will not only need to find resources and build up their homes, but they will also need to maintain their sleep, temperatures, and noise. Not doing this will most likely affect the gameplay in the sense that the Dwarves will become weaker and less effective at doing their jobs. Thus, players will need to look after the lighting mechanisms that they will build which will keep them safe. The further they go, the more difficult it will be to keep the tunnels alight, naturally. Orcs and Goblins will patrol certain areas and there will be real-time combat mechanics available as a last resort. Enemies will actively try to tear down what players have built and it will be a constant occurrence to keep things fortified.

There is a story to complete in this game. Players will take their Dwarven fellowship deep into the mountains to find legendary landmarks, areas, and forges. The Dwarves will also be able to craft weapons, armor, and tools to assist them on their journey. There is a great evil deep in the bowels of the mountain and it’s up to the players to dig their way there and discover what it is. Up to eight players can join up to have an adventure of their own. Even though players can play solo if they wish, this will most likely be recommended. There is a lot to balance with Return to Moria and things will flow better with the help of other players. Also, let’s not forget that there will also be magic available in this game that players can utilize.

Back to the Shadows

Yes, the magical abilities in Return to Moria will mainly consist of items like amulets that grant protection. Thus, there will be maps that show the location of veins of Mithril waiting to be found. Lastly, there will also be swords that can be crafted that will glow whenever Orcs are nearby, just like Frodo’s Sting. Gold, Iron, Quartz, and the highly useful Mithril will be ripe for the picking through the procedurally generated levels. All these minerals can be used to upgrade gear and build machines, of course. The trade-off here is that mining for resources can be a noisy affair and it will garner the attention of nearby enemies. On top of all this, this game also comes with a rather elaborate built-in Dwarf customization menu. There won’t be any pre-built Dwarves in this game, players will be free to make them look any way they want.

There is definitely a lot to chew on with Return to Moria. The Dwarves tend to get shoved to the side when it comes to Lord of the Rings games and it’s nice that they’re having their moment to shine. This game does have some interesting ideas behind and it will be a refreshing venture to partake in. It may be some borrowing some elements from other crafting survival games, sure. However, there is some originalist to be found here to help give this title its own voice. Players can build their bases to be as epic as possible, very much like their very own kingdom. Even though it sounds like this game is tailor-made to be a more cooperative experience, solo players might want to at least give this game a shot. Especially, if they’re fans of The Lord of the Rings universe.

They Have a Cave Troll

This game is pretty deep in development and it won’t be long before it’s released. As of right now, Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will be an exclusive title for the PC. There is no word on whether or not it will be coming to consoles. It’s very possible that it could happen in the future, but the developers currently have no plans of doing so. In any case, Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is scheduled to be released sometime during the Spring of 2023. Hopefully, a Beta will be released soon to help give players a better insight into how this game plays.