The Last Good Lord of the Rings Game Released 8 Years Ago Today

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It’s special when a video game successfully immerses you in a world you already love. While many tie-in games miss the mark, a good adaptation of a popular franchise can be incredibly enjoyable for fans. Lord of the Rings fans have generally had some great gaming experiences, but it’s been a while since a truly outstanding game came along. Many would say that *Middle-earth: Shadow of War* from 2017 was the last really satisfying Lord of the Rings game.

Shadow of War followed the critically acclaimed Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. It brought back the innovative Nemesis system that made the first game so popular. Released on October 10, 2017, Shadow of War was generally well-received, though some felt it wasn’t quite as good as the original. Most fans still consider it a strong Lord of the Rings game, offering a compelling experience as a warrior of Gondor on an epic adventure in Middle-earth. However, more recent Lord of the Rings games haven’t resonated with players in the same way.

What Made Middle-earth: Shadow of War A Great LOTR Game

Many fans of *The Lord of the Rings* want a game that truly immerses them in a grand adventure. While not every story needs to be about destroying the One Ring, players still crave that epic fantasy experience. *Shadow of War* excels at this, drawing heavily from Tolkien’s world while also offering a fresh, original story. It builds upon the foundation of the first game, introducing new features like unique Orc characteristics, abilities, and gameplay mechanics.

While some players preferred the look of the previous game, *Shadow of Mordor*, this one is still a worthy sequel to one of the greatest *Lord of the Rings* video games ever made. It expands on the Nemesis system, making enemies feel more alive and responsive to your actions. Plus, the game’s huge world truly captures the feeling of exploring Middle-earth, which is exactly what *Lord of the Rings* fans want in a game.

While Shadow of War could get a little repetitive at times, most fans found it enjoyable thanks to its engaging combat and story, which is what players expected from a sequel to Shadow of Mordor. As an open-world game, it also offers a lot of exploration, giving players reasons to revisit and discover hidden areas. Overall, it remains the most satisfying Lord of the Rings game for many fans, even with several newer titles released since 2017.

More Recent Lord of the Rings Games Have Gotten Experimental, With Mixed Results

Turning the world of Middle-earth into a role-playing game feels natural, and for a long time, that’s what most developers did. We saw games based on *The Hobbit* and *The Lord of the Rings* stories, plus the *Lord of the Rings Online* massively multiplayer game. *Middle-earth: Shadow of War* was also an open-world action RPG. However, more recently, developers have tried mixing things up with different genres and storytelling approaches, with varying degrees of success.

In 2019, *The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game* arrived as a digital card game based on the beloved franchise. This game let you build decks and engage in turn-based strategy, using cards filled with characters and stories from *The Lord of the Rings*. While it allowed players to explore locations and narratives from Middle-earth, it was a smaller release designed to recreate the physical *Lord of the Rings* Trading Card Game. Many players found the gameplay wasn’t very engaging and didn’t quite capture the feeling of playing the physical card game. Even though it received Mostly Positive reviews on Steam, it doesn’t stand up as a truly great *Lord of the Rings* game when compared to titles like *Shadow of War*.

Following that, came one of the biggest flops in *Lord of the Rings* gaming – *The Lord of the Rings: Gollum*. While the idea of an RPG where you play as Gollum searching for the Precious had potential, the game unfortunately failed to deliver. Its dismal MetaScore of 33 reflects serious issues with everything from the graphics and user interface to numerous technical problems. It simply didn’t meet basic gaming standards, let alone live up to the quality expected of a *Lord of the Rings* title.

Recently, developers have been trying to create relaxing and challenging survival games set in the world of *Lord of the Rings*. One example is *Return to Moria*, released in 2024, where players take on the role of Dwarves trying to take back their lost homeland. While the game worked well with friends, it was very difficult for players to tackle on their own. This led to a somewhat divided reaction from fans, with many finding the overall experience just okay.

Then there’s *Tales of the Shire*, a relaxing life simulation game set in the Hobbit world. It was eagerly awaited by fans of cozy games, including me. However, after several postponements, it received a somewhat mixed reaction. While it had some technical problems when it first launched, and some *Lord of the Rings* fans felt the gameplay could have been more engaging, it’s still been enjoyed by many cozy game enthusiasts – myself among them. Overall, though, it didn’t quite live up to expectations for a lot of players who were hoping for a truly immersive experience in the Shire.

The Lord of the Rings game series has been having trouble finding success with recent installments. Many fans consider *Shadow of War* to be the last truly outstanding game in the franchise. However, there’s exciting news: a new Lord of the Rings game is reportedly being developed, aiming to offer a similar immersive experience to *Hogwarts Legacy*. If successful, it could recapture the magic of exploring Middle-earth.

What’s your all-time favorite Lord of the Rings video game? Share your thoughts in the comments below and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-10-10 23:14