The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

40%
Game Brain Score Based on 265 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Game Cover
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In "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum," play as the complex and twisted character, Gollum, on his perilous journey to reclaim his Precious. This action-adventure game, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's literary works, unfolds an untold story parallel to "The Fellowship of the Ring," challenging you to outwit powerful adversaries in Middle-earth. Navigate Gollum's split personality and his deadly quest, unveiling the details that have never been told before.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Epic Games
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

40%
Audience ScoreBased on 265 reviews
story37 positive mentions
graphics19 negative mentions
  • The game offers an interesting perspective on Gollum's character and story, providing a unique narrative experience for fans of the Lord of the Rings franchise.
  • The voice acting, particularly for Gollum and Smeagol, is well done and adds depth to the character interactions.
  • The game features multiple endings and choices that impact the story, allowing for some replayability.
  • The game suffers from significant technical issues, including frequent frame rate drops, bugs, and glitches that hinder gameplay.
  • The graphics and overall visual quality are subpar, resembling older generation games rather than a modern release.
  • The gameplay mechanics, particularly the platforming and stealth elements, are clunky and frustrating, leading to a tedious experience.
  • story114 mentions

    The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-integrated into the lore of the Lord of the Rings universe, while others criticize it for being disjointed, lacking depth, and failing to develop its characters meaningfully. Many reviewers appreciate the potential of the narrative but feel that technical issues and repetitive gameplay detract from the overall experience. Overall, the story is seen as a highlight for some, but a letdown for others, leading to a polarized reception.

    • “More than anything, this game is a delivery method for a well-constructed story about one of the most interesting and troubled characters we've ever seen.”
    • “The story has a wonderful depth, excellent attention to detail, atmospheric immersive sound and character voice acting, and many references to the lore of the universe.”
    • “I love this game, great story especially if you are a LOTR fan!”
    • “Combine constant frame rate issues and overall abysmal performance on even the most high-end PCs, bland and repetitive level design, mission objectives that are nothing but escort missions and pointless busy-work, and a story that fails to provide anything that fleshes out or explores the title character in a compelling way, and what you get is a game that feels both absolutely depressing to play and completely unaware of who it was made for or what it's trying to accomplish.”
    • “The story feels like a feverish dream, while the choices you make prove inconsequential.”
    • “The story was very lackluster, the gameplay could use some work, and it was overall very boring.”
  • graphics81 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many reviewers comparing them to outdated systems like the PS1 or Xbox 360, and describing them as blurry, glitchy, and poorly optimized for a 2023 release. While some players appreciate the art direction and background visuals, the overall consensus is that the graphics significantly detract from the gaming experience, often leading to immersion-breaking issues and gameplay frustrations. Despite a few positive remarks about cutscenes and character designs, the general sentiment is that the graphics fall far short of modern standards.

    • “The storyline is exceptional, the graphics are at a high level, the game is optimized (I don't understand how anyone can complain, invest in hardware instead of whining).”
    • “Overall art design - it's not the most graphically impressive game, but the art direction is solid and does a good job immersing you in the world.”
    • “With ray tracing mode, the graphics become even more spectacular.”
    • “Extremely poor quality for a release in 2023, graphics look like they're from PS1 days, gameplay doesn't really exist, tasks are repetitive and mind-numbing.”
    • “The graphics are very bad, especially for a game in 2023, but most of the issues fall within character creation.”
    • “Graphically, it's abysmal.”
  • gameplay64 mentions

    The gameplay has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing it as clunky, repetitive, and reminiscent of outdated mechanics from earlier gaming generations. Issues such as poor AI, frustrating climbing mechanics, and a lack of meaningful combat or variety contribute to a frustrating experience, despite some players finding enjoyment in the puzzles and stealth elements. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a significant drawback, overshadowing any potential enjoyment from the story or visuals.

    • “I enjoyed every second with lots of very challenging puzzles, cool stealth and parkour mechanics, and an interesting story.”
    • “The game keeps introducing new types of puzzles and mechanics throughout the game, which keeps it interesting.”
    • “The gameplay is enjoyable, and I think it's fitting with the style.”
    • “Gameplay is shallow and extremely repetitive.”
    • “The gameplay is crap.”
    • “Extremely poor quality for a release in 2023, graphics look like they're from PS1 days, gameplay doesn't really exist, tasks are repetitive and mind-numbing.”
  • optimization44 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting constant frame rate issues, stuttering, and poor performance even on high-end PCs. While some users noted that recent patches have improved performance, the overall experience remains marred by significant technical flaws, leading to frustration and disappointment among the player base. Despite the game's engaging story and character development, the optimization issues overshadow its strengths, making it difficult for many to fully enjoy the gameplay.

    • “With the exception of the optimization, I loved it.”
    • “Optimization is fixed in recent patch and a lot of fixes.”
    • “Performance-wise, I didn’t have any problems; I have a Raider GE77HX 12UHS with an i9 processor, so it wasn’t even an exercise for the laptop.”
    • “Combine constant frame rate issues and overall abysmal performance on even the most high-end PCs, bland and repetitive level design, mission objectives that are nothing but escort missions and pointless busy-work, and a story that fails to provide anything that fleshes out or explores the title character in a compelling way, and what you get is a game that feels both absolutely depressing to play and completely unaware of who it was made for or what it's trying to accomplish.”
    • “This game would have been rated much higher if it wasn't optimized as badly as it was.”
    • “The performance is quite mixed - while generally the frames are alright, there's some serious frame drops that interrupt gameplay.”
  • stability16 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay, including game-breaking issues and frustrating camera problems. While some users noted that many glitches have been addressed, the overall consensus is that the game remains a "buggy mess," detracting from the experience and making it feel unfinished. Many players are hopeful for future patches to resolve these issues.

    • “Casually, this game is a buggy mess and it sucks.”
    • “The game is janky, which is sad because I found the story mildly interesting but have now encountered two game-breaking glitches that will not let me proceed so that I can finish the game.”
    • “I'm on chapter seven currently and I've come across hundreds of bugs and glitches, from an orc soldier clipping through a cart to an entire side of a bridge not having a wall and you can just see through it.”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and ability to enhance the immersive experience, with many players noting that it effectively draws them into the environment. However, some critiques highlight inconsistencies, such as repetitive sound samples during certain gameplay segments that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is a standout feature, it is accompanied by mixed opinions on the sound effects and their integration into the game.

    • “The music was amazing, but again.. the little things - sound effects when Gollum gets caught.”
    • “The actual music though, again, was great and really drew me into the environment.”
    • “The music is fantastic; I listened to the soundtrack and it almost made me take back my refund request.”
    • “A mid-game chase sequence with a large monster is implemented as a bottom-of-the-barrel quality Banjo-Kazooie segment that goes on for way too long and features a maddeningly short music sample on loop - and then, after a short platforming section, you go through the exact same ordeal again.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of unintentional hilarity and charm, particularly in the early hours where the absurdity of the gameplay and character designs elicits laughter. Players found moments of comedic relief in quirky NPC animations and amusing bugs, though the humor tends to fade as the game progresses. Overall, while some aspects are genuinely funny, the game's flaws often overshadow the comedic elements.

    • “The old king you meet in the first half of the game has a beard with more movement and emotion than the rest of the NPCs and makes for some accidentally hilarious cutscenes.”
    • “I also encountered quite a number of bugs like getting stuck on terrain, not willing to grab ledges, and most hilarious and frustrating of all, a wheel that I was supposed to jump on totally defying the laws of physics and just disappearing into the wall.”
    • “The voice actors also grew on me, and I found the closed captioning pretty funny at times with things like 'angry Gollum cursing noises', but... why did the names have (off) at times on them?”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its immersive sound design, detailed storytelling, and strong character voice acting, effectively capturing the bleakness of the protagonist's plight. However, some players feel that the intense atmosphere can lead to overly drawn-out sequences, potentially detracting from enjoyment. Overall, it offers a unique, indie RPG feel that resonates well with fans of stealth games.

    • “This game has a wonderful deep story, excellent attention to detail, atmospheric immersive sound and character voice acting, and many references to the lore of the universe.”
    • “Comfy and atmospheric game with somewhat indie/oldschool RPG feel, it really feels like playing for Gollum, a small creature who can't really help itself in a horrible world where everyone wants to hurt him or steal his stuff.”
    • “I personally love the story, I think the atmosphere is 10/10 and I thoroughly enjoy playing as Gollum.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally well-received, with fans appreciating the respect shown to the source material and the engaging story. However, criticisms arise regarding the character design, which some players find lacking, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “As a huge fan of LOTR/The Hobbit movies and a gamer, you have to trust me when I tell you that I wouldn't call this game bad at all. I think that the devs have done a good job with this game since it's fun, the story is fantastic, they've respected the movies, and character development was done pretty well.”
    • “The character development in this game is impressive, adding depth and complexity to the characters that really enhances the overall experience.”
    • “I appreciate how the character development allows players to connect with the story on a deeper level, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
    • “The character design is a joke.”
    • “They aren't great, but the worst offense is the character design.”
    • “The graphics are fine, though I'm aware others have issues with the character designs.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often experiencing long stretches of gameplay without checkpoints that lead to repeated deaths from minor mistakes. While the story and artwork are appreciated, the overall experience is marred by the excessive difficulty and lack of engaging gameplay.

    • “I am nearly halfway through the game, I think, and so far the game has been tedious at least once every 30 minutes. It is way too easy to miss a jump or make a small mistake and then die repeatedly, which creates a frustrating experience. While the story has the potential to be interesting, I was bored the entire time, except when I was frustrated.”
    • “Long stretches of tedious gameplay with no checkpoints.”
    • “The artwork in the stationary cutscenes is beautiful and I like the voice acting, but the actual gameplay gets frustrating and tedious very quickly.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Reviewers indicate that the game currently lacks replayability, primarily due to unmet expectations and a perception of insufficient content, despite ongoing bug fixes aimed at improving gameplay.

    • “The bug fixes that are coming out are making it more playable, but this game has had the same issue as even the most expensive AAA games: too much hype from a small developer and a community that expected it to be perfect from day one.”
    • “- No replay value”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users express that the emotional impact of the game resonates even with those who are not deeply familiar with the lore, indicating that it effectively engages players through its storytelling and character development.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

37% average critic score

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Play time

14hMedian play time
12hAverage play time
2-19hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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