The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria

About

"The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria" is a cooperative game where players delve into the procedurally generated mines of Moria as a company of Dwarves, on a mission to reclaim their treasures and fortify their hold. With a focus on crafting, building, and survival, players must balance exploration and mining while avoiding the mysterious dangers that lurk in the depths. Every expedition offers a unique experience, either solo or online with friends.

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Play Modes

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria screenshot

+11

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,176 reviews

story290 positive mentions

grinding236 negative mentions

The game captures the essence of Tolkien's world, providing a rich lore experience for fans.
Cooperative gameplay enhances the experience, allowing players to sing and mine together for buffs.
The atmosphere and visuals of Moria are beautifully designed, making exploration enjoyable.

Combat feels clunky and unresponsive, with many players experiencing issues with hit registration.
The game suffers from repetitive gameplay and resource scarcity, leading to tedious backtracking.
Building mechanics are frustrating, with poor snapping and limited options for base construction.

story
1,000 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
68%
3%
The story in "Return to Moria" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its connection to Tolkien's lore and the immersive experience it provides. While the narrative is described as straightforward and at times linear, it effectively engages players through environmental storytelling and quests that tie into the rich history of Middle-earth. However, some critiques highlight issues with quest progression and a lack of depth in certain story elements, suggesting that while the game has a solid foundation, it could benefit from further development and polish.
- “The whole idea of taking back Moria in the fourth age, the remnants of the third age left for you to discover and feel like you're part of the story.”
- “The story unfolds subtly through environmental storytelling and smaller cutscenes, which effectively immerse players in the world.”
- “This game is truly a masterpiece, not only through its 'show not tell' storytelling, but also in how it shows the world of Middle-earth during the 4th age, a time that we frankly have very little info about.”
- “The actual plot of the story mode isn't particularly inspired, and was mostly a vehicle for the game to happen.”
- “The title feels quite misleading - while the name and intro sequence seem to set up a story of the dwarfs reclaiming Moria, that premise is ditched the moment the actual game starts.”
- “The story is alright but unfortunately gets overshadowed by the game's issues.”
gameplay
806 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
59%
11%
The gameplay of "Return to Moria" is characterized by a mix of survival mechanics, crafting, and exploration, set within a richly detailed dwarven lore. While many players appreciate the atmospheric elements and cooperative multiplayer experience, they also note issues such as repetitive gameplay loops, clunky combat mechanics, and frustrating building systems that detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite its flaws, the game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre and Tolkien's universe, though it may require further refinement to fully realize its potential.
- “I'm a big fan of LOTR, so the setting, design, and mechanics all make this a wonderful experience that is familiar yet exciting.”
- “The gameplay is as satisfying as forging mithril, with weighty combat, intricate crafting, and co-op fun that makes building grand halls with your friends a true delight.”
- “The mechanics of mining, crafting, and base-building feel rewarding, and the atmosphere captures the eerie yet majestic essence of the dwarven halls.”
- “But the further along my family and myself get into the game, it has resource allocation problems (too many of certain gems and not enough of other types); map issues; weapon swapping issues; buggy walk/run mechanics; mapstones send you places inconsistently; platform building is very frustrating.”
- “The story on the whole is fairly interesting but generally the gameplay is the worst part of the game and the amount of tedious hurdles you have to overcome to move forwards in the story is very frustrating.”
- “The gameplay gets a little bit repetitive which I think maybe it should not since the game's apparently been out so long?”
music
418 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The music in "The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria" is widely praised for its immersive and atmospheric qualities, featuring enchanting dwarven songs that enhance gameplay through buffs and cooperative singing. Players appreciate the integration of music into mining and drinking activities, creating a lively and engaging experience, although some express a desire for more variety and less repetition in the songs. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and connection to Tolkien's lore.
- “The co-op play enhances the experience, and the music is simply breathtaking, with an epic score that heightens the immersion.”
- “Singing mining songs as a group leads to everyone having different parts in the song and feels very natural.”
- “The songs are a great quality of life addition and add a lot.”
- “I'd say the only thing I don't really like about Return to Moria is just that they made it feel like a musical game for fat bald girls with piercings instead of the normal LOTR fan base.”
- “Another key iconic feature from this IP is the music, and although this is a minor gripe, I am so sick of hearing MIDI style generic fantasy tunes like I'm constantly in an elevator.”
- “The map is terrible, there are balance issues and huge jumps in difficulty between areas, some resources are very scarce, UI doesn't provide basic information (such as armor/damage values), and the music was absent for 80% of our playthrough.”
graphics
342 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
47%
3%
The graphics of "Return to Moria" receive mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and atmospheric design that effectively capture the essence of Middle-earth. However, players have noted issues with optimization, rendering problems, and a lack of advanced graphical settings, leading to inconsistent performance across different hardware. Overall, while the game boasts beautiful aesthetics and immersive environments, it also suffers from technical shortcomings that detract from the experience.
- “The visuals and sound are stunning, capturing the essence of Middle-earth with every flicker of shadow and echo of your pickaxe.”
- “The atmospheric graphics and hauntingly beautiful soundscape make you feel every bit a part of Tolkien's legendary world.”
- “Now onto the nitty-gritty game analysis: the game is visually stunning with amazing artwork, you can tell the art team are truly big fans of Tolkien and dwarves and understand the essence of both.”
- “Terrible building, terrible game engine, awful graphics, uninteresting story, uninspired combat and battles.”
- “Constant stuttering and lag, it's not even that intensive graphically and I've tried a few tweaks but nothing.”
- “The game isn't very visually appealing, not that I think the main focus should be about graphics, but it bothers me if it looks hastily-made or unpolished which I feel is the case here.”
grinding
250 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
4%
94%
The grinding aspect of "Return to Moria" has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it excessively tedious, particularly in sandbox mode and during resource gathering. While some enjoy the grind as part of the survival experience, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, especially in solo play where the lack of fast travel and resource scarcity can lead to frustration. Overall, the game offers a balance of rewarding exploration and crafting, but the grind can become overwhelming, particularly in the later stages.
- “Not too grindy, just the right amount with plenty of resources to find, mine, harvest, etc. Unlocking the build tree by rebuilding statues is something new and encourages one to explore the map to find them.”
- “Good game overall, fun base building and not too grindy, and LOTR stuff to boot!”
- “The grind is appropriate, not too grindy, not too absent.”
- “The game is just way too grindy for solo play.”
- “There are so many resources needed to craft gear that just become tedious to farm.”
- “After enjoying the first 8-10 hours, the game starts to feel grindy and repetitive.”
atmosphere
212 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
30%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and richly detailed representation of the dwarven halls of Moria, capturing the essence of Tolkien's world through stunning visuals, haunting soundscapes, and engaging gameplay elements like cooperative mining and crafting. Players appreciate the blend of eerie beauty and a sense of peril, making exploration feel both magical and dangerous, while the game's attention to detail enhances the overall experience. Overall, it stands out as a must-play for fans of the Lord of the Rings, particularly when enjoyed with friends.
- “The atmosphere is spot-on, with echoing tunnels, flickering torchlight, and the constant sense of danger around every corner.”
- “The atmospheric graphics and hauntingly beautiful soundscape make you feel every bit a part of Tolkien's legendary world.”
- “What sets it apart from the crowd is the obvious effort by the developer to treat the source material with the consideration, care, and respect it is due, and how the atmosphere of the game is practically infused with that reverence.”
- “I don't entirely blame the game -- a lot of the tedium I faced was of my own making -- but I might have lasted a bit longer if there was more variety and atmosphere.”
- “While it may not introduce anything new in the genre, it successfully captures the lore and atmosphere that LOTR enthusiasts will appreciate.”
- “It's clear the main focus of the game was atmosphere (maybe?) and building.”
optimization
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
55%
28%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering and frame drops, even on high-end systems. While some users have managed to play without major problems, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, particularly on lower-end hardware and the Steam Deck. Many hope for future updates to improve performance and allow for better graphics customization.
- “I play with friends and solo and have had no significant performance issues.”
- “Did I mention they optimized it for the Steam Deck?!”
- “Despite some FPS drops in camps on the Steam Deck (playing at low settings), it’s still playable, and the devs have announced upcoming optimizations for the deck!”
- “Lack of performance optimization, even on high-end builds.”
- “The performance is some of the worst I've seen in modern gaming, and that says something with the current state of new releases throughout the industry.”
- “Specific areas have severe performance issues regardless of settings or specs.”
stability
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
2%
95%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting a variety of bugs and glitches that affect gameplay, particularly in combat, crafting, and multiplayer experiences. While some users have experienced minimal issues and found the game enjoyable, others have encountered significant problems such as freezing, inconsistent map navigation, and frustrating mechanics. Overall, the game appears to be in need of further optimization and bug fixes to enhance stability and player experience.
- “Runs great and no issues so far.”
- “And for those wondering, yes, runs great docked at 1080p on deck, again low/med is fine.”
- “Would love to see the quest glitches fixed and worked out because if you advance to an area before completing the quests for it then you will be stuck with an uncompletable quest.”
- “Online play is borderline unplayable, constant load walls on already explored map cells and loading screen freezes caused us to stop any progress in the game.”
- “The quest system and associated Steam achievements are buggy as crap though because you have to enter a certain area in the game to even complete it and there's an achievement for doing so and I never was granted the achievement.”
- “It's poorly designed, rough, clunky, unfair, and buggy as heck.”
replayability
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
66%
7%
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while the main story offers limited replay value, the sandbox mode significantly enhances replayability with diverse biomes and craftable items. Players appreciate the interactive elements and potential for co-op play, but many feel that once the main storyline is completed, there isn't much incentive to return. Overall, the sandbox mode is seen as a key feature that could keep players engaged longer, despite some concerns about procedural generation and content depth.
- “Sandbox mode is excellent for replayability, and I hope they introduce a creative mode in the future for builders who want to restore Moria to its former glory.”
- “Replayability is boosted by sandbox mode, which features an even greater variety of biomes and craftable items to help breathe new life into subsequent playthroughs, with some of those biomes and items being exclusive to the mode.”
- “It is over too soon in terms of the main storyline, but the sandbox mode means lots of replayability.”
- “The game tries to be replayable by being procedurally generated, but there are so few rooms that you end up with really jarring results in the generation.”
- “But once you reach the end, there is no replayability.”
- “Not a lot of replayability to drive this game to make you come back.”
humor
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing songs sung by dwarves while mining and drinking, as well as the quirky, procedurally generated environments that often lead to humorous situations. Players appreciate the witty dialogue from orcs and the lighthearted nature of the combat, which encourages teamwork and adds a fun element to the gameplay. Overall, the game is described as particularly enjoyable when played with friends, evoking laughter and a sense of camaraderie reminiscent of classic fantasy adventures.
- “The combat is unintrusively simple hack and slash fun that reminds me of the old PS2 games in a funny sort of way (if you know, you know) and mostly serves to encourage team play and add some risk to your incredibly immersive delve into a wonderfully familiar fantasy realm.”
- “Very funny and interesting game, especially if you like The Lord of the Rings and you play it with friends. The only issue is the music, but we actually use Discord bots with LOTR playlists.”
- “Funny as hell, great with friends.”
monetization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for being perceived as a cash grab, particularly targeting hardcore fans of the franchise. While there are no in-game purchases, the misleading advertising suggests a more engaging experience than what is delivered, leading to disappointment among players who expected a richer gameplay experience tied to the Middle-earth theme. Overall, the game is seen as lacking effort and depth, capitalizing on its IP rather than providing substantial content.
- “Just seems like a quick cash grab.”
- “I hate how multi-billion companies, holding IP rights to popular franchises, do barely any effort in order to do a fast cash grab from IP fans.”
- “But most probably that the game is a quick cash grab luring people in by the Middle-earth theme and open world survival craft genre.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game deeply engaging, particularly through the heartwarming experience of dwarves singing together for buffs during gameplay. The sense of teamwork and strategy enhances the emotional connection, making players feel like true dwarves as they navigate challenges and celebrate victories, culminating in a touching moment with Gimli. Despite some rough edges, the game successfully evokes a strong sense of camaraderie and accomplishment.
- “Having your dwarf sing a jolly or heartfelt song to get buffs from mining, drinking, or exploring is awesome, especially since other players can join in and their dwarves sing along.”
- “It's been heartwarming to see her embrace teamwork and strategy, whether we're devising plans to outsmart a goblin horde or engineering intricate mining operations to unearth rare minerals.”
- “Ultimately, you emerge victorious and are crowned the new lord of Moria after a heartfelt exchange with Gimli himself.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The character development in the game is praised for its authenticity to Tolkien's lore, featuring unique designs such as female dwarves with beards and immersive details like dwarfs singing while mining. This attention to detail reflects a deep appreciation for the source material, enhancing the overall experience for fans of Tolkien's world.
- “Everything in this game feels like it was made by a true Tolkien fan, from the character designs (female dwarves with beards!) down to dwarves singing when mining.”
- “Decent character design and creation (Tolkien had female dwarves with beards in his world-building. It might be for you or not, but it's true to his world.)”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters on any meaningful level.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me feeling detached from their journeys.”
- “While the character designs are visually appealing, the lack of substantial growth or change throughout the game is disappointing.”