A new Lord of the Rings game has been announced during Epic Games’ summer showcase. The surprise new title, Return to Moria, is a survival game similar to Minecraft and Valheim, going beyond the story of JRR Tolkien’s fantasy novels.
Following the events of the Third Age, you will embark on a quest to reclaim Moria, the lost kingdom of the Dwarves. Overrun with orcs and beasts far more than birds, you can dive into this vast subterranean realm with up to seven other players, gathering resources, battling and building. It will launch in early 2023 on PC.
Although the concept is hardly original, it will be interesting to see how developer Free Range Games uses the LOTR license. Not so long ago, EA announced a new Lord of the Rings game – a mobile RPG from the creators of Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes.
The Lord of the Rings Returns to Moria Key Features
- Feel the Fellowship: Experience the Fellowship of Dwarves like never before, with the rich lore of JRR Tolkien’s iconic fantasy world woven into the very fabric of The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria.
- Survive the Darkness: To survive the treacherous Mines of Moria, players must conserve resources, hunt and gather for food, and manage their sleep, temperature, and noise levels. Use dynamic lighting systems for added safety and to navigate your way further in the dark. Fight untold evils and survive hordes of monstrous orcs in visceral combat, while uncovering the secret of the Shadow looming in the mountain.
- Base Building: Find solace in the darkness. Reveal and clear new locations to create large-scale architecture. Get creative and build bases from scratch or build on the existing environment. Beware of demons who seek to destroy the progress of the dwarves.
- Rebuild and Reshape Moria: Restore the ancient lost kingdom of Khazad-dûm to its former glory, reclaiming Dwarven landmarks as the story progresses. Resurrect ancient mines and rekindle their forges to reclaim their resources intact.
- Explore: Dive into the depths of the Mines of Moria. Procedurally generated environments are packed with resources and loaded with mystery and danger, providing a unique experience every time.
- Cooperative Multiplayer: Venture alone or with friends in online cooperative multiplayer with up to eight players.
- Craft Dwarven Tools, Weapons, and More: Craft and collect legendary dwarven armor, tools, weapons, and structures. Rebuild ancient forges to strengthen, repair and enchant equipment. Upgrade and unlock new technologies and fantastic machines.
- Discover Magical Artifacts: Discover ancient magical items, including swords that glow when orcs are near, maps of long-dormant Mithril veins, books with forgotten crafting blueprints, and amulets that give strength or of wisdom.
- Mining Ore and Jewels: Establish mines to unearth deposits of valuable resources such as iron, gold, and quartz; and fantastic materials such as Mithril. Access crafting stations and forges to convert ore into ingots and upgrade equipment. But be prepared, mining is loud and can awaken what lurks in the dark.
- Full Dwarf Builder: Players become part of Dwarven legend by creating their own dwarf in the custom character builder. Dwarves can be customized in various ways to create a unique dwarf identity. Then, during gameplay, players can find and craft armor and weapons to further enhance their unique style.
If you can’t wait, then there’s another LOTR game coming a little early with The Lord of the Rings: Gollum releasing in September – check out our recent preview.
Source: press release
