The first screenshots for Daedalic Entertainment’s upcoming The Lord of the Rings: Gollum have been revealed, showing for the first time what fans can expect of the promising title.
Described as a personal story-driven experience detailing various events leading up to his role in Tolkien’s beloved fantasy trilogy, players will take direct control of Sméagol/Gollum as he explores various locations around Middle-earth, including Mordor. Iconic locations such as Mount Doom and what appears to be the gruesome lair of Shelob are included in the collection of assets as well, which also boasts several pieces of concept art teasing a lush woodland area. The Shire, perhaps?
Check out the assets for yourselves via the gallery below:
Most interestingly of all, however, is one particular close-up of Gollum himself surrounded by visualizations of his inner thoughts. Daedalic has yet to showcase any direct footage of the game or its various mechanics, though it certainly seems as if the character’s split personality will form some type of gameplay component. It’s worth noting, too, that as a prequel, this version of Gollum, while still disheveled and a husk of his former self, is considerably younger than that seen in the films.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is due to release sometime next year for next-gen consoles and PC and judging by today’s developments, it would appear that Daedalic is on course to meet such deadlines. Reports earlier this year that the studio was suffering from financial problems had many concerned that its latest project would never see the light of day, but the above should go a long way in allaying such fears and with any luck, we’ll finally get to see the game in action later this year. Watch this space for more.