The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, Daedalic Entertainment’s ambitious action-adventure game that’ll have players assume control of Middle-earth’s former Ring Bearer, finally has a trailer to call its own. Released earlier today, the footage, barely a minute long, doesn’t show any gameplay, though audiences are treated to a cinematic spectacle featuring some very familiar sights, with the unmistakable Mount Doom among them.
Without any gameplay to speak of, it’s tough to say just how similar the final product will be in terms of art style and visual aesthetic to the clip above, though thanks to some new details provided to IGN, we at least have a better idea of what the story will entail. Daedalic CEO Carsten Fichtelmann reveals to the site that:
In Gollum, players will assume the role of one of the most iconic characters in Middle-earth. We tell Gollum’s story from a perspective never seen before, in any storytelling medium, all the while staying true to the legendary books of J.R.R. Tolkien.
The concern that many still have, of course, is the level of engaging gameplay, or lack thereof, that Gollum will have, or whether this is, for want of a better term, more of a walking simulator intended to give Tolkien fans a new perspective on Middle-earth. Not an inherent negative, by any means, but potentially disappointing for gamers who perhaps pine for something more in-depth. At the end of the day, though, this is Daedalic’s vision, and we can’t wait to learn more about its passion project.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is scheduled for release in 2021 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC, and will explore the fractured psyche of its star character following his separation from the One Ring. Screenshots released earlier in the year (gallery above) showcase how this system is intended to work, though it’s worth noting that Daedalic is far away from delivering a finished product, so anything could change.