The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is a 2023 survival-crafting video game developed by Free Range Games and published by North Beach Games on October 24, 2023. It is based on the fictional world of Middle-earth created by J. R. R. Tolkien and takes place during its Fourth Age after the events of the The Lord of the Rings novels. It follows a company of dwarves as they try to retake their homeland Moria and restore the long-lost ancient kingdom of Khazad-dûm.

Gameplay
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria" is classified as a survival-crafting video game, set within the iconic, procedurally generated mines of Moria from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. The game emphasizes survival mechanics, requiring players to navigate environments that are often engulfed in darkness. Key activities include:


 * Resource Extraction and Crafting: Players mine for materials such as iron, gold, quartz, gemstones, and Mithril across three distinct mountains to create tools, weapons, armor, and structures.
 * Survival Elements: To sustain their characters, players must effectively manage hunger, sleep, body temperature, willpower, and noise levels.
 * Combat: The mines are inhabited by orcs, cave trolls, and other mythical creatures. Players must engage in combat or employ stealth to survive.
 * Exploration and Building: Players are encouraged to explore the mines to discover ancient items, such as swords that illuminate in the presence of orcs, and recover and rebuild ancient dwarven structures.
 * Customization: Dwarven characters can be extensively customized through a character creation system.

Multiplayer
The game supports online cooperative multiplayer, allowing a single host to invite up to eight other players to join in exploring and surviving within their version of Moria.

Plot and Setting
Set in the aftermath of Sauron's defeat, "The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria" explores a post-apocalyptic scenario where players uncover the history of the dwarves and the legacy of their clans. The narrative delves into the impact of these events on the orcs and the wider world of Middle-earth.

The introductory cinematic sets the stage with Gimli leading a company of dwarves to the Doors of Durin, only to lose contact with them, hinting at the adventures and challenges that lie within the mines.

Development
The concept of Gimli leading a company of dwarves on a quest to retake Moria and forge new gates for the city Minas Tirith was already alluded to by Tolkien in the appendixes of the The Lord of the Rings novels.

The game is licensed by Middle-earth Enterprises. The developer, California-based Free Range Games, was inspired by games like 7 Days to Die, Stranded Deep, Subnautica, Valheim and The Forest.

The team did extended research, held team book clubs and consulted with the Tolkien experts Corey Olsen, T. S. Luikart and David Salo, who also developed new Khuzdul phrases. They first assembled a small team of expressive concept artists, under art director Bradley Fulton to create 2D concept art. Game director Jon-Paul Dumont said, that they wanted the game to "recreate the grounded, real-world setting of Middle-earth" and that they "combined these two ideas: expressive character designs with realistic materials, lighting, and animation to create a world that feels real, inhabited by characters full of life." It also features a soundtrack of songs written and inspired by Tolkien.

Gimli is voiced by John Rhys-Davies, who portrayed him in the 2000s films.

Release
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria was first revealed along with a short cinematic trailer on June 10, 2022, at the 2022 Epic Games Summer Showcase. The game was originally planned to be released in spring 2023 and was eventually released on October 24, 2023 for Microsoft Windows, with the PlayStation 5 release following on December 5, 2023. The Xbox Series X/S release is scheduled for fall 2024. The Windows version is exclusively sold on the Epic Games Store.