The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
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Top Critic Average
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The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria Trailers
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ - Launch Trailer (Full Version)
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria™ - Opening Cinematic
Critic Reviews for The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
Don't be a fool of a Took and rush into Moria. An authentic and authentically grueling game.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria doesn’t give a ton of reasons to play it over its genre peers – and its poor combat, building, and mining mechanics make those other options sound even more appealing.
This is a competent survival game, adding nothing to a formula long since perfected by games like Subnautica, games that it falls far short of. It relies on the pull of Tolkien to keep players pushing through, otherwise it would be all too easy to give up on your mission and do something else, anything but mining. There are moments of magic, like when your team of dwarves begin to sing, deep harmonies echoing off the cavernous walls. But these moments are too few and far between, and the lore can only take you so far. As a space to hang out with fantasy-minded friends, Return to Moria is a nice jaunt. I just wish there was something more to do than swing this damn pickaxe at another damn wall.
Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria has the potential to be a challenging and enjoyable multiplayer experience. The loop of mining, crafting, and exploring is a satisfying one when overwhelming hordes of goblins aren't haranguing you. There doesn't seem to be any real optimisation for solo players so I'd probably stay clear unless you can get a band of dwarves together to brave the darkness of the mines.
I just didn't really want to do any of the other things Return to Moria expected me to.
If you're a fan of the universe, Return to Moria is a reason to re-immerse yourself in familiar sights and sounds, but for anyone else it's just another survival game.
There are moments when The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria hints at what it could have been, such as when you’re mining a rich vein of ore in some dark tunnel, and your dwarf becomes inspired to sing. They’ll clear their throat and give voice to a story of trolls and orcs and the beating that will rain down on them if they cross your path. The game briefly feels alive, the story making the cold mines warm. But then the song stops, and you’re still mining, and all you have to look forward to is a long walk back to the forge.
Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria doesn’t take any huge chances with the survival crafting genre. Still, the Lord of the Rings overlay and familiar character cameos help make its familiar loops seem fresh enough. In the mixed-bag pantheon of Lord of the Rings-inspired games, Return to Moria acquits itself quite well.
