I think we’re facing a pretty dire situation in the videogame reviews industry – not because of the standard of writing, but due to people’s expectation that anything sitting around the 5/10 mark will be ‘a bad game’. No, a 5/10 is a middling, mediocre, ‘good for the right person’ type of game. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, however, is a truly bad game, so much so that it’s maddening that it even exists and was put on store shelves at such a high price tag. But, if you love bad movies and playing ridiculously poor games, it’s under $5 in this latest bundle, and you get two extra (actually good) games for free. Bonus.
Seeing as the last big game to adapt Middle-earth was the brilliant, canon-destroying Shadow of War (which remains one of my favorite action RPGs years later), The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was already in a tough spot. Even then, it could’ve still been something worth playing, but sadly, that’s not the case. If you don’t have any brain bleach at hand so you can wipe away the pain after buying this, I can point you in the right direction to buy some.
The swansong of Daedalic Entertainment’s development division – a swan that was clearly shot and lies rotting on the ground right now – The Lord of the Rings: Gollum follows the titular character 62 years after Bilbo Baggins got the One Ring, and sees you stalking around the levels as a Mordor-dwelling goblin, avoiding direct contact and using the shadows to stealthily traverse each environment. It’s a bit like the underloved Styx series, but worse in almost every way.
Poor visuals, an egregious amount of bugs, a strange duality choice system that feels shoehorned in for the sake of it – The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is just terrible. In our LOTR Gollum review, Anna said, “From exhausting, repetitive gameplay to a poorly constructed narrative, this is a piece of Middle-earth you should never explore,” and gave it a 3/10. I think that’s far too kind, and I’d take a celebratedly bad game like Ride to Hell: Retribution instead.
So, is it truly bad? Yes. It’s the complete opposite of a masterpiece like Expedition 33, a pale imitation of an adaptation and an insult to Tolkien’s beloved world. Which is why you should buy it, because it’s so dreadful that it’s almost a learning experience – an eye-opening piece of game history that will make you see those average games as pieces of art. It’s honestly world-shattering.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is currently bundled with a bunch of other actually good games in the ironically titled ‘Build Your Own Story Rich Adventures Bundle’, which you can take a look at on Fanatical. You can pick any three games for just $4.95 / £4.95, and Gollum happens to be one of them, but if you want any of the other games, you can check the list at Fanatical’s website or look below:
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
Staffer Case: A Supernatural Mystery Adventure
Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls collection
Tainted Grail: Conquest
Staffer Reborn
CHANGE: A Homeless Survival Experience
Mondealy
Chicken Police – Paint it RED!
Paradise Killer
Flower in Us
We. The Revolution
Many Nights a Whisper
Old Man’s Journey & Gibbon: Beyond the Trees Double Pack
BrokenLore: Low
For the People
Maid of Sker
Time Loader 4-Pack
So, if you wanted to give one of 2023’s worst games a try, you have no excuse now. For reference, that’s just $1.65 for Gollum, and I can’t imagine a worse way to spend your money, which is exactly why you should do it.