The Lord of the Rings Gollum received a CG teaser trailer, taking players back into the fiery depths of Mount Doom as the fallen Hobbit. Though brief, it shows the titular Smeagol/Gollum overlooking the game’s setting.
According to IGN, the trailer only gives viewers a piece of stealth platforming in The Lord of the Rings Gollum. Players won’t be brandishing a sword to fight Orcs this time around, as they will be using Gollum to sneak past Sauron’s forces and move around big enemies. But it’s also harder to stay quiet as Smeagol/Gollum’s personalities collide. Both will present choices for players during levels, affecting the outcome of a stealth segment through the polarizing thoughts. The more violent side of Gollum would also be able to take out enemies by sneaking up on them, lowering the chances of detection but risking bigger security.
“After all, Gollum’s strengths lie in cunning not combat,” lead designer Martin Wilkes told IGN. “If you want a reference you might think of it as similar to Prince of Persia. It is mostly a non-combat game, but Gollum will be able to stealthily take out enemies. However, this will not be easy and always come with big risks.”
Like most stealth games, Gollum can also use the environment to his advantage to distract enemies. If he’s not tossing items to create sound, he can also use “newfound friends” to fight Orcs and keep them busy for Gollum to pass. Narrative designer Tilman Shanen stated some of the friends will also be familiar characters fans have come to know across the LOTR, Hobbit and other Middle-Earth media. But they will also be cast in smaller roles through Gollum’s own adventure.
IGN’s preview also revealed The Lord of the Rings Gollum would also take players outside of Mount Doom and into lighter territories. These include enchanted forests and settlements which serve as hubs for the player to rest at. They can also climb to higher places while the game relies heavily on “verticality” for each level.
The Lord of the Rings Gollum is set to release on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X next year.
