The Epic Games Store is giving away even more games than usual during the holiday season. It starts with The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria.
What do dwarves give each other for Christmas? Maybe gems, beard oil, or new tools? At the Epic Games Store, on the other hand, games are given away, and even more so at Christmas than usual. It doesn’t really start until December 19, but you can already pick up a free game that will make your inner miner cheer.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
- Genre: Survival
- Developer: Free Range Games
- Release: October 2023
After defeating Sauron, Gimli Gloinssohn himself calls on the dwarves to reclaim the long-abandoned dwarven city of Khazad-Dum. The famous dwarf is even voiced by John Rhys-Davies, the actor from the movie trilogy.
What self-respecting dwarf could possibly refuse this request? That’s why you’re heading to Moria to build a new home in the mines. Alone or in co-op, you venture into the procedurally generated ruins, collect food, mine resources, and fight against orcs and other dangerous creatures. It’s a good thing that the Balrog is already dead.
From the collected ores, you forge ever better weapons and armor to defend yourself against attacks on your shelter. You also restore Dwarven landmarks to keep the memory of your ancestors alive.
Who is this for? Return to Moria will be especially enjoyable for you if you are enthusiastic about dwarves and particularly the fantasy world of Tolkien. The game is clearly aimed at Lord of the Rings fans, for whom it is easier to overlook weaknesses such as a lack of comfort functions:
If you’ve now got the urge to explore Tolkien’s world again, let Jesko take you to the original locations of the legendary film trilogy. He has just visited them in person and is offering you a little tour.
The future of Lord of the Rings doesn’t look so bright right now, at least as far as planned games are concerned. Although the universe enjoys unbroken popularity, there is no sign of any major blockbusters.
