Nowadays, it feels like almost every single studio wants its own version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as the MCU has been a sensation and has helped redefine what it means to be a modern film franchise. It is pretty impressive what Marvel Studios has been able to pull off, but it has also led to the rise of unnecessary spin-offs. Almost every character can get their own project now, and that approach seems to be bleeding over to the gaming industry with titles like The Lord of the Rings: Gollum.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was supposed to be the next big action-adventure title set within J. R. R. Tolkien's world. Instead of taking control of characters like Frodo, Gandalf, or Legolas, the game puts players in the shoes of Gollum. It aims to explore a new, original story, even if a lot of people do not really want to play as the titular character. Ultimately, the game is proof that not every side character needs their own spin-off.
Middle-Earth Fans Do Not Need a Gollum Spin-off Project
Gollum plays a key role in The Lord of the Rings, but he is never the focal point of the story. Before the events of the series, he finds the One Ring and is twisted by its power. After Bilbo Baggins took the Ring, Gollum dedicated his life to tracking it down which would put him in Frodo’s path. He would then spend much of Lord of the Rings guiding Frodo and Sam to Mount Doom while waiting for the perfect opportunity to snatch the Ring from their possession.
Lord of the Rings' Gollum plays a pivotal role in the One Ring's journey and is ultimately responsible for its destruction, but he is hardly a protagonist. He was introduced in The Hobbit as a simple obstacle Bilbo had to overcome and would appear again in The Two Towers to serve as Frodo's guide. Readers learn all that they need to know about him with those appearances, and it never feels like they are missing any important story beats. He was just one of the One Ring's victims, and the franchise could have left it at that.
Daedalic Entertainment seems to think that Lord of the Rings fans really need to know more about Gollum's backstory. Lord of the Rings: Gollum will be exploring the character's story eight years before the events of The Lord of the Rings. It will explore a period of his life that has not been shown yet, but this story does not really feel necessary to understand Tolkien's world. There are so many other characters that could have been great protagonists in standalone games, making Gollum feel like a strange choice.
Lord of the Rings: Gollum seems like the perfect example of an unneeded and unnecessary spin-off of a pre-established franchise. Not every character can headline their own adventure, and not every piece of lore needs to be fleshed out. Sometimes, side antagonists can just remain side characters. The MCU has begun falling into this trap with projects like Agatha: Coven of Chaos and Echo, and it seems like Lord of the Rings will be following its lead.
Based on the overwhelmingly negative reviews for the game, it seems like Daedalic was unable to write a story worthy of J. R. R. Tolkien's world. With everything from the gameplay to the visuals also being criticized, it feels like the game will always be remembered as an unnecessary spin-off that players did not want.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum releases May 25 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Switch version to follow later.