There is no shortage of Lord of the Rings games (both good and bad), but that doesn’t mean we get any less excited for new ones.Return to Moria (watch trailer, runtime: 1:32) is a survival game that lovingly depicts J.R.R. Tolkein’s fantasy world via Peter Jackson’s vision.

The story unfolds during Middle-Earth’s Fourth Age, right after the fall of Sauron and the conclusion of the War of the Ring. For non-LOTR fans, this means that it is set right after the movies. This is an interesting choice, as this era hasn’t been explored both in media and in canon.

Return of (a) king: Fan-favorite dwarf Gimli (voiced by the character’s actor John Rhys-Davies) calls the dwarf factions to band together and reclaim Moria from the goblins and orcs that have taken over it. As one of these dwarves, you strive to fulfill this command. And it wouldn’t be a LOTR production if there wasn’t a powerful entity to battle.

As with any other survival game, you’re expected to build bases, cook, upgrade your tools and weapons, craft, fight, and run home before dark. In that sense, the only thing that sets Return to Moira apart from run-of-the-mill games of the same genre is the backdrop.

There are continuous references and easter eggs to remind you that the Fellowship was here. Perhaps the most touching reminder that you are in Middle-earth is the singing. Tolkein could hardly go a few pages without including a song, and Return to Moria knows it. As you mine, your dwarf will sing from a wide library of light-hearted songs, and if you get drunk you’ll start dancing and singing an epic ballad about your people’s history.

⌛ Hours of gameplay: 45 hours

? Price: USD 39.99 on PS5, USD 18.59 on Epic Games

? Platforms:Playstation 5, Epic Games for PC, and coming soon to Xbox

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