The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (v0.2.51064)

A wiry, tormented Ring-bearer takes center stage in a stealth-focused adventure set alongside the opening events of The Fellowship of the Ring. Rather than retelling the familiar quest of Frodo and Aragorn, the story follows Gollum’s desperate pursuit of the One Ring through Mordor, Mirkwood, and other corners of Middle-earth rarely given this much attention. The tone is bleak, intimate, and often uneasy, built around a creature driven by fear, hunger, and obsession rather than heroism. Its strongest appeal is the chance to see Tolkien’s world from the viewpoint of one of its most pitiful and unpredictable survivors.

Gollum relies on climbing, sneaking, hiding, and carefully reading patrol routes instead of meeting enemies in open combat. Levels ask you to scale crumbling towers, slip through Orc-controlled areas, evade Elven guards, and use cover or environmental routes to reach the next objective; a distracted or isolated foe can occasionally be taken down quietly. Platforming and traversal make up a large part of the experience, with timed jumps, ledges, ropes, and vertical spaces demanding patience and precise movement. Dialogue choices also let Gollum’s Smeagol and Gollum personalities argue over decisions, adding small narrative variations and giving his fractured mind a mechanical role.

The visual design offers some evocative interpretations of Barad-dûr, Mirkwood, and the harsh industrial misery of Mordor, while the focus on Gollum’s lesser-known travels distinguishes it from the power fantasy of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. It is a mostly linear, single-player campaign, and its stealth and platforming can feel rough around the edges, particularly when controls or enemy detection become inconsistent. Players seeking deep combat, a huge open world, or the polish of major action blockbusters may find its limitations hard to ignore. Tolkien readers and fans interested in a story-led stealth adventure centered on an unusually vulnerable protagonist are the audience most likely to appreciate what it attempts.