‘The Lord of the Rings: Gollum’ Trailer Shows Off What It’s Like to Play as the Saddest Villain in Middle-earth

Did you ever wonder what Gollum was up to when he wasn’t onscreen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy? If so, you’re in luck —  a new video game, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, sheds light on the decrepit doings of the once-holder of the ring, and we’ve got a trailer to show us what playing Gollum will be like.

The Lord of the Rings Gollum Gameplay Trailer

In the game from Daedalic Entertainment, we see Middle-earth from Gollum’s twisted point of view. And as the trailer reveals, Gollum gets around. Game producer Harold Riegler explains the impetus for telling Gollum’s story as thus:

“Gollum has always fascinated us. While being completely essential to the story written by J.R.R. Tolkien, Gollum’s long chase for his precious ring has never been told in detail. Yet his incredible journey from Mordor, through Mirkwood, to the Mines of Moria, takes players to places they haven’t seen before, while setting the stage for events that ultimately decide the fate of all Middle-earth.”

The imagery in the trailer shows impressive renderings of all the locations Riegler mentions. Gollum is scrambling around them as well, looking as wretched and wrecked as ever.

According to Rieger, Gollum will “creep, sneak, and trick his way past faithful, detailed environments, some of which have never been seen before in such detail.”

Gollum Gets Around And Makes “Friends”?

The game is a cinematic stealth action adventure, which mixes stealth and parkour gameplay. And while Gollum is the “hero” you’ll be playing, you’ll also run into other well-known and lesser-known characters from Middle-earth. Some of those include the Mouth of Sauron (we’ll see his face for the first time!); Thranduil, the King of the Elves and father of Legolas; and of course, everyone’s favorite wizard, Gandalf.

Given Gollum’s penchant for treachery, even those not familiar with his backstory can guess that his interactions other Lord of the Rings characters don’t end so well. The images we get of the other characters and Gollum himself are impressive though, and I’m sure it will be an immersive game-playing experience.

Given how Gollum’s story ends, however, I’m curious where and how the game will end, and what it means to “win.” Gollum is the opposite of a winner in the larger story of The Lord of the Rings. And while poor Smeagol has his moments, he’s not a good guy. Still, his history is a complex one, and does touch on a lot of The Lord of the Rings story. And wherever the game ends up, I’m sure the journey Gollum takes in it will be an adventurous one.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will be available in Fall 2022 on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

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