*The photo is an in-game screenshot taken via Steam Deck. Game developed by Wētā Workshop and Private Division*

Cozy gamers were finally treated to the release of Tale of the Shire in July. And while many big-name game reviewers disparage it in their latest reviews, the general, casual gaming public quite enjoys the game. Steam reviews log it at “Mostly Positive”, while smaller game influencers generally like it while giving it a little criticism.

So what is my take on this widely anticipated game?

A little intro before you enter the world of Bywater

Tales of the Shire is a single-player management game set in the world of Middle-earth in the Third Age. Yes, only Lord of the Rings fans will get the timing of this. No, I don’t know exactly when in the Third Age. You are a little Hobbit from Bree who decided to move to Bywater for a fresh start. You arrive at the pinnacle moment where the citizens of this little village want to actually be recognized as such.

Fish, cook, and decorate your way through tasks to complete this community quest to become a village.

What does one do as a Hobbit?

As your individually created Hobbit, the game focuses on a couple of aspects of everyday Hobbit life: Fishing, Foraging, and Harvesting. All these culminate in cooking a variety of dishes for you and your lovely neighbors.

As Poppy Puddifoot, I learned that cooking is the real key to progressing in this game. Everything revolves around making these dishes to feed your neighbors to their tastes. Cooking helps grow your relationships with them, which in turn unlocks friendship quests for you to complete.

The second half of the game focuses on building different clubs for Bywater to enjoy. Once you get through the initial missions to set up these clubs, the bulletin boards will fill with new tasks for you to complete.

Just like the friendships you build, the clubs have their progression milestones to unlock.

“Sooo, when do we get to the good part?”

The one thing I keep saying from mainstream reviewers is that they state that Tales of the Shire is incredibly boring. But, isn’t the point of a Hobbit’s life is to be the most mundane creatures with no crazy abilities or life experiences?

A lot of casual gamers like myself have enjoyed the simplicity of the game’s mechanics. It allows you to turn off the brain and just have fun being a little hobbit. The definition of cozy gaming is to allow the player to relax and live comfortably in the world they are exploring. So, the game itself has achieved this if the general public has given this game positive reviews.

Honestly, this game is also like the Lord of the Rings books themselves. Just like the first book, The Fellowship of the Ring, where it takes 300-plus pages for Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin to begin their journey out of the Shire, it takes the game about 5 hours to get going.

Once you get past the initial 5 hours of setup, the game starts to speed up in fun friendship quests, club activities, and more meals with the hobbits.

Another note to add here. I don’t particularly care about graphics. If the game works well, it works well. For those interested, I play on a Steam Deck, which sets the game on low graphics.

I think even on low graphics, the game is beautiful to look at. I love the art style choice for this game. Fits the vibe of the Hobbits in a way—whimsical with it’s stylized approach.

I can still see the flaws, just like seeing Frodo’s persona under the ring.

Yes, I disagree with the mainstream reviews that the game is a failure. But, it doesn’t mean I see the game as a perfect creation. It starts with the initial introduction of the game in the trailers.

While yes, the developers shouldn’t tell you everything about the game before release, they didn’t chat about the basic mechanics of the game that would help the players understand the basic ways of progression. I didn’t know at all until a cozy game streamer by the name of Eeowna released their review of the game, while I was still in the beginning of it, that you need to focus on inviting your neighbors to a meal to progress a lot in this game.

I would think that would be a detail the developers would have explained in their discussions of the game before release.

The other flaw I notice as well is that while the birds, as a way to find your way around to different tasks, is a fun mechanic for a tracker, it is sometimes hard to use. I play on a Steam Deck, and with the portable screen, the birds get a little hard to see in some parts of the landscape because the saturation levels of the two blend together. Yes, I’m bringing design into this.

I think the birds should’ve been a little larger. Not the size of the eagles we see in the books, but just a smidge. Also, the color should’ve been played around with more in order to not blend so much in the scenery, maybe add a glow to them or something. Just my nitpick.

Overall, I’m enjoying the Hobbit life

I always liked the idea of the Hobbit lifestyle, especially as our days get more and more chaotic. Even with the little flaws, I quite enjoy playing this game and am excited to continue the story. The game just came out, so maybe we’ll see patches delivered in updates, and I wonder if the developers will add more tasks to complete. We shall see what is in store for our little Hobbits.

Does this aesthetic resonate with you, and want more?

Thanks for joining me in discussing Tales of the Shire. I hope you found this helpful in deciding whether to purchase the game or not. If you’re looking for even more whimsical vibes, such as artwork, you can explore my full portfolio here. Want more cozy recommendations straight to you? Join my biweekly newsletter below!

Want to be a Hobbit and Live Comfortably? Play Tales of the Shire