The Lord of the Rings - Gollum

 PlayStation 5
User Score
1.1

Overwhelming dislike- based on 266 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 266
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 266
  3. Negative: 240 out of 266
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  1. odysseus420
    May 27, 2023
    10
    I am absolutely loving this game, it features one of the most original stories in the LoTR franchise and the gameplay is both fun and exciting. Sure, there are some bugs here and there but they will be patched quickly enough, Daedalic isn't the first studio to fall victim of a greedy publisher setting an unreasonable deadline and it won't be the last. However this is a genuinely fantasticI am absolutely loving this game, it features one of the most original stories in the LoTR franchise and the gameplay is both fun and exciting. Sure, there are some bugs here and there but they will be patched quickly enough, Daedalic isn't the first studio to fall victim of a greedy publisher setting an unreasonable deadline and it won't be the last. However this is a genuinely fantastic game that will delight TRUE fans of the LoTR franchise and leave the haters, losers and fair-weather "fans" by the wayside as they cry and whine about things like "Gollum is ugly" (oh really? was Timothée Chalamet not available for the role?) and "the graphics are bad" (tell me, how were the "graphics" in the original JRR Tolkien novels again?) despite not having even played the game. Give it a chance and you too, like myself, might find yourself cradling the PS5 disc as you roll around half-naked around the house in delight eating raw fish and saying "my preciousss" in much the same manner as Gollum™ himself (from the movie)… Expand
  2. Markytos
    May 26, 2023
    10
    Es un juego grandioso!! El mejor juego de 2023 es curioso como la prensa le echa tanto hate a esta obra maestra
  3. Mentekk
    Jun 4, 2023
    10
    Master piece, goty 2023, better than Elden ring, zelda botw,totk and other overrated games.
  4. Zeed7
    May 26, 2023
    10
    Not a lot to say guys, this is one of the most polished, awe inducing, mouth watering stories i've ever partaken in! I had the most smeagling time playing this game!
  5. Gonzalodmv
    May 26, 2023
    10
    Juegazo infravalorado, Goty 2023. Faltan caracteres, tengo que seguir escribiendo, falta poco, ya está.
  6. Desmonde2
    May 30, 2023
    10
    despite being hated, I consider this a special game since it has an interesting story.
  7. medkat
    May 26, 2023
    10
    quite the ballsacky game. such a poor game, much bad in this game. what horrid graphics, very lazy and fastly made. my balls ITCH just looking at this pile of bad.
  8. Lordofthegollum
    May 27, 2023
    10
    If this game was made by FromSoftware all of you sheeps would be praising it.

    Even if LOTR: Gollum isn't a fantastic video game by any means the ratings it received are quite unfair for a game that doesn't have any game breaking bug or an extremely boring gameplay (I'd say its a proficient plataformer). Also, i'm playing the game in PS5 and the controls seem to be completely normal,    If this game was made by FromSoftware all of you sheeps would be praising it.

    Even if LOTR: Gollum isn't a fantastic video game by any means the ratings it received are quite unfair for a game that doesn't have any game breaking bug or an extremely boring gameplay (I'd say its a proficient plataformer).

    Also, i'm playing the game in PS5 and the controls seem to be completely normal, not unresponsive or clunky.    … Expand
  9. IndubitableTake
    Jun 29, 2023
    10
    Now standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the fantastic Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) and Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) duology comes The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. This epic tale from Daedalic Entertainment and Nacon offers gamers an opportunity to experience a journey through the eyes of Middle-earth’s most underrated character—the eponymous Gollum.

    This game takes place    Now standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the fantastic Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) and Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) duology comes The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. This epic tale from Daedalic Entertainment and Nacon offers gamers an opportunity to experience a journey through the eyes of Middle-earth’s most underrated character—the eponymous Gollum.

    This game takes place many decades after the events of The Hobbit, and features untold sequences that shed further light upon the darkness of Mordor, and the tragedy of Gollum. This title is a third-person, action-adventure game, featuring stealth and platforming across a variety of iconic destinations. Gollum provides a journey unlike any other, and should be a necessary addition to the collection of any self-respecting Middle-earth fan.

    Regarding story, this game definitely has something to say. I would hate to spoil this exhilarating twelve-hour tale, so I will keep details to a minimum. However, it must be noted that Gollum takes place parallel to the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, and happens to feature a similar level of vision, scale, and refinement in storytelling. With all this being said, there should be no question that the narrative alone is worth the price of admission. The “Precious Edition” is currently priced at $69.99 USD (tax not included, $2.99 “Emotes Pack” also not included).

    Regarding gameplay, this title is something you can absolutely play. The platforming mechanics rival that of the storied Uncharted franchise, offering a greater sense of verticality, production value, and fantastical adventure. The stealth gameplay is also exceptionally detailed and thought-out, constantly delivering sneaking experiences that are just as thrilling and polished as the platforming sequences. The stealth is so engaging, that it even makes the original stealth saga, Metal Gear Solid, noticeably obsolete and far less original by comparison. However, the real highlight of this game is the ability to make choices that critically impact key points of the narrative. Gamers can choose to side with either the good Sméagol side, or the evil Gollum side. This gameplay inclusion is very fitting of Gollum, and thus allows each of the qualities of such a complex and layered character to truly shine—namely his single-minded, shallow, and one-dimensional pursuit of the One Ring.

    A Gollum-led game is indubitably a concept that needed to be fleshed out and delivered one day. I am happy to report that after several delays, this idea has finally arrived at a playable state. The game delivers top-of-the-line graphics, and a narrative recounted with a stunningly large attention to detail. The constant texture pop-ins, FPS drops, and stuttering help to convey the fractured mind of the title’s eponymous protagonist, as he is pressured to retell his magical adventure. These efforts deserve commendation, and while the canon of Monolith Productions’s duology is up for debate, I would argue that Gollum is worthy of becoming canon along with The Rings of Power.

    While I personally do not have any notable criticisms to make of Gollum, I have seen a handful of critiques claiming that this game is deserving of universal disapproval. Complaints cite things like “it’s nothing but fetch quests,” “nobody wanted a Gollum game,” and “why?”. One notable commenter I saw kept on insisting that there are vastly superior games to play right now, such as Resident Evil 4 (2023), The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Street Fighter 6, and Final Fantasy XVI. To that I must say, I have already experienced Leon Kennedy murdering villagers in 2005, I have thrust my sword through Ganondorf on multiple occasions, I have caved Chun-Li’s face in as Ryu, and I have watched Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. I have not witnessed a journey as Gollum before. I do not support any of these blasphemous claims, as I have faced no such issues while playing this game. Regardless of these unjustified critiques, in addition to not actually owing a copy of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, I do own a PlayStation 5 home gaming console, which grants me authority to speak on this issue.

    In conclusion, I cannot recommend Middle-earth: Shadow of War enough, so please go out and purchase this product. Get ready for an orc-throttling good time!    … Expand
  10. Davidddddddd
    Aug 6, 2023
    10
    Perfeitooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
  11. TruthSeaker
    Aug 15, 2023
    10
    Top-tier game.
    Haters gonna hate tho.
    Gollum animations and VA alone deserve a pure 10/10
  12. JUICE__
    Aug 15, 2023
    10
    best game of 2023. TOTK and FF 16 have nothing compared to this. definetely goty 2023, no contest
  13. RolandOG
    Jun 4, 2023
    7
    The graphics on PS5 really aren’t bad. It even offers raytracing that runs at an acceptable frame rate. The characters have a certain art style that’s kind of cartoonish, which may contribute to the perception of just “bad”. I think the reviews are unfair and people are probably saying things without playing. That said, the main problem I’ve experienced is simply boring gameplay. So far,The graphics on PS5 really aren’t bad. It even offers raytracing that runs at an acceptable frame rate. The characters have a certain art style that’s kind of cartoonish, which may contribute to the perception of just “bad”. I think the reviews are unfair and people are probably saying things without playing. That said, the main problem I’ve experienced is simply boring gameplay. So far, it seems only the most tedious and repetitive cliches of gaming have been added— scale a marked area of the wall or cliff, hide in the tall grass, collect 8 name tags and turn them in. They understand Lord of the Rings, but I guess not modern gamers. Honestly, I don’t know how it could have worked anyway, since Golem isn’t known for being adept in intense combat in the way Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor/War was so great. I guess if you want a story, you definitely have it, and it’s a good one, but you might be fairly bored climbing and crawling around doing almost nothing between the good parts.… Expand
  14. PMG-Writer
    Jun 17, 2023
    7
    Fans of the movies and books can certainly do something with "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum". The plot continues to be told by Gollum and we are presented with new information. The character's inner conflict also comes across well. Unfortunately, there is a weak graphical splendor and a rather annoying control. Some moments in the game are good and many other passages have simply becomeFans of the movies and books can certainly do something with "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum". The plot continues to be told by Gollum and we are presented with new information. The character's inner conflict also comes across well. Unfortunately, there is a weak graphical splendor and a rather annoying control. Some moments in the game are good and many other passages have simply become weak and frustrating. Thus, "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum" has not become a bad game, but joins the long list of average games of the genre.… Expand
  15. FFGOTY2023
    Jul 11, 2023
    7
    Sinceramente mi dispiace, adoro lotr e sarebbe stato bello scoprire di più su gollum.
    Sicuramente un gioco che mi ha divertito più di zelda .
  16. Jt0429
    May 27, 2023
    5
    Good-
    Beautifully realized world; Tight and intuitive controls; Engaging story.
    Bad- Poor NPC designs; Rough animations; Poor pacing caused by out-of-place sequences not typical of the majority of the game; Not much depth to the overall gameplay. Thoughts- Despite being presented as a lonely creature, Gollum gets more attention than he might deserve in The Lord of the Rings:    Good-
    Beautifully realized world; Tight and intuitive controls; Engaging story.

    Bad-
    Poor NPC designs; Rough animations; Poor pacing caused by out-of-place sequences not typical of the majority of the game; Not much depth to the overall gameplay.

    Thoughts-
    Despite being presented as a lonely creature, Gollum gets more attention than he might deserve in The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. With average by-the-books platforming and stealth gameplay, there actually is a thoughtful and engaging story at the heart of Gollum. It’s up to fans of the genre to decide whether time spent on ordinary gameplay is worth experiencing Gollum’s history.    … Expand
  17. winzentween
    May 30, 2023
    3
    So the spoiler is...it stinks! It's so far from a "precious" game it's not funny despite countless online memes. And as a huge Tolkien fan who doesn't care about lore but appreciates quality story telling and the feel of middle earth, I'm gutted at the quality of this expensive game. I had hoped it be a side scrolling 2.5D 'moss like' game which I feel would have been far superior forSo the spoiler is...it stinks! It's so far from a "precious" game it's not funny despite countless online memes. And as a huge Tolkien fan who doesn't care about lore but appreciates quality story telling and the feel of middle earth, I'm gutted at the quality of this expensive game. I had hoped it be a side scrolling 2.5D 'moss like' game which I feel would have been far superior for this otherwise talented dev.

    t.    … Expand
  18. Zvone13
    May 26, 2023
    3
    as a huge LOTR fan and fanatic PS5 gamer...
    I,m playing this right now and I dont belive my eyes that this is the game I waited 2 months since i preorded. Shut down the studio that made this. Give it to some other studio for a remake.
    This in 2023. can't pass as a game. I'm frustrieted that this is my LOTR expirience in '23 when i compere it to somethig like Jedi Survivor being that im    as a huge LOTR fan and fanatic PS5 gamer...
    I,m playing this right now and I dont belive my eyes that this is the game I waited 2 months since i preorded. Shut down the studio that made this. Give it to some other studio for a remake.
    This in 2023. can't pass as a game. I'm frustrieted that this is my LOTR expirience in '23 when i compere it to somethig like Jedi Survivor being that im also a STAR WARS fan. I give this game 3/10. And that is gracious...    … Expand
  19. Shadow1234
    May 26, 2023
    2
    Normally I often read game reviews before I buy them to see what I am getting into. This was a blind buy because I am a LotR fan and thought I could expect a great game. I was very mistaken. Bought and played on PS5.

    Graphics: 3/10 I have seen better graphics on a PS3 game. These graphics are so outdated it is just not funny at all. I even tried setting the parameters to Quality and    Normally I often read game reviews before I buy them to see what I am getting into. This was a blind buy because I am a LotR fan and thought I could expect a great game. I was very mistaken. Bought and played on PS5.

    Graphics: 3/10
    I have seen better graphics on a PS3 game. These graphics are so outdated it is just not funny at all. I even tried setting the parameters to Quality and also tried Quality with Ray Tracing. Quality seemed very dull and bland, not much texture. Whereas Quality with Ray Tracing just made everything grainy, like looking at sand blowing in the wind.

    Movement/Controls: 3/10 Very bad and very basic. I have not experienced any of the glitches or bugs I am reading about like Gollum not grabbing a ledge when he should. But it just seems like there should have been more to it then walk/run and jump. You can occasionally kill an orc by choking him out, unless of course they are wearing a helmet. Which 98% of them are.. and the ones wearing a straw hat, ya that counts as a helmet i guess.

    Story: 6/10 The story is the one shining light to this game, however if you know nothing about the LotR universe then you will know nothing about this game or its story. It will seem hard to pick certain things up to, for example when Gollum continually talks about Shelob. He never mentions her name and only describes her so you wont know who he is talking about unless you know the lore.

    Lore: 1/10 They could have made this a big hit but instead its just collectibles scattered around the maps. No story behind them or what they are. For example one collectible is a bats wing..... and that's it. You have collected a bats wing.

    Overall 2/10 This is hands down one of the worst purchases I have made in many years and really, really regret it. Plus I got the DLC which makes it more expensive. By the way you don't need the DLC, it does nothing for the game unless you want to hear elves speak elvan and get some Gollum emotes. Which at the time of this writing neither work for me. It says "On" in the DLC menu. But I get nothing. You also get art and the games soundtrack... whatever.    … Expand
  20. bk1
    Jun 8, 2023
    2
    Disaster, so manu bugs, so bad graphics I've tried to finish it just for the story, but game bugs stopped me on chapter 9. Waste of money.
  21. SandraJCH
    Jun 8, 2023
    2
    I finished the game and I must say that it's a huge lost potential. As a LOTR fan and gamer, I'm very disappointed. The idea was good but the execution resembles something I would have expected to see perhaps 15 years ago. Apparently the project was too big for the development company to handle, they clearly didn't have experience making this kind of games as l've read so far they've onlyI finished the game and I must say that it's a huge lost potential. As a LOTR fan and gamer, I'm very disappointed. The idea was good but the execution resembles something I would have expected to see perhaps 15 years ago. Apparently the project was too big for the development company to handle, they clearly didn't have experience making this kind of games as l've read so far they've only done 2D click-point games. The graphics is just embarrassingly ugly, I guess they tried to give it a special fantasy look, but it didn't end well. Not pleasant to look at at all. NPCs were a bit boring and I've had a lot of issues with controlling of the character. The story was OK, I believe with better graphics, more side content and greatly improved variety of surrounding and performance, it would be a decent game. But in the current state I wish this game never happened and I do regret preordering it. They should have sold the idea to a company that was up to the challenge!… Expand
  22. Alexandrapepe
    May 28, 2023
    2
    Pior jogo de ps5, completamente horrível, mais vale atirar dinheiro á fogueira
  23. Besher
    Jun 19, 2023
    2
    Read the reader reviews people! Don't fall for this game because of the name!
  24. belikejunkie
    May 27, 2023
    1
    Worst product(it is not a game) i have ever played. Bad optimisation. Vomitous art. Plot and characters total garbage.
    DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY.
  25. danuffo
    May 26, 2023
    1
    Lo peor también es que no tiene traducción al cuarto idioma más hablado del mundo: Español de México.

    No me voy a cansar de decirlo, España es un pequeño país y son una minoría, no comprendo como con el portugués no hay traducción para Portugal pero sí a Brasil, la lógica va mal. Argumentos hay varios, las palabras tabú y lo modismos que no son correctamente hechos para nosotros.    Lo peor también es que no tiene traducción al cuarto idioma más hablado del mundo: Español de México.

    No me voy a cansar de decirlo, España es un pequeño país y son una minoría, no comprendo como con el portugués no hay traducción para Portugal pero sí a Brasil, la lógica va mal.

    Argumentos hay varios, las palabras tabú y lo modismos que no son correctamente hechos para nosotros.
  26. ehtaco
    May 28, 2023
    1
    Absolutely shocking game.

    This game and its developers and its publishers are everything wrong with modern-day gaming. Pathetic. Zero effort. Straight-up shovelware. Complete garbage. The state of this game would've been insulting as an early-gen PS3/360-era game. Nevermind nowadays. The worst part is that they officially released marketing footage and photos that were abysmal. The    Absolutely shocking game.

    This game and its developers and its publishers are everything wrong with modern-day gaming. Pathetic. Zero effort. Straight-up shovelware. Complete garbage. The state of this game would've been insulting as an early-gen PS3/360-era game. Nevermind nowadays.

    The worst part is that they officially released marketing footage and photos that were abysmal. The game looked awful even then. And somehow in the actual game, it got 10x worse. Every studio involved with this game is inept.

    I got my refund, so I'm all good. But I'd like it if nobody else gave these people a cent.    … Expand
  27. Kentonsxng
    Jun 6, 2023
    1
    During development and before release of this game, I wonder how many developers, studio executives and game testers decided to overlook the obvious flaws in this game, “The lord of the rings: Gollum.” How many people gave it their stamp of approval. I feel betrayed as both a Lord of the Rings fan and a gamer in general. The poor graphics, sloppy controls, bugs/glitches and uninspiredDuring development and before release of this game, I wonder how many developers, studio executives and game testers decided to overlook the obvious flaws in this game, “The lord of the rings: Gollum.” How many people gave it their stamp of approval. I feel betrayed as both a Lord of the Rings fan and a gamer in general. The poor graphics, sloppy controls, bugs/glitches and uninspired gameplay made me regret preordering this game. I wanted to love this game. I wanted it to succeed before it released because of my positive past experiences with the Peter Jackson Movies and PS4 generation games, Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War. Take a look at my other reviews if you’re thinking I’m just a bitter person. Most of my reviews are positive and upbeat. This game is $5 bargain bin, anecdotal fodder and hopefully a lesson learned for future LOTR games.… Expand
  28. skipperc3po
    May 27, 2023
    1
    Micro transaction for content that is normaly in the game.
    Game is sometimes not playable
  29. TheDeathOfMat
    Jun 2, 2023
    1
    Everyone responsible for this game should be dragged out of their homes by their ankles and whipped until they piss themselves. Never make games again.
  30. TheJoshV
    May 27, 2023
    1
    A game that was made with PS3/Xbox 360 graphics in this day and age priced for a AAA is just unacceptable. Game needs to be patched for every flaw it has. This is an obviously amateur product across every dimension, riddled with so many technical and creative design flaws. The game looks, sounds, and handles like a student project demonstrating their first legitimate wrangling of Unreal Engine.
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Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
33

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 56
  3. Negative: 46 out of 56
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 22, 2024
    20
    The graphics, the animation, the UI, everything here looks like we've gone back a good 17 years. The technical state of the game is also bad, reminiscent of clinical death, making the game almost unplayable. [Issue#328]
  2. PLAY
    Sep 17, 2023
    40
    A superb Gollum isn’t enough to save the game he’s been parachuted into, which is by turns dull and frustrating. It’s destined for Mount Doom (the bargain bins). [Issue#29, p.92]
  3. GameOver.gr
    Jul 23, 2023
    20
    From its abysmal graphics to its utter failure of delivering Middle Earth in any interesting way, this is an example of a game that should be scrapped from its concept inception.
    Read full review
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