AsTales of the Shireis a cousin of other cozy games likeAnimal CrossingandStardew Valley, it will expectedly provide players with plenty of creative opportunities, including the ability to decorate their own home. Home decoration is a popular feature in cozy games, as it gives players a chance to customize their own place of respite, even in games where the world outside isn’t even demanding enough to merit an occasional break. InTales of the Shire, players will be allowed to live in and decorate their very own Hobbit hole with grid-free placement, and it’s likely some of this decor will be purchasable while others may be craftable.
While home decoration will likely be a significant and popular aspect ofTales of the Shire’s gameplay, a big part of the game’s story revolves around players helping the village of Bywater reach village status, much like the typical premise of theAnimal Crossingseries. As such, this means players should, in theory, have some direct influence over Bywater as a whole. Still, this would require some of the focus to eventually be taken off of home decoration and put on the homes, businesses, and landmarks within the village itself. For that reason,Tales of the Shire’s indoor decor should only be the beginning.
Tales of the Shire Should Feature City-Building Mechanics Like Other Cozy Games
Tales of the Shire Should Allow Players to Directly Influence the Growth of Bywater
ForTales of the Shire’s Bywaterto reach village status, it will likely require players to reach a specific population milestone. This wouldn’t be an unfamiliar mechanic toAnimal Crossingveterans, as that series has entertained the idea of players getting other characters to move to their island for some time now.
In the same way, perhaps Hobbit pilgrims would make their way into Bywater looking for a home inTales of the Shire, and then players would be responsible for deciding whether to build them a house or politely tell them to move on.
Furthermore, this might also require players to be in charge of what other infrastructure might be built inTales of the Shire’s Bywater. In that case, players should then be able to directly influence what shops, inns, or picnic areas would be present in Bywater and where they would be placed. Finally, after building a new villager’s home, players should be allowed to fully decorate it, much like they can inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons' Happy Home Paradise DLC.
Tales of the Shire Should Let Players Decorate Bywater With Vegetation and Landmarks
Tales of the Shiremight also be remiss to not allow players some degree of influence over Bywater’s cosmetic appearance. Perhaps players could plant flowers and trees anywhere in the village, or place ponds for fishing and eye-catching natural fountains for some additional flair.
It might also be good for players to have access to an array of landmarks, especially if they areLord of the Rings-themed for a little extra fan service. A stone statue ofFrodo Bagginsor Samwise Gamgee would presumably put a smile on the faces ofLord of the Ringsfans.
It’s currently unclear whatTakes of the Shirewill feature in terms of building up Bywater. It can be assumed that players will have some control over Bywater as a whole, rather than being tied down to the indoor decor of their Hobbit hole, especially with the game’s premise of Bywater reaching village status. However, ifTales of the Shirereally is anAnimal Crossingclone, all of that can be expected, and the comparison then wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.
