Tales of the Shire: A Cozy Lord of the Rings Life Sim That Might Be Missing the Magic

Middle earth gets cozy in this Lord of the Rings Life Sim, but sadly forgets to invite the magic (at least so far)

Available on: PC, Nintendo Switch

Physical Copies*: Amazon

Genre: Life Sim, Cooking Sim

Developer: Wētā Workshop

Publisher: Private Division

How Cozy? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Game Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐ /5

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I’ve just started Tales of the Shire, the new Lord of the Rings themed game I’ve been excited for for well over a year now. But while I wanted it to be a new cozy favourite, the first couple of hours have left me a bit unsure. It's definitely cozy, but also a little... empty?

Still, I’m not giving up on it yet.

A Charming World, But Not a Magical One

Visually, the Shire is cute. Lots of meadows, pretty ponds and bridges to cross, flowers, birds butterflies, and the buildings look good. It’s not a technical masterpiece, theres some blocky textures and a few odd glitches here and there, but the art direction is charming in its own quiet way. I actually don’t mind how it looks.

What’s missing, though, is atmosphere. There was a nice moment when it started to rain and I thought, “Yes! Here we go…” but then it just sort of... existed. There’s cuteness here, but it’s not pulling me in emotionally, at least not yet.

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The Music’s Fine. Just… Fine.

It’s gentle, which suits the genre, but not especially memorable. For a game set in Middle-earth, I was hoping for something a bit more sweeping or magical. Instead, it kind of just floats in the background.

It does the job, but doesn’t stir much.

Cozy Tasks, But Not Cozy Characters

The early gameplay loop is pretty fetch-quest heavy. Find a book. Oh no, that person doesn’t have it. Try someone else. It’s a familiar cozy trope, but it’s delivered in a way that feels a little lazy, like it’s trying to stretch out the tutorial by making you run errands.

Only a few characters are actually interactable (maybe a quarter of the people I’ve seen so far?), and the first one who guides you through the basics is honestly bit dull. The humour didn’t land, and their personality felt paper thin.

Which is disappointing, because this is a world packed with lore and depth. I was hoping for characters with more layers and interesting qualities, something to ground me in the community I’m meant to be part of.

Cooking Starts Off Simple, But Gets Better

At first, I was disappointed by the cooking. Click to chop. Click to add. That’s it? For a game about running a cozy home and preparing meals, it felt too shallow.

But once I got a few recipes, the cooking mechanic opens up, adjusting taste and texture, smooth or chunky, tender or firm, and balancing ingredients to hit the “ideal dish.” I still wouldn’t call it deep, but it’s more thoughtful than it first appeared and I quite enjoyed the minigame.

Foraging, Fishing, Gardening & Daily Life

Foraging is pretty much what you’d expect: pick mushrooms and berries, maybe follow a butterfly to a hidden patch. Gardening is simple, plant, water, harvest, but crops grow fast, and it looks like you only grow what you need, rather than farming big fields. That feels manageable, in a nice way. Fishing was straight forward, cast your line and then a pull and release type method to prevent snagging your line, similar to the fishing in Spiritfarer. This may increase in difficulty with getting rarer fish overtime which I’d prefer.

The backpack is small early on, but the pantry holds more than I thought it would. I loved that the market updates daily with new clothes and items. Furniture and outfit customisation might end up being one of my favourite parts of the game.

So… Is It Worth Playing?

I don’t think the early reviews are wrong, but they might be a bit harsh. Tales of the Shire is cozy. There are warm colours, soft mechanics, and the pace is nice and slow. But so far, it feels a little hollow.

There’s no real story thread yet, the characters feel surface level, and the dialogue leans too hard on using the word “cozy” like it’s trying to manifest it. It wants to be comforting, but doesn’t quite know how to build connection yet.

Final Thoughts (for Now)

I’m going to keep going. There’s enough here that I’m curious, especially about the house customisation and how the cooking evolves. And visually, it’s relaxing to spend time in. But two hours in, I’m still waiting for it to give me something to care about.

So far? It’s cozy in theory, not in feeling. Pretty, but emotionally flat.

Have you tried Tales of the Shire yet? I’d love to know how it landed for you, especially if you found a spark I haven’t seen yet. Let’s chat below 🧡

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