Unfortunately, the stumbles over this great potential and the result is very disappointing.
While there may be a lot to see here, there is almost nothing to do.
Master craftsman
Return to Moriastarts strong with a customization menu thats surprisingly detailed and fun to use.
Ive always loved the Dwarves for their unique style, which has never shied away from non-binary features.
Luckily,Return to Moriamanaged to stay true to this essence with its customization options.
Unfortunately, this was the first and the last time I was pleasantly surprised.
Unfortunately, what I was greeted with was much less impressive.
Thanks to this poignant moment, Ill start rereading the books.
Most of the spaces look remarkably similar.
So much so that its very easy to get lost in the endless halls.
I wanted to reclaim Moria for its rightful owners, the Dwaves, so badly.
I set out with grand expectations of building magnificent dining halls and creating vast mining networks.
The crafting options were limited to basic forging tools, walls, and ceilings.
It was even impossible to use warm decorations such as carpets or curtains to create unique spaces.
Orc-estrated attacks
There are more than just aggressive badgers and wolves in the mines, though.
These green menaces arrive in groups of three or five, armed with swords and axes.
However, if you are close by, then youre high on their hit list.
If you have an iron sword on your hip, then these attacks are more frustrating than fearsome.
The orcs found in these mines simply arent as terrifying as my younger self remembered.
Its also annoying how, no matter where you are, these raiders always find you.
Theres no way to prevent incoming attacks or disengage from fights without dying.
Im just trying to sweep up the market; I dont want to engage in some bar-side brawls.
They arent the only ones to get stuck in precarious locations, either.
On my travels through the mines, I often encountered badgers who were wedged into the walls.
Unfortunate misstep
So, unfortunately, its another sad day forLord of the Ringsfans.
Besides the setting, theres not much else to celebrate inReturn to Moria.
Accessibility
There’s not much in the way of accessibility tweaks inReturn to Moria.
However, you could change the volume levels for voice and UI effects if you want a quieter playthrough.
How we reviewed
I playedLord of the Rings:Return to Moriafor around 10 hours on PC.
