For someone like me who is desperate to get stuck into any whimsical life sim, Tales of the Shire sounds like a perfect match. On paper, it promises a cosy life in Middle-earth, filled with farming, decorating, cooking, and fishing. But the demo exhibits a desperate attempt to make a cosy game while the subgenre is so popular rather than focusing on building a game that welcomes new Lord of the Rings fans while letting long-time ones live out the dream of living as a hobbit. As a result you’re currently met with something that lacks an identity and is frankly just disappointing.

To start, a lot of it is boring. There’s no better way to put it. And that’s coming from someone who has put thousands of hours into plenty of life and farming simulators which revolve around a very simple task. Farming feels pretty pointless, aside from getting ingredients to cook, and there’s a lot you can cook without having to farm, which quickly stripped my willingness to do it in the first place. In the demo, you’re limited to only having five planters as well, rather than being able to customise and streamline your own farming space. 



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