Indie developer Free Range Games and publisher North Beach Games have announced the release date for their upcoming co-op survival crafting title, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. The game takes players beyond the books and into the Fourth Age of Middle-earth, the fantastical world created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Summoned to the Misty Mountains by Lord Gimli Lockbearer, players take control of a company of Dwarves tasked to reclaim the lost spoils from the Dwarven homeland of Moria (known as Khazad-dûm or Dwarrowdelf) in the depths below their very feet. Their quest will take them deep into the Mines of Moria to recover its treasures in the hopes of one day restoring them to their former glory.
In The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria players will create their own custom Dwarf before venturing into the cavernous mines of Moria alone or together with a company of fellow Dwarves online. Each adventure into the depths will bring unique challenges and opportunities through the use of procedurally generated environments. As they venture ever deeper, the Dwarves will need to ensure their metal is ready to meet the dangers that lie within, crafting resilient armors and finely honed weapons capable of protecting against and defeating all manner of goblin, arachnoid, or more mysterious foes they may encounter. Excavate the mysteries of the Misty Mountains, extract precious metals prized by Dwarves, rebuild and refire forges that have long since gone cold, and learn the secret of the Shadow that lurks within.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will be released digitally on October 24 for PlayStation 5 and PC via Epic Games Store. A physical release for PlayStation will hit store shelves on December 5. The game is also expected to release on Xbox Series X|S consoles in early 2024 though there is no exact date yet. You can watch the new IGN gameplay preview for a better look at the game below.
