Living in a hole in the ground right now sounds like the perfect thing to do. “Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing to sit down on or eat” but “a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.” Tales of the Shire’s entire point is just to be a hobbit. Developed by Wētā Workshop and published by Private Division, Tales of the Shire is best described as a cozy Hobbit life sim set in the Middle-earth universe of J.R.R. Tolkien.
More importantly, this game establishes a unique identity in games about Middle-earth: it’s cozy. Despite what those who have only watched the Peter Jackson trilogy will say, Tolkien’s world isn’t just about swords and great wars. It’s also about the things we protect and fight for and the joy that makes that space perfect. Games, in kind, don’t always need to be a world-saving battle or struggle against dark forces.
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Tales of the Shire hits every box on the cozy game list. You craft, cook, decorate, garden, customize, fish, and really explore the Shire. To the Green Dragon and more, Tales of the Shire is just life. It’s a cute and cozy life, but that’s it. The game loop it offers can get repetitive; it’s none more so than others in the genre. Some core systems, like cooking and decorating your home, exceed the standard.
Tales of the Shire has over 100 recipes. Tending to your garden and learning new recipes is its own rabbit hole to explore, and cooking those recipes isn’t just pressing one button. You individually prepare each item and then cook the meal entirely. Akin to Palia’s system, the dinners you throw with the food you prepare is where the game finds its real charm. Cooking isn’t just about buffs; it’s about building your connection to Bywater.
As we noted in our preview coverage from Summer Game Fest, Tales of the Shire allows you to customize yourself. There are body sliders, no interlocking choices, and various skin tones and hairstyles. Additionally, the fashion system in the game is applied in interactive layers depending on the items you equip. But the real joy of crafting your Hobbit experience comes from defining your personality. From neutral to grumpy to joyous and a few more in between, picking your personality impacts how you walk through Bywater, your resting animations, and how you interact with those around you.
Tales of the Shire also focuses heavily on replicating Hobbit life as you explore and build your life in Bywater. This comes from a slower-paced day/night system, the importance of inviting your neighbors to dinner, and bartering instead of focusing on gaining gold. Tales of the Shire is one of the first cozy games where I feel entirely compelled to talk to every villager and not to romance them (shoutout to Palia). I want to get to know them, I want to be a part of Bywater, and more importantly, I want to cook them a meal.
If you are easily invested in building communal experiences, then Tales of the Shire is absolutely something for you. Here, you’re encouraged to meet and learn from others. As much as you can focus on decorating your home (something I probably spent way too much time focusing on for the purpose of this preview), you can also spend it making sure that Bywater feels like home. It’s a small touch, but a bit that goes a long way for fans who identify the life of Hobbits by their community. As much as the Hobbits we know continually adventure, missing the Shire is also a bedrock of their experiences. It’s a home to return to and to protect, even if adventure and wanderlust call you away.
Additionally, Tales of the Shire has a stellar navigation system worldwide. With a clearly hand-illustrated map, navigation help for “quests” comes from a little bird that delicately guides you through the world. Never intrusive, its inclusion is a smart element of immersion that showcases how in harmony you are with the Shire. It also makes it hard to get lost despite how large the expiration area is.
If there is any issue to be called out, it’s some inconsistency in the graphics quality across the environment and character models. With a hyper-stylized art style, the differences between the majestic landscape and the Hobbit avatar can sometimes feel disjointed. However, once you settle in, it becomes more charming than anything else.
Ultimately, a hobbit-hole means comfort, and there’s no better way to capture the beauty and community of the Shire than with this game. Cozy, thoughtful, and clearly made with love and reverence for Tolkien, Wētā Workshop has given me joy I can’t explain.
Tales of the Shire releases March 25, 2025.
