WithTales of the Shirebeing pushed back till July, the indie simulation game has time to nail down the exact details of its gameplay. This changed release date is likely due to the game’s early access period, which received mixed reviews from players and critics alike. Therefore, some information aboutTales of the Shire’s gameplay has been revealed to the public. But details like the names of the game’s NPCs still remain in the dark.
However, the developers at Weta Workshop have confirmed that buildingrelationships withTales of the Shire’s NPCsis an integral part of gameplay. Players must cook meals, collect items, and complete quests to build relationships with the various Hobbits that inhabit the Shire. In particular, heavy emphasis has been placed on cooking and shared meals, suggesting that food will be one of the most successful ways to increase friendship levels withTales of the Shire’s NPCs.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure Should Inspire Tales of the Shire’s Friendship Rewards
But with Friendship Levels being a confirmedaspect ofTales of the Shire, it would be unsurprising to see Friendship Rewards incorporated into the game as well. Plenty of simulation games have this feature, though it differs from title to title. For example,Disney Dreamlight ValleyandHello Kitty Island Adventurewill give players a new unique reward as each Friendship level is completed. Other games will give players rewards after every quest or generic non-Villager-specific rewards after each Friendship Level.
Out of the various simulation titles that feature this gameplay mechanic,Tales of the Shireshould follow in the footsteps ofHello Kitty Island Adventurespecifically. Both games already have several similarities, namely that they are both simulation games under big-name IPs, Sanrio and the Tolkien Verse, respectively. WhileHello Kitty Island AdventureandDisney Dreamlight Valleyshare a Friendship Rewardsmodel level-by-level,Hello Kitty Island Adventurepresents players who have reached the Max Friendship Level with a Villager with a unique opportunity.
Players who give a Villager they have achieved Best Friends status with a gift will receive a Character Gift Box themed to that specific Villager. For example, if a player has Best Friends status with Hello Kitty and gives her an item, she will give them a Hello Kitty Box corresponding to the number of hearts the initial gift was worth.
What Tales of the Shire’s Character Boxes Could Look Like
Having unique character-themed gift boxes likeHello Kitty Island Adventurewould be a great way to establish the names and specific personality traits ofTales of the Shire’s Villagers. This would be even better ifTales of the Shirealso follows the items that are present in these boxes. Regular-sized Character Boxes have unique Collector’s Hats in them corresponding with the box’s character. For example, the Hello Kitty Box has a Hello Kitty Collector’s Hat. Of course,Tales of the Shireshould choose a unique Tolkien Verse item for its exclusive Character Box rewards. One option is a pipe, considering that both Gandalf andBilbo Bagginshave a fondness for the item.
There’s a high chance thatTales of the Shire’s NPCs will be entirely new creations for the game.Tales of the Shireis set between the events ofThe Hobbitand theLord of the Ringstrilogy, meaning characters like Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry are unfortunately out of the picture as Villagers. This puts even more pressure on establishingTales of the Shire’s Villagers, as games likeDisney Dreamlight ValleyandHello Kitty Island Adventurehave the benefit of established characters on their rosters. Nevertheless, character-themed Friendship Reward boxes would be a great way to establishTales of the Shire’s Villagers while also giving players new content.
