While previews have already given gamers a good look atTales of the Shire, some of the game’s features have yet to be fully revealed. Players know the title will feature standard simulation gameplay, like farming, collecting resources, fishing, and cooking, but some details about its NPCs, decorative furniture and clothing, and events are still unknown. Hopefully, when these details aboutTales of the Shireare finally revealed, it will be clear that developer Weta Workshop has been taking inspiration from other titles in the simulation genre.
Several big-name IPs have entered the realm of simulation games over the last few years, withDisney Dreamlight ValleyandHello Kitty Island Adventurebeing two key examples. These games have clearly paved the way forTales of the Shire, which turns Tolkein’s world into a life sim, and they are perfect sources of inspiration for the game, perhaps even more so than simulation giants like theAnimal Crossingfranchise. In fact,Hello Kitty Island Adventureshould directly inspire one aspect ofTales of the Shire: its approach to events.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure Keeps Events on a Steady Rotation
Hello Kitty Island Adventurehas a lot of events, and they come in four different types; primary events that last between five and six weeks, secondary events that are shorter, flash events that last one to two days, and the daily calendar. These events are accessible to all players, regardless of how far they have progressed in the game. Five to six weeks may seem like a long stretch of time, but with multiple events sometimes running concurrently,Hello Kitty Island Adventurealways feels like it has new content to offer its playerbase. Most of theevents inHello Kitty Island Adventureinvolve earning the event’s specific currency by completing daily quests, interacting with characters, or finding them around Seaside Resort. Players can then claim their rewards via daily login, the event stand, or the shop.
The frequency ofHello Kitty Island Adventure’s events is specifically whatTales of the Shireshould emulate. In contrast to this approach isAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, which has limited events that coincide with real-world holidays and those that have been established over the course of the series, such as thefishing tourney and bug-off. Of course, holidays are a great excuse to add an event to a game, butHello Kitty Island Adventureis proof that constantly offering new gameplay experiences via events is a great way to keep players engaged.
Tales of the Shire Should Adopt HKIA’s Approach
Tales of the Shireshould have seasonal eventsthat are rooted in canon celebrations from the Tolkienverse, like the Hobbit holidays Yule and Liteh, but that should not be the end of things. Simple collection events, like a harvest competition, a cook-off, or a fishing tourney, could be the perfect way to bring even more activities to the game. While little information about this aspect ofTales of the Shirehas been officially shared, despite the early previews that are available, events that incorporate the types of gameplay that have been revealed, like fishing, farming, and foraging, seem like the most obvious route for the game to take.
Hello Kitty Island Adventureand theAnimal Crossingfranchise take different approaches to the simulation genre, and they both have features thatTales of the Shireshould take inspiration from. However, when it comes to events, theupcoming life simshould definitely look to replicateHello Kitty Island Adventure’s approach rather thanAnimal Crossing’s.
