Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Gameis set for release on July 29. It will allow players to create a hobbit who lives in the Shire village of Bywater. The first cozyLord of the Ringsgame, there are high expectations surroundingTales of the Shire, and it is important that the game tries to live up to the standards set by theLord of the Ringsbooks and movies. This is easier said than done, though, andLord of the Ringsgames are often unable to recreate the magic of their source material.
Part of the magic in theLord of the Ringsmovies stems from their memorable music. Music is incredibly important in both movies and games, as it establishes the setting, tone, and atmosphere, and it is a big part of the audience’s engagement with, and connection to, the story. It’s no less important in cozy games, which have some leeway to have music that’s more simplistic, andTales of the Shireis under unique pressure to have music that approaches the quality of the scores in theLord of the Ringsmovies.
Capturing the Shire in The Lord of the Rings' Music
TheLord of the Ringsmovies are considered by many to be among the greatest book-to-movie adaptations of all time. A big reason why the movies are so memorable is their music, which has becomeiconic for manyThe Lord of the Ringsfansand gives voice to the cultures found in Middle-earth. The Shire isn’t excluded, and hobbit culture is captured in the movies' music in several iconic themes.
Tales of the Shire’s music needs to hit the same notes as the music in theLord of the Ringsmovies. Whilethe Shire doesn’t have the same grandeuras places like Rivendell, Minas Tirith, or Mordor, its charm was still captured inThe Lord of the Rings' music, with “Concerning Hobbits"serving as a standout piece. The sound of the Shire is distinct, and"Concerning Hobbits"uses strings and woodwind instruments that could possibly be played by the Shire’s residents. The piece is also composed in a major key that reflects the whimsy and tranquility of life in a countryside village.
The Importance of Music in Tales of the Shire
Players can spend hundreds of hours in cozy games, and music plays a major role in establishing the mood, atmosphere, and setting of the game.Tales of the Shire’s challenge is to offer music that not only does all of that, but also captures the same spirit as theLord of the Ringsmovies. WhileTales of the Shireis based on the books, not the movies, the films' scores are incredible sources from which inspiration can be drawn. Additionally,Tales of the Shireis being developed by Weta, a company that played a significant role in theLord of the Ringsmovies, creating a closer link between the two properties.
Tales of the Shiredoesn’t need to hire Howard Shore,The Lord of the Rings' composer, nor does the music need to copy the movies. The game does need to have music with a unique identity, though, and its compositions need to create a warm feeling like “Concerning Hobbits” does. Asong inspired by “Concerning Hobbits"could act asTales of the Shire’s theme song, and music with the same instruments could work as the basis for the game’s score. An ideal musical score would be as simple asThe Lord of the Rings' score for the Shire, but it must also differ enough so that it does not become repetitive for players.
