Lord of the Rings games have been hit or miss over the years, though there hasn’t been a shortage of them to say the least. While classics such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Return of the King, and The Battle for Middle-earth are still regarded among the greatest licensed games ever made, other releases have struggled to live up to Tolkien’s legendary world.
Even the acclaimed Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War were quite divisive among longtime fans thanks to their loose interpretation of the source material, despite the revolutionary Nemesis System. More recent efforts like the infamous The Lord of the Rings: Gollum were undisputed flops, while titles such as Return to Moria and Tales of the Shire received mixed reception.
Thankfully, Warhorse Studios, the developer behind the Kingdom Come series, is officially working on an ambitious open-world Middle-earth RPG, promising the kind of immersive, narrative-driven experience many believe could finally deliver the definitive Lord of the Rings adventure fans have been waiting for.
That said, it’s likely to be some time before it sees the light of day, but fortunately, there’s a brand-new RPG release titled Of Orcs & Evil Things dropping this September to keep us busy in the interim (via Backerkit).
Of Orcs & Evil Things is a brand-new bestiary being released for Free League’s The One Ring 5E counterpart, The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying. Releasing as part of a triple offering that includes Creatures Strange and Foul, The White Tower & The Hall of Gold, and a new core rulebook edition, the new crowdfunding campaign officially kicks off this September.
And just as Of Orcs & Evil Things is launching as the 5E counterpart to Creatures Strange and Foul, The White Tower & The Hall of Gold will also receive a 5E adaptation titled Realms of the South. This is a full campaign expansion “dedicated to the lands of Gondor and Rohan… exploring the last great realms of Men in the west of Middle-earth, where ancient traditions still endure in the shadow of the Enemy.”
Of Orcs & Evil Things promises new “enemies from the shadows of the Third Age, including Black Númenórean spies, Haradrim champions, and ancient evils from forgotten ages.” While details are sparse at the moment, the official Backerkit page is up in preview now and will go live in September, though you can reserve a spot for just $1 today and claim a unique dice bag while you’re at it.
The One Ring and Lord of the Rings Roleplaying are well worth checking out if you’re a fan looking for more faithful adaptations of Tolkien’s work and have been a bit disheartened by recent releases in the Lord of the Rings franchise, and these are sure to tide you over as you wait for the release of Warhorse’s exciting new open-world RPG.