Summary
Tales of the Shireis the next highly anticipated cozy life sim game, especially forLord of the Ringsenthusiasts. Set in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth,Tales of the Shiregives players the opportunity of a lifetime: experience life as a Hobbit in theShire’s cozy village of Bywater.
As aLord of the Ringsgame,Tales of the Shirewill likely pull from the lore of the books as much as possible, and that is especially true of the Hobbits it represents. As such, it would do well to consider what food and cooking really mean to Hobbits and allow that truth to influence the full extent of its culinary features.
Tales of the Shire’s Cooking Needs to Consider The Lord of the Rings Lore
The Lord of the Rings' Hobbits Are Known for Their Love of Food
Canonically,The Lord of the Rings' Hobbits are known for their love of food. Not far into J. R. R. Tolkien’sThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Ringsbooks, it quickly becomes apparent just how hearty the appetite of a Hobbit truly is. This is largely due to the contented perspective of Hobbits, as they are more than satisfied with their lot in life and prefer to enjoy the fruits of Middle-earth rather than going on ambitious adventures for anything that might be considered greater.
Much of this contented nature is witnessed in other Hobbits being bewildered by a youngBilbo Bagginsleaving the Shire inThe Hobbitor a nervous Samwise Gamgee taking his first steps beyond “the farthest from home [he’s] ever been” inThe Lord of the Rings.
Even casual fans ofThe Lord of the Ringsfilms get a decent picture of the Hobbits' love for food. InThe Fellowship of the Ring, Pippin begins complaining about being hungry and then proceeds to describe all the meals he’s used to partaking in — breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper.
Then, at the beginning ofReturn of the King,Merry and Pippinare both seen feasting and smoking as they sit “on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts.” With such an extreme emphasis on the relationship between Hobbits and their food,Tales of the Shireneeds to ensure its Hobbits are given a wide range of ingredients to work with when cooking.
Tales of the Shire’s Hobbits Should Have a Wide Range of Ingredients at Their Disposal
One line in the official game description forTales of the Shirereads, “No Hobbit’s day is complete without food.” It then goes on to explain all the different ways players will be able to invest in their culinary endeavors. As such, it is clear that cooking will be one ofTales of the Shire’s key features. Based on what has been revealed so far, players will be fishing, gardening, and foraging for ingredients to use in their home-cooked meals. However, due to Hobbits' known love for food,Tales of the Shireneeds to make sure this list of ingredients is extensive, as it would be disappointing to cook only a handful of dishes.
According to what has been shown in the game’s screenshots and video footage, the list of ingredients seems rather short, especially when it comes to what can be planted in the garden. Most of the gardens revealed by the game so far are largely filled with flowers along with a few vegetables and fruits here and there.
It would be ideal ifTales of the Shirewas to take Hobbits' love for food seriously and eventually grant players access to an almost overwhelming number of crops, recipes, meal opportunities, and other food-related activities. Only then wouldTales of the Shirefeel like an authentic Hobbit experience. At the very least,Tales of the Shireneeds potatoes — for meme’s sake.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic names in entertainment. The franchise started with novels from J. R. R. Tolkien before being adapted onto the big screen by Peter Jackson in one of the most critically-acclaimed film trilogies of all time. There have also been numerous The Lord of the Rings video games of varying quality.
