
A pinch of salt. Some careful chopping to leave everything chunky. A pinch of salt. Some simmering to make sure the fish is cooked well. Yet another pinch of salt. My neighbor in Hobbiton asked for a salty dish, and I'm not about to have them be disappointed.
So it goes in Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game from Wētā Workshop and Private Division, a decidedly different title compared to many of the prior video game adventures set in the world of Middle-earth. During Summer Game Fest 2024, I got to play Tales of the Shire for about 25 minutes, cooking meals, going fishing, and merrily bounding through the safe locality of the Shire.