Tales of the Shire Already Has the Ideal Candidate for its Version of One Stardew Valley Character

Amid a resurgence in Lord of the Rings games, the latest title set in Middle-Earth, Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game, takes a surprising approach to Tolkien’s legendary world. Rather than having players embark on an epic adventure or reclaim a lost world, Tales of the Shire is a slice-of-life farming sim game similar to titles like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, set within the home of Middle-Earth’s Hobbits. Tales of the Shire definitely wears its Stardew Valley inspiration on its sleeve, and the game already has the perfect Lord of the Rings character to fill the role of one of Stardew Valley‘s most iconic inhabitants.

The recent trailer for Tales of the Shire couldn’t have come at a better time, as Stardew Valley‘s 1.6 update has brought a resurgence in the farming sim genre that has seemingly become oversaturated in recent years. Recent Lord of the Rings games have been hit or miss, with The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria receiving middling reviews, and The Lord of the Rings: Gollum being critically panned, but Tales from the Shire is in a great position to hit that sweet spot between Middle-Earth’s epic fantasy setting and the cozy, casual fun of a life sim. One way the game can achieve success is by having its own version of Stardew Valley‘s Wizard in Gandalf.

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Gandalf Could Be Tales of the Shire’s Version of Stardew Valley’s Wizard

Stardew Valley fans are likely well-acquainted with the game’s resident Wizard, a reclusive sorcerer by the name of M. Rasmodius who makes his home in the Wizard’s Tower far to the west of Pelican Town. Initially, this location is inaccessible to Stardew Valley players, and they need to first receive an invitation to enter the home of the Wizard. However, this invitation is worth the wait, since the Wizard offers Stardew Valley players some of the most interesting quests in the game, and is a great character to befriend.

The Lord of the Rings series has its own iconic wizard, Gandalf, who would be the ideal candidate to play a similar role in Tales of the Shire. Gandalf already has a history of visiting the Shire, given that he is friends with Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and often joins them for a meal at their home at Bag End. As such, it seems like a no-brainer for Tales of the Shire to feature Gandalf as an NPC in the game, potentially functioning similarly to Stardew Valley‘s Wizard.

How Gandalf Might Fit into Tales of the Shire

The main function of the Wizard in Stardew Valley is to provide players with the ability to communicate with the Junimos, the forest spirits that act as guardians of the Community Center. Aside from this role, the Wizard is also an important NPC in several Stardew Valley questlines, including the Dark Talisman questline and the Goblin Problem questline. Gandalf could similarly be a source of quests in Tales of the Shire, giving players various tasks to do in exchange for knowledge of the world outside the Shire, potentially helping them translate things like Elven texts.

Gandalf is also known for attending the parties thrown by the Hobbits of the Shire, often bringing fireworks to impress the young Hobbits in attendance. Perhaps Gandalf could appear in Tales of the Shire as a merchant who sells the player magical items such as fireworks, only appearing on certain days or during festivals. Given how iconic Gandalf is in The Lord of the Rings series, and his longtime friendship with the Hobbits, it only makes sense for this wizard to appear in Tales of the Shire in some capacity.

The Lord of the Rings

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J. R. R. Tolkien

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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

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