The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has finally arrived after multiple delays over the past couple of years. But the wait may not be worth the return to Middle-earth in this stealth-based game from developer Daedalic Entertainment, judging from early reviews.

　　Over on Gamespot sister site Metacritic, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum currently sports a metascore of 38 based on 21 reviews. Critics have noted game-breaking bugs, other technical issues, boring gameplay, and rough visuals. One bright spot for the stealth game mentioned by a couple of writers is the story for Smeagol's adventure.

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　　Now Playing: The Lord of the Rings: Gollum | Gameplay Showcase Trailer

　　That said, so far the game is one of the worst-reviewed of 2023. GameSpot's The Lord of the Rings: Gollum review calls it "an unbridled disaster of truly epic--like, Tolkien-level epic--proportions."

　　The game is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. A Switch release is planned for later this year. For more, check out other reviews for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum below:

　　

GameSpot -- 2/10

"Much like Gollum's quest for the One Ring, my quest to complete The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was full of endless setbacks, impossible odds, and ever-increasing levels of madness. And, like Gollum, my journey was doomed from the start." -- Sam Pope [Full review]

　　

Inverse -- 3/10

"Even aside from all the technical issues, terrible platforming, boring gameplay, and abysmal visuals, Gollum simply does not work as a video game protagonist. If you had any concerns the first time you saw the trailer, know that you were right. I wouldn't recommend playing The Lord of the Rings: Gollum if you get it for free, much less paying $50 for it." -- Joseph Yaden [Full review]

　　

GamesRadar -- 2/5

"Ultimately, it's difficult not to come out of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum with a sour taste in the mouth. You can see glimmers of Deadalic's intent to create a different kind of Lord of the Rings game throughout, particularly in the ways it manifests its unlikely hero's unique psychological state, but those bright spots are quickly lost amidst all the other ways Gollum stumbles in its execution." -- Alex Avard [Full review]

　　

Shacknews -- 6/10

"There's no doubt in my mind that Lord of the Rings fans will appreciate a lot of what Gollum is offering. It's genuinely cool seeing such a fascinating side character step into the protagonist role in a story that further expands on a universe teeming with secrets to discover. It's a bummer that there isn't much else to write home about. A dull gameplay experience and technical hiccups make The Lord of the Rings: Gollum just as much of a polarizing experience as its main character." -- Donovan Erskine [Full review]

　　

Push Square -- 2/10

"The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a broken mess of a game. There are barely any redeeming qualities to be found amidst what can only be described as a massive missed opportunity." -- Aaron Bayne [Full review]

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