Developer Free Range Games and publisher North Beach Games have announced The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, a procedurally generated co-op survival game starring Dwarves that is coming to PC via the Epic Games Store exclusively in spring 2023. Announced at the Epic Games Summer Showcase, it will tell an original story about a journey to restore the Dwarven homeland of Moria. Free Range and North Beach describe the game as the “only survival crafting game set in the Fourth Age of Middle-earth.”
This sprawling adventure takes place in the dark mines of Moria, with players required to craft, build, and explore if they want to survive the dangers that may lurk around each procedurally generated corner. Though each cave deep dive allows players to group up with friends online, the game can be played solo as well. Catch a glimpse of the underground journey in the The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria announcement trailer below.
Return to Moria looks to give players the freedom and tools to succeed in a claustrophobic world that rewards creativity. You and your dwarven allies will band together to conserve resources and manage temperature, noise levels, and even sleep when you’re down in the mines. Free Range and North Beach add that, in addition to Orcs, there are “unspeakable evils” that await. You’ll fight these foes off as you bring light to the moody subterranean environments.
Dwarves in The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria can loot and craft weapons and gear, too, meaning you won’t be fighting back completely unarmed. Progression will then see players upgrading their tools, making survival all the more likely. The land of Moria has much in store for those looking for a reason to return to Middle-earth, so keep checking in for more news on a release date early next year. In the meantime, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum launches this September.
