Why ‘Gollum,’ the video game, has become the worst-reviewed game of the year

The much-awaited video game “Gollum” has received an overwhelming number of negative reviews on both PS5 and PC platforms. Paul Tassi, writing for Forbes, characterized it as “the worst-reviewed game on either platform in 2023.” At the time of writing, it has a 38 on Metacritic on PS5 and a 43 on PC. This game by a smaller developer Daedalic, with a lower budget than AAA games, currently charges a full $60, $70 for a special edition that paywalls things like emotes and elvish voiceovers.

The Games Critics’ Opinion

The games critics give much below-average ratings to the game “Gollum.” An excerpt from some leading critics is as follows:

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. So if the developers’ main goal was to really put you in the shoes of such a pitiful, unloveable character faced with constant pain and suffering at every turn, they were at least successful at that.”

Inverse (3/10) – “The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a messy and frustrating action platformer set in Middle-earth. … Most of the gameplay involves platforming and stealth, though neither works very well. Gollum is full of technical problems that make an otherwise unpleasant experience even worse, and the game’s boring story makes it hard to recommend, even to the most hardcore Lord of the Rings fans.”

IGN Spain (4/10) – “The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a stealth, action and platform adventure that has some interesting ideas, but lacks cooking. A video game of classic structure whose gaps are evident both in the narrative, as in the playable, technical, and aesthetic.”

The game has managed to get only one positive rating so far, that is a 7/10 rating from IGN Adria, which considers it to be a “surprisingly competent 3D platformer.”

Editorial and Advice

Most video game enthusiasts had high expectations for this particular game, especially because it featured a character from the famous “The Lord of the Rings” franchise. However, the game has failed in almost all critical aspects, and it is nowhere near the expected level of quality.

In general, the given reviews ascertain that “Gollum” is a game to be avoided. If we consider the average rating, then only one out of every three people can think of this game as a good purchase. In contrast, two-thirds of game enthusiasts have given this game a thumbs down.

Additionally, charging a full $60, $70 for a special edition where even basic features are paywalled, has invited criticism. This kind of practice could set a wrong precedent in the gaming industry and might not go down well with the players in the long run. It is not just a terrible game; it is also a terrible business practice.

In conclusion, it might be better for the developers to either improve the game’s glitches, bugs, and mechanics or withdraw the game altogether. As of now, it seems that “Gollum” is not worth the hype it generated, and there are better games to spend money on.