Tales of the Shire Would Feel Incomplete if It Fumbles One…

Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game is set for release on July 29. It will allow players to create a hobbit who lives in the Shire village of Bywater. The first cozy Lord of the Rings game, there are high expectations surrounding Tales of the Shire, and it is important that the game tries to live up to the standards set by the Lord of the Rings books and movies. This is easier said than done, though, and Lord of the Rings games are often unable to recreate the magic of their source material.

Part of the magic in the Lord of the Rings movies stems from their memorable music. Music is incredibly important in both movies and games, as it establishes the setting, tone, and atmosphere, and it is a big part of the audience's engagement with, and connection to, the story. It's no less important in cozy games, which have some leeway to have music that's more simplistic, and Tales of the Shire is under unique pressure to have music that approaches the quality of the scores in the Lord of the Rings movies.

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By Aaron McKinley

Capturing the Shire in The Lord of the Rings' Music

The Lord of the Rings movies are considered by many to be among the greatest book-to-movie adaptations of all time. A big reason why the movies are so memorable is their music, which has become iconic for many The Lord of the Rings fans and gives voice to the cultures found in Middle-earth. The Shire isn't excluded, and hobbit culture is captured in the movies' music in several iconic themes.

Tales of the Shire's music needs to hit the same notes as the music in the Lord of the Rings movies. While the Shire doesn't have the same grandeur as places like Rivendell, Minas Tirith, or Mordor, its charm was still captured in The Lord of the Rings' music, with "Concerning Hobbits" serving as a standout piece. The sound of the Shire is distinct, and " Concerning Hobbits" uses strings and woodwind instruments that could possibly be played by the Shire's residents. The piece is also composed in a major key that reflects the whimsy and tranquility of life in a countryside village.

The Importance of Music in Tales of the Shire

Players can spend hundreds of hours in cozy games, and music plays a major role in establishing the mood, atmosphere, and setting of the game. Tales of the Shire's challenge is to offer music that not only does all of that, but also captures the same spirit as the Lord of the Rings movies. While Tales of the Shire is based on the books, not the movies, the films' scores are incredible sources from which inspiration can be drawn. Additionally, Tales of the Shire is being developed by Weta, a company that played a significant role in the Lord of the Rings movies, creating a closer link between the two properties.

Tales of the Shire doesn't need to hire Howard Shore, The Lord of the Rings' composer, nor does the music need to copy the movies. The game does need to have music with a unique identity, though, and its compositions need to create a warm feeling like "Concerning Hobbits" does. A song inspired by "Concerning Hobbits" could act as Tales of the Shire's theme song, and music with the same instruments could work as the basis for the game's score. An ideal musical score would be as simple as The Lord of the Rings' score for the Shire, but it must also differ enough so that it does not become repetitive for players.

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