The upcoming Lord of the Rings video game, Lord of the Rings: Gollum, has the opportunity to shed light on the series' least-understood character, and show his origins as Sméagol. Sméagol was Gollum's identity before his acquisition of the One Ring, but little is known about him aside from a few key facts. Since Gollum is the main character of LOTR: Gollum, the game could show players who he was before the ring corrupted him, and solve one of the biggest mysteries in the series.
Gollum was once Sméagol, a Stoorish Hobbit living with his extended family. After he and his brother, Déagol, found the One Ring in a river, Sméagol killed him and took it for himself, before using it in insidious ways until the family matriarch cast him out. At some point, he came to reside in the Misty Mountains, where he remained until Bilbo stole the ring from him. LOTR: Gollum's protagonist is hard to sympathize with, so many fans were rooting for Bilbo instead of feeling sorry for Gollum. He set out in search of it, but was unable to find Bilbo. After becoming the servant of the giant spider Shelob and trying to feed Frodo and Samwise Gamgee to her, Gollum shadowed them until they reached the Crack of Doom, where he bit Frodo's finger off and fell into the lava along with the Ring, destroying them both.
Although Gollum is possibly the most well-known and influential character in the series, even more so than Bilbo or Frodo, little is known about his early life as Sméagol. LOTR: Gollum has the chance to change that and finally reveal who Sméagol was before he became Gollum. His descent into madness could have an impact on the gameplay, or even the game as a whole. LOTR: Gollum's Gandalf looks nothing like the movies' version, so there's plenty else that could change. If it decides to break far enough away from canon, then players could have a choice of accepting the Ring or rejecting its influence on Sméagol.
LOTR: Gollum Could Show Players Sméagol's Life
Sméagol's brief appearance in the Lord of the Rings movie contrasts starkly with Gollum. He's almost unrecognizable, which truly drives home just how much the One Ring has affected his mind and body. There's so much of Sméagol that's still unknown, which is unusual for the Lord of the Rings series given its reputation for deeply wrought-out backstories. Every tiny detail about his life isn't necessary for the story, but some information on Sméagol is hopefully coming, so that players can truly understand who he was before he became the series' famous wretch. Gollum's skipped LOTR movie plots could become major arcs in LOTR: Gollum, and show fans more of both Gollum and Sméagol than they've ever seen before.
If LOTR: Gollum chooses not to start players out in the Misty Mountains when Gollum was already deep in the throes of madness, then a time before Sméagol and Déagol discovered the One Ring is the next logical starting point. Being able to control Sméagol in his average life living with the rest of the Stoorish Hobbits, at least for some part of the early game, would give players some understanding of Gollum's previous identity. Meeting his family, showing who he was close to and perhaps even who he had as a romantic partner, and then finding the Ring, killing Déagol, and seeing the aftermath and events that led him to settle in the Misty Mountains could be a great way for the game to expand on Gollum's background. LOTR: Gollum doesn't make much sense if it's only what fans have already seen, so players could delight in learning more about Sméagol.
LOTR: Gollum - Sméagol's Descent Could Affect Gameplay
If LOTR: Gollum does indeed show Sméagol before he became Gollum, then his corruption could be a major part of how the game is played. As they become closer to Gollum and farther away from Sméagol, players could unlock new abilities or perks/debuffs. The sharp fangs that Gollum sports in the Misty Mountains are a far cry from Sméagol's smile, after all, and that's just one aspect of his corruption. The more physical and mental changes that occur, the stronger or weaker that players could become in different areas. Increased attack damage but lower health does seem like a fitting change when Sméagol starts to truly become the creature that most fans know him as, and could vastly improve gameplay.
There's also the possibility that LOTR: Gollum could work better if it's not canon, and allow players to reject the One Ring instead of immediately succumbing to it. The game is unlikely to be a direct retelling of the classic tale, so it will need something to set it apart. Giving players the option to resist the Ring and stay as Sméagol instead of descending into the madness of Gollum could be just what it needs in order to attract new and old fans alike. If this is the case, then branching perk and ability trees could come along with it. Choosing to sacrifice some of Sméagol's sanity by accepting a part of the Ring's influence in exchange for better stealth or attack could greatly improve immersion by giving players more control of the game.
LOTR: Gollum May Have Multiple Genres
Whether or not LOTR: Gollum is considered canon, there's the chance that the game will revolve around Sméagol falling to the Ring's corruptive influence in a different way. Just like Sméagol and Gollum are two vastly different entities, the game could split in two as Sméagol becomes no more. What kind of genre the first part of the game would be if players can control Sméagol is unknown, but it may be a generic RPG where players fight off those who would try to steal "The Precious", and could shift once Gollum starts to become more prevalent. A horror/stealth game with some survival aspects fits Gollum's MO quite well.
Since the One Ring allows those who wear it to become invisible, and Gollum spends most of his time sneaking around, it's a strong possibility that stealth will incorporate itself heavily into the game. LOTR: Gollum's character designs might be confusing, but Gollum is still the same as ever, so fans should expect to hide and creep around a lot. If Sméagol comes first, however, then outright combat could be more important at the beginning. Using a sword or some other kind of weapon with some minor stealth aspects would seem like a good way to start out the game, and as Gollum starts to take over, stealth could become more and more important until a close-up fight becomes a death sentence. Just like Sméagol finds himself becoming the horrific creature that eventually bites off Frodo's finger, players could find Lord of the Rings: Gollum changing around them until they realize that they're no longer playing the same game that they were when they first started.