History YMMV / TheLordOfTheRingsGollum

* ScrappyMechanic: For Emote Pack buyers, the fact that you cannot manually select what emote you want to play, as the game just randomly chooses one of the six animations instead instead. What amounds to an 'IdleAnimation on command' feature isn't necessarily a bad idea, but the fact that this feature is locked behind a $2.99 DLC paywall pushes it into being absurdly heinous.

** To any fans of ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'', the fact that Gollum is not only voiced by the same actor as Riki, who is a deliberately comedic character, but also uses a very similar FightingClown voice and intonations, makes him even ''harder'' to take seriously.

* MemeticLoser: Take Gollum, a character who is already an UnpopularPopularCharacter, and make him the protagonist of a video game whose fanbase mostly stems from BileFascination, and a lot of the fun people have with the game comes from [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential intentionally getting Gollum killed in all kinds of amusing and/or glitchy ways]]. It's common for this game's version of Gollum to be portrayed as a complete ineffectual loser as a result.

* MemeticLoser: Take Gollum, a character who is already an UnpopularPopularCharacter, and make him the player character of a game whose fanbase mostly stems from BileFascination, and a lot of the fun people have with the game becomes [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential intentionally getting Gollum killed in all kinds of amusing and/or glitchy ways]]. It's common for this game's version of Gollum to be portrayed as a complete ineffectual loser as a result.

** Gollum is [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles Riki]][[labelnote:Explanation]]Once it was discovered that Gollum is voiced by Creator/WayneForester, who played [[[FightingClown Riki]] in ''Xenoblade Chronicles'', ''Xenoblade'' fans reacted with a mix of amusement and horror, making fanart and edits that replace Gollum with Riki.[[/labelnote]]

** Gollum is [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles Riki]][[labelnote:Explanation]]Once it was discovered that Gollum is voiced by Wayne Forester, who played Riki in ''Xenoblade Chronicles'', Xenoblade fans reacted with a mix of amusement and horror[[/labelnote]]

** To any fans of ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'', the fact that Gollum is voiced by the same actor as Riki, with a very similar voice, makes him even ''harder'' to take seriously.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: When the game was first announced, many fans were actively wondering why it was being made. Gollum is certainly an iconic character, but not one many believed could carry a game by himself. Being a stealth game with no combat (a rather niche genre for games) that is also developed by a company with no experience with a game of this scale, and still launching at full price didn’t help sell people either. This, alongside the ObviousBeta nature of the game at launch and the cash-grabby monetization, led to the game selling very poorly.

** One of many criticisms of the game is that the visuals aren't based on the [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Peter Jackson movies]], but rather use a very stylized, cartoony original art style and character designs of its own creation. Besides the VideoGame/{{LEGO Adaptation Game}}s based on the series, the last ''Lord of the Rings'' video game to do so was probably ''[[VideoGame/TheHobbit2003 The Hobbit]]'' way back in 2003 (which wasn't particularly highly rated by reviewers either).

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: The game was released to scathing reception from critics and audiences due to it being a virtually unplayable ObviousBeta with boring gameplay, poor visuals, and basic features that were locked behind paid [=DLC=]. Because it came out after a string of high-profile and well-received licensed games, it's become a common joke that ''Gollum'' feels like it should have come out at least ten years ago.

** One of many criticisms of the game is that the visuals aren't based on the [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Peter Jackson movies]], but rather use a very stylized, cartoony original art style and character designs of its own creation. The last ''Lord of the Rings'' video game to do so was probably ''[[VideoGame/TheHobbit2003 The Hobbit]]'' way back in 2003 (which wasn't particularly highly rated by reviewers either).

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Though the ObviousBeta launch did things no favors, even when the game was first announced, many fans were actively wondering why it was being made. Gollum is certainly an iconic character, but not one many believed could carry a game by himself. Being a stealth game with no combat (a rather niche genre for games) that is also developed by a company with no experience with a game of this scale, and still launching at full price didn’t help sell people either. These factors, [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames alongside scathing reception]], led to the game selling very poorly.

* AdaptationDisplacement: One of many criticisms of the game is that the visuals aren't based on the [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Peter Jackson movies]], but rather use a very stylized, cartoony original art style and character designs of its own creation. The last ''Lord of the Rings'' video game to do so was probably ''[[VideoGame/TheHobbit2003 The Hobbit]]'' way back in 2003 (that game wasn't particularly highly rated by reviewers either). This is also evident in the reaction to Gollum's voice acting, as Creator/AndySerkis's performance has been so thoroughly ingrained into pop culture that it seems jarring to many players that Wayne Forester doesn't even ''try'' to imitate it.

** 6 Iconic Gestures and Sayings [[labelnote:Explanation]]Prior to release, a screenshot of the Stream store page promising "Predorder The Lord of the Rings: Gollum™️ to receive the Emotes Pack DLC, which includes 6 of his most iconic gestures and sayings" became viral, both due to being an blatant cashgrab and amusingly artificial wording, ala [[VideoGame/WatchDogs Aiden Pearce's Iconic Hat]]. Post-release it's become a way to make fun of the game's perceived failings, such as asking if a bad animation or bit of dialogue is one of the iconic gesture or saying.[[/labelnote]]

* ObviousBeta: The game's launch was buggy [[UnintentionallyUnwinnable to the point of some reviewers being unable to even finish it]], with clipping issues, frame drops, failed triggers, crashes, and falling out of the map. The optimization is also poor at best, with ''Gollum'''s requirements on PC being far higher than a game with its graphics should warrant.

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: The game was released to scathing reception from critics and audiences due to it being a virtually unplayable ObviousBeta with boring gameplay, poor visuals, and basic features that were locked behind paid [=DLC=].

** 6 Iconics Gestures and Sayings [[labelnote:Explanation]]Prior to release, a screenshot of the Stream store page promising "Predorder The Lord of the Rings: Gollum™️ to receive the Emotes Pack DLC, which includes 6 of his most iconic gestures and sayings" became viral, both due to being an blatant cashgrab and amusingly artificial wording, ala [[VideoGame/WatchDogs Aiden Pearce's Iconic Hat]]. Post-release it's become a way to make fun of the game's perceived failings, such as asking if a bad animation or bit of dialogue is one of the iconic gesture or saying.[[/labelnote]]

* AccidentalInnuendo: The subplot about Gollum being made to hatch a bird's egg is introduced by an orc telling Gollum to go the "the breeding halls." The ambiguity in the line of ''what'' is being bred can spark a lot of giggles.

* AccidentalInnuendo: The subplot about Gollum being made to hatch a bird's egg is introduced by an orc telling Gollum to

* SpecialEffectFailure: All over the place. The graphics render Gollum as looking more like a crack-addicted baby than his movie self, and [[LetsPlay/TearOfGrace TearOfGrace's]] assertion that "permanent marker on [his] bollocks looks better than Gandalf" is hardly an exaggeration.

* FanPreferredCutContent: Shortly after the game launched, fans dug up [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fw9rQdhWIAAbAjb?format=jpg&name=orig a pre-alpha screenshot]] showing an earlier version of Gollum's model and the game's UI. Many people voiced a strong preference for this earlier rendition, with Gollum bearing a closer resemblance to his film counterpart and the UI making use of actual ''Lord of the Rings'' imagery rather than using a default font.

** The game frequently uses slow-motion to accentuate any big, risky jump that Gollum makes. Not necessarily a bad editing flourish in other contexts, but the fact that the game is giving ''Gollum'' of all characters the big 'slow motion leap away from explosions' treatment turns it into unintentional hilarity.

* BileFascination: This game quickly became one of the worst-reviewed games of 2023 and an contender for worst game of the decade, which may have helped in it getting more notoriety than it deserved, even among players who are normally not familiar with or fond of ''Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium''.

* BileFascination: This game quickly became one of the worst-reviewed games of 2023, which may have helped in it getting more notoriety than it deserved, even among players who are normally not familiar with or fond of ''Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium''.

** The fact Calibri is used as the main font completely ruins the immersion and makes the overall amateurish design of the game very evident. Only way it could be worse is if it was Comic Sans instead.

** The fact Calibri is the game's font completely ruins the immersion and makes the whole thing look very lazy and amateurish. Only way it would be worse is if it was Comic Sans instead.

* {{Narm}}: The game frequently uses slow-motion to accentuate any big, risky jump that Gollum makes. Not necessarily a bad editing flourish in other contexts, but the fact that the game is giving ''Gollum'' of all characters the big 'slow motion leap away from explosions' treatment turns it into unintentional hilarity.

* AdaptationDisplacement: One of many criticisms of the game is that the visuals aren't based on the [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Peter Jackson movies]], but rather use a very stylized, cartoony original art style and character designs of its own creation. The last ''Lord of the Rings'' video game to do so was probably ''[[VideoGame/TheHobbit2003 The Hobbit]]'' way back in 2003 (that game wasn't particularly highly rated by reviewers either).

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Though the ObviousBeta launch did things no favors, even when the game was first announced, many fans were actively wondering why it was being made. Gollum is certainly an iconic character, but not one many believed could carry a game by himself. Being a stealth game with no combat, a rather niche genre for games, and launching at full price didn’t help sell people either. These factors, [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames alongside scathing reception]], led to the game selling very poorly.

* BileFascination: This game quickly became one of the worst-reviewed games of 2023 and arguably of all time, which may have helped in it getting more notoriety than it deserved, even among players who are normally not familiar with or fond of ''Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium''.