The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria Durin’s Folk Expansion was released just yesterday, adding new areas, NPCs, trading, and a bit more direction to the whole settlement. The launch trailer shows a mix of the usual dwarf chaos with clan gatherings, merchants, a few monster problems, and a wanderer who shows up, acts a bit shady, and disappears again. So all in all, it basically is just a normal week in Moria.
A New Chapter and a Busier Moria
The Dimrill Gate is finally open, and you are now the one calling the shots as you rebuild Khazad-dûm for Durin’s folk. This time, you actually get help. NPCs join your Company and take care of building, gathering, defending the place, and other daily tasks. It makes the settlement feel a bit more alive instead of just you running around trying to fix everything.
Trading is in as well. Merchants from beyond the Misty Mountains bring gear and supplies you can swap for Moria’s valuables. It gives early progression a much better start and helps with those moments when you are staring at your tiny inventory wondering what to drop next.
The trailer shows off some prep work, food piling, clan setups, and then the sudden “oh no, something weird is happening again” vibe. You can watch the trailer here:
New Areas to Explore and Expeditions to Go For
The expansion opens new spaces both inside and outside the mountain. That includes hidden spots you could not reach before, and the first steps out into the wider world. Since handcrafted areas were already the strongest part of the base game, this has great potential.
Expeditions also give exploration clearer goals instead of just wandering into another long tunnel. They come with set objectives and better rewards, which should help pacing feel a bit more organized and not so random.
Community Reactions So Far
On Reddit, reactions are pretty grounded so far. Most players put the game somewhere between a mid 6 and a high 7. It is not bad, it has heart, and it also has a couple of quirks.
Players often mention:
- Great handcrafted areas
- Repetitive procedural tunnels
- Combat that works but does not really stand out
- Early progress slowed by limited healing and small inventory
- Events that mostly spawn enemies nearby
- Block support issues, creating floating pieces or awkward builds
The general vibe around this game is that it has a good base, but some rough edges.
What Durin’s Folk Might Do for the Game
Nevertheless, with new story content, NPC helpers, trading, new areas, and more structured missions, the expansion gives Return to Moria way more direction than before. If these systems feel good during longer play sessions, the game could slide into a more comfortable place for players who wanted a bit more purpose behind all the exploration.
We will know soon enough once everyone gets deeper into the content.
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