Hammerting

To be perfectly honest, Hammerting really brought me to the Hobbit trilogy. However, Tolkien has been sort of a recurring theme for me here at IndieGala as well. Indeed, just a few months ago, I did a throwback piece to my favorite trilogy of all time. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy of course. And I even mentioned the upcoming Lord Of The Rings TV series in my piece about the cultural impact of Game Of Thrones. Yes, LOTR is mentioned there, so if care to look back at the piece, here it is again. You’re welcome. But the time has come for another trilogy. The Hobbit trilogy.

Hammerting

Hammerting’s Dwarves Sold Me To The Hobbit Trilogy

Yup. The dwarfs in the world of Hammerting are fairly reminiscent of the 13 dwarfs in the Hobbit trilogy. And I just had to do it. This post I mean. Frankly, any opportunity to write about the work of Tolkien is a win-win for me, but a whole post devoted to The Hobbit? It’s hard to pass really.

But I must say, the real reason for this particular post is the fact that Hammerting is currently part of our usual (and dare I say fantastic) sale. So, hurry up and get some!. That sale is not going to last forever, that’s for sure.

Hammerting

But, What’s Hammerting All About?

Developed by Warpzone Studios and published by Team17, Hammerting is a vertical dwarven mining colony sim with RPG elements.

It allows you to manage a clan of colorful Dwarves, and establish an epic mining operation at the same time. Not to mention to craft legendary swords and delve deep for greater glory, riches… and danger. War rages on the surface, so the Dwarves pledge to produce and supply what is needed to aid their allies.

From humble beginnings, you will start with a handful of Dwarves and then you will progress, expand. Your small clan will eventually grow and become known throughout the Upper Realms for their skill and premium craftsmanship. Are you up for the challenge?

  • Hammerting

So, with that being said… Why The Hobbit? Well, we at Indiegala thought about going through a different route at first. Since the game involves mining perhaps a mine-inspired movie would be a better-suited choice. But then, we couldn’t ignore the main Dwarves. Snow-white and the 7 Dwarves were also an option, but we settled on The Hobbit. And I couldn’t be happier, since I could go on and one forever about these movies.

Oh, and a disclaimer beforehand is in order. This is not an in-depth analysis of the Hobbit trilogy. Far from it. No, in order to do that, I’m going to need 3-4 additional 3000-words long posts. No, this is my humble opinion of the characters, themes and the trilogy which I hope will inspire two things. In you 1. Check out Hammerting. 2. Re-watch The Hobbit trilogy. Let’s begin, shall we?

Hobbit

The Good, The Bad And The Dwarves

And as the title of first movie of the Hobbit trilogy suggests, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) embarks on a journey to re-claim Lonely Mountain from the evil dragon Smaug. Thanks to the cheeky recruitment by Gandalf and smart pairing with 13 dwarves, Bilbo reluctantly sets out on his adventure. To be perfectly honest, the Hobbit trilogy is not my favorite from Peter Jackson. You can clearly see the rushed quality throughout the movie. But also the over-reliance on CGI and, I have issues with the build-up, the pacing and runtime as well.

But although I’m starting with the flaws, I’m going to mention the good stuff as well. And yes, there is some good stuff. Since the 13 Dwarves occupy a large portion of the plot, I must say I have issues with their development and overall presentation to us. The audience. I understand that not all of them will get the the same treatment, but the four screen-writers (including Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro) made us not care about most of them. At all. OK, Except for Thorin, but I’ll get to him in a second. We don’t even get to know them properly, and we won’t know them all that much until the very end. Their characters, their back-stories are „in-medias res“, and we get to pick up the pieces as we go along. Which is sad, given the fact that they’re pretty much a big deal. Unlike Radagast the Brown (Sylvester McCoy) for instance.

Hobbit

Thorin And Bilbo’s Relationship Is Different

First and foremost, can I give a shoutout to Jackson for casting Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage in the roles of Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield II? Yes, we are well aware of how amazing Ian McKellen is as Gandalf the Grey (again), but come on! I was pleasantly surprised by these two. But what I loved more (well almost as much as their performances anyway), was the progression of their relationship. One thing that the writers got right in that department. At the start of the trilogy, the relationship between Bilbo and Thorin is strained and distressful. There are also ups and downs throughout the trilogy, and we love it. Next, their trust is put to a test and they struggle to move past their differences. And of course, their friendship is eventually restored and solidified (before the tragic end).

But, aside from the sub-par and seemingly rushed production (well compared to the previous trilogy), there are some gorgeous scenes in The Hobbit as well. The fantastic set pieces are a true gem, and the production design is fantastic at times, as well.

The HObiit

I’m All About The Quiet Moments

And when I do mean quiet moments I don’t merely mean just the scene with the White Council. No, one of my favorite scenes in the entire trilogy is the puzzle scene between Bilbo and Gollum. The one from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. It’s brilliant, and you can find out so much about both of the characters just with that scene alone. Oh, and I must give a huge round of applause for yet another impeccable motion-capture performance from Andy Serkis. I mean, what else can you expect from Serkis? Be honest? Other than perfection?

But while I’m at it, let me tell you about my least-favorite scene of the trilogy. The Bilbo/Dwarves goodbye scene. You know what I’m talking about. As much as I tried to avoid comparisons to the LOTR trilogy, I just can’t help but mention the comparisons with the OG trilogy. Just take a look at the farewell scene in LOTR. It was emotional. It was heavy on the heart. Filled with gravitas, and lots of tears that solidified the happy ending. However, the end scene in The Hobbit is anything but that. Yes, there was a bitter-sweet happy ending, but the feeling was different. Am I the only one who thinks that way?

Hammerting And The Hobbit Verdict

Honestly, if you’re not a fan of Lord Of The Rings, The Hobbit trilogy will most likely not convert you in becoming one. However, flawed and at times underwhelming as it may be, it’s a rather enjoyable piece of history. It has a great cast (for the most part), and it does make a rather fun and enjoyable time for you. But I would pick the LOTR trilogy anytime, anywhere.

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