Summoned by Gimli Lockbearer, dwarves venture into the Misty Mountains to reclaim Moria, the storied underground home of Khazad-dûm. The aim is not simply to pass through its mines: as the story advances, players restore the ancient kingdom and recover Dwarven landmarks. Procedurally generated environments shape each expedition, with resources, hidden secrets, and dangers scattered through the sprawling realm.
Survival depends on more than fighting. Players conserve supplies, hunt and gather food, and manage sleep, temperature, and noise while exploring. Mining resources feeds into crafting, and legendary forges can be rebuilt to recover Dwarven smithing technologies. Cleared locations can become bases, built from scratch or expanded from the existing surroundings, giving exploration a practical link to long-term construction. The game also brings in details of Dwarven life, including songs, ale brewing, customizable beards, and Khuzdul voice acting.
Return to Moria can be played alone or with friends in online cooperative multiplayer, so its changing mine expeditions and base-building have both solo and cooperative contexts. Its blend of exploration, survival management, crafting, combat, and rebuilding gives that activity a distinctly underground, Dwarven purpose.
