Hobbits do not go looking for adventure, but sometimes adventure - like it or not - finds them. And so it happened that Bilbo Baggins, of The Hill in the Shire, was counting the peaceful days, one by one, when his old friend Gandalf the Grey appeared and within a short time set in motion the events that would set poor Bilbo on a most exciting adventure - and one that would have profound ramifications in the history of Middle-earth.

The Hobbit, based on the J.R.R. Tolkien novel, is an Xbox release from Vivendi Universal and Inevitable Entertainment.

"Excitable little fellow, but as fierce as a dragon in a pinch," says Gandalf, looking down on the passed-out form of Bilbo Baggins, who was just informed that he was the master thief that would lead the party of Thorin Oakenshield into the lair of the dragon Smaug in the Lonely Mountains.

The next thing Bilbo knows is there is a fight going on about him. He holds a little sword, its blade glowing blue. Goblins are battling men and elves, and Bilbo quickly assesses the situation.

"Bilbo Baggins," he says, "you dreamt your way into this, you’ll have to dream your way out."

After a quick tutorial on fighting and dashing about through the battle to find a way out, Bilbo awakes to find that it was indeed only a dream, but that the dwarves await him at The Green Dragon Inn.

But there are many side things to do in Hobbiton before leaving on the central quest. For example, Bilbo has found a hole in his pocket and his silver coins are scattered all over The Shire. There are 100 coins to collect on his journey. He can also collect courage points - enough will increase his health bar. There are 1,400 courage points that he can find; in addition, there are three chest for him to open and a host of mini-quests - such as play hide-and-go seek with the children, and other quests which Bombur will give to collect supplies for the journey.

While the game does take a few liberties in terms of mini-quests and such, the core elements of the fantastic Tolkien novel are intact. And the developers, to save time, have inserted cutscenes in the form of pages from the novel to transition between elements in the storyline.

And care must be taken as you venture forth. Not only has great attention been paid to the environments, but they can play a strong role in what happens. Early in the adventure, in the driving cold rain, your party sees the light of a campfire ahead, and the burglar, Bilbo, is sent to investigate (the reasoning being - it seems - that by being a burglar, he can be stealthy). The camp contains three trolls. As Bilbo is sneaking about, you must be wary of dry leaves on the ground. Stepping on them will alert the trolls to your presence.

Most of the puzzles in this game are rather straightforward, and not everything involves fighting. Battling the trolls would be tantamount to restarting the level. Sneaking about, using the environment, timing your movements to coincide with in-built diversions will help you successfully get through the level. Of course, getting to the trolls in the first place will present a bit of a challenge.

The game has very simple control elements, allowing players to jump easily into the adventure without a lot of fumbling. There are also save points scattered throughout the levels. The camera is fully rotatable, and you can gain a perspective close to first-person, akin to sitting on Bilbo’s shoulder.

The graphics of this game are very nice. The environments are amazing - vibrant and sporting rich textures. The animation is also very well done. The game is an animated movie come to life, full of wonder and rich elements. And the sound is also excellent. The musical score really embraces the mood of the game, and underscores each location rather well.

The Hobbit is a grand adventure. With the core elements of the book intact, the game does provide enough side quests and elements to keep it entertaining. You don’t always have to fight, and considering that Bilbo (the only playable character in the game) is not what one would consider a warrior to begin with, sometimes using the hobbit’s diminutive stature to run through trouble works just as well.

Middle-earth is a land of adventure, danger and action. If you are looking for a title that combines some of the best in action, adventure, puzzle-solving and role play, The Hobbit will take you there and then lure you back again.

Gameplay: 8.4
The game has a fair amount of cutscenes, which bridge the storyline and thus are necessary. The game itself has some of the arcade elements that platform gamers are familiar with - floating collectibles that you run through to pick up. The path through the game seems somewhat linear, though there are a number of side quests that can easily distract you and add to the game play.

Graphics: 9
Graphically, the game is very good. Some of the little effects really add to the overall look. Early in the game, Bilbo has to move across some water (great splashing effects) and then, as he runs across the land, he leaves wet footprints behind. It is that attention to details that really make this game sparkle. The animation is solid and the environments are exquisite.

Sound: 8.8
The musical score is wonderful, and the voice acting is solid. The version received was a gold master and early in the game, the sound associated with a waterfall blew up and was looping in a pattern that just sounded like white noise. The game was restarted and that was not heard again.

Difficulty: Medium
While most of the puzzles are simple, there are a few which do require thought. If you have a tendency to want to fight everything, you will have to get over that. In this game, running is sometimes the answer.

Concept: 8.5
The player interface is simple and the game allows for a little side exploration in the mini-quests along the way - which will add replayability in that players may want to find all the treasures that each level holds.

Overall: 9
Purists of the Tolkien novel might not see the entertainment value of this game. Phooey! This game is a delight to play and any adventure into the realm of Middle-earth, if done well, is worth the time spent doing it. The Hobbit provides familiar landmarks, stays true to elements of the story and allows players to work through the levels in a way that provides fun and challenge.