Gollum, Galadriel, and Sauron are the only characters from The Lord of the Rings to physically appear in the game. Bilbo Baggins and Saruman are only mentioned.
The game's protagonist, Talion, was inspired by Boromir, from The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Several side missions, such as A Knife in the Dark and The Dark Rider, are direct references to J.R.R. Tolkien's works, with their titles being pulled directly from the names of chapters throughout the books.
Takes place between the hobbit and the lord of the rings franchises.
Talion's dagger, Acharn, is actually his son's shattered sword, which he carries with him on his journey throughout the game.