Notes

'Minecraft' with a Story isn't as Bizarre as you Think.

A game that is based on stories about Minecraft, the block-building phenomenon that is loved by children and adults alike, could sound bit odd. By the nature of it, Minecraft has little in the way of plot or characters -- the world is created randomly, and the best "stories" occur naturally according to what you choose to create and explore. The game's free-form nature is what makes it special and the reason Minecraft: Story Mode, an off-shoot with a meticulously crafted plot has been met with so much skepticism. Minecraft is a game that doesn't have a plot. Can it be possible or even appropriate for a different developer to create one?



Telltale Games is most famous for its adventure games based on adaptations of popular franchises like Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and Fables. These properties unlike Minecraft, have established stories, characters, and mythology that the team can work with. Telltale utilizes its own game engine and comic book art style to create a series of five episodes. These are broken down into cutscenes, branching conversations, quick-time events and puzzles. Sometimes, you'll get the chance to walk through an environment, but there's not much in the way of exploration or creativity. Do you want free-form building and crafting as in Minecraft? You should look elsewhere.



Despite the vast differences, Minecraft: Story Mode even works. It's a delightful celebration of the game that created Markus "Notch" Persson a billionaire, and its plot and characters feel like they are part of the world, despite the fact that they were never mentioned in the original game. You play the role of Jesse in episode 1. In contrast to other Telltale games, you can choose between a boy and a girl as well as one or more of three races. It's a nice addition and immediately gave me a feelings of belonging to the character, voiced by either Patton Oswalt (best known for his roles in Ratatouille and The King of Queens) or Catherine Taber (you might recognize her voice from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Final Fantasy XII or Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker). You and a small group of your friends aim to win a building contest at Endercon which is a convention that's like Minecon.



There's no mention to Jesse's treehouse pet pig Reuben or the Endercon competition in the original Minecraft game. This could have been a problem , but Telltale quickly won my trust in various ways. Story Mode is not the most compelling storyline for Minecraft. It's a different approach to the blocky franchise, and is set in a different Minecraft world. This allows the writers to play around while still preserving the original material. Story Mode also weaves in numerous elements that will be familiar to players of the original game. Portals, beacons, and creepers all are present in the first episode, and are easily recognizable. When Telltale introduces a new idea -- for instance an amulet that is colorful and used to track important characters It does not feel out of its place in the Minecraft universe. Story Mode respects the original game's mechanics and items but doesn't overuse the game's mechanics or items.



Although the pace is slow at first, after the Endercon building contest has ended the plot is picked up considerably. Telltale introduces the Order of the Stone, a group of heroes who once defeated the Ender Dragon but then faded into legend. These members are responsible for the current danger facing the world. Telltale lays out some of the most important mysteries of the five-part season. Although it's not exceptional however, I'm still enthralled enough to continue watching the remaining episodes.



Story Mode is designed to be family-friendly. There are some limitations to the writing process and Telltale's ability to use its cheerful characters. Fables (The Wolf Among Us) and The Walking Dead have provided more opportunities for the team to develop characters that are dark and unpredictable with clever plans. These properties trigger stronger reactions from the player, more difficult decisions , and more complicated relationships with the characters you pick. Story Mode's cast is relatable with the exception of Jesse's friend Axel who tends to be uncontrollable. I spent most of my game trying to be the best of friends.



However, the characters are distinctive and have an enthralling, lively personality. They all have distinct motivations and goals which makes it much easier to predict the outcomes of every decision made in a dialogue. Although the previous games from Telltale had a few issues with inconsistent writing and pacing, they have always made me feel connected to the characters. The same holds true in Story Mode, which is an indication of the quality of the script. Although Jesse's family members are somewhat superficial, they're easy to be a fan of. EXTREMECRAFT I want my "Nether Meniacs", (early on you have the option of choosing the team name for the building contest) to be able to endure and stay together. I'm interested to see how the show attempts to break them up in the later episodes.



Even if you've never played Minecraft before there are many things to do in the Story Mode's first Chapter. It's a charming tale with simple characters and a few memorable set pieces. In terms of game design, it could not be further from Minecraft but somehow Telltale has come up with a way to make it work. I'm putting that down to the quality of the writing and how it cleverly incorporates classic items, monsters and gameplay mechanics. Story Mode raids everything in Minecraft's toolbox to aid in its own story and, in the end, it does it to great effect. It could have been a lazy and awkward cash-in game however, it's a smart, respectful spinoff that celebrates Minecraft's unique style of creativity.


Here's my website: https://extremecraft.de/