Notes

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

A story-driven game about Minecraft the block-building phenomenon adored by both adults and children alike, may sound tad contradictory. By the nature of it, Minecraft has little in the way of plots or characters. The world is generated randomly and the best "stories" are naturally generated based on what you decide to create and explore. The game's free-form nature is what makes it special and is the reason Minecraft: Story Mode, a spin-off title with a meticulously crafted plot has been doubted by many. Minecraft works because it doesn't have a plot -is it feasible, or even appropriate, for another developer to make it one?



Telltale Games is most famous for its adventure games adaptations of popular franchises such as Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and Fables. These properties in contrast to Minecraft have well-established characters, stories and mythology that the team is able to collaborate with. Utilizing its own game engine and a comic book art style, Telltale typically offers a game "season" comprised of five episodes. The episodes are divided into cutscenes and branching conversations. It is possible to walk through an environment. However, there is very little exploration or creativity. Do you want free-form building and crafting like in Minecraft? You should look elsewhere.



Minecraft: Story Mode works despite these vast differences. It's a charming celebration of the game that made Markus "Notch" Persson a billionaire, and its story and characters feel like they are part of the world, despite the fact that they were never mentioned in the original game. You are Jesse in episode 1. In contrast to other Telltale games, you are able to choose between a boy and a girl as well as one or more of three races. It's a nice touch that immediately gave me a feeling of connection to Jesse as a character. The voice acting was done by either Patton Oswalt (best-known for his roles in Ratatouille or The King of Queens) and Catherine Taber (you might recognise her voice from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker or Star Wars: The Clone Wars). You and a few of your friends aim to win a building competition at Endercon which is a convention that is like Minecon.



There's no mention of Jesse's treehouse nor his or her pet animal Reuben, or the Endercon contest in the original Minecraft game. Which could have been a problem, but Telltale quickly won me over in a variety of ways. Story Mode is not the ultimate storyline for Minecraft. It's a different version of the blocky franchise, and is set in a separate Minecraft world. The writers have the freedom to explore, while protecting the original source material. Titanlauncher.net Story Mode includes many elements that are familiar to players of the original game. Creepers, beacons and portals all are present in the first episode, and are easily identifiable. When Telltale does introduce a new idea -- for instance, a colorful amulet used to locate important characters -- it isn't out of place in the Minecraft universe. Story Mode respects the original game's mechanics and items but doesn't overuse the same.



Although the pace of the game is slow at first however, after the Endercon building contest has ended, the plot picks up considerably. Telltale introduces the Order of the Stone, the heroes of the Order of the Stone who once defeated the Ender Dragon, but later disappeared into legend. The peril the world now is facing is a result of these heroes and the creators set up some of the larger mysteries for the five-part season. It's nothing exceptional but I'm still intrigued enough to play the remaining episodes.



Story Mode is designed to be family-friendly, so there are some restrictions on the writing style and where Telltale can take its cheery characters. Fables (The Wolf Among Us) and The Walking Dead have provided more opportunities for the team to develop dark and unpredictable characters with clever plans. They trigger more intense reactions in the player, making more difficult choices and more complicated relationships with the characters you choose to align with. Story Mode's cast is relatable, except for Jesse's friend Axel who is self-centered and impulsive. I spent most of my time trying to make friends with the best of them.



However, the characters are distinct and have an enthralling, lively personality. Each of them has clearly defined motives and desires, which makes it easier to anticipate the outcome of each decision. Previous Telltale games have had sometimes stiff scripts and inconsistent the pace of play -- a fact that is inevitable maybe, due to the fact that they have branching storylines , but they've always made me care about the characters. The same holds true in Story Mode, which is an indication of the quality of the writing. Although Jesse's friends are a bit superficial, they are easy to feel for. I really want my "Nether Maniacs" (early on you can pick your team's name for the building competition) to endure and remain together, so I'm eager to see how the show tries to pull them apart in the later episodes.



Even if you've not played Minecraft before, there are plenty of things to appreciate in the first chapter of Story Mode. It's a charming, but simple story with intriguing characters and memorable sets. In terms of game design, it couldn't be further away from Minecraft however, somehow Telltale has succeeded in making it work. This is due to the high-quality of the writing, and the clever combination of classic items such as monsters, items, and gameplay mechanics. Story Mode uses Minecraft's entire toolbox to aid in its storytelling. It's a great game. The game could have been a lazy and uninspiring cash-in, but instead it's a smart and respectful spin-off that is a celebration of Minecraft's unique style of creativity.


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