Notes

'Minecraft' with a Story isn't as Weird as you Imagine.

A game that is based on stories about Minecraft, the block-building game that is loved by both adults and children alike, might sound a tad contradictory. By design, Minecraft has little in the way of plots or characters. The world is created randomly, and the best "stories" occur naturally according to what you choose to build and explore. The game's openness is what makes it unique and also the reason why Minecraft: Story Mode, an off-shoot with a well-crafted plot has been doubted by many. Minecraft is a game that doesn't have any story. Is it possible, or right for another developer to give one?



Telltale Games is most well-known for adventure game adaptations of popular franchises like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and Fables. Unlike Minecraft the properties of these franchises come with established mythology, characters, and stories that the team can work with. With its own game engine and a comic book-style art style, Telltale typically offers a game "season" consisting of five episodes. They are broken down into cutscenes, branching conversations fast-paced events and puzzles. There are times when you're able to walk through an environment. However, there's no exploration or creativity. You want freeform building and crafting similar to that of Minecraft? You'd better look elsewhere.



Minecraft: Story Mode works despite these vast differences. It's a delightful celebration of the game that made Markus Persson a billionaire. The narrative and characters seem to belong in the world, despite not being mentioned in the original game. In the first episode, you take on the character of Jesse, and unlike most Telltale games you can choose between a boy or girl, as well as one of three different races. It's a nice touch and immediately gave me some feeling of connection to the character voiced by either Patton Oswalt (best known for his role 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 friends are determined to win a building contest at Endercon which is a convention that's like Minecon.



You won't find any reference to Jesse's treehouse, his or her 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. One of them is that Story Mode doesn't claim to be the only storyline in Minecraft. It's a fresh version of the blocky franchise, and it is set in a different Minecraft world. This allows the creators to explore their ideas, while protecting the original source material. Story Mode also weaves in many elements that are familiar to players of the original game. Episode 1 features portals, beacons, and creepers that are easily recognized. When Telltale does introduce a new concept -- for example an amulet that is colorful and used to locate important characters it doesn't feel out of place within the Minecraft universe. Story Mode respects the original game's mechanics and items but doesn't overuse the same.



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



Story Mode is meant to be family-friendly. There are some limitations to the writing and Telltale's capacity to make use of its jolly characters. Other properties that it's adapted in the past, like The Walking Dead and Fables (The Wolf Among Us), have given the team more opportunities to create darker and uncertain characters with a variety of plans. These properties trigger stronger reactions from the player, more difficult decisions and more complicated relationships with the characters you select. Story Mode's cast is relatable however Jesse's friend Axel who is impulsive and self-centered. I spent the majority of my playthrough trying to make friends with the best of them.



However, the characters are distinct and possess quirky, lively personalities. It's easier to determine the outcome of every dialogue because they all have clear motivations. Previous Telltale games have had occasionally stiff scripts and inconsistent pacing -- an inevitability maybe, due to the fact that they have branching storylines , however, they've always made me care about the characters. The same is true for Story Mode, which is an indication of the quality of the writing. While Jesse's friends may be somewhat superficial, they are easy to feel for. I'd like my "Nether Meniacs", (early on you get to choose the name of the team for the building contest), to survive and stay together. I'm curious to see how the show attempts to break them up in the subsequent episodes.
Deepspaceii


Even if you have never played Minecraft before there are many things to appreciate in the Story Mode's first Chapter. It's a charming tale with simple characters and a few memorable sets. It could not be further from Minecraft in terms of game design but Telltale has somehow managed to make it work. I'm putting it down the quality of the writing and how it cleverly incorporates classic items like monsters, gameplay mechanics and monsters. Story Mode raids everything in Minecraft's toolbox in order to help with its own storytelling and, ultimately, it works to great effect. The game could have been a lazy and awkward cash-in, but instead, it's a clever and respectful spin-off that is a celebration of Minecraft's unique style of imagination.


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