A game that is based on stories about Minecraft, the block-building phenomenon that is loved by adults and children alike, may sound little odd. By the nature of it, Minecraft has little in terms of plot or characters. The world is randomly generated and the best stories happen naturally according to what you choose to create and explore. The game's openness is what makes it unique and also the reason why Minecraft: Story Mode, an off-shoot with a meticulously crafted plot has been received with such skepticism. Minecraft works because it doesn't have a story -is it even possible, or right for a different developer to create one? Telltale Games is best known for its adventure game adaptations of popular franchises such as The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and Fables. As opposed to Minecraft, these properties come with established stories as well as mythology and characters that the team can work with. With its own game engine as well as a comic book-style art style, Telltale typically offers a game season comprising five episodes. These are broken down into cutscenes, interspersed conversations, events that are quick-time and puzzles. Sometimes, you'll have the chance to walk through an environment, but it's not much in the way of exploration or creativity. You would like freeform crafting and freeform building like in Minecraft? Better look elsewhere. Despite these huge differences, Minecraft: Story Mode even works. It's a charming celebration for the game that made Markus Persson a billionaire. The narrative and characters appear to be part of the world even though they're not mentioned in the original game. In episode one you play the role of Jesse, and unlike most Telltale games you can choose between a boy or girl, and one of three different races. It's a nice addition that instantly made me feel a sense of attachment to Jesse as a character. The voice acting was performed 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 handful of friends are determined to win a building contest at Endercon which is a convention that's similar to Minecon. There's no reference 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 gained my trust in a variety of ways. For one, Story Mode doesn't claim to be the ultimate storyline for Minecraft. It's a distinct take on the blocky franchise and is set in its own distinct version of the Minecraft world. This allows the writers to explore while protecting the source material. Story Mode includes many elements that are familiar to those who played of the original game. Creepers, beacons and portals all appear in episode one and are easily recognizable. Telltale's innovative ideas like a vibrant amulet which can be used to track important characters, don't seem out of fit within the Minecraft universe. Story Mode respects the original game's mechanics and items however, it doesn't abuse them. Although the pace is slow to start but when the Endercon building contest ends the plot is picked up significantly. Telltale introduces the Order of the Stone, an elite group of heroes who once defeated the Ender Dragon, but then became legends. They are the ones responsible for the current peril that is threatening the world. Telltale sets up a few of the most important mysteries for the five-part season. Although it's not great however, I'm still enthralled enough to binge watch the remaining episodes. Story Mode is intended to be a family-friendly. There are some limitations to the writing process and Telltale's ability to make use of its jolly characters. Other properties that it's adapting in the past like The Walking Dead and Fables (The Wolf Among Us) have given the team more chances to develop characters that are darker and more unpredictable with shady plans. These properties trigger stronger reactions from the player, more difficult decisions , and more complicated relationships with the characters you pick. Most of Story Mode's characters are likable (aside from Jesse's best friend Axel, who tends to be impulsive and self-centered) So I spent the majority of my playthrough just trying to be the best friend with everyone. The characters are distinctive and have an enthralling, lively personality. All of them have clear motivations and desires that make it easier to anticipate the outcome of each dialogue decision. While Telltale's previous games had a few issues with uneven pace and stiff scripts, they have always made me want to know more about the characters. This is the same in Story Mode, which is a testament to the quality of the writing. Although Jesse's friends are slightly superficial, they're easy to root for. I want my Nether Meniacs, (early on you get to choose the name of the team in the building contest), to survive and stay together. I'm interested to see how the show attempts to break them up in later episodes. Even even if you've not played Minecraft before there's plenty to love in the first chapter of Story Mode. It's a sweet story with simple characters and a few memorable set pieces. It's not that far from Minecraft in terms of gameplay design, but Telltale has somehow succeeded in making it work. I'm putting that down to the quality of the writing and the way it cleverly integrates classic items like monsters, gameplay mechanics, and monsters. Story Mode uses Minecraft's entire toolbox to support its storytelling. It's very effective. It could have been a messy, awkward cash-in game, but instead it's an elegant, respectful spinoff that celebrates Minecraft's unique style of creativity. newsfordummies
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