Platforms PS4 / Xbox One / Windows / OS X / iOS / Android / Xbox 360 / PS3/ Vita / Wii U
Publisher Telltale Games Developers Telltale Games & Mojang
Genre Point and Click Adventure Platform Played Xbox One
Minecraft: Story Mode is a bittersweet tale, the initial episode of the series provided some great depth to characters, however the second episode was a let down and lacked the integrity of the first. This time around Telltale really pulled through in both quality and quantity of content. The Last Place You Look offered an action-packed story and really delivered in terms of character progression with some emotion-filled scenes and great chemistry.
The third episode in the series began with a recap and followed the group where it left off, stuck in Soren’s Tower. Once the group is reacquainted with each other, after the villain Ivor locked them in a room, a matrix-esque title/introduction sequence kicks into gear. It is one of the best action sequences out of many that were shown in this particular episode, and certainly the best introduction sequence so far in the series as it sees the characters running, jumping and dodging arrows all in slow-motion while trying to avoid a classic Minecraft invention that any fan would recognise. The group then uncovers and jumps into another object that a Minecraft fan would recognise, an ender portal.
The group later greets the last member of The Order, Soren, an unusual, lonely but caring builder that I hope will later be further explored. With the help of Soren they return back to the normal world and set out to build an ‘F-Bomb’, a powerful bomb that could potentially defeat the Wither Monster that has been destroying the world since the initial episode. As the group reunites with the other two members of the Order we are able to further explore the relationship of the remaining members and discover the inner workings of the Order. After trouble ensues and the Wither Monster shows up, the player is left with a choice and ultimately must build and detonate the F-Bomb to destroy the Wither Monster.
As the episode draws to a close we see the return of a character albeit under some unusual circumstances and we experience an emotional and unexpected twist that shakes up the group. We are ultimately left with some closure and also an uncertainty as to what the group can do next after exhausting all possibilities and what they will do to overcome their unresolved issues both personally and professionally.
The Last Place You Look got a few things right that the second episode did not, character interactivity and progression, depth of locations, exploration and action are all aspects that have been improved exponentially. The amount of interactivity between the main character and the members of the group in this episode was phenomenal, it meant interactions between players were much more substantial in terms of impact and progression of character. As a player I felt morally obligated to choose specific choices over others as a result of the impact it may have, this is far different to the basic choices offered in the second episode. A great example of the amount of emotion and character interactivity that existed in this episode was when an unexpected twist occurs, it highlights the emotion between characters and allows the player to once again appreciate the importance of each member in the group.
Another aspect that I feel represents the essence of Minecraft in the series is the exploring aspect. In this latest episode the detail and depth in locations that can be explored was far more intricate and as a result the player was presented with more opportunities and puzzles that required some sort of exploring and thought process to complete them. It felt that the locations were more fleshed out and designed to have purpose. Action was also more present throughout this episode compared to the initial two episodes which allowed the story to be presented in an interesting way that intertwined both great dialogue and visually appealing sequences.
The Last Place You Look is hands down the best episode of the series so far as it far surpasses the first two episodes in quality. It is a great example of the perfect balance between witty dialogue, slapstick humour, character progression and action. It presents strong dialogue between characters, clear character progression and intertwines it with some great action-packed sequences and puzzles.
We were able to see a clear shift in the way the characters interact with each other as Jesse continued to fruition into a leader for the group. This episode also had a better sense of immersion when compared to the previous episode and I felt that the choices made held substantial weight. I look forward to seeing how this well articulated story and group continues and what awaits them in the upcoming episodes.
The Good
- Awesome introduction sequence
- Great blend of dialogue, action, emotion.
- Substantial character interaction.
- Good sense of immersion.
- A lot to explore in locations.
- Adequate difficulty on puzzles.
The Bad
- Few sequences of stuttering and slowdown.
