MadCap's Game Reviews - "Minecraft"

XBLA "Box Art"

Well, I had intended to review Conan this week, but I found myself purchasing and being bizarrely entranced by a different game entirely.  Developed by the indie giant Mojang, I too, have been sucked into the ultimate in video game creativity toys known as Minecraft. I had originally purchased the PC version, and my reaction to it was…well, less than stellar.  I had no idea what in the name of Daedalus I was doing as I found myself stocking up on piles of rocks, dirt, sand, and being curbstomped nine ways from Sunday thanks to an escaped resident of video game Hell – the Creepers.

Needless to say, things weren’t going well.

But then the Xbox 360 port came along.  Some people would call it “dumbed down”; you know what I call it? Playable.  The PC version had (at the time I played it, I don’t know if it’s different now) no tutorial, gave no clear indication of what you were supposed to do.  The 360 version actually has a rather in-depth tutorial that gives you the basics and then it’s off into the world for you.

Building things is now easier than ever.  Instead of the tedious and somewhat insane process of positioning all your items in the nine slots in your craft screen, you simply have the ingredients required, push a button, and bada bing! The item is placed within your inventory for your use.  I do like this, as it solves one of the problems I had with the PC version.  Why the complex, overcomplicated arrangement of ingredients to make items? Why can’t I just have all the items and slap them together to create what I want, especially considering all the trouble I go through to find them?

Another nice step forward Notch has made with the console port is the helpful indicators about certain objects within the game world.  This is useful for averting the aforementioned “I’ve got a block of dirt! I’ve got a block of dirt! I’ve got a block of dirt! The creepers kicked my ass!” scenario, and just for clarification on just what everything is, so I can use it all better.

All in all, I give Minecraft on Xbox 360 a definite four out of five. It’s addictive as all get out, and it’s actually fun. What’s to complain about?

…so…I have my indie credit, now. Am I right?

Minecraft is now available for Xbox 360 from Mojang AB on the Xbox Live Arcade, as well as from Mojang by direct download to PC at http://www.minecraft.net/

This review is based on the Xbox 360 and the PC versions of the game.