Here is how Telltale Games promotes A Block and a Hard Place: This will conclude the saga of the Wither Storm. So I have a problem with reviewing this one before playing Episode 5 to see how things will really end. A Block and a Hard Place could either be the best entry in the series or an example of the worst premature conclusion in storytelling history. On its own, A Block and a Hard Place is thrilling, heart-wrenching, and fully contained. But! What on earth is coming next?
It’s difficult to be tactful about this. Anything that comes after A Block and a Hard Place will at feel like either a cash grab or cuddle time after a thrilling climax. And cuddle time is fine – it’s just weird when it happens a month later and costs another five dollars.
I love this little guy…Reuben’s cute too.
Until I play the final chapter, I cannot hold this questionable storytelling choice against Minecraft Story Mode. But I’m not optimistic.
The best of the good
From open to close, A Block and a Hard Place is the most complete episode so far. Secrets are unveiled, enemies are slain, and things even get pretty heavy by the end. Kids will love the characters and the lore, the puzzles and crafting, but the ending might be too much for a younger audience. I’m left wondering who this game is made for. Still, the characters make rational decisions, crafting and puzzle solving gels nicely with the storytelling, and you are made to realize how deeply you care for your team.
Whether unlocking secrets about The Order of the Stone or pushing the story forward, each line of dialogue seems much more purposeful here than in previous episodes. It’s almost like Telltale realized it’s running out of time to reach the conclusion because we’ve seen plenty of filler “go team” and “we sure are in a pickle” inconsequential scripting in the past. Thankfully, that is kept to a minimum in Episode 4 and it’s especially note-worthy because there’s some particularly juicy things to talk about.
Final Verdict
In a vacuum, Episode 4 is a winner. Pacing, puzzles, character development – it’s all great. But there’s a “but” – a big one. The way it closes leaves me extremely concerned for the final chapter. I’m not thinking “Oh! What will happen to my favorite characters?” but rather “wasn’t that the ending?” I’ll give this episode the highest ranking so far but look to my final review to know how well the fourth block fit. Something tells me the entire story should have been told in three episodes, rather than four plus a mysterious bonus episode.
Too deep for kids? What a shit complaint.