Minecraft: Story Mode Episode Three: The Last Place You Look
Developer : Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Release Date: November 24, 2015
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One (reviewed), Xbox 360, Wii U, Microsoft Windows, OSX, iOS, Android
Our last time with Story Mode was short, boring, and it had me second guessing my optimistic review of the opening chapter. To my delight, The Last Place You Look manages to re-establish most of the momentum initiated back in Episode 1 by leaning on its strengths – an ensemble cast, imaginative environments, and some attitude, and shying from its weaknesses like combat or an inconsequentially branching narrative.
Minecraft: Story Mode is not pushing the genre forward in any way, shape, or form – at least in terms of the game itself. The best thing going for this series is its release schedule. I can only hope Telltale Games will begin releasing all its episodic content with such hustle and reliability. It generates confidence, encourages players to purchase and recommend the Season Pass, and allows for a quick comeback; I haven’t been stewing on Episode Two for too terribly long.
Thankfully, a full compliment of characters is present and accounted for in The Last Place You Look. The whole gang is back and we even get a peculiar new party member in Soren, another Order of the Stone vet. Even after reaching the end, I’m not sure what to make of Soren and that ambiguity works in this case. He has a special set of skills and experiences that will intrigue you and this is exactly the sort of character building Telltale Games should be implementing to a blank slate template like Minecraft.
The stand-out character in the series is clearly Petra. You care about her safety and she is loyal to Jesse; there’s a strong connection there. Unfortunately, other than Reuben the Pig, the other characters are not as strong, individually. Together, the cast is great and I enjoy them. But Lukas, in particular, acts somewhat out-of-character and his actions feel motivated by an inability to generate conflict amongst the party rather than genuine disagreements. Perhaps we’ll learn he has a split personality disorder which would explain such irrational behavior but for now, it’s just odd.
The environments are wonderfully varied and imaginative – just like everything you can create in Minecraft, go figure. Soren’s character is heavily influenced by his habitat – a strange lab in which he has spent an unquantifiable amount of time without a partner or friend. Just a man and his thoughts. But you won’t overstay your welcome here or any of the locations Jesse and the crew visit. The pacing is greatly improved here over Assembly Required and overall, it feels like more thought was put in to The Last Place You Look.
The opening sequence is a perfect blend of quick, natural, and logical quick-time events. I would love to see the remaining episodes take this approach to the “combat.” Simple is best with this style of game and there’s no need to even attempt to shoehorn action into the mix. The branching narrative is also better served by simplicity here because complexity has only impeded on the game’s ability to deliver real consequences in the last episode. The Last Place You Look has a simple “him or her” decision and you’ll definitely want to think it over.
Final Verdict
We’re on a bit of a roller coaster with Minecraft: Story Mode but the high points now outnumber (and outweigh) the low. The Last Place You Look is an enjoyable entry in the series and is on-par with the opening chapter. Soren is a peculiar addition to the party. He comes from an interesting place, under a strange set of circumstances, and sings a hilarious “Enderman Love Song.”
If nothing else, the steady release schedule is encouraging for Season Pass holders and, more broadly, fans of Telltale Games.
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