Minus the crafting
When I found out Microsoft and Mojang were building a Diablo-style game in the world of Minecraft I was intrigued. I love Diablo, and Minecraft certainly has an interesting hook. How would these two properties merge? The answer to that is Minecraft Dungeons, and while it draws inspiration from both games, it actually feels different from both of them at the same time. This is no small feat; as one would assume this is an action RPG with crafting and loot, but alas things are not what I expected in the world of Mojang’s latest entry in the Minecraft universe.
The story begins as an Illager (apparently this is what Minecraft calls villagers?) stumbles upon an ancient orb. The orb gives him immense power and of course corrupts him in a way that sets up the villain. What I love about the presentation is that it takes itself so seriously, thus creating a humorous tone to the story.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
Game play is where Dungeons shines though. Make no mistake, this is an isometric action RPG that will no doubt garner comparisons to titles like Diablo. However, this is a much more simplified version of the genre. There are no crafting items to grind for and no classes to speak of. Instead, the game lets players tune their character to their play style. Everything is based around enchantments and items. There is no upgrade tree or skills to enhance.
Every time players level up they are given an enchantment point that they can assign to their weapons and armor. Each one has a set of levels with increasing costs. These points can be removed from those items and used on others, but I never found a way to do that without destroying the item, so I needed to make sure I liked a particular weapon before using enchantments on it. There are various types of weapons and armor found throughout the game, each one has its own unique traits and loot is color-coded accordingly.
The main story mode is short enough to plow through within single-digit hours. Each area has its own unique biome and loot drops, and can be replayed on higher difficulties for better rewards. As with Diablo the main course is not the campaign, but the endgame grind that comes along after completing it. Going after better items and armor is key to the longevity of the title. With the promise of more biomes and items in the future, there is enough here to keep players intrigued for a long time.
Combat in Dungeons feels good. Weapons are simplistic enough and the abilities are limited to just three so as not to become overbearing. I found a solid set I liked and usually stuck with those, only upgrading when I found better versions. It also helps that the game is only $20, with multiplayer that adds to the journey. While not as deep as other games in the genre, it makes sense considering the source material. The game combines addictive combat with simplistic design to create a nice diversion from some of the more haphazard clones.
The look of the game matches that of its source. Everything is rendered in blocks and runs smoothly. Xbox One owners get 30fps, while those with an X can squeeze out 60, which makes a huge difference in the way it plays. The music is equally noteworthy and I found myself really enjoying its dynamic score more than that of other titles.
Minecraft Dungeons is a solid game that is not only cheap, but accessible. It also helps that it came out on everything and Game Pass owners get to check it out for free. It is great seeing Microsoft expand the series out to more genres. The recognizable fidelity aids in it reaching a larger audience and the price tag makes it an impulse purchase. It also helps that the quality is there. I think anyone who takes a dive into Minecraft Dungeons will have a great time.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
