Ah, good old Minecraft. Since its humble beginnings on the PC almost 5 years ago, it’s come a long way. A full launch in 2011 propelled it into the gaming stratosphere and beyond and has since been ported to home consoles as well as mobile devices. So how far has Minecraft come, and is the next-gen version the definitive product?
It most definitely is. The game we’ve all come to love has made the transition to the next-gen with grace (despite a hiccup or two,) and it plays just as fantastically.
The randomly generated worlds beam through your screen with vibrant colours that invite you to play your own game and create your own adventure. The blocky worlds are made up of various blocks, each with their own characteristics. If you’re looking for a challenge then you’ll be taking on the ‘Survival’ mode, where each of the blocks play a part in your digital life. You’ll need to smash trees to create your first tools, build your shelter and survive the first night. It’s always a little daunting starting a new world in Survival, but once you’ve made it through the first night (huddled in a corner of your windowless box, trying not to let the mobs outside get inside your mind,) then you’re on your way to becoming a top class adventurer.
The crafting system is robust, but not overly complicated, in fact it’s pretty easy to get the hang of and you’ll be creating swords, boats and armour in no time. Well, so long as you have the right ingredients.
If the prospect of being thrown into the wild and left to fend for yourself seems a bit too barbaric for you, fear not, there is an alternative way to play. The ‘Creative’ mode allows you to be just that – creative. You can build to your hearts desire without fear of losing equipment, being killed by horrible spiders (my least favourite enemy in the game, absolutely terrifying!)
Minecraft is the one game where you are free to do whatever you please. Want to build a snowman? Do it. Want to dig down to the bottom of the earth and establish your own Bond villain lair? Why not? The only limit is your imagination!
Minecraft plays beautifully on the PS4 and looks superb. Of course it’s not going to be up there with Killzone: Shadow Fall or Battlefield 4, but that’s sort of the point of Minecraft. It doesn’t need to rely on realistic graphics to engage the players. In fact, the graphics are quite primitive when compared to most modern video games, but they’re what makes Minecraft unique. In fact, I don’t think I could imagine playing a “realistic” Minecraft. It is what it is.
Normally I’d go on to explain how long it takes to play through the game and what the replay value is, but with Minecraft we’re just going to have to call it infinite. There’s no end, no middle, just the start. From there on out it’s all up to you as to how long your adventure lasts. Bored of your current world? Go ahead and start afresh, set yourself new challenges or try to earn each of the Trophies (that takes some dedication.)
Minecraft was a roaring success on the previous generation of consoles, and it’s only going to get better with each update on the PS4 and Xbox One.
Should you buy it? Without a doubt.
Score: 10/10
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