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p>A narrative-driven game like Minecraft, the block-building phenomenon adored by adults and children alike, might sound a little contradictory. By design, Minecraft has little in the way of plots or characters. The world is generated randomly and the most memorable "stories" are naturally generated according to what you choose to build and explore. The game's openness is what makes it unique and is also the reason why Minecraft: Story Mode, an spin-off game with a carefully crafted plot, has been received with such skepticism. Minecraft is a game that doesn't have a story -- is it possible, or right, for another developer to give it one?

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p>Telltale Games is most well-known for adventure game adaptations of popular franchises like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and Fables. These properties, unlike Minecraft are based on established stories, characters and mythology that the team is able work with. Utilizing its own game engine as well as a comic book style of art, Telltale typically offers a game "season" consisting of five episodes. These episodes are broken down into cutscenes and branching conversations. https://gameaff.com/ You may occasionally be able to explore the environment. However, there is very little exploration or imagination. You are looking for freeform crafting and building, like that found in Minecraft? You should look elsewhere.

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p>Despite the vast differences, Minecraft: Story Mode works. It's a wonderful celebration of the game that made Markus Persson a billionaire. The characters and narrative feel like they belong in the world, even though they're not in the original game. In episode one, you take on the character of Jesse, and unlike most Telltale games, you have the option of choosing between a boy or girl, and also one of three different races. It's a nice feature that instantly gave me a sense of belonging to the character. The voice acting was done by either Patton Oswalt (best-known for his roles in Ratatouille or The King of Queens) and Catherine Taber (you might recognise her voice from Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker or Star Wars: The Clone Wars). With a small group of friends you set out to win a tournament for building at a Minecon-style gathering known as Endercon.

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p>You won't find any reference to Jesse's treehouse, or her pet pig Reuben or the Endercon competition in the original Minecraft game. This could be a problem, but Telltale quickly impressed me in several ways. Story Mode is not the most compelling storyline for Minecraft. It's a distinct take on the blocky franchise , and is set in its own distinct version of the Minecraft world. This allows the writers to play around while still preserving the original material. Story Mode also weaves in many elements that are familiar to players of the original game. Episode 1 is filled with portals, beacons, and creepers that are all easily recognized. When Telltale does introduce a new concept -- like an amulet that is colorful and used to track important characters it isn't out of its place in the Minecraft universe. Story Mode respects the original game's mechanics, and the items but doesn't overuse them.

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p>The pace is slow to begin with, but once the Endercon building competition ends the plot is able to shift into a much higher gear. Telltale introduces the Order of the Stone, a group of heroes who once defeated the Ender Dragon but then disappeared into legend. The peril the world now confronts is tied to these heroes and the developer lays out a few of the overarching mysteries of the five-part series. It's nothing exceptional but I'm still intrigued enough to continue watching the remaining episodes.

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p>Story Mode is meant to be family-friendly. There are some limitations to the writing and Telltale's ability to utilize its fun characters. Fables (The Wolf Among Us) and The Walking Dead have provided more opportunities for the team to develop dark and unpredictable characters with clever plans. These properties trigger stronger reactions from the player, more difficult choices and more complex relationships with the characters you choose. Most of Story Mode's characters are likable (aside from Jesse's friend Axel who is known to be impulsive and self-centered), so I spent most of my time trying to be best friends with everyone.

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p>Despite this, the characters are distinct and have quirky personality traits that make them lively. They all have clearly defined motives and desires which makes it much easier to anticipate the outcome of each dialogue decision. Previous Telltale games have suffered from occasionally stiff scripts and inconsistency in pace -- a common occurrence of a series with a variety of stories -- however, they've always made me care about the characters. Story Mode is no different, which is a testament of the quality of the script. Although Jesse's friends are a bit superficial, they are easy to feel for. I really want my "Nether Maniacs" (early on you can pick your team's name during the building competition) to endure and remain together, which is why I'm interested to see how the show tries to pull them apart in later episodes.

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p>Even if you've never played Minecraft before, there are plenty of things to do in Story Mode's first Chapter. It's a charming tale with simple characters and some memorable set pieces. It could not be further from Minecraft in terms of game design but Telltale has somehow come up with a way to make it work. This is due to the high-quality of the script, and the clever integration of classic items monsters, gameplay mechanics. Story Mode uses Minecraft's entire toolbox to aid in its storytelling. It's very effective. The game could have been a lazy and uninspiring cash-in, but instead it's a thoughtful and respectful spin-off that is a celebration of Minecraft's special brand of imagination.

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