Minecraft Dungeons is an addicting & gripping experience to which I haven’t felt the likes of since Blizzard’s Diablo III in 2012. While stomping out new ground for the iconic license, the game appeals to both new crowds and longtime fans. With its procedural-generated worlds and challenging enemies, Microsoft has created a truly unique world for players to explore.
Dungeons lives up to its title in every way. From it’s sprawling environments, to the dark corridors and hordes of enemies to battle, the game seems to never slow down. While not extremely deep in its mechanics, Dungeons gets the job done and is enjoyable for fans of the genre and expected newcomers. Combat is simple, and movement operates on a simple point-to-go basis. When it comes to customization, players select their character model at the beginning of the game. The characters on the selection screen hold no unique attributes, but there are plenty of options to choose from, alongside the classic Steve and Alex skins from the original Minecraft game. However, armor can be acquired in-game, and some items can add a unique charm to one’s appearance. Ranging from over sized wizard costumes to wolf-pelt helmets, the possibilities are endless.
Another important note to make when discussing Dungeons is the inclusion of a story. While not as fleshed out as players have seen in Telltale’s Minecraft Story Mode, Dungeons puts its own spin on a Minecraft tale, starting off the game with the introduction of the game’s villain — the Arch-Illager. In this opening cutscene, players are shown the Orb of Dominance, which the Illager discovers and uses to harness the powers of the overworld. Afterwards, players are thrown into the game’s tutorial area, and then sent across a variety of locations along their quest to stop the Arch-Illager’s evil reign.
The game prides itself on being an easily-accessible dungeon-crawling RPG, and prioritizes family play. However, on the game’s harder difficulties I would recommend bringing along a second or third player to dominate enemies, as you’ll encounter hundreds of mobs. The game’s higher difficulty settings are more intense, and are coordinated to the level of experience that the individual players hold. Each mission is displayed with its own rating and recommended skill level for players, and another graphic will be displayed when playing in multiplayer to indicate the group skill level. In higher-ranked sessions, players will encounter tough-as-nails enemies, alongside more enchanted enemy types. The trade-off, however, is the chance at getting your hands on harder-to-obtain loot. Leveling up is quite rewarding in Dungeons, as skill points are spent upgrading player gear as opposed to overall statistics. Each weapon can be enchanted, and some can hold more than one power. When you find yourself in a pinch while playing Dungeons, powers such as the toxic ability that certain bows have or the ricochet effect on arrows could make all the difference in combat.
Dungeons is Minecraft as players have never seen it before. With its top-down perspective, beautiful visuals, and dungeon-crawling adventure gameplay, the game is set to have players hooked for hours on end. Every enemy-type looks incredible in-game, and the ragdoll effects are something to behold in contrast to the standard game. Characters will stick to walls when hit with arrows, and the iconic Creepers will slither and hiss their way to the floor after being cut down in crowds. The game’s mass-enemy spawns are overwhelming, but players will learn to equip themselves with the most suited gear for every scenario. The game is a load of fun in both single-player or with multiple friends. The story, for what it is as well, is a welcome, while not extremely in-depth, way to tie together all the dungeon-crawling action. Overall, the game is worth checking out, spending a few hours in and getting hooked until you’ve completely nearly everything there is to offer. For all your gaming reviews and entertainment news, keep it here on NYCityGuys
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