Story Mode – Season 2 Episode 2 Review

Title: Minecraft: Story Mode – Season 2, Episode 2: “Giant Consequences”

Available on: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Android, iOS

Where to buy: Steam, Xbox Live, PSN Network

The second episode of Minecraft: Story Mode The second season wastes little time getting into the action, as “Giant Consequences” picks up where “Hero in Residence” left off. While some of the characters and plots seemed a bit clichéd, Jesse and the gang deliver another original series adventure.

Like I said, episode two picks up where we left off, as the admin walks by to chat with Jesse. Along with this conversation, he also begins to destroy Beacon Town, challenging the champion to fight him. While I really enjoyed the admin’s introduction, I wondered where things were going with this showdown, as the beginning of the episode felt more like the end of the game. I was even more surprised when the Prismarine Giant went down in the first two minutes.

Since its introduction, the Admin has exuded a presence of power, seemingly invincible. That was actually one of the main traits I was hesitant about about the antagonist. Ironically, when the villain was reintroduced as Olaf’s evil incarnate from Frozen, all my worries went away. Despite his ability to clap his hands and change things and change things, or change his appearance to that of a snowman, all of his actions were entertaining. While his story in Minecraft: story mode will probably end up using the power of friendship or deus ex machina, he’s going to be a lot of fun along the way.

Praise where praise is also due, because Patton Oswald really made the character of Jesse his own (Sorry, I’m sure Catherine Taber does as well as Female Jesse). At the start of Season 1, I struggled with the idea of ​​him playing the main character, simply because he’s so widely recognizable. Yet despite the ability to choose specific dialogue choices, Oswald’s portrayal of the character is genuinely funny, good-natured, and likable.

Unlike Jesse though, there were aspects to “Giant Consequences” that weren’t likable. While this could certainly be considered child’s play, the manufactured tension that occurs between Jesse and some of the characters is a frustrating cliche. While new characters like Luna the Llama and Jack continue to shine, Petra and Radar can be serious annoyances. Petra’s constant complaining and attempts to keep Jesse out of things continue to seem immature. There was a bit more explanation about it in this episode, but her character still seems a lot more unsympathetic than in Season 1.

Radar is much worse though. I get that it’s meant to represent innocence and is a mirror of how the characters started out in season 1, but one of the worst things about the start of Minecraft: story mode was cookie cutter, boring personalities. I also get that Radar is purposely boring and losing, all so he can get over it in the end, but that’s too much. The hardest thing about all of this is that I love Yuri Lowenthal. Maybe that’s why Radar is so hard for me to put up with, honestly. My outside experience with the actor sees as the rude science geek on Camper Camper, Neill. So to see him like that… it hurts.

Other than that, the story continues to be fun. The Admin Snow Fortress is sprawling and pretty, as its interior is reminiscent of the Season 1 area without a mine cart, with icy, open areas instead of lava. The constant pop-ups of the big bad guys always seem well-timed, simultaneously serving as a means of exposition and interesting conversation. Outside of a fun archery mini-game, the combat and gameplay are still pretty uninteresting. After its introduction in the first episode, I had hoped that the freeform building would play more of a role in this episode. Instead, the action is the usual Telltale, fast-paced timed events. While there is a part where the free-form construction happens, it’s still limited to just a few elements in a small square, all built using dramatically bad camera angles.

Overall however, Minecraft: story mode, episode 2 manages to continue a good enough story. It may have had a few hiccups early on, but I’m looking forward to playing the third installment of the season later this fall. Especially after this ending!

VERDICT: Although it’s aimed at kids Minecraft: story mode continues to deliver an interesting story, with fun characters and stories. Although it’s weighed down by a lack of creativity and a clash of cliches, it’s another sufficient installment of the Telltale series that I never imagined could take me through an episode, let alone 10 so far. !