Telltale Games put its episodic design on display again with Minecraft: Story Mode. The first episode, The Order of the Stone, is available now, and multiple episodes will release over the next few months.
This game breaks away from the usual Minecraft norm, telling the story of Jesse, a heroic, blocky character called upon to seek the five adventurers who form The Order of the Stone. Only with their help will he be able to stop a sinister force threatening to obliterate the world.
If you experienced Telltale Games’ previous titles, you have a good idea what to expect, with a combination of dialogue tree and quick-time events. Still, if you’re new to this sort of game, we have Minecraft: Story Mode tips to get you started.
Respond however you want
Throughout Minecraft: Story Mode’s first episode, you’ll encounter different characters in your quest, including Petra, Axel and Olivia, among others. Along the way, you’ll be able to make decisions via conversations, with various choices available.
It’s up to you which way you want these conversations to go, but replay the game multiple times to see how other players react, or how you could easily bond with new members of your party by saying the right thing. Make specific choices the first time around, but then go through again and see where other choices lead.
Remember, there are no wrong decisions per se, although you may not like someone’s reaction.
Mastering quick-time events
The quick-time events in Minecraft: Story Mode are easy to follow. During certain action sequences you’ll see a large prompt indicating which direction you need to push on the controller or button to hit. Think of it like the classic game Dragon’s Lair, but more interactive.
During these sequences, you have plenty of time to see which way to push, so don’t worry about making a wrong decision. You’re allowed to stumble every once in a while since the game is pretty forgiving with mistakes. But don’t make too many, however, or you may need to start over.
Combat
There are times when you’ll have to deal with Creepers in the game. After all, it is Minecraft. Don’t be afraid, though. Jesse has a sword for disposing of these creatures.
The best way to handle combat is one at a time. Don’t let Creepers gang up on you. Instead, run up and deal with them individually. It only takes a few hits to bring one of these creatures down. The run and attack method works best.
Crafting
Finally, you’ll need to build items in the game; it never hurts to upgrade your gear. You’ll find how important this is early in the game, when your wooden sword breaks during your encounter with the Creepers; you’ll need to build a new one.
Petra will take you to a crate that will let you place items, allowing you to create new ones. You’ll find a few materials that will come in handy later on in the game, but for now, focus on two stones and one stick, which will help you build a sword.
For this item, remember the actual shape of a sword. Line up the stone pieces atop one another in the top and middle blocks (center, not left or right). After that, put the stick right on the bottom. By doing this, the sword will automatically form and you’ll be good to go.
Building isn’t nearly as complex as it is in the main game, so you’ll have no problem making things you need.
