Minecraft: Visual Novel Edition Chapter 1

Minecraft is the type of game that keeps you glued to the screen for no apparent reason sometimes, other than the need to keep digging in search of more diamonds. The sandbox nature of the game is what attracts most players, on the other hand, because you are free to do as you please at all times, whether you want to walk around building huts, or just give up on ever seeing the sky again.

Minecraft: Visual Novel Edition Chapter 1 is not about freedom of choice and exploration, on the other hand, but about the perils of being a hero. Instead of having to break blocks on a regular basis and dodging unruly creepers that try to blow up your castles, here you just relax and let the story take you for a ride. The ride is linear and mostly unimpressive, but it can turn into something decent with enough work.

To begin with, you wake up after presumably being unconscious for whatever reason, only to be greeted by a friendly girl. Her clothing hints at the classic creeper design, but she does a good job at not exploding at the first sign of danger. After a bit of chit-chat, she takes you home, where you meet one of her friends. In essence, the entire thing is about finding out what happened to you before you passed out.

As it is the case with every visual novel game out there, the story is paramount, although it needs to be expertly written to keep you interested. This is not true here, but the plot is simple enough for all purposes, which makes it a good choice for those who want a bit of relaxation without the hassle of a convoluted story. The disappointing part is that you have no control over the dialog, so you just kind of have to watch it unfold.

The rest of the game is pretty basic as well, which includes the gameplay and the visual quality. You can’t do much anyway, other than click to skip the dialog line, or hold down the Ctrl key to fast-forward through it. You should be careful, on the other hand, because this first chapter is rather short, so you might finish it too quickly if you keep on skipping.

All things considered, Minecraft: Visual Novel Edition Chapter 1 is not storytelling masterpiece, but it doesn’t pretend to be either. It might turn into something interesting after a few more chapters, but as for right now, it is only pleasant if you want to relax for a while.