Players felt disappointed primarily due to the game's perceived lack of content, especially after the main campaign, and its high price point, leading to a poor value-for-money assessment. Many also cited unfulfilled potential, repetitive gameplay, and the game's abandonment by developers as significant causes for their disappointment.
Frustration stemmed from numerous technical issues such as bugs, glitches, and poor optimization, which hindered gameplay. Players also expressed frustration with unintuitive controls, repetitive gameplay, and the inability to get refunds, especially when the game was perceived as overpriced or abandoned shortly after purchase.
Satisfaction was derived from initial gameplay experiences, overcoming challenges, and the game exceeding expectations for some players. Positive aspects included enjoyable mechanics, good graphics, a well-thought-out story, and fun multiplayer experiences, particularly when the game was purchased at a discounted price.
Excitement was generated by innovative and engaging gameplay, the feeling of leading a team, and the overall quality and potential of the game. Players enjoyed the mix of strategy and action, unique story elements, and the ability to progress and dominate within the game.
Hope was primarily tied to the desire for future updates and additional content, including more units, fortifications, traps, and varied enemies. Players expressed anticipation for continued development to address current shortcomings and expand the game's offerings.
Verdict
Mostly negative
Summary
Positive 36% · Negative 64%. Score: 64 / 100
Positives:
Players generally find the game to be fun, engaging, and a fresh take on the RTS genre, often exceeding initial expectations. Many appreciate its unique blend of strategy and action, finding it addictive and worth its price.
The game successfully combines RTS elements with other genres, making it approachable for new RTS players while still offering strategic depth. Players enjoy leading their armies and the simplified yet effective unit control system.
The game's story is generally well-received, providing enough intrigue to keep players engaged through the campaign. Its unique lore and world-building are also highlighted as positive aspects.
The game cleverly integrates familiar Minecraft elements and expands upon its lore, appealing to fans of the original. This blend of established themes with new gameplay is a major draw.
Multiplayer modes, including PvP and co-op campaigns, are a significant highlight, providing a fun and less repetitive experience compared to single-player. Playing with friends is a highly recommended aspect.
Negatives:
Players frequently express that the game is overpriced for the amount of content it offers, feeling short, repetitive, and lacking depth or replayability after the campaign. Many believe it should be significantly cheaper.
The multiplayer experience is heavily criticized for its poor design, including difficulty joining friends, lack of in-game communication (chat/ping), and a flawed matchmaking system that prevents team selection and leads to frustrating random team play.
The game's strategy mechanics are considered simplistic, crude, and lacking depth, often boiling down to basic 'A-move' tactics. Players feel there's little room for complex strategy, and the mix of action and RTS elements doesn't work well.
A major concern is the perceived abandonment of the game by Mojang and Microsoft, with updates ceasing shortly after launch. This lack of ongoing support has led to a decline in the player base and overall community engagement.
The AI, both allied and enemy, is a significant issue, with troops frequently getting stuck or behaving unintelligently. The enemy AI is also criticized for its lack of strategic play, making combat feel unchallenging and repetitive.
Gameplay:
The game blends RTS, action, and RPG elements, with players directly controlling a hero leading an army. It incorporates base building and resource gathering, reminiscent of Minecraft and Clash of Clans, but with a unique third-person perspective.
The game offers a 1-4 player campaign, 4-player co-op PvE, and up to 4v4 PvP modes. Players need to host games to play with friends on the same team.
The game features Nether invasion events, a time-sensitive campaign, and periodic new challenges. There's a workshop, a portal system for travel, and expectations for future DLC. The ending has a cliffhanger.
Core gameplay involves constant offense and defense, attacking and defending bases. Base building and fortifications are crucial for both offensive pushes and defensive stands.
Unit control involves specific left-click/right-click commands for targeting, with players needing to hold clicks to send all mobs. In multiplayer, the lack of a 'Call all troops' button allows for individual micromanagement.
Performance:
Overall, the game appears to be stable and functional for many players, with good FPS, responsive controls, and no major bugs, visual glitches, or audio issues reported. Basic functionalities like alt-tabbing and online connections also seem to work well.
The game's rendering quality is problematic at higher settings, leading to blurry visuals and overly harsh outlines. Players noted that lowering the rendering quality actually improves visual clarity.
The available graphics settings are very limited, only offering adjustments for brightness, contrast, and rendering quality. This lack of options restricts players' ability to customize their visual experience.
A specific technical issue was reported where the game incorrectly indicates insufficient memory, despite the system having ample storage. This suggests a potential memory detection bug.
The game is reported to be playable on the SteamDeck, indicating some level of compatibility with handheld gaming devices. This is a positive note for portability.
Recommendations:
Many players advise against purchasing the game at its current full price, suggesting it's not worth the money due to various issues like missing content, bugs, or general lack of value. They recommend waiting for sales, content updates, or bug fixes before considering a purchase.
The game is primarily recommended for fans of the Minecraft IP, especially those who enjoy strategic open-world games or have liked previous Minecraft spin-offs like Dungeons or Story Mode. However, some warn against buying it solely for the IP.
Based on limited and varied feedback, some players suggest checking out the game if interested, especially via Xbox Game Pass. There are also mentions of it potentially becoming a cult classic, needing friends for achievements, and comparisons to other games.
Miscellaneous:
Players desire more content, updates, and features, including new game modes (endless, attack/defense), troop formations, aerial units, and an equipment system. There's concern that developers might prioritize cosmetic skins over substantial gameplay additions.
Many players, especially long-time Minecraft fans, had high expectations for the game but found it only 'okay' or worth its sale price. There's a sentiment that the game is primarily aimed at younger audiences, which might disappoint older players.
The game features a lengthy tutorial that some players found to be indicative of the entire game's structure, taking up to an hour and a half to complete. This suggests a potentially slow or complex onboarding process.
The game is perceived as a Minecraft spinoff, potentially a prequel, and is likened to a 'Minecraft Movie' in video game form. This highlights its strong connection to the Minecraft universe.
There's a perception among some players that Mojang struggles to manage games beyond the original Minecraft, with a history of slow content updates for their titles.