Minecraft

Minecraft is a survival or building simulator where you need to build the civilization in the wild to survive. Everything, from trees and soil to living creatures, can be your material, and every item you need is craftable. You can download Minecraft for almost any platform, including desktops and laptops, phones and tablets, consoles, and even cars!

Square Style

What used to be a compromise became a trace. The cubic look of everything in Minecraft is now adored by fans. But back in the late 2000s, it was necessary to make this large 3D world less detailed for hardware to handle it properly. Now it’s iconic and memetic.

The designers nevertheless make objects very recognizable, and when fans rebuild real or fictional objects in Minecraft, they never lack detail. On the contrary, this LEGO-styled cube-based design makes Minecraft recognizable.

A Step Away from Being a God

The gameplay depends on the mode you select. In Survival (and its Hardcore version) you are but a modern Robinson Crusoe left alone (or with mates) on a hostile island you need to civilize.

Predators (and maybe zombies) go out hunting in the night, so you need some shelter. Build it. Craft tools and weapons. Domesticate animals. Discover new lands. Invent new devices and craft them too. Finally, you’re up to an electric empire.

But Creative mode is even more impressive. No material is scarce, no enemy is after you, no time limitations affect you. All you have to do is build your world, on your own or with mates. The locations some players build brick by brick are just fantastic.

Notre Dame de Paris and The White House, King’s Landing and Mos Eisley, universities and living districts, ancient castles and modern skyscrapers are very impressive in Minecraft.

As for characters, they are but skins, but these skins are very popular, and, being effective layouts, they can be downloaded and imported. There are mini-games developed within Minecraft as mods, and they are more popular than many standalone ones.

Minecraft the Ubiquitous

Now that Minecraft is owned and run by Microsoft, it’s released for various platforms. There are versions for Sony PS4 and Xbox One, Windows, OS X, and Linux, iOS, and Android. You can soon even install Minecraft on your new Tesla car; at least, Elon Musk has expressed interest in it. Given that the requirements are low (2GB RAM, 1GB storage), Minecraft runs on old devices quite well.

Construction Time Forever

Minecraft is among the most influential games of the XXI century. It shows that collaboration over building is just as attractive as destructive instincts. The beauty you build yourself is greater than that provided by the designers. And the world is your playground if you are a building type.

• Graphics 4.5
• Gameplay 5
• Controls 5
• Replay Value 5

Pros

Unlimited creative freedom
Already iconic design
Various game modes

Cons

It requires too much time to enjoy it in full