Minecraft: Story Mode

Story Mode doesn't cast aside Telltale conventions, but it successfully brings story to Minecraft

71%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

stability, monetization

75% User Score Based on 4,379 reviews

Critic Score 64%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

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About

Minecraft: Story Mode is a single player action adventure game with fantasy and comedy themes. It was developed by Telltale Games and was released on October 13, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Minecraft: Story Mode is a five-part adventure series based on the sandbox building and exploration game Minecraft. Typical for Telltale games, it is a cinematic adventure where the story is driven through the player's choices. Decisions are carried over and influence characters and events. The game uses the original title's block design and introduces a story for the game world as there was none …

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Single-Player

+18

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75%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,379 reviews

story801 positive mentions

stability54 negative mentions

Engaging and well-voiced story with emotional moments that appeal to Minecraft fans and newcomers alike.
Faithful Minecraft aesthetic with charming character development and humor provides a nostalgic and family-friendly adventure experience.
Accessible gameplay with interactive narrative and unique crafting elements that complement the story-driven format.

Linear gameplay with limited player agency and many choices having minimal impact on overall story progression.
Frequent technical issues including voice sync bugs, crashes, and glitches detract from immersion.
Disjointed content distribution requiring separate purchases for story episodes and DLC, causing frustration and high overall cost.

story
2,455 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
Minecraft: Story Mode offers a lighthearted, family-friendly narrative that successfully weaves a charming and engaging story within the Minecraft universe, featuring likable characters, humor, and emotional moments suitable for a younger audience. While the story is generally straightforward and not as deep or impactful as other Telltale games, it provides a fun and nostalgic experience for fans, though player choices have limited effect on the overall plot. Some criticism exists regarding pacing and the episodic release model, but overall it stands as a commendable effort to give Minecraft a cohesive, story-driven adventure.
- “The story is highly engaging and dependent on your own choices which makes you feel like you are part of the game itself.”
- “Telltale did a great job making it feel like a proper story in the Minecraft world, not just slapped onto it.”
- “The characters are likable, and the story, while not groundbreaking, is really well paced and fun.”
- “The story feels rushed only finishing the main story line in just four episodes.”
- “The first main story lasted only 4 chapters while the 5th in the main package was designed as bait to make buyers pay for the adventure pass.”
- “The story is bland and short, the gameplay is limited and there is no replay value at all.”
gameplay
317 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
70%
6%
Gameplay in Minecraft: Story Mode is primarily narrative-driven, akin to an interactive movie with limited player control, featuring dialogue choices and quick-time events rather than traditional Minecraft mechanics. It includes simple puzzles, crafting segments, and occasional action sequences, but the overall gameplay is minimal, straightforward, and appeals mainly to fans of Telltale's style or those interested in the story over complex interactivity. While some appreciate the integration of Minecraft elements and accessible design for newcomers, many find the gameplay lacking in depth, challenge, and length.
- “The gameplay respects Minecraft, its rules and mechanics, while still introducing new elements into the mix.”
- “Personally, one of Minecraft: Story Mode's best strengths is that it's really easy for people not experienced with video games to pick up and start playing, since this game is more cinematic than actual gameplay.”
- “It's fun, exciting, panic-inducing, and the perfect blend of gameplay and storytelling.”
- “Gameplay-wise, "Story Mode" offers little in the way of innovation or challenge.”
- “Another fault of the game is that there really isn't any gameplay besides solving a few puzzles and "fighting" a few mobs.”
- “The gameplay is inexistant and the content is not better.”
graphics
196 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The graphics of Minecraft: Story Mode faithfully capture the blocky, pixelated Minecraft aesthetic, featuring charming and well-designed visuals that appeal especially to fans and younger audiences. While some praise the polished art style and cinematic presentation, others criticize stiff character animations, occasional graphical glitches, and simplistic, robotic lip-syncing. Overall, the graphics suit the game's tone and target demographic but lack the refinement seen in other Telltale titles.
- “The game has a very defined art style that both stays close and true to the source material, but also deviates due to its differing engine and in service of gameplay.”
- “The graphics are about what to be expected when everything is built cubic and blocky like Minecraft, and while at times they can be kind of clunky, they certainly have impressive moments of size, scope, and smoothness, like the opening of episode 3 (the last place you'll look), where Jesse and their friends fight their way through a massive monster-infested area.”
- “The characters are well fleshed out, the voice actors do a great job and the whole Minecraft aesthetic looked pretty nice in the Telltale format.”
- “While the blocky, pixelated aesthetic of Minecraft translates well to the episodic format, the character models and animations feel stiff and lifeless.”
- “The game has the usual Telltale fare of graphical glitches, tons of typos, poor facial animation, and abysmal lip syncing.”
- “There are graphical glitches everywhere (character models clipping through themselves and each other; some blocks are stuck into each other which creates a weird clipping effect; and one character, Ivor's, beard has the same effect) which is distracting and kills the immersion in some cases.”
humor
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
Minecraft: Story Mode features a light, family-friendly humor that balances charming, silly jokes with clever Minecraft references, appealing mainly to kids and longtime fans. While some find the comedy endearing and genuinely funny, others feel it leans toward juvenile or forced humor, with uneven delivery at times. Overall, the humor adds warmth and charm to the adventure, creating an enjoyable, if not always sharp, comedic experience.
- “Minecraft story mode is one of the only games where dying makes you burst out laughing instead of getting angry.”
- “What sells the game is the humor, the excellent voice acting, and the best pig this side of Charlotte's Web.”
- “The humor, the story, the characters—all creative, interesting, and funny.”
- “The dialogue in this game is hilarious, and the jokes they try to pass off, let's just say they're utterly unfunny.”
- “It is not funny; it is unimaginative crudity masquerading as humor.”
- “I mean, the story is predictable and not interesting, not funny at all. There are 2 or 3 jokes, but they feel like forced jokes. Characters are not as interesting as in other Telltale games.”
emotional
95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
Minecraft: Story Mode delivers a surprisingly emotional and heartfelt experience, often eliciting genuine tears and deep attachment to characters—most notably the pig Reuben—despite its family-friendly tone and simpler narrative. While some find the story charming and touching with moments of intense connection and sorrow, others feel the emotional impact is shallow or inconsistent, reflecting its balance between wholesome fun and occasional darker themes. Overall, the game stands out as an emotionally engaging adventure that resonates strongly with many players.
- “When I first played this in 2016, I cried when Reuben died.”
- “The intensity of the story creates an emotional rollercoaster, with highs of triumph and lows of despair.”
- “From facing seemingly insurmountable challenges to forging deep connections with allies, the emotional depth of the story resonates long after the game is finished.”
- “Boring story with mostly boring characters.”
- “I came in wanting it to be good because I love both games, but it felt like I was forcing myself to finish this boring story.”
music
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its fitting, calming, and immersive qualities, with many highlighting the original soundtrack’s nostalgic and peaceful feel that enhances the atmosphere and emotional impact. While some find the tracks repetitive or not fully capturing the iconic Minecraft style, the overall soundtrack, including new compositions, is considered a standout feature that complements gameplay and storytelling effectively. A few technical issues and minor critiques of musical variety exist, but the soundtrack remains a beloved and integral part of the game's appeal.
- “Even the audio of the game, while being in the main menu, the soundtrack that is playing brings such a comforting and peaceful feeling, filled with warmth and love.”
- “In retrospect one of my favourite aspects of this game is actually its soundtrack.”
- “The original Minecraft soundtrack has been used, but it seems like there have been lots of new musical scores introduced (I don’t recognise them from the original game, but it has been a long time since I played it). All songs used really fit in with the vibe that the game is trying to portray.”
- “Maybe the music in the background could have been better; this is probably the only aspect that wasn't top notch.”
- “Music on this game is rather repetitive. During cutscenes I'd find myself humming to the song because it was the same one. Although I never minded the music, I found that some people would find this annoying.”
- “You see, Minecraft Story Mode's soundtrack recycles itself to an annoying point throughout the 6-hour campaign.”
stability
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The game is plagued by numerous bugs and stability issues, including frequent crashes, save file corruption, and graphical or audio glitches that disrupt immersion. While some players find the glitches tolerable or inconsequential, many report game-breaking problems that significantly impact the experience, indicating a need for urgent patches and fixes.
- “The software is buggy as hell and the choices never save right, ruined my entire playthrough.”
- “The game is not bad in terms of story, but it comes with a bunch of bugs and glitches. In 5 hours or so the game has crashed around 9 times. In all crashes the only way to get out is rebooting my system. On top of that the text in the in-game choices gets mixed with Portuguese, Spanish, English, and other languages, making it difficult to pick, which essentially is the core of this game.”
- “All in all the game seems to be entertaining, the story so far is well crafted; however, the bugs and glitches take out all the fun, especially because my save file became corrupted after the last crash, and the game was unable to load via the cloud, loading just to crash immediately from the local file.”
replayability
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
55%
21%
Replayability opinions for the game are mixed: many praise the multiple story paths and choice-driven variations that encourage replaying to see different outcomes, especially with future episodes expanding the experience. However, some find the replay value limited or nonexistent due to a linear overall story and minimal gameplay changes, making subsequent playthroughs feel repetitive or boring. Overall, replayability is seen as a strong point by fans of choice-based narratives but a weakness for those seeking more gameplay depth or variety.
- “The story is rock solid and, like other Telltale games, has good replay value because of the way the story develops through your choices.”
- “Some things could change, others couldn't, but it maintains replay value by offering different locales and sometimes entire scenes based on different choices, such as the choice at the end of episode 1 which completely alters the locale Jesse and a friend travel to and explore at the start of episode 2.”
- “These choices in the game really give Telltale games some great replayability, just to see how different the game will be if you play differently from the last time.”
- “Because while other games have replayability, this game does not have that.”
- “Main problem with Telltale games is replayability; this is no different.”
- “This game has no replay value and I believe I wasted 12 dollars on it.”
monetization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
The monetization of this game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with essential content locked behind paid DLC and microtransactions, making it feel exploitative especially toward younger players. While some acknowledge the base game’s value, additional episodes are seen as overpriced and primarily motivated by profit rather than quality storytelling. Overall, the monetization strategy has left many players disappointed and wary of future releases from the developer.
- “Free to play, but includes microtransactions.”
- “Be aware, if you want to fully complete the game, there are in-game purchases required.”
- “I got it for free, but the new episodes are DLC/microtransactions and may not justify the extra cost.”
- “The game is nothing but a shameless cash grab.”
- “Including episode 5, which is the start of a brand new adventure for the protagonists, feels like a built-in advertisement for the adventure pass DLC instead of a nice bonus.”
- “Overall I don't think you should buy the game in its entirety, as I believe the base game itself (episodes 1-4) are the best part of this game, whereas the DLCs are just there for the cash grab.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
Character development in this game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its depth, emotional moments, and fitting character designs, while others criticize it for being minimal, inconsistent, or overshadowed by abrupt pacing and lack of likable characters. Overall, character development is seen as either a strong point that enhances immersion or a weak area that detracts from the story's impact.
- “From in-depth story to insane character development, it truly has something everybody can enjoy.”
- “The game's unparalleled character development, captivating landscapes, and poignant moments collectively form a shocking masterpiece.”
- “Lastly, character development and the main character: the characters seem to bring in the whole atmosphere, and the design of the characters allowed each of them to feel like they belong in that given scenario.”
- “Character development is nearly nonexistent, and what little development you do receive is ignored in later actions inconsistent with the characters.”
- “The biggest thing about a story-based game is the character development, which simply does not exist in this game.”
- “Even as a children's game, this fails across the board for ham-fisted attempts at sudden and awkward humour, lack of any interesting story or character development, and an overall absence of the emotional investment present in some of Telltale's other games.”
optimization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
Optimization-wise, the game generally runs smoothly with quick load times and stable performance, though some users report occasional audio glitches and express concerns about lack of Windows 10 optimization. Despite technical stability, there are mixed opinions on overall polish, with some feeling the game requires further performance fixes.
- “Otherwise, the game is solid, loads quickly, and runs smoothly.”
- “No performance problems.”
- “Game runs smoothly and fun to have the control of what you can have happen in the game.”
- “In its current state, at least for me, it is poorly optimized and needs some major performance fixes.”
- “I read in the forums that this is not yet optimized for Win10, but I find that a bit baffling.”
- “I initially thought that it needed a bit more optimization, but that never came.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The atmosphere is widely praised for authentically capturing the Minecraft vibe, with well-designed settings and characters that enhance immersion. While the game successfully blends Minecraft’s charm with a unique style fitting a younger audience, some find the cartoony animations and fixed-screen environments somewhat detract from the typically expansive sandbox feel. Overall, fans appreciate the thoughtful attention to atmosphere and thematic consistency.
- “The creators have captured Minecraft atmosphere so well, I'm sure it's a joy for every Minecraft fan.”
- “The set builders for each area have done their job well, creating atmospheres and settings that fit the theme perfectly.”
- “Any Minecraft player will enjoy the atmosphere and all the little touches put into this game.”
- “The animations seem too cartoony for a supposedly dramatic storyline and it ruins the atmosphere.”
- “For one thing, it does that 90's adventure game thing where the environments are one fixed screen that your character has to move around in, which really doesn't lend itself to the sandbox atmosphere of Minecraft.”
- “Finally, the game itself is clearly aimed at a younger audience, but Telltale have tried to give it the atmosphere found in their other games.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
18%
73%
Grinding in the game is generally described as slow and at times tedious, especially in early stages or certain sections like mazes. However, some players find the experience manageable by playing at a relaxed pace, and much of the progress can be made through normal gameplay without excessive grinding. Overall, the grinding aspect lacks immersion and can feel repetitive but is not overwhelmingly demanding.
- “No grinding needed; 90% of the achievements are completed just by playing through the game normally, with only a few requiring some extra effort.”
- “Not awful, just doesn't have very immersive gameplay and often feels tedious.”
- “The first two episodes feel very slow and grindy as the main characters and setting are established, and it's clear that Telltale Games were not quite sure about the direction for plot and gameplay mechanics (mostly sticking to the on-rails feel they are famous for), but after that the game becomes one of the most engaging and enjoyable Minecraft adaptations I've seen.”
- “The story starts off kinda interesting, but gets increasingly tedious, until you realize it's like a TV show that goes on way longer than it needs to.”

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64%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews

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7h Median play time

29h Average play time

5-14h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 36 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Minecraft: Story Mode is a action adventure game with fantasy and comedy themes.

Minecraft: Story Mode is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck, iPhone and others.

On average players spend around 29 hours playing Minecraft: Story Mode.

Minecraft: Story Mode was released on October 13, 2015.

Minecraft: Story Mode was developed by Telltale Games.

Minecraft: Story Mode has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Minecraft: Story Mode is a single player game.

Similar games include The Walking Dead Michonne, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series, King's Quest, The Walking Dead: Michonne - A Telltale Miniseries, Batman: The Telltale Series and others.

Minecraft: Story Mode

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