The ground is red with netherrack, and fiery fumes envelop the battlefield. The purple tiger, on which I am seated, gives a little tug and protests at my leading it into further harm. As I survey the war zone, I see nothing but an endless horde of squealing evil Piglins closing in on me and my army, threatening to run us down. A large metallic chain circles in the air above me, rearing for an attack. Wielding the chain is a furious giant Piglin. It taunts me with a surprisingly soft snort. Its misshapen snout and glowing white eyes shine innocently against the iridescent lava. The chain now sweeps the floor, the rock attached to its end sends my allies flying back. My army is retreating.
The above description might seem a bit out of place for those who have only played the traditional Minecraft games, known for their peaceful mining-and-building gameplay. This is because Minecraft Legends is a bit of a departure, designed specifically for the more action and battle-hungry players. While retaining some of the unique elements that make the series special—the friendly blocky graphics and iconic lo-fi music—the new release sometimes begins to resemble the Age of Empires series. In addition to the familiar NPCs, biomes, and resources, it introduces a fresh real-time strategy style of gameplay. Minecraft Legends has three key gameplay elements: Collecting resources, building structures, and spawning golem armies.
The first—resource collection—is a breeze compared to the back-breaking axe-lifting of the original games. All you need is a music box strategically placed near resources. The moment it starts playing, tiny fairies are summoned to circle the resources, draining them so quickly it would make a climate scientist cry. This adds to your inventory, subject to a storage limit. The limits provide an interesting element of allocation strategy during battles because the resources are used for building structures and spawning golems.
This brings us to the second element: Building. Since the focus is action, the building is limited to defense or attack structures. Player battle preferences help decide on allocating resources between redstone launchers and arrow towers as opposed to walls and a ramp. If only the Redstone supply wasn’t so dire, I would build enough launchers to surround enemy outposts.
The final and most crucial element of the game are the golems. Tiny creatures forged by the elements, the Golems form your army. They are summoned. They waddle around like a herd of penguins in any direction you send them, no questions asked, almost like they are late for a fish dinner. They are a bit hard to control but I forgive them for being slow because they help in attacks against the enemies in this campaign—the Piglins. Minecraft veterans may remember the Piglins from previous games—the pig-like creatures that guard the nether dimension. For your own army, the game initially provides you with the basic golem varieties made of plank and cobblestone. As the game progresses, you unlock others. Each type of golem is good at something different. The Cobblestones, for example, are strong, the Mossy Golems can heal your army, while the Grindstones can stun enemies. Every power is simple enough that even those new to action strategy can make battle decisions with ease.
Minecraft has always been known for its multiplayer element, which elevated it from a basic building simulator to a fun adventure with friends. Legends are the same, allowing you to gather up to three other players to join you on a cooperative campaign. Share your resources, strategise together, and collectively freak out when an army of piglins comes charging at you. There is even a “versus” mode where you can team up against another group of players and take down their bases. Minecraft Legends offers the perfect combination of its approachable gameplay experience with the excitement of intense battles, making it an ideal strategy game for beginners looking to dive into the action.
The game is available on the following platforms:
Xbox : Rs 2,699 (Xbox store), free with the Xbox Game Pass
PC : Rs 2,699 (Steam), free with the Xbox Game Pass
Nintendo Switch : $39 (US Digital store)
Playstation: Rs 2,499