Minecraft: Story Mode

Episode 1 – The Order of the Stone

The Order of the Stone (Episode 1) begins with main protagonist Jesse and his friends Olivia, Axel, and his pig Reuben who head to the Endercon building competition. After gathering supplies (in a really cool montage) they head to the competition and get registered.  After the competition begins the group build their project but is sabotage when one of the members of the opposing team, the Ocelots, also scaring off Reuben.  Jesse finds Reuben but not before nightfall and they are attacked by monsters.  However, their friend Petra saves them and they escape. Jesse then agrees to help Petra sell a Wither Skull for a diamond. Petra and Jesse meet with a man named Ivor who rips her off and flees.  They find him in a building and with the help of Ocelot leader Lukas, they gain entry with a distraction.  They descend into a laboratory and discover Ivor’s building a dangerous creature known as a Wither.  Despite the group’s efforts Ivor summons the Wither who begins attacking them.  The group along with Ivor is unable to defeat the Wither which becomes increasingly bigger into a Wither Storm.  The group make it to Gabriel’s temple but the Wither attacks it and Jesse, Lukas, Reuben, Axel, and Olivia make it through the portal.  The Wither destroys the portal but not before Ivor makes it through leaving Gabriel and Petra (Petra is Grade A Badass for sure) to fight against the Wither.  Ivor informs the group they’re in the Nether before they are attacked.  After a lengthy chase (actually a fucking awesome one) and the group are separated they manage to escape the Nether through a portal.  They make it to the Overworld and decide to settle down for the night during which Axel reveals his unexplained bitterness towards Lukas.  In the morning the group set off to find the Order Fortress.  They find the fortress and after getting through the building’s defenses they make it to the archives they discover that Ivor was a member of the Order of the Stone.  The group manage to activate the amulet given to Jesse from Gabriel in order to track the other members of the Order of the Stone.  The group makes their plans and the chapter ends with the group looking off into the distance to see the Wither Storm in the sunset.

The Verdict:  In the end, Episode 1 – The Order of the Stone is a pretty solid entry point for the story.  It was very engaging looking into the lives of these characters and the journey they undertake gets more exciting the more the group progresses.  How will the group of adventurers track down the other members of the Order of the Stone and what perils will they have to endure.  Will Axel and Lukas squash their beef (although it is more towards Axel than anything)?  What has befallened the warrior Gabriel and the awesome Petra?  How will the world deal with the Wither Storm that is ravaging the land? And what the hell is Ivor doing at the moment?  Episode 1 – The Order of the Stone gets 3 out of 5.